The right way to Begin Solids: A Meals Blogger’s Perspective

Hey everybody! Sarah right here. On this article, I’m going to speak about how I began Ethan, my now-toddler, on solids again when he was 6 months previous. 

This can be a little bit out of our wheelhouse, and I don’t declare to be an skilled! In actual fact, I’m somewhat nervous publishing this text, as a result of subjects round parenting and youngsters is commonly so fraught! 

However my sister inspired me to share our expertise and doc the journey right here on The Woks of Life, as a result of it’s had its ups and downs, and lots of of you discovered our posts on Postpartum Chinese language confinement practices and postpartum food regimen useful. In her phrases, “somebody on the market wants your large sister vitality” (by which she means my insane degree of analysis, planning, and neuroticism round this subject).

Whether or not you’re anticipating or questioning begin solids together with your child quickly, I hope sharing my expertise helps you put together—or a minimum of really feel a bit calmer than I did about the entire thing. 

Future me (for whom I’m additionally penning this put up), right here’s what we did! (Let’s repeat it with any future child(s), as a result of Ethan loves tofu and mackerel, which I feel means we gained.)

Some Apprehension, Then TONS of Analysis

So I’ve to confess, I used to be not wanting ahead to beginning Ethan on solids—maybe a little bit of a shocker contemplating my well-documented obsession with all issues meals. 

In these first months as a brand new mother, I used to be fairly overwhelmed, and including solids into the combination appeared like, nicely…work. My dad and mom had raised me within the age of Gerber child meals, when the factor to do was to purchase mountains of purees in glass jars. They definitely had recommendation (Greens earlier than fruit! Steamed eggs are nice!), nevertheless it appeared just like the accepted knowledge had modified fairly a bit within the 30-odd years since my dad and mom have been scooping pureed peas and carrots from jars, hoping as I used to be now that they have been doing the “proper” factor. 

I figured I’d make my very own purees (how exhausting is it to steam a butternut squash?), however the entire course of simply felt daunting and sort of sophisticated. When Ethan was on a liquid food regimen, ingesting breast milk for each meal, it was simply less complicated. 

Plus, my normal response to any new problem is to compulsively dive into an extreme quantity of analysis (sort of my MO). 

Having sought Instagram mom-advice, scoured the web for, watched movies on, and checked out library books about such subjects as baby-led weaning vs. spoon feeding, choking prevention and first assist, the significance of introducing allergens early, baby- and toddler-friendly lunch recipes, meal and snack schedules, serve blackberries to 6-month-olds vs. 12-month-olds, how folks introduce solids in nations all over the world, why French kids seemingly don’t have any drawback sitting by means of a 2-hour restaurant dinner with out an iPad, feeding therapists’ suggestions for cup ingesting (to sippy cup or not sippy cup? Straw cups vs. 360 cups?), and extra, I used to be most likely overcomplicating the entire thing. In all probability. 

(No regrets although.) 

That stated, after arising for air, my most important aim was to keep away from choosy consuming and finally foster in Ethan the identical love of meals that fuels The Woks of Life. In different phrases, I hope that at some point he has as a lot to say in regards to the finer factors of chili oil as all of us do! 

Most Useful Sources for Beginning Solids

Having performed all that analysis, I can say definitively that I discovered the Strong Begins web site, app, and guides to be the only most useful useful resource in our journey. You could possibly simply skip the remainder of this put up and head over there to get a lot of the information you want. 

Their app has an intensive meals database that guides you on how/when to serve tons of various meals (together with extra obscure ethnic components) relying in your child’s developmental stage. Plus, I discovered the power to trace all of the meals Ethan had tried useful in ensuring I served him all kinds within the first 12 months. Their information on introducing allergens was invaluable as nicely, since (gasp!) Ethan had a peanut allergy. Extra on that later.

My second most useful useful resource was a e book known as French Youngsters Eat All the things (Amazon affiliate hyperlink), by Karen Le Billon. For me, its key perception (or slightly, the important thing perception of the French) is to consider a child’s expertise of meals as a form of exploratory training. The French consider that it’s as essential to show desk manners and respect/take pleasure in meals as it’s to show youngsters learn and write. 

They don’t must be “entertained” or distracted on the dinner desk, as a result of the meal and time spent with the folks on the desk is the leisure! Ensuring that they arrive to the desk hungry and minimizing snacking was one other key level I discovered actually labored for Ethan. 

And at last, there was this weirdly revolutionary but frequent sense strategy: feed youngsters what you eat. They don’t have to love it, however they should attempt it. In the event that they refuse to eat, don’t make a battle out of it, and don’t give them another possibility. Don’t give them a snack half-hour later both. They will attempt once more on the subsequent scheduled mealtime. 

