Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Healthy baby food is a topic I feel very strongly about and will definitely step onto the soapbox for! Like many aspects of life, convenience doesn’t equal quality (although I argue homemade baby food can be very convenient if you take a simple approach) and many of the current pre-made baby food options are definitely NOT the best first foods for babies!
What Do Babies Need?
Nutrition for the wee ones is a favorite talking point of mine, mainly because it is so important. Since babies and kids have much smaller bodies, any harmful foods can do much more proportionate damage, but this also means that healthy foods can do wonders for them.
I also must confess, on this note, that I did follow the recommendations for first foods with our first child, and I think this is part of the reason why he was our pickiest eater for a long time (though he now happily eats most foods thanks to our “food rules”).
First let’s look at the food nature designed for babies and use it as our guide for which solid foods to introduce and when.
Begin With Breast Milk (If Possible)
I truly believe (and the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees) that the healthiest first food for babies is breast milk. It is a truly perfect and complete food for babies.
Breast milk is full of fatty acids, antibodies, nutrients, protein, fat, and protective bioactive molecules. The fat and protein content adapts to baby’s needs as they grow and breast milk contains a much higher whey to casein ratio that cows’ milk and formula which makes it more digestible.
Research also shows that breast feeding drastically reduces the instance of SIDS (of every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed babies). Studies also show numerous benefits to the mother, including decreased risk of cancers (breast, ovarian, cervical, endometrial), lower incidence of postpartum depression, and reduced chance of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Unfortunately, in the United States breast feeding until at least 6 months as the AAP recommends only happens about 35% of the time.
What If You Can’t Nurse?
I completely understand that there are cases when breastfeeding is not possible and I don’t ever want to make any mom feel guilty for needing to feed formula. Breast feeding may be best for baby but there are cases when breast feeding may not be possible or best for Mom.
Thankfully, it is possible to make a real-food substitute for formula that comes close to imitating at the least the nutritional profile of breast milk. This is what I would use if I’m ever unable to nurse a baby.
Radiant Life even makes it easy to purchase the special ingredients to make it with this formula kit.
When to Feed Baby Solid Food (& Common Mistakes)
While breastfeeding is the perfect food for baby, at some point baby will want or need solid food. This may happen around 6 months or when baby can sit up well, grasp small objects, and shows interest food. (They have their ways of making it obvious!)
Motor development of course varies for each baby, so follow baby’s signs that he/she is ready to eat solid food rather than waiting for a certain day on the calendar. This post from Mama Natural is a great guide and takes some stress out of the process of knowing when baby is ready.
With my last few babies, I waited until at least 6 months before introducing solid food.
Problems With Conventional Baby Foods
Ask your mother what you ate for a first food or ask most pediatricians what they recommend as first foods for babies and most will say oatmeal or rice cereal.
After that, the usual recommended choices for the next stage are often fruit purees, starchy veggies like squash, various watered-down mixtures of processed meats, over-steamed veggies and eventually a nauseating array of fluffy, puffy, sweetened grain-based snacks.
This is what I did with my first child because I didn’t know any better, and this is the advice that many new moms get daily for baby food. It turns out that not only is this not what mothers do in many parts of the world (including countries with much lower rates of obesity and allergies) but research may not even support it!
Don’t Start With Rice
The most common recommended first food in the U.S. is iron-fortified rice cereal. This seems logical at first glance, because babies naturally need more iron than they receive from breast milk at around age six months. At the same time, iron-fortified processed foods are a relatively modern invention and many moms question the idea of giving a fortified food rather than a food that naturally contains iron and other nutrients.
It also seems logical that the fact that babies have an increasing need for nutrients like iron at around 6 months should be a clue both to what first foods should be and as to their actual need for these nutrients. If a baby is going to need a certain nutrient at a certain time that isn’t supplied by breast milk, it makes sense that there would be a built-in way for baby to get this nutrient that doesn’t involve modern fortified foods.
And it turns out that there is!
Need for Iron Gives a Clue
As Heather of Mommypotamus explains in this comprehensive post, there are several important reasons for the iron need at this age and a logical and natural way that babies get it:
- Many pathogenic bacteria (including E. coli) need iron to survive and the missing iron may be a way of protecting baby from these bacteria as he or she starts eating solids.
- Babies also at age 4-6 months start wanting to spend more time on the ground on their bellies in preparation for crawling. In a non-sterile world, this put babies in contact with dirt on a daily basis, and dirt is a natural source of iron and zinc!
It also makes sense that as a baby does have a dietary need for more minerals like iron and zinc, we should give them foods that naturally contain these nutrients without the need for fortified and artificial nutrients. As rice is not naturally a source of these nutrients … perhaps it isn’t intended to be a first food for baby!
