[Beth.]

Yeah, I don't know. What are the dangers of high nitrates? If it were me, I'd give Ty the beets, just not every day for every meal. Which, of course, you aren't going to do with anything.

I'm going to see if the Playskool baby book I have says anything about this. This book has a much more relaxed opinion on just about everything. I'll let you know what I find out.

[reetoreet]

I have been making Lily carrots since I started introducing solid foods. I buy the little baby carrots and steam the heck out of them until I can mush them between my fingers. Then I add a little juice and puree them together. The site I got all my recipes from included carrots in the 4-8 month category so I fed them to her.

[Beth.]

According to The Playskool Guide to Baby's First Year, beets and carrots are on the recommended list of veggies for baby's first year. It says nothing about the nitrate issues. The only no-no's are honey and cow's milk.

Not sure if you have read this book or not, but I've actually enjoyed it. It's not completely crunchy, co-sleep, extended bf, bwearing ish, but it also isn't a strict reiteration of the AAP recommendations. Kinda middle of the road, you're the parent, make good decisions for your family, kind of book.

So, I'm going to second my earlier statement, give him the beets. Oh, had another thought, could you test your soil for nitrates? Our University Extension Agents do that kind of thing, but maybe gardening centers have a kit you can buy.

[aclee]

Originally Posted by Beth.

Oh, had another thought, could you test your soil for nitrates? Our University Extension Agents do that kind of thing, but maybe gardening centers have a kit you can buy.

Oh I don't grow the actual beets...I get them every week in our CSA share. I guess I could ask them if they get their coil tested though.

Side note that is REALLY GROSS, but I have to share...be prepared for the side effects when eating a lot of beets. I don't know if I will see them in TY, but for DH and I (who eat beets as a side dish 1-2 times a week) the beets make it look like we have blood in our urine. I was in a PANIC. Then I realized that "other" bodily functions had also changed color....to oompa loompa purple, so I figured it was something I ate. Just an FYI for you all.

[sbaglio]

For those of you who have just started your babies on solids/those who have in the past: How often did you introduce a new food? I've always recommended every few days if there is no allergic reaction noted. After a few feeds of a certain type of food, however, I feel DD is ready to try something new. Maybe it's just me getting overexcited by the novelty of it all...

[Stormster]

I introduced a new single food (Earths Best Stage 1) every three days. It's fun isn't it?

The only problem I noticed was a topical allergy to peas which he seems to have outgrown quickly.

[Beth.]

Originally Posted by sbaglio

For those of you who have just started your babies on solids/those who have in the past: How often did you introduce a new food? I've always recommended every few days if there is no allergic reaction noted. After a few feeds of a certain type of food, however, I feel DD is ready to try something new. Maybe it's just me getting overexcited by the novelty of it all...

I'm impatient ... it was something new every other day. She did fine. We started with yellow veggies, then some fruits, green veggies, then more fruits. She has eaten anything that I have given her and in any combination too. Funny, she's so picky on her formula, refuses to drink too much at one time, but she loves food! We skipped rice cereal and started with whole grain oatmeal; again no problems.

[Fran27]

Yeah I'm not too fond of the wait three days (I heard four too) rule, but I guess after a while they'll be able to eat enough stuff that it won't really matter. You can just give the new food, then other stuff you know they're not allergic to.

We started with rice cereal for 3 days, then oatmeal, and Saturday we're trying avocado... then we'll try yellow veggies, then green veggies, then fruit. My issue I guess it that DS doesn't seem interested at all still, and he's 6 months.

[Stormster]

Fran I heard Fruit first...

E loves Squash and carrots and sweet potato and corn but not into greens yet though when he's congested I can fool him cause he can't taste it

[aclee]

Our Dr told us the 4 day rule...that being said, she also told us that the 4 day rule was most so you could find "sensitivites", like if it gave the baby diaper rash or gas or whatever. She said like most thing, the baby, if allergic would have a reaction to the food the first 1-2 times that they have it. We give both meals in one day the new food, then go back for a day to other foods he is on, and then do one more day, two meal (usually breakfast and dinner) of the "new food" and then I call it good. He has reacted slightly to applesauce at first with some diaper rash, but it cleared right up and now he does great on it. We're going to try yogurt this weekend, and/or some beets I think. He has quite a variety of foods so I don't even really notice when I try something new...except last night.

Last night we went out to eat and he chowed down on avacado with his cereal. Then I let him have some prunes after. He did great. He even mushed on a fry for a few minutes. I'm not sure if it was the excitement or what, but he ended up throwing up ALL over me. It was great. Course he had a change of clothes and was fine in 5 minutes, I was soaked and stunk the rest of the night.

So we're going to wait, and try avacado again another time...maybe when DH is holding him

[Stormster]

Never even thought to do avocado. Aclee E always hated yoghurt until one day I gave him a tiny spoonful and he loves it now. Full spoonfuls were just too creamy and he hadn't had anything creamy yet. Now he has that Yobaby with fruit and cereal almost every morning!

[mommy3]

I made all of my children's baby food except that my oldest only wanted to feed herself (6 mos.) so we went right to tiny cut up foods immediately; she loved every kind of squash, carrots, etc. (steamed) and soft fruits initially, Ms. Independence. My children are 11 and 9 years apart, respectively, so I learned new ideas with each one, as "wisdom" seemed to grow as my children did. I loved the book, Child of Mine--Feeding with Love and Good Sense, by Satter. Lots of common sense ideas and strategies (and some great recipes). As far as what to give first, I followed the "sweeter vegetables" ideas as first foods, then fruits later, so that my little one wouldn't turn down vegetables after getting used to fruits.

