Do you feed your babies meat?

Question

My son is 5 months old, and i'm so overprotective of what he eats.
He has never eaten jarred baby food. I use my own homemade baby food recipes.

These are a few things I feed him often(all made from scratch):

Banana Puree, Apple Sauce, Strawberry Yogurt, Carrot Puree, Sweet Potato Puree, Oatmeal, Organic Brown Rice Cereal, Pea puree, Hard boiled egg whites, Etc.

He is at a healthy weight, and the pediatrician says he is fine but I want to get an idea of when other parents start feeding their children meat, and other "heavier" foods. I just want to start adding foods to his diet slowly because I want him to be able to digest it well.

I also would like some opinions (If you're going to be rude, don't bother to answer) on my parenting skills. Do you think i'm too overprotective?

I mean, I just want my son to be healthy. I don't like the idea of feeding him jarred, processed, foods with chemicals (preservatives, etc) and I struggle to make him food many times per day.

*His pediatrician says that I should start adding on "heavier" foods anywhere between 6 months-10 months depending on how much he weighs and his response to certain foods. But he says not to mix too many foods or use any oils or too much fat untill he is at least 10 months.

Answer 1

If you continue to make your own food, great, but start leaving a few chunks in it. Your baby needs to learn how to chew before you can give him anything heavier. I started giving my son Wagon Wheels to help him learn how to chew. They are on the baby food aisle, and they are in a formula-like can. They can hold on to them well and put them in their mouth by themselves. They dissolve quickly so they are pretty safe, but keep a close watch. Fruit and Veggie Puffs are also good. As far as meat goes, I started giving my son jarred meat baby food around 8 months just to get a taste for different things. He now eats pretty much anything now. I just make sure it's not too crunchy or seasoned first. I personally think you're being a little overprotective. The only thing I try to avoid with my son is Splenda, high sugar foods, and honey. (Honey has bacteria that babies can't digest and could kill them.) When your baby gets used to more solid foods, try canned fruit pieces with no sugar or in "light syrup". He can eat just about anything you can, unless it poses a health hazard to him. Also, from experience, if it doesn't like something the first time, just try again in a few days. Babies tastes change a lot. Don't worry too much about "chemicals and preservatives". If it's not hurting you, it probably won't hurt him. Just remember: by one year, most babies should be able to eat just about anything, so be sure you're progressing toward that. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Like you I too make my daughters food. I do buy the baby food fruit though because it's just the fruit and water. My daughter is now 10 months old and I started her on chicken when she was around 7 months and beef around 8 months. I live in a very remote area so it's not easy to find organic meats which is the only thing I will feed her. So, she doesn't get a whole lot. I know you have to becareful with the amount of protein they get (you said hard boiled egg whites? did you mean yolks?). I feed her a lot of beans and she loves them! That may be a good alternative. Here are some ideas and they are really simple. I make them in bulk so I only cook for her 1-2 times a week:

lentils and rice, side of carrots, squash or sweet potato
black beans and rice
black beans, corn and rice
mixed veggies pureed with chicken stock that I make
chicken (boiled and put through a food processor) with peas, green beans, etc.

When he's older you could try putting little star pastas in any of the above to add some texture.

I use the Gerber rice cereal for the extra iron but you don't have to.

No, I don't think you are being overprotective because if you are then I could fall into the same category. LOL!

I love cooking for my daughter. I take pride that she will not eat the jarred chicken, can't say that I blame her. I have given her the jarred beef and vegetables in a pinch and the stuff smells like spagettios, she loves it. The jarred food is good in a pinch but not good every day just like TV dinners aren't good for an adult every day.
Anyway, I think beans would be a great "heavier" food for your son.

Answer 3

Well, I don't have an answer for you since I don't have babies. However I did want to commend you for making your child's food. I don't think it's being overprotective; I'm sure most mothers would think this is a good thing. I don't know anything about baby food, but I'd imagine that it would have to have some kind of preservatives. They are probably okay, but you might want to do research on the subject or look into organic baby foods.

I think it is a good sign if you are that committed to ensuring that your son has a good start in life. I would imagine it is less expensive, too. If he is healthy and getting enough nutrients, then I think it's fine. I would think that most mothers would go this route if they had the skills and abilities that you seem to, though I don't think they are bad mothers if they can't make their child's food. I can barely cook, myself.

If you struggle, then why don't you try making a large batch and then freezing some? I don't know if it would work, but I think you can freeze anything, and then when you are almost ready for it, thaw it in the fridge the day before.