All About That Amylase
Another reason that rice cereal and other starchy foods aren’t the best first choice for baby is that at age 4-6 months, babies don’t make enough of an enzyme called amylase to break down most carbohydrates. This means that starchy foods like rice can be irritating to baby’s digestive system and lead to discomfort in some babies.
In fact, without enough amylase, these foods can literally sit and start to decompose in the gut, which may increase the likelihood of allergies to this particular food!
Given the lack of amylase, it seems odd that starchy and sweet foods like grains and fruits are recommended as first baby foods. Logically, habituating a baby to the taste of sweet foods first would make it difficult to introduce less sugary (yes, fruit does have sugar) foods like vegetables later. This is one reason that in countries like France, these foods are introduced later after baby has learned to like a wide variety of healthy foods.
So, if rice and other starches aren’t a natural source of iron and babies don’t have the enzymes to digest them properly, why are we encouraged to give them as a first food?
As a wild guess, I’d suggest that it has more to do with rice being one of the most subsidized crops in the U.S. (along with corn and soybeans), but that is a (long) post for another day.
A Different Approach to Healthy Baby Food
Baby food doesn’t have to be complicated, and in most places in the world, it isn’t. Many cultures don’t have entire corporations devoted to producing watered-down purees for baby, or a whole market for machines, containers, and gizmos to make your own baby food.
In some cultures, mom just chews a bit of her food and feeds to baby (sounds gross but it can actually help digestion). In countries like France, babies are given non-starchy foods first and it is said to spoil baby’s taste buds to give starches first. Many foods in France are broth based, and baby receives quite a bit of broth and meat as first foods.
That being said, here are some good choices for introducing real food to babies:
Healthy Baby Foods I Recommend
In many parts of the world, starches and sweet foods are not given as a first food at all. Instead, in many places, they give animal foods like broth and tiny pieces of meat.
Surprised?
If we look at the enzymes in a baby’s digestive system at the age of first foods, proteins and fats are a logical and much safer choice. After much research, the first baby food that I’ve given to all of my children has changed drastically over the years.
This is the order that I personally introduce foods now. At first I don’t mix foods but introduce them one at a time for a period of a week or two to see how baby reacts.
1. Broth
This was never suggested with my first child and while I am grateful he doesn’t have any allergies and is a great eater now, I wish I’d known what I know now to be able to give him more nourishing first foods.
Broth may seem like an odd first food for a baby, but after my third child struggled with eczema and dairy intolerance (after being born via c-section) and we used the GAPS diet to help reverse his problems, I realized that the same reasons broth is a superfood for gut health during GAPS makes it a logical first baby food as well!
Babies are naturally born with a leaky gut because this allows beneficial antibodies and enzymes from mom’s milk to pass into the bloodstream and increase immunity. Eventually, the gut needs to seal so that particles from foods and pathogens don’t enter the bloodstream as well. Broth seals the intestinal wall as a great source of gelatin, amino acids, bioavailable minerals, and other nutrients. As a liquid, it is also an easy transition for baby!
I typically feed my babies broth as their only “real food” for about a month before adding in any other food to help make sure the gut is ready.
What I Do: Serve small amounts of warmed broth in a bottle or with a spoon. I made my own broth for my babies but now there is a quality brand of pre-made broth on the market that is shelf stable and has all the good stuff homemade broth does. Find out why it’s different here.
2. Meat + Liver
Next, I’ll introduce pastured grass-fed high quality meats and liver that have been cooked and very finely grated to the broth. Again, this seems counter-intuitive as a first food, but meat is a complete source of protein and amino acids and liver is nature’s multivitamin.
If it seems strange to feed a baby meat as a first food, think about this:
Meat is a natural source of iron, which babies naturally need. It also doesn’t require amylase to be digested, making it a logical first baby food and the choice of many cultures around the world.
Meats are a complete source of protein, unlike rice, beans, and vegetables and provide more calories and nutrients per ounce than other foods. While this is common sense in much of the world, in the U.S., meats are some of the last foods to be introduced. “Kid-friendly food” given to growing toddlers may even often be processed foods like hot dogs!
Of course, you want to make sure that these are extremely high quality meats from ethical and healthy sources, but even a small amount of these foods will help provide baby the iron and zinc they need at this stage and these foods are less likely to be allergenic than many other foods.
What I Do: Cook grass-fed or pastured meat or liver and let cool. Grate into small pieces with a grater or baby food grinder. Mix into broth and serve. Can also freeze in small portions to add to other foods as baby grows. I get my meat and liver from U.S. Wellness Meats or Butcher Box when it’s not available from a local farm I trust.