My ds was a picky picky eater but loved peas and avocados, two foods that are very individual in terms of who likes them -- and didn't like cut up foods, only purreed. I used a baby food grinder, just easier to keep clean although it wasn't as tech-y as the small food processor I *thought* I'd love. Then my baby (now 2), loved pureed foods to death. She tried new things slowly and ate tiny amounts, still does. Since I try to cook mostly organic, I'd give in to a few kinds of jarred organic foods, like applesauce and a few ones that she didn't seem to like when I made them (maybe too much flavor in mine, ha).

All this is to say that I realized that each child will follow some of the wisdom we learn and make up the rest. Eating interests were clearly "their own" and I could only push my ideas to a small degree. . . I'd laugh when people would ask me what my children liked to eat and when I'd tell them (still happens), I'd hear "which brand?" -- my children would look quizzically and answer, "Mommy's!" susan

[aclee]

Originally Posted by Stormster

Now he has that Yobaby with fruit and cereal almost every morning!

You know I'm way to cheap to do yogurt that way...I'm already beating myself up that I'm not making it, which is easy, and actually SO cheap. So I bought the big container of whole milk stoneyfield farm organic (it was $1.25 per pound cheaper) which DH also loves. I got the vanilla flavor and figure I can add a little fruit and cereal to it. I'm thinking about starting with banana since that is his favorite, and adding the banana rice cereal too.

I hope it goes well. Dh and I are big yogurt eaters, so it would be nice to get to the point where I knew I could make it and we would all eat it for breakfasts...

[OakShannon]

Originally Posted by mommy3

I made all of my children's baby food except that my oldest only wanted to feed herself (6 mos.) so we went right to tiny cut up foods immediately; she loved every kind of squash, carrots, etc. (steamed) and soft fruits initially, Ms. Independence. My children are 11 and 9 years apart, respectively, so I learned new ideas with each one, as "wisdom" seemed to grow as my children did. I loved the book, Child of Mine--Feeding with Love and Good Sense, by Satter. Lots of common sense ideas and strategies (and some great recipes). As far as what to give first, I followed the "sweeter vegetables" ideas as first foods, then fruits later, so that my little one wouldn't turn down vegetables after getting used to fruits.

I loved that book too. I'm going to reread it when Daniel's a toddler and starts getting picky and refusing to eat. My job is to decide when and what he eats. His job is to decide IF and HOW MUCH he will eat. So quit worrying, mom!

We're starting with veggies too for the same reason. So far so good. He loves carrots, squash, sweet potato and avacado. With green veggies, he likes it better if I do a mix. Today I made a mix of carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli steamed with some olive oil and seasonings. I mince it in a food processor, but he actually prefers his veggies now if they are not blended smooth. It tastes different when the flavors are all blended together. But I think different babies have very different opinions on the subject of texture.

I also roast a lot of veggies. I brush summer squash and eggplant with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast them until they are very soft. He can pick up and eat small pieces as long as they are soft enough that I can easily mash them between my fingers. Funny - it never occurred to me to introduce seasonings slowly. So far, he hasn't had a reaction. I basically serve him the veggies we eat - the only difference is that I never add any salt or soy sauce to his.

Another thing my kiddo loves is hummus. It always seems funny to smell garlic on a baby's breath!

[aclee]

Originally Posted by OakShannon

I loved that book too. I'm going to reread it when Daniel's a toddler and starts getting picky and refusing to eat. My job is to decide when and what he eats. His job is to decide IF and HOW MUCH he will eat. So quit worrying, mom!

We're starting with veggies too for the same reason. So far so good. He loves carrots, squash, sweet potato and avacado. With green veggies, he likes it better if I do a mix. Today I made a mix of carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli steamed with some olive oil and seasonings. I mince it in a food processor, but he actually prefers his veggies now if they are not blended smooth. It tastes different when the flavors are all blended together. But I think different babies have very different opinions on the subject of texture.

I also roast a lot of veggies. I brush summer squash and eggplant with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast them until they are very soft. He can pick up and eat small pieces as long as they are soft enough that I can easily mash them between my fingers. Funny - it never occurred to me to introduce seasonings slowly. So far, he hasn't had a reaction. I basically serve him the veggies we eat - the only difference is that I never add any salt or soy sauce to his.

Another thing my kiddo loves is hummus. It always seems funny to smell garlic on a baby's breath!

How old is Daniel? I'm trying to do the math, and it seems like he's close to Ty's age. I was thinking about starting the broccoli and califlower, but was told it's too early We have 4 big beautiful organic eggplants sitting at home too...He can have those? I'd love to make him those.

I also season. So far I've been giving him his first batch of each veggie with no seasoning and I make a small batch, then I make the rest of the batch with the season. If he doesn't react to the first small batch, then he does the second (which has never happened) then I know he's having an issue with the seasoning.

I'm gonna roast stuff tonight. I have to make a ton of food for him. Sweet potato, green beans, pears, eggplants, acorn and butter nut squash....it will be a busy night...