When that open-minded child turns right into a picky toddler, I’ve discovered that for those who persist with this philosophy, it really works. 

However let’s not get too far forward of ourselves. Let’s step again and check out all that analysis, consolidated into key factors. 

A Abstract of My Method to Beginning Solids

Okay, so listed here are a number of the broad strokes of our strategy to beginning solids, primarily based on the aforementioned sources and in addition trial and error! Once more, that is all primarily based on our personal expertise; you’ll have to decide what works greatest for you and your youngster.

1. Wait For all of the readiness indicators

This was an enormous tip from Strong Begins. Some sources say to begin solids between 4-6 months of age, however we weren’t seeing all of the readiness indicators in Ethan till he was somewhat previous 6 months.

Indicators of readiness embrace: 

• Sitting strongly with minimal help 
• Holding head upright and regular whereas seated for about quarter-hour
• Capability to achieve and seize, selecting up objects from a seated place and bringing them to the mouth
• Displaying curiosity in meals—watching intently whilst you eat, mouthing for meals, or reaching for it

Ethan had the final three locked in, nevertheless it was that sitting strongly upright with minimal help that he was having bother with. Once we put him within the excessive chair, he would form of stoop to the facet a bit and appeared somewhat unstable. We ended up ready till he was 6 months and 1 week previous to begin, and I feel being completely prepared gave him a constructive begin to his meals journey. 

2. Attempt Child-Led Weaning/Self Feeding 

After studying in regards to the variations between spoon feeding (emphasis on purees; dad or mum brings meals to child’s mouth and controls the meal) and baby-led weaning (child self-feeds comparable meals you’re consuming, served in a developmentally acceptable method), and discovering that there truly isn’t a major distinction in choking danger so long as you serve meals in an age-appropriate approach, we determined to go this route. 

It appeared quite a bit simpler than purees, and I favored the thought of Ethan being allowed to discover meals at his personal tempo and never needing to arrange separate meals for him. 

When first beginning solids, bigger items of meals are literally safer, like a delicate mango pit or an enormous piece of steamed broccoli. Sources like Strong Begins and Feeding Littles are useful locations to begin. 

3. Maintain strain low, and step by step ramp up 

After I began to have a look at Ethan’s stable “meal” as extra of an exploratory play session with meals slightly than an precise “meal,” it took a whole lot of the strain off! At that early age, it’s extra about child studying to discover meals slightly than getting sustenance. He was nonetheless getting most, if not all of his diet from breast milk, and I spotted that I didn’t should pay a lot consideration to how a lot he was truly consuming. 

And a “meal” didn’t should be a cute compartmentalized plate of a number of superbly organized, completely ready gadgets—although maybe that is disappointing (thrilling?) to listen to from a mom who’s additionally a meals blogger. If he gnawed on a chunk of roasted candy potato for quarter-hour and didn’t instantly recoil from it, that was a meal, and I took it as a win! 

We began with 1 meal a day at first, typically skipping a day or two each week. A month later, we step by step ramped to 1-2 meals a day. Once more, if we skipped a day right here or there it wasn’t an enormous deal. By 8 months previous, he was having a minimum of 1 stable meal each day, and we’d typically do 2 or 3. Then it was constantly 2 meals a day by 9-10 months. 

By 1 12 months, he was having 3 stable meals a day. Round this time, he was weaned off breast milk/formulation and we switched to cow’s milk. After one other month or so, he was on his present schedule of three stable meals and 1 snack a day, meals was his main supply of diet, and milk turned a beverage slightly than a meal. 

It looks like a fairly fast timeline, nevertheless it feels considerably gradual if you’re in it. It undoubtedly takes the strain off to know that you just solely want to begin with 1 stable “meal” a day, and to recollect that at the beginning, it’s not about how a lot the child consumes, however about logging some expertise with new textures and flavors. 

4. Serve common meals as a lot as attainable

This was one of many largest pluses for baby-led weaning. I might goal to serve Ethan the identical meals that Justin and I have been consuming, slightly than separate “child meals.” In different phrases, child meals is simply…meals. (Retaining in thoughts that some meals aren’t but developmentally acceptable or secure, i.e. honey earlier than age 1, or meals that pose a choking hazard when ready incorrectly.)

That did imply that for a time, I might alter our menu based on the sorts of meals I needed Ethan to attempt or meals that may very well be simply served in a developmentally acceptable method. 

