As all baby’s needs are different it pays to research the various cups online or speak to a friend about which model will be suitable for your baby. We only suggest a range of innovative products to help your little one develop towards independent drinking and move on eventually from a bottle with a teat. Introducing a sippy cup with water from an early stage of the introduction to solids helps to achieve this independence.
From Eight Months onwards
As your baby gets used to lumpier textures you can move on to soft chopped up finger foods. Cooked, chopped, vegetable pieces, a baby can hold onto, not big chunks. Offer potato, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, various fruits, small pieces of cooked pasta and tender meat, grated cheese, rusks and tiny sandwiches.
Make sure the carrots are not cut in circles but cut into small pieces as they can get stuck in a child’s windpipe, oesophagus and cause choking. Grapes and blueberries must also be cut into small pieces never offered whole.
Between one and two years of age children learn to vocalise and exert their independence. Meals are a perfect time to show off these skills saying, ‘no’.
Food is not necessarily the problem but they decide to refuse to eat and throw food on the floor to see your reaction. Try to introduce different foods and new ways of eating from a different plate or cut their bread into shapes, introduce finger foods they can help themselves to that they have not eaten before as a way of distraction.
Try to feed young children before they are overtired or very hungry as this would aggravate irritability. Once toddlers are eating a varied diet similar to the rest of the family, milk remains important but is best offered after a meal or between main meals as a snack.
Garofalo Bambino is tiny pasta, that can be bought from Amazon and Ocado. The size of the pasta is ideal for a small baby.
Useful Recipes for 6 month old Babies.
Stewed Pears and Fruits
PREPARE - wash, peel and remove pips from the pears. Cut them into slices and steam or cook in a pot with a little water until soft. Puree using which ever method you have chosen to a creamy constituency.
Offer a small portion at first.
Apples, plums, peaches, apricots and mango can also be prepared this way. Mango, banana and avocado can all be pureed without being cooked but only prepare this way if very ripe.
Pears and apples or any chosen fruit combination can be mixed together, once you have ascertained there is no allergic reaction, to any of the fruits.
Fruit, as prepared above, can also be added to baby rice/cereal to create more variety.
Vegetables
PREPARE - Wash, remove skins and seeds. Cook vegetables to soften, then puree to a creamy consistency Introduce one vegetable at a time to ensure there is no allergic reaction.
Sweet Potato and Carrot - Wash, peel and slice the sweet potato and carrot into small pieces, steam or boil gently until soft and ready to puree. Mix with a little breast milk or formula if necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.
Offer a small portion at first and then increase the quantity as your baby consumes more.
Sweet Potato, pumpkin, carrot potato, yam, parsnip and taro are all suitable vegetables to introduce to a 6 month old baby.
Meat
PREPARE - Cook and puree.
Beef, chicken, fish, lamb and pork can now also be introduced to your baby’s diet.
Fish, Potato and Carrots
PREPARE - Wash peel and prepare the potato and carrot. Wash and check that the fish has no scales or bones. Place the vegetables in a steamer or simmer gently in a pot with water to cover.
When the vegetables are nearly ready to remove from the heat drop in a small boneless piece of your chosen fish and poach for a further few minutes until cooked. Drain the vegetables and fish retaining some of the vegetable water to mix once the food is pureed to form a creamy consistency.
Another way of preparing a nourishing supper or lunch for your baby is to prepare a pureed vegetable sauce with avocado and pear puree and add a spoonful of Garofalo Bambino baby pasta.
Prepare and cook this according to the instructions on the packet.
Beans and Pulses
PREPARE - rinse dried beans, peas or lentils and cook according to instructions on the packet – puree to consistency required.
Dried beans, peas and lentils, baked beans, chickpeas and dahl can now be included in your baby’s diet.
Some first food menus