Comments on: Cooking For Kat: Breaking the Baby Food Rules http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:00:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Cooking For Kat: Breaking the Baby Food Rules by: Harry http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-42380 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:43:40 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-42380 Late again... Honey is a special case - it can carry a type of botulism that only babies are susceptible to; by the time they're about a year old they’re safe from it. The digestive systems of babies under a year aren't fully developed, which is why the really common allergens - egg whites, nuts, seafood and dairy - are bad ideas. They're far more likely to trigger an allergy in a baby than a 2 year old. As for the "people used to do X and survived" argument … well, it is true that most of them survived. Many didn't. Take a gander at infant mortality statistics before deciding whether to apply that reasoning to everything you hear now. Or research "failure to thrive" as a cause of infant death. It covered problems such as allergies to baby foods (such as moldy cheese and fresh milk) as well as intestinal problems, heart valve defects, and so on. It's grim reading, let me tell you. I ignored a great deal of pregnancy and infant advice because no one could back it up with numbers. I loathe unfounded tales and baseless recommendations. (One stellar website noted there was no data saying such-and-such was dangerous but you should play it safe and avoid it anyway!) These particular issues - honey, infant allergies - are problems that are backed by experiment and study. Curiously, my Critter preferred jarred baby food to homemade (sob) but will try any sort of whole (non puree) food. She's still a toddler, though: just because she liked it yesterday doesn't mean she'll like it today. I look forward to the time she can tell us what she wants rather than our putting six different things in front of her and seeing what she takes. Late again…

Honey is a special case - it can carry a type of botulism that only babies are susceptible to; by the time they’re about a year old they’re safe from it. The digestive systems of babies under a year aren’t fully developed, which is why the really common allergens - egg whites, nuts, seafood and dairy - are bad ideas. They’re far more likely to trigger an allergy in a baby than a 2 year old.

As for the “people used to do X and survived” argument … well, it is true that most of them survived. Many didn’t. Take a gander at infant mortality statistics before deciding whether to apply that reasoning to everything you hear now. Or research “failure to thrive” as a cause of infant death. It covered problems such as allergies to baby foods (such as moldy cheese and fresh milk) as well as intestinal problems, heart valve defects, and so on. It’s grim reading, let me tell you.

I ignored a great deal of pregnancy and infant advice because no one could back it up with numbers. I loathe unfounded tales and baseless recommendations. (One stellar website noted there was no data saying such-and-such was dangerous but you should play it safe and avoid it anyway!) These particular issues - honey, infant allergies - are problems that are backed by experiment and study.

Curiously, my Critter preferred jarred baby food to homemade (sob) but will try any sort of whole (non puree) food. She’s still a toddler, though: just because she liked it yesterday doesn’t mean she’ll like it today. I look forward to the time she can tell us what she wants rather than our putting six different things in front of her and seeing what she takes.

]]> Comment on Cooking For Kat: Breaking the Baby Food Rules by: Amber http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-38189 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:40:41 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-38189 I think this is a sensible approach. Kat will probably be much healthier for it, and will definitely NOT be a picky eater. My niece got into the fennel seeds today. She's about 15 months, and she loved them. Since it reminded me of your post about "Mordana" loving garlic, I tried her on a bit of that. I got a big "blech" on that, but the girl did love her fennel seeds. :) I think this is a sensible approach. Kat will probably be much healthier for it, and will definitely NOT be a picky eater.

My niece got into the fennel seeds today. She’s about 15 months, and she loved them. Since it reminded me of your post about “Mordana” loving garlic, I tried her on a bit of that. I got a big “blech” on that, but the girl did love her fennel seeds. :)

]]> Comment on Cooking For Kat: Breaking the Baby Food Rules by: mdvlist http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-37994 Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:46:04 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-37994 You're a pretty reasonable parent, Barbara, but also a lucky one. I have followed the rules pretty rigorously with my 11-month-old, not because of any family history of allergies, but because he has a really sensitive stomach. We had to medicate him for serious reflux long before we started solid food, and I was grateful that he took to the basic solids as well as he did. (We DID start him on avocado, which isn't exactly basic, but you know what I mean.) If I hadn't been cautious about what I fed him, I wouldn't be able to be sure that sweet potato is the culprit in his awful gas (particularly the dry, Japanese variety!), that blueberries are too acidic for him, and that egg yolk upsets his stomach. Meanwhile, he has been living up the fruits of the season, from cherries to artichoke hearts, and he eats beans that I'm sure the average American adult has never heard of. By the way, I've never heard anybody suggest that avocado or melon should be cooked for babies-- certainly avocado is in the same category with banana in that respect. You’re a pretty reasonable parent, Barbara, but also a lucky one. I have followed the rules pretty rigorously with my 11-month-old, not because of any family history of allergies, but because he has a really sensitive stomach. We had to medicate him for serious reflux long before we started solid food, and I was grateful that he took to the basic solids as well as he did. (We DID start him on avocado, which isn’t exactly basic, but you know what I mean.) If I hadn’t been cautious about what I fed him, I wouldn’t be able to be sure that sweet potato is the culprit in his awful gas (particularly the dry, Japanese variety!), that blueberries are too acidic for him, and that egg yolk upsets his stomach. Meanwhile, he has been living up the fruits of the season, from cherries to artichoke hearts, and he eats beans that I’m sure the average American adult has never heard of.

By the way, I’ve never heard anybody suggest that avocado or melon should be cooked for babies– certainly avocado is in the same category with banana in that respect.

]]> Comment on Cooking For Kat: Breaking the Baby Food Rules by: argus http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-37932 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:22:43 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-37932 I also say to hell with the rules. My wife and I are feeding our twins zucchini, kale, spinach, apricots, raspberries (home grown offcourse) since they were 6-7 months old despite our pediatrician's recommendations (she is close to 60 yrs old tho). they did nothing but thrive. They're also now very interested in what we eat and are eager to taste it. We do keep them away from peanuts, moldy cheeses, egg whites and citrusy fruits for now. So just keep on feeding her with healthy homecooked meals I also say to hell with the rules. My wife and I are feeding our twins zucchini, kale, spinach, apricots, raspberries (home grown offcourse) since they were 6-7 months old despite our pediatrician’s recommendations (she is close to 60 yrs old tho). they did nothing but thrive. They’re also now very interested in what we eat and are eager to taste it. We do keep them away from peanuts, moldy cheeses, egg whites and citrusy fruits for now. So just keep on feeding her with healthy homecooked meals

]]> Comment on Cooking For Kat: Breaking the Baby Food Rules by: Alexis http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-37895 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:38:50 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/28/cooking-for-kat-breaking-the-baby-food-rules/#comment-37895 It's interesting, I think the youngest kids actually tend to be the least picky. My parents said at one I loved salsa, whereas later on I avoided both spicy foods and raw tomatoes for many years. I was never forced to eat them, thank goodness, and eventually my taste buds matured again and I went back to that. Now I love food with lots of flavor and adore raw tomatoes. Kat looks so happy in every picture you post, and it's obvious you are listening to her taste buds and your good sense. I think that's bound to be the right approach in the long run. It’s interesting, I think the youngest kids actually tend to be the least picky. My parents said at one I loved salsa, whereas later on I avoided both spicy foods and raw tomatoes for many years. I was never forced to eat them, thank goodness, and eventually my taste buds matured again and I went back to that. Now I love food with lots of flavor and adore raw tomatoes.

Kat looks so happy in every picture you post, and it’s obvious you are listening to her taste buds and your good sense. I think that’s bound to be the right approach in the long run.

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