3. Mashed Banana + Avocado
At this stage, I’ll add in some low-allergen fruits and vegetables like bananas and avocados. I often mash these into the meat or broth. Bananas (though I don’t personally like the taste of them) are one of the few fruits that contain amylase, making them easier to digest for most babies. I don’t like to give them straight since they are sweeter, and mix them with meat or liver so baby doesn’t get too used to sweeter flavors right away.
Avocado is packed with beneficial fats and are a natural source of folate, iron, fiber, potassium, and even magnesium. It’s one of the best first fruits (or vegetables) to serve baby, plus it’s soft and easy to cube or mash.
What I do: Serve diced or pureed, or mix with a little banana for the amylase.
4. Butter + Other Vegetables
At this point, I will add in a grass-fed pastured butter (for the healthy fats and Vitamin K2) and other non-starchy vegetables. I add vegetables one at a time and usually about a week apart.
Vegetables have a much higher nutrient content than grains and less chance of an allergic response, so I introduce almost all vegetables before any grains, including rice, are introduced.
What I do: The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to start adding tiny bits of chopped veggies to baby’s broth and boiling until soft. At this point, I strain out the soft veggies, let them cool and let baby feed herself.
5. Present Mixed Foods, Textures, and Finger Foods
By this stage, baby is able to share most of the meat, veggies, and fruits we’re already eating at the dinner table. I’m not a big fan of feeding purees for long (feeding a baby with a spoon is not a quick process) so I tend to just make a quick “hash” with small enough pieces to be safe for baby but thick enough to pick up and eat on their own.
Here are some ideas for healthy finger foods for older toddlers to keep the real-food tastebuds going!
A Healthy Storebought Baby Food Option (2019 Update)
When I first wrote this post, there were literally zero pre-packaged convenience options I could recommend. Sure, organic baby food pouches are everywhere and super convenient, but pretty much all of them contain close to zero protein or healthy fats — which we just established baby needs.
I’ve been watching and waiting for someone to catch on to the huge disconnect between demand and supply in the healthy baby food market… leave it to a mom to figure it out! This new line of baby food uses only quality grass-fed or pastured meats, organic veggies, and (newsflash!) will actually satisfy a hungry baby with protein and healthy fats. They are a great family company and I look forward to seeing more from them in the future.
I’ve even sampled it, and it’s delicious!
Update: Why Early Allergen Introduction Is a Good Idea
Some landmark studies (that came out well after I had my babies) is changing how we think about childhood food allergies. The latest research suggests introducing allergenic foods starting at 4 months to lower a child’s chances of developing an allergy to those foods. Peanut, egg, and milk represent >80% of the most common childhood food allergies, so these would be foods to introduce early rather than delay.
I know it may seem scary to offer a baby peanuts since this seems like the opposite of what doctors have advised in the past, but think about this way: in many countries such as Israel where peanut is a staple in their meals, there’s a much lower incidence of peanut allergies because infants are introduced to peanut-containing foods much earlier on.
Of course, you should check with your doctor to make a plan that’s right for your situation, but make sure to reference the LEAP, EAT, and PETIT studies and get their thoughts on the new American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations as a result of these studies.
What I Would Do
Leave it a mom + allergist to develop a convenient and safe way to act on this research. She and team of allergists developed a product called Ready, Set, Food! that contains safe amounts of the top allergenic foods in a convenient powdered form. Simply open the packet and add to baby’s formula or expressed breast milk. I’ve looked in-depth at the science and the team behind this product and I’m very impressed. It’s organic and non-GMO as well. Get all the details about how it works here.
Reasons to Make Homemade Baby Food
At this point, you’re probably getting the sense that I recommend most if not all of baby’s first foods be made at home rather than store-bought. It’s not as much trouble as it sounds!
Here’s some compelling reasons to make homemade baby food instead of buy it:
Not Processed = More Nutrients Intact
Nutrition is so important at this early age and unfortunately, the convenient jars and squeeze packs of baby food on grocery store shelves don’t have anywhere near the nutrients of fresh steamed vegetables and meats made at home.
Know What’s in It
Ever read the labels? Besides the token vegetable or fruit, jar baby food contains mostly water and small amounts of added fillers to keep everything the same consistency. Plus even if the label has real food ingredients, there is no way to know the ratio of vegetable to fruit used in the formula (except maybe to look at the grams of sugar!).
Economical and Convenient
This is one case where it truly is, hands down, cheaper to make your own baby food. What you pay for in the store is so much water and filler that you could make huge amounts of fresh vegetables for your baby for less.
All you need is vegetables and water or broth to steam or boil them. If you’re having meat and vegetables for dinner, chances are you don’t need to make anything special for baby. Just mash, cube, or puree.
