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Addison's first food experience...a
face that reads:
'Why are you doing this to me?'
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I am now addicted to making food for Addison and hope that this momentum can be harnessed and kept up during the school year. Some people seem a bit surprised that I want to make my own baby food, mostly because of the work that goes into it. Yes, there is ease in buying jars in the market, but I sincerely love knowing I put effort and love into what my baby eats. After months of exclusively breastfeeding (a feat in itself) I couldn't imagine myself not being equally diligent about the 'solid' foods my baby ingests. Thus I am carrying that effort forward and am finding so much joy in the actual simplicity, tastiness, and cost effectiveness of making her foods.
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'I'd much rather eat my cute feet'
Wouldn't you?
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My go-to site for recipes has been Wholesome Baby Food which has some great advice, techniques, and recipes. For Addison's first 'meal' I chose to do a sweet potato puree (I have currently decided to skip over using any cereals since she is still predominantly receiving breast milk for her nutrition.) Right now introducing food to her is more about experimenting with textures, flavors, and color (!) Also, the feeding experience is another method of socialization and means for independence since I allow her some time to 'feed' herself. After day 1 I realized giving her the spoon meant she ate more....granted it also meant a longer sitting and a messier everything, but it also made for a happier baby.
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Addison's first 'meal'= sweet potato
puree
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Now making the purees does take more work, heck, the entire process of feeding her is somewhat of a chore. With breastfeeding my biggest to-do involves getting comfortable. With feeding it involves opening the high chair, strapping in the baby, bibbing up the baby, setting up her food bowl, feeding or coaxing her to eat/letting her gnaw at the spoon, cleaning up. Phew. The plus side? I really love seeing her experience something new and as much as I cringe over mess, seeing a baby with food all over is super gooey cute.
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Part of my first batch of
food--stacked high with pride.
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Aren't
these food pots cute? A trial run of the Babies' R'Us brand. They claim
to be BPA free and also dishwasher/microwave safe though one was destroyed
day one after falling from the top of the dishwasher. A sacrifice to the food
gods.
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What I love about making her first foods has been the sense of accomplishment I have gotten. I am welled up with pride particularly because the actual methods are simple, there is literally one ingredient per meal, and I know EXACTLY what I am feeding her (which helps with disposing of her leftovers). I enjoy how fresh the meals are, and that I am saving a lot of money and waste by not using jars. So far, two sweet potatoes has made over 18 oz, 3/4 of a bag of frozen peas made 11 oz, and two small organic apples made 10 oz
of food. I am terrible with any type of mathematical equation, but essentially
the guesstimate cost of the latter is about $5. At this stage Addy only eats
about 2oz a day, so this stash will last quite awhile as I introduce new foods.
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By
day two she took to the concept well and by five she started to enjoy food,
well, until day seven when I gave her apple sauce. I will have to snap a shot
of
that twisted face. |
SO there are a lot of sites I would like to
recommend but I just can't find the ones one my mind, but here are two others I
have been turning to for inspiration and support: Weelicious and Home Made Baby Food Recipes. If anyone has more
suggestions in this realm, link up-- I love to add to my collection. xoxo and
nom nom nom (making this sound will in fact make your baby want to eat!)
While writing this post I realized a few things: 1. I do a ton of research and often forget to bookmark as much as I would like to share...OR, if I do I am not as organized as I would like, so I don't know what is what 2. TIME FLIES so quickly and because I didn't start this blog as early as I would have liked, it's as if all of the new mama experiences I want to share are already passed. This blog will be somewhat of a retrospective (which also warms me up because I will relive those moments with more clarity and appreciation since they've past) 3. Solid food baby poop...whoooooooo. That might be it's own post
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