When you start an infant on baby food what veggies should you start out with green or orange and yellows?

Question

My son's GI doc said to start on green ones 1st because the yellow and orange are sweeter and he won't want to eat the green.His pediatrician said the opposite.

He has acid reflux really bad

Answer 1

You should never spoon feed a baby. The only developmental milestone that matters when it comes to introducing solids is that the baby can pick up the food, place it in their mouth, gum it, move it back with their tongue and swallow it. This is the milestone that works for every other mammal, every primate, and it works for humans. Most of the rest of the world let's babies feed themselves from family meals and they have far lower rates of allergies (though there are many other factors at play with this)

If you wait for this you don't have to worry about one food for three days, then the next etc. Waiting until a baby is fully developmentally ready greatly reduces the risks of allergies. Also the first sign of allergic reaction is often an unpleasant feel in the mouth, so babies won't even EAT something that will cause a reaction -if they control their own food intake.

As for "sweet". Have you ever tasted breastmilk it is sweet, it is like melted ice cream sweet. Preferring sugar and fat is also instinct. In the wild where such things are rare it is good to have the drive to seek them out. Particularly fats which are important for human brains. However in developed countries where one can get as much fat and sugar as one wants it can be a problem.

My son's "first" food was grass. Which he ate everyday for like a month. His first "official" meal was pear slices. He is now 16 months old, he eats EVERYTHING (olives, jerk chicken, tandoori, brussel's sprouts, spinach, asparagus, etc).

Guidelines for implementing a baby-led approach to the introduction of solid food
http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/vast_voedsel/rapley_guidelines.html

Answer 2

I own a day care and it doesn't matter which color your child starts out with, you just need to watch for allergies. Your GI doc is correct in that the yellow and orange are sweeter and therefore should go last. Most ped docs also say to start children out with fruits first, but most family docs will say start with veggies first because of the same reason. I have heard so many different doctor stories that I have really stop listening to doc when it comes to feeding children, because they don't even say the same thing. Just always watch for allergies and you will be fine, I have an infant with acid reflux now and have taken care of 3 others the kinds of foods have never effected any of them.

Answer 3

I started my brat on squash, which she will probably never get again after she graduates to solids, lol. Now she's 7 mo and she eats them all, I just stuck w/ veggies for the first two months before adding fruit, now fruit is like a big treat, even though she gets it everyday, but she still likes her veggies. Her actual fav is peas. Mayhaps your son's GI said green because the natural sugars in the orange veggies may upset his tummy. I'd go w/ the GI doctor's orders, they know how foods affect digestion, it's their specialty. Keep in mind no matter what you feed him first, he's probably going to have some issues getting used to it( my daughter didn't do poo for a week afterwards, lol, but doc said that's normal). Or, do what I do with my daughter, line up some choices and let him "pick" whichever one he touches first. Lol, I've been doing that for about a month now, and she'll choose the same one twice in a row even if I switch them around :) Good luck and go with your gut.

Answer 4

You normally start with green, then after that it doesnt matter. You need to remember to only give one kind for a couple of day, before trying another one though. This is because if they have a reaction to one you will not know if you are giving more than one at a time. If a reaction happens and you are giving more than one at a time its time to play the game of trial and rash to find out which one made him/her break out. Also, keep in mind that yellow and orange veggies can change the color of your skin if you give to much to often. This also happens in an adult. Have you ever seen an adult or baby with orange skin, it looks real funny. And after all the veggies are established and doing good that is when fruits are started and tested the same way one at a time. Then the gross meats. But they all have age limits when to start them, check with your ped to find out the dates or research it, or call your local WIC Program's office and get a book on solid foods for an infant, they will/should give it to you even if you are not on the program, we always did when I worked there.
Good Luck.

Edit:
By the way oranges are not easier on the stomach they are usually more acidy.JFYI

Answer 5

I have four children and they all liked what they got. I never had a problem with either color being ate. If you are worried about sugar content check the label.
Keep in mind though that you should only give them dark green and dark yellow and orange foods every other day or you may have a yellow baby...not to be mistaken for jaundice!
Also, feed only one type of food and wait 2 to seven days to make sure there are no allergies. If it runs in your family be extra careful.

Answer 6

The fact that your son, for whatever reason, had to see a GI specialist, means that there is some issue and I would definitely listen to twhat the GI specilaist says because it's his specialty. The greens are much more bland tasting, and carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes are sweeter, so what he's saying makes sense.

Answer 7

I was told to start on the green ones first by my son's nurse for exactly the same reason your son's GI doctor said. I had good luck doing it that way. He still loves his green veggies and he's almost 2.

Answer 8

I started out with green ones, usually the peas, then the green beans, then I went for the orange and yellow, and then the beets. If you can get spinich then start with that one first. After I finished all the veggies I moved to fruit.

Answer 9

I followed some other moms advise and started with greens. Then went to orange veggies and finally fruits. I will tell you, my daughter (2.5) loves vegetables. All of them. I honestly believe it is because we started with the greens. I will do the same with my next baby.

Answer 10

Unless one of these people here are GI Specialists I would go with your son's GI. Definitely don't listen to the lady that called her child a brat.

If you don't trust the opinion of your son's GI specialist then I suggest getting a second opinion from someone other than people here.