Want convenience? There are many convenient reusable containers on the market now that make storage and freezing of homemade baby food a snap, even without plastic. I loved these stacking and freezer-safe baby food jars or this reusable silicone version of the squeeze packs you see in the store.
Limits Contact with Plastic (Endocrine Disruptors)
Much of the baby food packaging today has moved toward convenient squeeze packs instead of jars. I have concerns about using plastic especially around food. Making it at home skips the plastic packaging (and saves the Earth!).
The Baby Food Bottom Line
There are, of course, many ideas of what makes a correct “first food” as there are so many options. Mine is simply this: Start with nutrient-dense and non-starchy whole foods that have a low chance of causing an allergic response and let baby be as independent as possible when eating. Hopefully, this will help set up a lifetime of healthy eating habits for kids!
This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board-certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
What type of baby food do you use? Share below!
With my first child, we fed him just what the doctor ordered (tons of rice cereal, store-bought baby food). He turned out to be rediculously picky and has amazing texture issues. We’re working on it 😉
With the next two I nodded politely at the doc, and then went home and made my own baby food. Soon as they were big enough, we gave them finger food (baby sized) of the same veggies/fruits/meats they had been eating (gasp! we even used herbs and spices). Both of these kids are great eaters.
My daughter is almost 5 months old so I’m just learning more about what they need to eat so THANK GOD a good friend showed me to this site!! I have many questions but my main one is how often should they eat purred/solid foods along with their formula?(I was only able to breast feed 1 month, unfortunately because I got very sick)
What do you recommend giving babies when breastfeeding is no longer an option? My 15 month old has been breastfed from birth but am no longer producing enough milk. He eats like a champ (paleo) but I’m not sure what to give him as a breast milk replacement. Thanks for the help!
Coconut milk is a great alternative if he is over a year old and you can add extra coconut oil to his foods to make sure he is still getting the medium chain fatty acids and the lauric acid. Hope that helps…
-Katie
What if the baby is NOT over a year old (8 months) but we don’t drink cow’s milk? Breastfeeding is still primary food source, but I’m wanting to mix baby cereal with something…almond/coconut or rice milk? She is not very interested in eating food yet but I’m slowly introducing real foods to her along with oatmeal…can I mix it with one of the other milks? I gave her vanilla rice milk with the oatmeal and it’s the only time she seemed interested in eating it.
The whole point of this article was to get parents to understand that you shouldn’t be feeding your babies cereals…
It’s probably not the greatest idea to give a baby flavored and sweetened “milk” made from a refined grain that super quickly turns to glucose in the bloodstream, either.
Hello,
Do you have a brand of coconut milk you recommend?
Thanks,
Hi Katie, what would you recommend if baby is under a year old and can’t breastfeed anymore due to surgery and mom isn’t pumping much output? I need a milk to supplement BM and can’t get raw milk in Ontario.
This might be a little too late for you but goats milk is a great alternative to cows milk. Raw would be best but the powdered one is really good too. I use (since day 1 after my baby was born) Mt. Capra brand. They have a whole powdered goats milk and also an amazing recipe on their site for making your own “baby formula”. That is the recipe we have used since our guy was born ( he was 12.4 lbs, no diabetes, but my milk has never come in earlier than a week after birth so I couldn’t starve the poor child!) We absolutly LOVE the Mt. Capra formula. He is three months old now, has never even been remotely sick (despite five other siblings always touching him) has gained weight normally (he’s 16 lbs now) and sleeps well. You can buy it on thier site or amazon.
I was wondering how much bone broth you recommend starting with for a 6 month old? I was thinking 2 oz but I wasn’t sure, she hasn’t had any baby foods yet.
What did you end up trying?? I’m about to start my 6 month old with broth but I’m not sure how much at first?
Did you find out how much to start with the both broth? I’d like to start my 6 month old on bone broth but I’m not sure the amount either.
When do you suggest to start broth as their first food. 6 months and do that for one month then add other food? How many times a day to give baby broth.
Excellent summation! Both my daughters started with homemade organic vegetables at 6 months, and I echo the comment from Mandy. Wholesomebabyfood.com and homemade-baby-food-recipes.com were excellent resources for preparation instructions and combination ideas. I breastfed my girls until they were about 15 months. I did introduce oatmeal cereal to my first later on, mainly because I’d read that breastfed infants retain iron better when cereals are introduced later. But with my second, I had learned that cereal was really unnecessary in the first place and she never had a bite. Both my girls are very healthy and good eaters. They’ve since taken to crackers and other grains as toddlers, but I’m working on cutting back on grains in the entire family’s diet as I was recently introduced to WAPF. Looking forward to keeping up with your blog in the future!
