My baby's 8 months old. I feed her Gerber baby food, stage 3. She eats a variety of foods: cereals, pasta, veggies, fruits... I like the baby food cause it's convinient, and it doesn't have a lot of grease or salt... Anyway, my sister in law is always asking me "Why don't you give her table foods?".... Gerber foods are what I like giving my baby, and I see no need to give her "table foods" yet... Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks very much!
2007-01-07 12:07:10 · 23 answers · asked by Feed the models! 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
No, you're not doing anything wrong. It's good to have your child start chewing on some adult foods here and there, when you believe that she's ready. But her diet should mainly consist of baby foods--which you are already doing!! Baby foods have the nutritions and things that babies really need to develop into a healthy toddler, plus, babies stomachs cannot process adult foods.
Tell your sister in law that they make baby foods FOR A REASON. If babies were meant to have an adult meal at 8 months of age, then they would have never invented baby food.
Tell your sister in law that when she has children, she can feed them what she wants, and if she already has children, to worry about them instead of yours.
You sound like a great mom, and your sister in law needs to keep her questions to herself.
2007-01-07 12:08:48 · answer #1 · answered by Bachman-ette 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like her diet is perfect right now! Don't be pressured into pushing the table foods too soon. Gerber 3 is perfect for an 8 month old and I also gaveGerber 2 and 3 at that age, no table foods. And personally, I woudn't recommend table foods for another 4 months. Ask your pediatrician. He will probably tell you to stick to baby food too. She does not even have enough teeth right now for table foods, so it could be hazardous depending on what you give her. Secondly, some strange table foods may be too much for her little degestive tract, when she's used to pureed veggies/fruits. My daughter is 1 and I still give her Gerber 3 foods, in addition to some really soft table foods, like eggs, banana, teething cookies, etc.
2007-01-07 21:59:47 · answer #2 · answered by Jenibee 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
She is your baby and you can feed her what you want, but don't you think you are slighting her of all the wonderful healthy foods out there. When is the last time you say Gerber put an avocado in a jar? What about the texture and the flavors that come form homemade mashed sweet potatoes. Home made food can be just as easy and convenient as a jar and I believe as do many others that it is healthier and cheaper. I enjoy taking the time I would spend at the market picking up cans of food, cooking a few potatoes and dicing a few fresh green beans for my daughter. when I am done I place them into small containers and freeze, I take out in the mornings what I need for a day and I am ready to go. No you are not doing anything wrong...you are just Americanized and caught up in the convince of the fast paced world. Good Luck
2007-01-07 21:30:38 · answer #3 · answered by Tawni B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that you are doing anything wrong, I've gotten a lot of slack from family members on my baby's father's side of the family but I don't even stress about it...the one time that they went against my wishes and gave her table food she choked on it and I had to pull it out of her throat.. mother knows best. Besides an infants GI tract isn't fully developed until they are a year old so they shouldn't really have table food until then, if you do give any food, it should just be variations of the baby food that you've already introduced... like banana slices or very soft carrot slices, mashed fresh pies or sweet potatoes... stuff that they're already adjusted too. And like the arrowroot cookies that Gerber makes... other than that, stick with the baby food, you're doing great.
2007-01-07 20:42:15 · answer #4 · answered by Mel 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a 10 month old and she still eats the Gerber stage 3 baby food. Most physicians will tell you to wait until a child turns one before giving them table foods. I think as a parent, you can make the best decision on when to start feeding table food.
2007-01-07 20:10:37 · answer #5 · answered by Mom of Three 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The only thing I question is stage 3 foods at 8 months. I would have been slower introducing various foods because when some foods are introduced too early it can cause allergies. Baby food is made for babies. Don't rush the table foods. maybe your sister in law thinks it is cheaper is the only thing I can think of for her reason. Just tell her, "... not everyone has to do things the very same way and that you are this baby's mother and you will decide what and when your baby eats."
2007-01-07 20:15:47 · answer #6 · answered by ruthie 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is all a matter of personal opinion. I started my daughter on table foods at 6 months along with baby food and rice cereal. I know people who are still offering baby food at 1 yr. so it is all up to you.
By 8 months though your baby is ready to chew and to feel the texture of foods so if you haven't yet, you might want to move up to stage 3 or gerber graduates so you aren't holding your baby back developmentally. Also, an advantage of using table foods is the cost of baby food you will save on. Just about everything can be mashed up or cut into tiny pieces and then baby is eating what you are eating, for free!
2007-01-07 20:11:51 · answer #7 · answered by seeingidog 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
NO your not doing anything wrong. It is good for a baby to stay on baby food for as long as you can. Everybody pushes there babies to fast and it's not healthy. My kids were on baby food til almost 18 months yes they got some human food as I call it like cheerios, pastas and veggies but, everybody says obesity but what about built up fats and sugars and the acid reflex yes kids get that too. Baby food is bland if it was suppose to be like table food then they would add stuff to it. Tell your sister in law that if it's dangerous then give you motherly advice if not then let you raise your kid your way. If your want advice ask for it but that don't mean you have to use it.
2007-01-07 20:45:24 · answer #8 · answered by michelle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are the expert on your baby, no one else is. There's nothing wrong with giving a baby stage 3 baby food at 8 months. In order to chew solids a baby should be able to crawl with tummy off of the floor and be able to pick up food between his pointer and thumb. A TON of 8 month olds haven't met this milestone yet even if yours has.
Some people think baby food is a waste, but I think giving pure fruits and veggies is better than some cut up noodles and chicken nuggets. :)
2007-01-07 20:53:28 · answer #9 · answered by Wendy F 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. You are deffinetly not doing anything wrong. Actually what you are doing is right. The Gerber 3rd foods have more of the vitamins and minerals, even calories that your baby needs. I would hold off on the table foods until atleast ten months.
2007-01-08 14:35:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