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10 Nutrient Dense First Foods For Baby (BLW Style) Plus Tips On How To Introduce Them - The Wholistic OT
10 Nutrient Dense First Foods For Baby (BLW Style) Plus Tips On How To Introduce Them - The Wholistic OT
The reason that this topic is so near and dear to my heart is that, in this
country, 1 in 4 children suffer from a diagnosed feeding disorder.
What this translates to in the developmentally delayed population, is
that 80% of children with developmental delays (or 8 out of 10 on a
typical occupational therapist or speech therapists caseload) have an
eating disorder.
:
Many 1 year-olds I treat in the clinic don't display age-appropriate oral
motor skills and lack the ability to chew. Babies should have the
ability to chew a variety of different foods by the time they reach 11-
15 months old.
The truth is that babies brains and bodies are growing by the minute in
the first year of life and they need to be introduced to nutrient-dense,
whole foods that are going to nourish their brains and set them up for
healthy growth and development. They also need to be set up for a
healthy relationship with food by having parents and family members
act as positive role models surrounding the mealtime environment.
When To Start:
All babies are different. Some may be ready just before 6 months,
while others aren't ready until the end of their 8th month. Instead of
age, I recommend looking for these signs to determine if your baby
is ready for self-feeding: (1)
Baby can sit unassisted in high chair (doesn't lean to one side)
Baby displays adequate head control in sitting
Baby has begun to grasp smaller items
Baby is reaching for food from your plate or shows interest in
participating in mealtime
Baby aware of connection between mouth
Baby enjoys exploring hands, fingers, toys and nonfood objects
with mouth
Adequate bowel/intestinal mobility
Efficient coordination of lips, tongue, soft palate
Can form and propel bolus safely (no choking/aspiration)
Slow, deep regular breathing
Normal tone of tongue, cheeks, lips
First coined by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett in their book Baby-Led
Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods, Baby-led
weaning is an approach to introducing solid food where baby is
allowed and encouraged to self-feed solid finger foods instead of
receiving purées via spoon. The term weaning is confusing, so let me
clarify. Baby led weaning is not really weaning babies off of breastmilk
or formula, but rather weaning them (slowly exposing them
to) onto solids. The idea is that, during this phase of food introduction,
babies will naturally begin to decrease their milk consumption (in
:
correlation to the amount of calories that are taken in via food).
Milk
Eggs
Fish
Wheat
Peanut
Soy
Shellfish
Tree nuts
Vomiting/Spitting up
:
Diarrhea/Constipation/Bloating/Cramping
Colic
Bloody stools/mucous in stools
URI
Reactive Airway problems
Skin rashes; eczema
Facial Skin (puffiness, dark circles under eyes, red ears, red
cheeks)
Failure to Thrive
Headaches
Chronic sinus or ear infections
Neurological symptoms (distractability, poor attention,
hyperactivity, sleep disturbances)
The most important thing I want to point out is that there is a big
difference between gagging and aspiration. Gagging or eliciting the
gag-reflex is a normal, necessary component of learning how to chew.
The gag-reflex is a wonderful protective mechanism by which the
body (at the brainstem level) protects itself from true danger
(aspiration) Believe it or not, babies are designed to gag on objects
entering their mouth from the moment they exit the womb. The gag
reflex is more sensitive in the first few months of life and slowly
desensitizes and moves further to the back of their mouth as the baby
enters into the first year of life.
Aspiration, on the other hand, is when food enters the airway. It isn't
:
always a life-threatening situation but it certainly can be. If you want to
learn more about aspiration and gagging in babies I have linked two
articles below that are very informative.
What You Need to Know About Your Baby Gagging By Your Kids Table
Aspiration in Babies and Children by Cedars Sinai
1. Wild Salmon:
Wild salmon is one of the most healthy foods to offer a baby,
considering its abundant nutrient profile. A rich source of protein,
omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, D, Bs, selenium, zinc, phosphorus,
calcium and iron. Health benefits include heart health, cancer
prevention,brain health and cognitive function, bone and joint
protection, healthy skin and eyes. (2)
BLW idea: Cut avocado in half and remove the seed. Then cut
the avocado in half one more time lengthwise. Offer to baby this
way; they should be able to maintain gasp of it while self-
feeding.