For example, we relied quite a bit on letting Ethan eat with preloaded spoons. Meals that sit nicely on child spoons embrace thick oatmeal or thicker purees (like mashed butternut squash). So possibly one night time, I’d make turkey meatloaf, mashed butternut squash, and roasted cauliflower for dinner. I might finely mince the meatloaf and soft-cooked cauliflower, then combine them into the squash. Ethan would have a meal that he might simply handle with a spoon, or scooping together with his palms. 

One other instance was our Beef & Tofu Recipe, which makes use of delicate or silken tofu. After I finely chopped the meat & scallions and combined that together with the tofu and a few leafy greens into some steamed Quinoa Rice, the combination held collectively properly, making it one other good spoon meals. 

I wouldn’t be afraid to cook dinner with spices, however I did again off somewhat bit on salt, and if there was a spicy factor to the dish, I would hold it in there, however pull approach again, so Ethan might get a touch of chili warmth with out the dish being spicy per se. 

5. Expose child to as many meals as attainable within the first 6-9 months, significantly meals which might be a part of your tradition

You’d be stunned at simply what number of meals a child can attempt at 6 months previous! Analysis has proven that there’s a window of time through which infants are extra open to new meals, from once they first begin solids to about 18 months (although in my expertise, it was extra like 15 months when Ethan acquired a bit extra…ahem, discerning). 

In that point interval, attempt to introduce as many alternative flavors and textures as attainable! In Ethan’s first few months on solids, he tried braised daikon radish, dragon fruit, stir-fried chrysanthemum greens, cilantro, anchovies, and tofu. We have been repeatedly shocked at how he would take down these meals with very sturdy, very “acquired style” kind flavors. 

Truthfully, I feel an enormous a part of it was the truth that we didn’t actually restrict him a lot. He was consuming the identical tasty dishes we have been, inside motive. For dinner at my dad and mom’ home, we’d make a bunch of stir-fries, and that i’d simply take a range, chop it up finely, and and blend it into one thing manageable, like my mother’s multigrain congee (cooked down till it’s a thicker consistency), which she typically has able to go. 

In case you have meals out of your tradition that you really want your child to be taught to take pleasure in, that is the time! Now that he’s a toddler, he’s undoubtedly pulled again on that open mindedness, discovering (as many people do) that rice, bread, pasta, and cheese are merely superior to radishes. 

That stated, considered one of his favourite meals is our Vegetable Moo Shu, which is stuffed with leeks, bell pepper, mushrooms, pressed tofu, carrots, and celery. Quite a lot of it has to do with how it’s served (finely chopped, combined into rice) and in addition being on the desk with everybody. Youngsters prefer to really feel included and imitate their dad and mom, proper? If we’re consuming an enormous pile of greens for dinner, Ethan is extra prone to take part too. 

Once in a while, he nonetheless shocks me with what he’ll eat. The opposite night time, I made stir-fried mizuna (a Japanese mustard inexperienced) from my mother’s backyard. Barely bitter, somewhat stringy even. He reached for it, and I put just a few very finely chopped shreds on his plate. Ate it with gusto. So splendidly bizarre. 

6. Introduce Allergens Early 

After all, earlier than introducing a full vary of recent meals, it’s essential to introduce any allergens in a extra managed approach. I’ve a form of long-winded clarification for this one, as a result of as I discussed earlier, Ethan had a peanut allergy. 

Early introduction of allergenic meals, together with the large 9 (dairy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts,  soy, finned fish, crustacean shellfish, and sesame) will help forestall these allergic reactions from creating. Not solely do you have to introduce these meals early, it is best to hold them within the rotation in order that your child will get constant publicity to them. Strong Begins has a information that I clung to by means of these early levels, as a result of we ended up having a fairly dramatic expertise introducing peanut. 

Having already efficiently launched egg and dairy, I used to be feeling fairly informal about Ethan’s first peanut publicity. I diluted a tiny little bit of peanut butter with sizzling water, after which gave Ethan a small style off of my fingertip. A pair minutes later, he began clawing at his chin and face and erupting in a crimson rash. Cue the panicked 911 name, ambulance, Benadryl, and journey to the emergency room. General, Ethan’s response was fairly gentle. However, alas, he was undoubtedly allergic to peanuts. 

Peanut Butter is a most important meals group in our home, so I used to be fairly devastated by this information. Justin and my late-night PB&J behavior apart, being the dad or mum of a meals allergic child will also be extremely demanding. 

It led me down one other path of analysis, through which I discovered about Oral Immunotherapy, which is principally a protocol through which you begin with small, common micro-doses of peanut, step by step growing the dose each 2 weeks till the kid can both simply eat peanut, or a minimum of have “bite-proof safety,” i.e. not have a life-threatening response in the event that they by accident devour the allergen. 

