The 6 Month and Up Crowd

Families often tell me that they find first food introduction confusing because there really isn’t an easy to use roadmap!  I remember feeling the same way especially since Jed had food allergies.   I started Square One® Organics to help take the guesswork out of the food introduction process, as well as, help families create a foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating.   Here are some tips for families just getting started with first foods:

The 6 Month and Up Crowd – And now we start!  Up until now, it has been mostly breast milk or formula and possible some cereal depending on what your pediatrician suggests.  Here are my top 4 things to help get things started:

1.     Download the Square One Organics Superfood Guide and tape it to your refrigerator door.  http://www.squareoneorganics.com/superfoodguide.php. We developed this with a Pediatric Nutritionist and a Pediatric Allergist, from Children’s Memorial Hospital.  This is such a helpful tool.  Across the top, we breakdown superfoods into 4 categories, Vitamin A’s, Vitamin C’s, Supergreens and Supergrains.  The left column, shows at what age your child’s digestive system is mature enough to have the foods listed introduced.

2.     Download the Square One Organics Daily 6 Month and Up Journal http://www.squareoneorganics.com/6monthguide.php.  Also developed with our medical team, these daily journals were designed to give guidelines on appropriate portion size, meal/snack frequency, liquid intake, sleep, wet diaper, dirty diaper and any sort of food reactions.  These are great tools for a few reasons: First, they are excellent daily guidelines and record keepers for families who use childcare inside and outside of the home.  Second, record any questions or concerns that come up around your daily routine on them and bring them to your Ped’s visits.  Finally, for those of you list lovers, like myself, these were developed for you.  These days if I don’t write it down I just don’t remember.

3.        We strongly encourage a 5 day food trial.  This simply means, please only introduce one new thing to your child for 5 days in a row.  This is done in case there is any reaction to the new element you will know exactly what it is.   The number of days will vary depending on your Pediatrician.  Our medical teams encourages 5 days.

4.        Ripe Avocados and Papaya!!!  – These are such an important first food for babies.  Avocados are nature’s source of unsaturated fatty acids that babies need for brain development.  Avocados are ripe when they yield to gentle pressure and feel soft to a 5 finger gentle squeeze.  Try to mash and incorporate this amazing vegetable into your child’s routine every day.  It is an important food for them to learn to love so that it will continue to be part of their food routine. I talk about Papaya next because it is an above excellent low-acid source of Vitamin C.  It also contains the enzyme Papin, which aids digestion.  Think about it, happiness is a baby that sleeps.  Baby can’t sleep if baby can’t poop so feed Papaya to keep those digestive juices moving things right on through.