Answer 4

This is what I have in jar baby food:

Turkey, Rice & Garden Vegetables (water, carrots, zucchini, ground turkey, rice flour, peas, rice, chicken fat, tomato paste, and onion powder)

Chicken Noodle Dinner (water, carrots, ground chicken, rice flour, enriched egg noodles, chicken fat, pear juice concentrate, onion powder, balsamic vinager and dried parsley)

I know there are these too, but I'm not sure on all the ingredients:
Apples and Cherries
Banana Mixed Berries
Banana Plum Grape
Turkey
Ham
Veal
Chicken and Apples
Chicken with Apples and Pears
Broccoli and Carrots with Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese

You could recreate these things at home with a few simple ingredients and a blender or food processor just like you are now. If you need extra "liquid" I use low sodium chicken broth instead of water.

I would ask your daughters Dr. about the egg whites...my son's Dr. told me NO whites, only yolks at that age.

Good luck!!

Answer 5

Wow he's eating a big variety of things for such a little guy. Doctors all have different opinions...I've had three great pediatricians (2 moved away) and they all wanted me to wait to introduce solids for a long time. I fed my 2nd cereal at 5 months because he was dying to eat real food....but he only ate cereal for a month before I brought bananas into the picture.

My point is, he is eating a lot already, I wouldn't stress over the meat issue. But talk to your doctor regarding the egg whites for sure---they are a high allergy food. Strawberries are too!

It sounds like you want the best for him, that is great and commendable, please look at the resources below and talk to your doctor about the foods you give the baby.

PS He is a total baby doll.

Answer 6

I don't blame you at all on the jarred baby food. ( I use to try everything my son ate, that stuff is gross) i don't recamend it to anyone. I made my childrens baby food after the taste of what i bought. (i was a young mother).

What you are feeding him is fine, I started feeding my kids meats and so on was at about 6 months old. Try to stay away from greens, hard for them to digest.

NO, you can NEVER be to overprotective!

I think i still have a list of things that I fed my kids and my neices and nephews when they were little: if you would like them I would be more than happy to give them to you.

My children are now: boy, 17, girl, 14, girl, 10(almost 11). And i still watch what they eat.

Answer 7

there is no harm in being overprotective as long as you are not hampering your babies social development, anyway its too early for him to develop too many social skills, he still doesnt know the difference between strangers and friends. also being conscious of what your child eats is not overprotectiveness, I am very very particular about my 7 month olds food, I too make my own baby food, I hate the thought of preserved/processed foods. I was caught up by the mention of egg white, I think you have to start with yolk and hold on to the white for a while, say till he is 10 months plus. rest all the foods seems at par with his needs and age, I was told to start meat (fish, chicken, turkey) this month (7th month) but my husband and I want to hold on till our girl is 10 months or so, I dont want to burden her baby tummy, she is getting all her essentials anyway. you are an aware mommy and you sound like a good parent, so dont fret, forget public opinion, the best scale for your baby's development is you - as long as his weight/height/activity/bowel movements etc. are fine, he is fine.

Answer 8

they do offer jarred baby foods with no preservatives, read the ingredients, carrots, peas..etc..usually consists of carrots and water, or peas and water. most fruits will have some sort of preservative. or you could go to the the whole foods market such as trader joe's or whatever organic market local to you. they have all kinds of baby foods with no preservatives. just make sure that you baby gets enough to eat because at this age, formula or breast milk will not keep their little tummies full. you can oly be so over protective of what they eat, but at this age i wouldnt reccomend give him/her meat. i have a 6 mos old and he takes baby food, milk, cereals, fresh fruits, and baby juices and he is beyond healthy, very active and alert.

Answer 9

No, please no meat. Pediatricians are full of poop.

My three never even had regular table food until after their first birthday - maybe a bite here and there at a restaurant, but no solids or baby food until after one year. And, they were all roly poly, chunky monkies! (I breastfeed)

Wait as long as possible before feeding him real food - especially if you are breastfeeding. If you do feed him real food, please hold off on the meat. It's very hard to digest for a human digestive system under three years of age.

I've got three kiddos, and one on the way. My knowledge is not "official", but I've read just about everything in print, so I'm confident in my opinions. :-)

Blessings!

Answer 10

I made a lot of homemade babyfood also. When my son was 6 months I had made some homemade beef stew in the crock pot so the meat was extra tender and I have one of those stick blenders that has all the attachments and I blended up the stew and he ate it just fine.