Creating and Keeping Healthy Eating Habits

When do I start solid foods? What do I feed my baby first? How do I feed a "picky eater"?
We as pediatricians answer these questions on a daily basis as we strive to create generations of healthy eaters.
I strongly believe that we can become a much healthier society if we teach our kids simple rules of nutrition. Both providers and parents need to lead by example and demonstrate better eating habits and a more active lifestyle. Simple changes can make big differences!
Fighting obesity and abnormal relationships with food is an ongoing process that starts right at the beginning. You should eat healthy before your baby is born; create a taste for fruits and vegetables, and take in appropriate amounts of proteins and grains from pregnancy on. You should also stay active throughout gestation and avoid pregnancy complications related to excessive weight gain.
After your baby is born, breastfeeding is ideal. Babies get everything they need for their forming bodies and brains. They also learn easily when to stop a meal by simply knowing when they are full! Recognizing early that a meal should be stopped once satiety has been achieved.
If breastfeeding is not possible, we will guide you on what formula to choose.
We recommend starting solids between 4 to 6 months and in general, your baby will let you know when he or she is ready; usually following those cues will make eating solids a success! We like to start with rice cereal but veggies can also be an option. Offer pureed foods to your baby with a baby spoon but never in a bottle.
Preparing your own vegetables is very easy even if you are a busy parent! Start by steaming single veggies (i.e.: sweet potatoes, zucchini, and squash). Puree the veggies in the food processor and place them in an ice cube tray. Freeze the pureed veggies and keep them for a week or so in a Zip-lock bag. Thaw what you need and feed your baby good quality homemade baby food.
You can mix and match your veggies as your baby grows and develops a taste for them!
When your baby is around 7 months old, you should introduce another source of protein besides breast milk or formula. Meats: beef, chicken, turkey etc., or a non-animal source like tofu or lentils. I recommend cooking the proteins together with your veggies. Also, give your baby fresh fruits as desserts.
It is after 8 months or so that we recommend some simple finger foods that will encourage your baby to self-feed, (plain cheerios, teething biscuits, veggie puffs).
We recommend offering water in Sippy cups at about that age so that your baby can master the technique in a few months.
When your baby is 9 months or so, he or she should be eating 3 servings of pureed foods and 3 servings of breast milk or formula.
Also by 9 months, you can introduce table foods: healthy meals with a combination of proteins, grains and vegetables mixed with spices; also, use fruits as desserts. Basically, your baby can eat what you eat for the most part; therefore, keep your own meals healthy and well balanced!
Stay away from the following until after the 1st birthday: honey, egg whites, shellfish, peanuts, and choking hazards like hot dogs!
We will continue our healthy eating series in my next blog. Stay tuned…

by Marisa Gadea, MD, FAAP