Katie –
I fed my daughter based on Weston Price information – breastfeeding, egg yolk first, banana, avocadoes, etc and made 90% of her baby food. We did move twice so it wasn’t always feasible… She was very healthy as an infant and a great eater as a toddler. She loves meat, I do feed her raw cheese and try to minimize her grains. However, since she was about 14 months old she has had a runny nose almost constantly. Several ear infections, etc. After she turned 1 she did start eating grains – more than I would like, but we were on vacation in Spain for 2 weeks and it was hard to find easy to travel with alternatives. And once she discovered crackers she wanted them… She has been (mostly) grain free again for the last 3 months which did seem to help, but now her runny nose is back with vengeance and I think even a sinus infection. I’m so frustrated! Any ideas? She eats a little dairy (storebought kefir, raw cheese mostly). The doctors here just say it’s allergies, because everyone has allergies here….. There still has to be a better alternative than drugs all the time.
Vit C Vit C Vit C!! A natural antihystamine, water soluble and available in may fruits and veggies, as well as clean supplements. You take (or give) to bowel tolerance, and then back down a bit. I use it for myself and my girls, all have horrible allergies and haven’t had to use an allergy medicine in 2 years.
I did tons of research before deciding what to feed my baby, and started with egg yolk, cooked but still soft, at 4 months. He reacted at first, but after a brief pause, he loved it. I started him on meats next, since babies have all the equipment to handle meats and fats… because that’s what breastmilk is made of. So, after that we did the vegetables and fruits, one at a time, and at 10 months I started plain yogurt, the fattest and best I could find. (I got most of my information from the Weston A Price foundation.) Now he’s 11 months, and absolutely solid. Everyone comments on how good an eater he is, and of course raises their eyebrows when I say he has never had cereal, pablum, teething biscuits, cookies… et. c. 🙂 I don’t think I will ever go back to an agrarian diet again! Not to mention that my (mainly) grain free pregnancy was like a walk in the park, with 7 hours of labor and only 25 minutes of pushing for a 10.5 lb baby! 😀
Impressive! Sounds like your son has a great nutritional foundation!
Ha ha ha! I also had a 10 pound baby in six hours. Pushed for 20 minutes, healed like a champ. All at home. And I also eat grains. I don’t understand the conspiracy theories against grains. They are perfectly fine for most individuals. If you’ve got allergies at all, but you don’t like the “traditional” answers you’ll hear at any given doctor’s office, try seeing someone who does energy healing with the NAET machine or an ASA. It’ll clear you right up. As someone who was near death due to allergies can attest: it’s more involved than to say that what you eat is the only culprit. Always, ALWAYS eat healthy, but there’s nothing wrong with eating grains. Or eating dairy. Every few years, it’s always the same. Some new idea that eating meat is terrible, or then it’s eating oil. Then it’s nuts. I will agree that certain people have sensitivities to these foods, and even fewer have violent reactions. But most of us are just fine. And allergies can be cleared up in different ways, if you’re not close minded to new ideas. By the by: I’m 5 ft 7 in, weigh 127, and am healthy as a horse. As the saying goes. I’ve eliminated grains and dairy before (as I mentioned above, I used to have horrific allergies. They came out of nowhere a few years ago and I got deathly ill. Looking back on that time in my life, though, combined with what I’ve learned in energetic work, I’m no longer surprised), and I was even less healthy than I am when I eat a balanced diet that has whole foods from the entire pyramid.
What is energetic work? please explain further
When you say children don’t need grains, are you intending this to be crackers, bread and “snack” type stuff, or do you mean whole grains? What do you recommend for them for energy without WHOLE grains like brown rice, millet, kamut, quinoa, etc? Wheatberries, for example, are an excellent source of energy and still gluten and wheat free.
There is nothing in grains, whole or otherwise, that is not found in bigger amounts and more bio available in meats, vegetables, fruits
and beneficial fats. There is absolutely to biological or other need for children, or anyone to eat grains.
Wheatberries, for instance, may be a source of energy, but so are nutrient packed veggies or grassfed beef!
Wheatberries are just the wheat kernel, which when ground produce wheat flour. So it contains gluten and is wheat. And kamut and quinoa have gluten also.
You give great advice! My son’s first food beyond breastmilk was apple because he took it out of my hand and put it in his mouth, but avocado quickly followed, and at almost 1 yr he loves pretty much any vegetable we put in front of him.
We went gluten free a month ago for allergy reasons (my son is also allergic to eggs, dairy, fish, pineapple) and now we’re going paleo. Since it is all fresh in my mind I was curious…you suggest giving babies green beans but aren’t they legumes? Is there something different about them that makes it okay?
From what I understand, since they are in the younger stage and still protected by the pod, they have much lower levels of phytic acid and lectins. Since they are also usually cooked, which reduces this further, they are not nearly of as much concern as beans. That being said, some very strict paleo eaters won’t eat them, and some will.
