Broccoli was the first solid food that my baby ever ate. And, it became one of my child’s favourite veggies to date. I am a very ambitious person and this extends into my motherhood, and getting my child to eat healthily is on the top of the agenda.
6 months to a day
I was waiting till my baby was exactly 6 months. I was a bit apprehensive to start the solids. The health visitor said that the baby needed to be able to sit unaided. I didn’t feel we were there yet. But hey, the first half-birthday arrived, we went to the cinema for a parent and baby viewing of “La La Land” to celebrate this super-occasion, and when we got back, he had his first lunch – broccoli florets.
I didn’t have a high chair at that time, but a baby snug & [play tray I had was just perfect.
My little man, wasn’t quite able to navigate with his hand, but he was very keen on that new thing in his hand that he was given to eat.
Broccoli is not the best first choice
Sometime later I read that broccoli wasn’t actually the best vegetable to give at first, as it may cause gas. But, I didn’t panic (too much) when I read that, as I convinced myself that the tiny amount he ate, if any, couldn’t really give him much bother. He never complained, and I never smelled any increase of any gas in the flat.
One vegetable or fruit a day
I wrote a plan for the first two weeks of introducing solids, which vegetable or fruit I would give him each day (one of a different one each day). At that time, I wasn’t too preoccupied with the three or four days rule (to wait three days before introducing a new food to a baby, in case there is an allergic reaction). I have read many various leaflets and online recommendations of what not to give to a 6-months old baby so I was just introducing veggies and fruit which weren’t listed as allergenic.
Our first foods (organic whenever possible)
Day 1: Steamed broccoli
Day 2: Steamed parsnip
Day 3: Avocado
Day 4: Boiled potatoes
Day 5: Banana
Day 6: Steamed carrot
Day 7: Steamed sweet potato
Day 8: Steamed cauliflower
Day 9: Poached peeled pear
Day 10: Steamed parsley roots
Day 11: Mango
Day 12: Cooked beetroot
Day 13: Grated peeled apple
Day 14: Steamed butternut squash
Finger food and fork-mashed
At that very beginning, not knowing what my child would prefer, I tried a combination of both: finger foods and fork-mashed servings. Never really gone the puree route. My little one just didn’t seem to enjoy the purees. He was very keen on finger foods, so I went mainly with that, especially that I was into Baby Led Weaning method.
Gauge reflex
The scariest thing for me was the gauge reflex. Whatever was hitting the back of my little one’s throat seemed caused that. But it didn’t discourage him from trying another piece. The food I was giving him was well cooked and cut into small pieces, so there was no chance of choking, but I still watched him eating every bit for the safety reasons. That gauge reflex made me sometimes jump to my child in case he was choking, as it looked alarming at times.
Midday meal
I went for the midday meals when introducing solids, and in fact any new foods ever since, as it gave the body time to react to new food in one way or another, and allowed me to monitor my son during the day for any reactions to that food.
Out of comfort zone
I found changing from the safety and the comfort of breastfeeding to solids to be full of challenges. Not only for my baby, but also for me. It was sometimes stressful, but mostly exciting. To see a little person learning new skill is mesmerising. To watch him lead and be adventurous in this new stage of his life is fascinating.
He didn’t really eat much food for that first two weeks, but he was interested in trying and learning.
