best first solids?

[solidstars]

just thinking ahead of time (ie. maybe buying stuff ahead of time)... what were your first foods (solids) to your baby?

what are the best solids to introduce? which rice cereals? brand names?

i'm thinking organic rice cereal? which brands are good? how do you make them with EBM?

and how long after rice cereal do you give other solids and what were your first ones (i'm thinking of making them myself...)???

appreciate any thoughts/insights/suggestions!!!

 

[karmah1]

My bubs first solid food was avocado, it was easy to mash. He then had baby porridge, pears (cooked and pureed), courgette/zucchini cooked and pureed. I also mixed the pear and avocado and mixed in the some pears at breakfast with his porridge. Other good foods to try are sweet potato, brocoli (good for iron), red lentils, pumpkin. I tried a new food every day, although I think you are supposed to wait a couple of days to check for allergies.

You can buy organic rice cereal at Three Sixty supermarket or any of the health food stores in Central. Holle is a good brand. There will be instructions on the packet on how to make it up but basically I just warm some milk in a small bowel in the microwave stir in the cereal to desired consistency and then I mix in some fruit.

I'm sure people can recommend some good weaning books. I have an Annabel Karmel book called 100 best baby purees which gave me lots of idea. Its daunting at first but you will soon get the hang of it.

 

[karmah1]

and Kiwi Fruit are great too, full of vitamin C so I give my bub one every day. I puree it with banana and he either eats it on its own or mixed in with his rice cereal.

 

[Shenzhennifer]

I started with organic brown rice cereal. I got it from Canada but I also bought the Healthy Times organic brand here at ParknShop or Eugene - $43.
Since I started early, I just gave him that for a few weeks only. Then I started with the healthy times organic oats. Then I started with pear, carrot, apple, sweet potato, pumpkin, banana, I think in that order. I made everything myself. Super easy - just steam and then puree, except for the banana which I just mashed(make sure it`s nice and ripe - I also use the small ones, like they have in Thailand).
What I didn`t do at the start was to record what I gave him and any reaction to it. So when I had him on about 8-10 foods and he had a reaction, I couldn`t figure it out and had to start over. It was a pain. The culprit was peas, in case you want to be wary too.
Gerber makes wonderful organic 1st and 2nd stage purees that they sell at City Super ( I got mine in Causeway bay). About $20 for a 2 pack, not in jars so great for traveling.

 

[solidstars]

thanks shenzhennifer, and karmah1!

just wondering, karmah1 you defrost EMB in the microwave?

if making rice cereal with EBM, how warm/cold should the cereal be? As I'm worried that I might spoil the EBM when i 'cook' it...

i've seen holle already, but haven't seen healthy times yet... i'll keep looking around for other organic rice cereal!

 

[karmah1]

I've never frozen EBM as I never had enough supply. I would assume you could defrost in the microwave.

I just zap the milk for 20 seconds in the microwave then mix in the cereal and then a little pureed fruit. Its just warm, by the time he finish it its cold!

The organic rice cereals I use in Australia is Bellamy's and Heinz, not sure if they are available in Hong Kong.

 

[Shenzhennifer]

It`s recommended to serve the cereal at room temperature, that way they don`t get used to having it warm and refuse it otherwise later.
I started out using fresh BM straight from the source. It got to be a hassle so I started using Japanese formula in cubes. I heat up some water for 10 to room temp, drop in a cube, presto - got some milk, then add the cereal to that.
I used healthy times - there`s another thread now about this too. But I prefer Organix.
Solidstars - if you come out to Tsuen Wan, at Discovery Mall there`s a ParknShop with both brands, a Eugene with Healthy times and a pharmacy with Holle, I believe.

 

[Shenzhennifer]

Oh, I don`t think Heinz has an organic version here, not that I have seen.

 

[LeahH]

We are in the first week of weaning now.

I tend not to defrost EBM the Microwave, I either leave it in the fridge overnight or if I need it right away, drop the bag unopened into a jug of warm water. As you need so little in the very beginning, I'm currently pumping a bit and using it straight away.

Puree is usually at room temp.

I use the Organix range, first taste was wholegrain baby rice mixed with EBM. Next day mashed banana mixed with BM. I'm now on day four and adding in apple puree, tomorrow will be pear. Fruit has been steamed and frozen in cubes.

Next week we will get more exotic with veg. We probably should wait a number of days before introducing new foods, but my first had no reactions to fruit and veg so we will risk it I think..

Like Karmah, I used a lot of mashed avocado with my first. Also sweet potato, courgette and kiwifruit. I used to follow the protein at lunchtime (e.g. cheese before we introduced meat and fish) and carbs at dinner broad guideline. Organic cream cheese was always a winner to mix into fruit and vegetables.

With 1# I introduced chicken at 7 months, other meat and fish a little later at 7.5-8 months I think. Chicken mince mixed with avocado was a favourite. I used to also cook chicken and apricots and freeze into ice cubes to mix with vegetables.

Make Homemade Baby Food Recipes, Homemade Baby Food Recipes, Solid Food Baby Tips, Baby Nutrition & more! is a good website and also the Annabel Karmel book that someone mentions above.

 

[FutureHKmom]

Hi LeahH - What's your schedule for feeding your baby been like this week? I'm probably going to start my 5.5 month old boy on rice cereal this weekend and am now contemplating at which meal I would give it to him. Thanks!