Thanks so much for the info! I’ve been expecting green beans to be something we’d occassionally “cheat” with anyway, because they are a favorite food of ours. It is nice to know they are at least better than the alternatives!
I just found your site. What would you recommend as a beverage for my dairy-intake-produces-rashes 2.5year old? I have been feeding him a toddler soy formula since I stopped nursing when he turned 1. I feel so terrible after reading about how bad soy is for boys! 🙁
I would suggest coconut milk or coconut smoothies (coconut milk, coconut oil, small amount of fruit). You could also try making water kefir or kombucha for the probiotics, and most kids like the bubbly texture (similar to soda). In reality, if you are limiting his grains and processed foods, he won’t need as much calcium anyway, and will be absorbing it from food better. I have noticed that many kids with dairy allergies have an underlying gluten sensitivity as well, and benefit highly from going off grains. This especially sounds like it could be your son, because it is manifesting as a rash. Just make sure he gets lots of good proteins (meats, etc) and fats (coconut products, avocado, olives, etc) and veggies, and he won’t be missing anything from the dairy.
My son is 3 months old and he has esophageal reflux. I started out breastfeeding but couldn’t continue. I was so upset. I formula feed him now and its been a struggle to find the right kind for him. His pediatrician said to add rice or oatmeal cereal to help. After reading your info I don’t want to. My question is what would you suggest to help with the reflux
We went through something similar with our infant. We used plantain flour instead of the rice or oatmeal cereal. You can get organic plantain flour on the site named after the big South American river.
Hello. I know this is years later but my baby is suffering from horrible reflux. I want to try the plantain flour. How much did you put in a bottle with breast milk? How often?
We went through this with our infant too. It was very difficult. Especially with all the formula shaming that goes on. It’s no wonder we have a higher rate of PPD!! It’s inevitable when you’re being verbally attacked in such a vulnerable state! But all that aside, I hope you found something that works for you & your baby. Our Ped suggested the rice as well, but we didn’t follow through with it & it eventually resolved on it’s own.
Ashley, I found this post and it’s from over a year ago but still would like to give my suggestions on babies with acid reflux in hopes that it helps a desperate mama out there. My oldest was diagnosed with esophageal reflux at only 4 months of age. He was prescribed medication but we decided to listen to the recommendation of the pharmacist instead. He recommended that, for bottle fed babies (I was unable to nurse for a lot of reasons and I was devastated!), to pace the feedings by pulling the bottle away from the baby’s mouth every 3-5 seconds to allow swallowing. He said it would take a while to see the results. After a couple of weeks of the projectile vomiting stopped and at 6 weeks, the acid reflux was completely gone. We continued pacing his feedings until he was drinking from a cup on his own.
It’s called pace feeding which is common for bottle fed breastmilk but is really how all babies should be fed. This is the first I’ve heard of it specifically being recommended due to reflux but I bet it would help if everyone knew to pace feed!
My son had the same problem, all formulas contain either corn or soy and both are so highly allergenic. We actually put him on raw goat milk at 5 months and he didn’t ha Eva problem with that at all. He grew up just fine and now he’s 3 with no more eczema caused from the formula.
Katie,
the only other site that I feel is worth looking at is Wholesomebabyfood.com – great suggestions on how to prepare your own. After using commercially prepared with my first (organic, but still not fresh! 🙁 I’ve decided to make my own for Alden. He’s 7 1/2 months and although I’d love to feed him finger foods and/or small chunks, he seems to have a STRONG gag reflex :/ so, steam, steam away I go! I just LOVE all your recipe ideas and your site is amazing, keep at it!
Love that site
Hi there! I was wondering your thoughts on giving bone broth or liver as a first food since I have read a few other natural sites that recommend those first instead of avocado. I currently have a three month old and I am trying to do as much research as I can to give her the healthiest start I can and it is quite overwhelming! Also do you have any opinion on when to start solids with your child? And would you let them feed themselves or would you spoon feed at first? Thank you in advance!
How sad ..I really like these type of articles but then came the big gluten word …The thing about trends not foods is they are normally wrong ! what percentage of people actually have “proven” lectin reactions ? the gluten hate is a trend ..sad a site called wellness mama is following trends rather then evidence ..discredited
I agree. My own mother fed me only steamed vegetables when I was being introduced to solid foods. I’m a huge supporter of not introducing fruits and high-sugar content to babies before veggies. I love the idea of buying organic, though I’ll readily admit that most of the population just can’t afford that. I’m a huge health nut and always have been. But I absolutely LOATHE this idea that all grains are terrible for you. They aren’t. They’re difficult for some, but absolutely fine for most. That said, people consider “grains” to be white pasta, donuts, or lucky charms. Of course these things are unhealthy. Of course people gain unbelievable amounts of weight when eating them. But the anti-gluten crowd doesn’t seem to understand that the average person doesn’t eat the right proportion of vegetables and proteins in relation to carbohydrates, and that the average person does not eat whole grain foods. So…everything about the grain gets the blame when really there are multiple factors for why someone would be unhealthy whilst eating them. I’ve only named two examples.