3. Egg Yolk:
Eggs are rich in protein and contain significant levels of vitamin A, B-
complex vitamins, vitamin D, E and K as well as phosphorous,
selenium, calcium and zinc. (4) Furthermore, eggs also have various
key organic compounds, such as omega-3s, antioxidants and protein.
(4) I like to offer the more caloric and nutrient dense portion of the
egg, the yolk to babies due to their higher fat content.
4. Cooked Spinach:
The various health benefits of spinach are due to the presence of
:
minerals, vitamins, pigments, and phytonutrients, including folate,
vitamin A, niacin, Vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium,
manganese, zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium. (5) Spinach is high in
insoluble fiber, which can aid in healthy digestion. Spinach is known
for its benefits to the eyes and the heart and has anti-cancer and anti-
oxidant properties as well.
5. Bone Broth:
Bone broth is great for the digestive system, the hair and skin and is a
powerful defense against colds/flu to bulk up the babies immune
system. It is an abundance source of essential amino acids and other
nutrients like calcium and magnesium. You can click here to learn
about the healing power of bone broth.
6. Wild Blueberries:
Blueberries are packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants. In fact,
wild blueberries have a higher antioxidant content than almost any
other food! They have been known to protect neurons in the brain
and even help repair any tissue damage to the brain and CNS. Their
other health benefits include the ability to strengthen bones, lower
blood pressure, prevent cancer, decrease inflammation, control
diabetes and improve heart health. (6) Blueberries are a rich source of
:
vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, copper and
manganese. (6)
7. Banana:
Believe it or not, the tried and true kid favorite, the banana is actually
very nutrient dense! One serving or 126 grams of banana contains 110
calories and 30 grams of carbohydrates. (7) They are a rich source of
potassium and dietary fiber. (7) Their impressive nutritional content
includes vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, B6, riboflavin, folate,
phosphorus, calcium, manganese, magnesium and copper (7)
BLW idea: Simply cut the banana in half and offer it to them
whole. The introduction of the whole food to the front of their
mouth is natural. Once baby takes a small bite, they will begin to
move it from the front of their mouth into the side gums (or
molars) to smush it before swallowing.
8. Broccoli:
Broccoli has a wide variety of health benefits, including its ability to
prevent cancer, improve digestion, lower cholesterol levels detoxify
the body, boost the immune system, protect the skin, eliminates
inflammation, improve vision and maximize vitamin and mineral uptake
(8) Broccoli is highly rich in dietary fiber, contains healthy omega-3
fatty acids and contains vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B6, folate,
vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium,
zinc, sodium, potassium, selenium, chromium, choline, manganese and
:
phosphorus. (8)
BLW idea: Steam broccoli until soft (or fork tender if you prefer
softer). Cover with a topping of grass-fed ghee, butter or olive
oil. If offering florets whole, offer the larger ones (smaller florets
can be a choking hazard if the baby places the whole floret in
their mouth). If fork tender, you can mash with some butter and a
pinch of salt on babies high chair tray.
(9)
BLW idea: For beef, I usually only offer pot-roast style (slow
cooker tender) at first. Fork smash and offer dime size pieces at
first on babies food tray. For liver, I usually cut it into small pieces
and pan fry it in ghee with a sprinkle of sea salt or onion
powder. You would be surprised to find out that babies love
liver! Find out more information on liver and other ways to
prepare it here.
BLW idea: Bake sweet potatoes in the oven and offer it fork
smashed with grass-fed butter, ghee or coconut oil. If you wan
to make more of a puree, you can puree it (manually or with a
hand blender) and offer the baby a small dish with a spoon for
self-feeding. As an option, you can add some black-strap
:
molasses (to increase the iron content) or maple syrup to
sweeten it a bit.
-Ashley
Resources:
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