As soon as we got breastfeeding figured out, it was time to introduce solids. It seems like anytime you think you know what you’re doing as a parents your child proves you wrong. Anyone relate?
So I started researching when, how, and what to introduce first! It’s incredible how many different routes there are to take, and it honestly just depends on the baby. Some babies want to feed themselves, while others will only eat from a golden spoon that their mama wields, and some prefer a pouch to anything. Our pediatrician had a few suggestions that I loved, but I would suggest speaking to your own before introducing solids. She suggested introducing baby cereal with breast milk first, then single ingredient purées, and also introducing common allergens.
I loved using baby oatmeal and breast milk until sawyer understood how to swallow food and not just let it fall out of her mouth. This is the perfect way to see if your baby is ready for solids and teach them how to eat without wasting a lot of food. The idea of eating single ingredient foods is to know exactly which food causes an allergic reaction if there is one! That’s why I love Inspired Start. They combine normal baby foods like apples with ingredients like peanuts to introduce those common allergens to your baby in a smart way.
It’s a safe bet that I won’t be making my own peanut butter, or making a shrimp purée any time soon to introduce these foods to Sawyer. Inspired Start makes it possible to expose our kiddos to interesting flavor combinations and potential allergens without fear. It’s difficult to find diverse favors to introduce to baby during those first few months. I notice most foods are either single ingredient, or include three to four different ingredients. That makes it challenging to know what your baby is allergic to, and to know if they actually like a flavor or if it’s being masked by the other ingredients. Inspired Start ensures that they’re tasting unique flavors like peanut, egg, soy, and shrimp.
Currently, Sawyer is eating solids 1-2x a day, and breastfeeding at least 5x. I make sure to only offer solids an hour before or an hour after a feed because they’re not her source of nutrition yet. She loves to feed herself using the pouch, but she tends to get more in her mouth if we use a spoon. Pouches are convenient on the go, but we will also start introducing finger foods like steamed carrots, scrambled eggs, and bananas at home. Inspired Start is helping me keep what and how she eats varied so hopefully she won’t become picky like me.
If you’re interested in introducing common allergens and unique flavors to your baby’s diet check out Inspired Start. Use their store locator to find a grocer to shop in store. You can also order online through Amazon (my personal fav) or Thrive market. They have a Pack 1 to introduce peanuts, soy, tree nuts, and egg. Pack 2 with wheat, sesame, shrimp and cod. You can also purchase Variety Packs so that you can continue exposing baby to all the unique flavors from both packs.
Inspired Start- https://inspired-start.com
Amazon- https://amzn.to/2y8h1T3
Instagram- http://www.instagram.com/inspiredstart