The biggest problem with grains and legumes is they are not being prepared in the traditional methods that reduced all the problematic items contained in them to tolerable levels because those preparation methods take time. People are all in a hurry or trying to cut corners to “save money” in modern society. Fine, if you want to cut time then cut the grains you aren’t willing to spend the time properly preparing and eat the foods that don’t require that kind of prep time to be made tolerably safe.
Would you mind posting links to some of those studies citing that babies don’t have the enzyme to digest grains? I have a 6 month old and would be interested in reading them. Thank you!
Actually, gentlemen, it is scientifically proven that children, under the average age of 2 years, do not even produce the enzyme required to break down grains. There are many studies out there showing this. Introducing grains of any kind to a child under 1-2 (this number differs, they will produce the enzymes once their molars come in) CAN (not always) cause future digestive or allergen issues.
This is not anti-gluten, this is anti-grain-of-any-kind because they literally cannot digest it until their body is mature enough. It isn’t “trendy” to feed your children healthy, it’s instinct.
Grain or carbs, babies can digest carb, amalayse is found in the saliva, it is what begins the break down of carbs in the mouth, yes guten sensitivity are real, but there are different levels, my cousin is celiac and she is the one whole told me that, she can eat certain grains but there are people who can’t eat any. It depends on how sensitive you are.
Not eating gluten isn’t a trend it’s being an educated person who has taken the time to research countless studies. Followed up by 90 percent of cutting edge doctors scientists and holistic practitioners.
Agree- I am a health professional- with training at Duke Medicine. Specificaly- gluten (whether a sensativity or allergy- celiacs) affects a great deal of the population, most unaware of it. Mainstream medicine is behind with this. Functional medicine is not- thankfully. My advice is make sure you know how to read and search for research articles and their counterparts. Writings in magaznes or posts do not count as research based studies. What wellness mama is doing is making people aware. I comend her for her site, dedication, and credibility. Keep up the good work!
Looks like there needs to be more research done on non-celiac gluten sensitivity. There could be other causes. I know people with Celiac disease and its a very real thing but I think the power of suggestion have convinced a lot of people they have this sensitivity as well. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rosspomeroy/2014/05/15/non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity-may-not-exist/
I agree with Tonya. Anyone who thinks that “gluten hate” is just a fad has no idea the devastating effects it can have on a body. My dad’s liver was failing and he was dying at 38 years old because he’s a celiac and didn’t know. Its a serious condition and people who dismiss it and make little of it are hurtful towards those of us who are just trying to stay healthy. Tonya is right, the way we process our foods is making them poisonous to our bodies, which is why celiac and other sensitivities are becoming more and more common.
Shame in you, the original gluten wheat called emmer wheat was easily digestible and healthy for people but in the 1950s they tampered with it and really stuffed up the molecules swelling them into indigestible proportions- literally. Then in the 1970s the whole world took on this new crop and this is why it’s become what it is. The original emmer wheat was healthy. So do your research you ignorant person. Well done Katie!
I was wondering if anyone was going to bring up that point. The grains of today are not the grains from when our grandparents were young. One local Chiropractor talks about how have u noticed bread doesn’t go stale. I remember bread and flour didn’t last long. (Some of you may be to young to remember that) Flour got bug and bread went stale. Notice how that doesn’t happen any more. It is because the grains of today are not only different from the 50’s but it is processed differently too. So it has caused people to become gluten sensitive or intolerant. Everyone is different and what works for one my not for another.
And grown and harvested different as well.
Indeed–where is this data and how did all of us survive with so much gluten in our world. All this veggies are a must, for sure; but grains play a huge positive role in our bodies. Yikes.
Read the Books Wheat Belly and Grain Brain, both written by renowned physicians, a cardiologist and neurologist, respectively. They go into the chemistry behind what gluten “does” in your body. If you still think grains are hunky dory after that then good luck. Also remember that grains were only about five percent of our ancestors diet…no bagels and cereal and oatmeal for breakfast…subs for lunch…stuffing for dinner with a side of rolls.
I interviewed the author of Wheat Belly here: https://wellnessmama.com/3486/dr-william-davis-wheat-belly/
Personally, I think that the only trend here is wanting to have your say about whether or not humans can tolerate grains or gluten. Your comments don’t really have anything all do do with the article?Bottom line, why would you want to feed your baby weird grains that don’t even compare to the nutritional content of vegetables and meat. Its not about what babies will “tolerate” its about what they will THRIVE on!
