The homemade baby food gig is not going well. Maybe I'm an impatient person. Okay, no maybe. I am. I've stuck with the same foods like is suggested by everything I read, but he has not taken to them. Every day I try, at least a few times, but it's such a fight. He screams and only seems to want the bottle. I try not to force it, as I know that will only create a negativity about foods.
Well, on Thursday I am leaving for Mississippi to visit family and I'd rather not pack a cooler of homemade baby foods to take (and TRY). It's just too much of a hassle. I decided to purchase baby food for the trip in order to keep my attempts going as I'm away. It was almost painful buying them at Target today. I didn't want to spend the money. Homemade is so much less expensive! Also, I was disappointed in the selection. Target only sells Gerber! Whatever. I bit the bullet, purchased them and came home. I bought foods I've already made for him because I wanted to do a comparison. On the menu: Sweet Potatoes and Carrots. When I returned home it was time for him to eat, so I decided on a whim to try the Gerber. I was certain he was going to reject the sweet potatoes, just as he always does. That means taking them, spitting them out, make a distasteful face, then proceeding to cry, and cry, and cry…and cry and staying tight lipped any time I try to insert more food. That is, until he has a bottle.
First bite came and he opened his mouth to take in the food, swallowed, then opened his mouth for more! Surprise! I was happy, but I was also a little hurt by the fact that he didn't like MY sweet potatoes. He devoured the entire 2.5oz in no time.
Then I thought of something. Let it be known that I am NOT a good cook (I have many, many stories to prove this), so maybe Blake figured that out from the beginning. HA (But really, homemade baby food is a sinch.)
So, maybe I give up the homemade gig. He's made his choice. ;)
Though I do want to find something that is more natural than Gerber, even though the front of the Gerber food says "Natural." (Roll eyes: "natural" is trendy. I get it. But let's not slap something on there when it isn't entirely true)
I know there are other foods out there that are a better choice, I just don't know much about them. I was so set on making his food that I didn't bother to do the research. And since I only planned on buying food for this trip only, purchasing Gerber didn't bother me too much. I just don't want to keep doing it longterm. (This bit of info also coming from his pediatrician who said Gerber is amongst the worst to give them.)
This is also difficult for me because I've told so many that I'm making his food, despite the fact that he wasn't taking it well. I said I was going to keep trying and not give up. Sigh.
So I guess this is my public confession that I'm leaving the world of homemade baby foods behind. I'm disappointed in myself, but the ease of which he took the food spoke volumes.
Call me a quitter.
I know what some people are going to say, "I fed my baby Gerber and he turned out just fine." I understand that. I was just so proud of myself that this was something I was doing that I knew was going to be healthy and good. Something that was "natural". I am the worst "natural" mom ever.
Others may be thinking "Just stick with it. He'll take it eventually." I guess I lack the stickwithitness. Sometimes the effort is exhausting. (This totally makes me sound selfish. Ugh.)
In order to make myself feel better about this entire situation, I decided to make an organizational list. That always makes me feel better!
It's a "Baby's 1st Foods" checklist that I'm going to hang on the fridge to help me keep track of foods that Blake has tried, and reactions to such foods, if any. I also incorporated the date since research suggests foods should be tried for days at a time and not skip around between foods in the beginning.
If you'd like to use this checklist you can download the PDF format here.
Rock on, baby-food-jar-moms! Let's be Jar Heads together!
OOR-AH! <---said in my best, manly, deep, Marine voice
I gave my kids a mixture of homemade baby food and food from a jar - whatever was most practical at the time. I found when they were really little, they preferred the food from a jar; I think it was a texture-thing. As they got a bit older, they warmed up to home made. Just keep trying him from time to time! There are some wonderful jar options - Organic, as in just three ingredients and no preservatives. I think we used one called Beechnut or something like that. It's been awhile!
ReplyDeleteI've heard great things about Beach Nut. I think I'm going to have to try that one. THANKS!
DeleteI made both girls' food except when we traveled then I bought jar or pouches. I used Organic Gerber, Beechnut, Ella's Kitchen (Target sells that one), Sprouts, and other ones whose names I can not remember. When you puree your homemade baby food did you add any water to help thin it out? Thinning it will help it have a smoother texture. Have you tried cooking the food differently or adding a wee bit of seasoning to them? My girls devoured sweet potatoes when I baked them and sprinkled a tiny bit of cinnamon in before feeding time.
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