Well done Katie you’re doing a great job, I love your website and advice!
The problem with grains and legumes are the compounds in them that decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals by binding to them, and the effect they have on promoting increased intestinal permeability. These effects happen to everyone, even if you don’t have an allergy to gluten or lectins. My functional medicine physician has educated me on this, and has concluded that these compounds promote autoimmunity.
Michelle,
Please understand that we are dealing with Gov’t run healthcare and Gov’t run food……..Gluten has become an issue in our generation, no thanks to the GMO and altering of nutrients in our foods. You would be amazed at the problems gluten causes…..mainly the fact that it is pure food for Candida…..if you do not know what Candida is, please look it up on Naturalnews.com NOT GOOGLE!
Food for thought
In defense of this site, it is like others it is strictly informational – Wellness Mama has done her research and does what she feels is right for her family. You are obviously doing the same for your family.
There are many drawbacks to wheat these days – from it being genetically modified, to our digestive systems not being about to digest and assimilate. Do what you feel is best for your family!!
How did you feed the bone broth to your little one – was it kept into the fridge? Spoon fed?
Please don’t give up so easily. She has done TONS of research on gluten. I have personally witnessed my 6th child turn into an absolute monster when she eats gluten.
Replying to a comment I saw. Me and my 6yo (5 at the time) have gluten, wheat, lecithin, and I cant remember the last one pertaining to this (this is a new diagnosis for us and also pregnancy brain). He does not have reactions to it yet (that we have noticed but still working on it) but boy do I!! We have been weaning him off of foods since we found out. He is doing ok with this because I had reactions and it took a long time to figure it out. He saw how sick I was for months before we figured it out. If I have something that is cross contaminated he knows he cant even touch me because I hurt so bad. I though I was dying at first then thought it was lupus. Gluten free isn’t just a fad or diet change it can make you a new person! I commend Katie for bringing this up. Thank you for this wonderful article!
Mandy, I’m sorry you feel “Gluten Allergy/sensativity” is a big farce & Kate is some how just following along! Since I have a Granddaughter who has a very HIGH sensativity to Gluten, And her GrandMother is a full blown Celiac patient. I felt the need to tell you you’re Wrong! It’s not a FAD it’s a fact & if you had a family member who suffered from this terrible sensativity or allergy you certainly wouldn’t be sAying that. Do some research on the gluten content In wheat you’ll see it’s gone from 3% years & years ago to being a GMO (geneticLly Modified) & Now has 26%! No wonder the gluten sensativity/allergy & Celiac has risen so dramatically!
I was unable to breastfeed as bubba wouldn’t latch! It wasn’t without a considerable amount of effort, many leche appointments and a few lactation consultants without any luck! I wanted to suffocate that baby into my boob and feed him “normal”! But he had other plans and I had to be ok with that! To add to my depression, he had considerable colic and gas, and within a few days after leaving the hospital (spent 5 days there) he became lethargic. He stopped moving, crying, pooping, just was a ball of jello! I knew something was wrong, despite everyone telling me he was fine. Even my mother – who ha a successfully raised three babies, told me he as just tired! I felt that their was something wrong! I immidiately rushed him to the doctor she had never seen a baby go into full lathargy before and was determined to figure out what was going on! As a first time mother, I was extremely frightened. I cried and the only thing to soothe me was my baby in my arms. I wouldn’t let go of him! After many tests and a few changing in formula she found that he was allergic to the milk protein in the formula. I wa a feeding him the best organic version I could find but he just couldn’t process it. We had to buy a him hypoallergenic version that was not o lay extremely costly but was choke full of fake ingredients and undoubtly chemicals! But we had no choice, I was only pumping about 2 ounces a day and baby demanded 3 ounce feedings.
At a healthy one year old we now offer him a mixture of organic premade baby foods from companies I trust, homemade organic baby food which I prepare, organic steamed fruits and veggies, organic fresh meats, and gluten free grains, cereals and snacks. Baby is on a gluten free (family history of celiac), dairy free diet without any issues.
**The moral of the story, each of us have to do what we think is best for our babies. And the best thing we can do is listen to our own instincts and intuition as mothers. No one will ever know your baby as much as you do! We need to support each other and help educate oneanother without bias or contempt. Most of us are newbies and struggling everyday with new challenges and concerns. Everyday we question ourselves and our decisions.
Even if I don’t agree with everything in an article, I appreciate their perspective and do my own research no matter.
Thanks for sharing! I’m sure it will help someone.
I can also recommend parental-love.com Susan Urban writes really god guides 🙂