Not all allergists supply this remedy, because it’s not FDA-approved (except you go the Palforzia route—a medical-grade peanut powder accepted for youngsters ages 1 and up—the remedy is just not a drug. It’s simply meals). Nonetheless, many research have demonstrated its efficacy. Fortunately, I discovered a physician about 40 minutes away from us that provided it, and we began Ethan on the protocol when he was 8 months previous. 

After bi-weekly peanut dose will increase—whereas below commentary in a medical setting—for the subsequent 6 months, Ethan ate 16g of peanut (a couple of tablespoon of peanut butter), and he graduated from peanut OIT at 14 months previous. It was about one of the best case state of affairs we might have hoped for. He by no means had an allergic response throughout the complete course of, past just a few contact reactions when the peanut touched his pores and skin, and a few eczema flares.

He nonetheless will get contact reactions (a slight rash round his face if peanut touches his pores and skin), however the child can eat peanut butter, and for that I’m insanely grateful. 

I inform you this story to not scare you about introducing allergens, however to encourage you to do it early! OIT works greatest with very younger kids, as their immune methods are extra malleable. The allergist additionally talked about that it’s a lot simpler to do with infants and toddlers as a result of they haven’t but developed any concern or anxiousness across the allergenic meals. 

I’m not a physician, and it is best to completely seek the advice of your pediatrician and get a number of opinions from pediatric allergists in your space, however this was our expertise. 

After all, after the peanut response, I used to be a bit nervous introducing the remaining allergens, however we compelled ourselves to introduce a brand new allergen each week or two, till all 9 had been lined, and I’m glad we caught with it. Fortunately, Ethan was solely allergic to peanuts, however OIT can also be accessible for allergic reactions to exploit, egg, tree nuts, sesame, soy, and wheat. 

The toughies are finned fish and shellfish, however hey, that’s what dried fish and dried shrimp are for, proper? Do the Asians must let the allergists know that these are an possibility? That stated, it is likely to be tougher to masks their taste in a cup of applesauce…

7. Don’t Give Up On Meals Your Child Refuses

It may be simple to see your child refuse a meals a pair instances after which write it off. However apparently, it could possibly take upwards of 20 totally different exposures to a brand new meals earlier than a child accepts it. We discovered this to be true too. Ethan’s first few instances attempting blueberries, he wasn’t into them. Then on the sixth or seventh attempt, he one way or the other acquired actually into them—even blueberries that have been on the tart facet for me! A meals I assumed he didn’t like turned a favourite seemingly in a single day. 

As he’s grown right into a toddler, we’ve had comparable experiences. A meals that he actually favored just a few months in the past is instantly a no-go. Then he goes again to liking it. It might maybe simply be a temper factor, like I’m typically simply not within the temper for eggs, and the subsequent morning I’m prepared for scrambled eggs on toast. While you’re at all times answerable for your personal consuming, these day-to-day shifts in preferences can get glazed over. When your toddler is throwing eggs on the kitchen flooring, it’s rather more apparent.

If a meals actually isn’t sticking, it could possibly assist to arrange that meals in a number of other ways to allow them to attempt it in several contexts—pureed in a soup, in a stir-fry, in a pasta bake, made into pancakes or fritters, and so on. (He’s been fairly cussed with zucchini, and I’m nonetheless engaged on it.) 

It may possibly additionally assist to contain your toddler as he/she will get older in meals preparation, which will help them have extra curiosity in consuming the meals they helped make. 

Backside line: hold attempting!

8. Add A Little Inexperienced To Numerous Completely different Meals

An attention-grabbing tip I acquired in my analysis was so as to add a little bit of inexperienced to a number of your meals to be able to accustom your child to seeing and consuming inexperienced meals. The considering is that somewhat basil on high of a bowl of pasta or a little bit of spinach in an omelet might imply having a five-year-old that doesn’t flip their nostril as much as inexperienced veggies! Unsure if anybody’s ever examined this concept, however it could possibly’t harm.

9. Attempt Preloaded Spoons

We discovered that by scooping meals right into a spoon after which handing it to Ethan to self-feed, he acquired to have management over the meal whereas additionally minimizing mess and frustration. By the way, familiarity with the spoon additionally made it simpler once we did wish to spoon-feed him in a extra managed approach (i.e. together with his day by day peanut doses in applesauce). It additionally helped him choose up unbiased utensil use a lot faster when he hit toddlerhood. 

10. Be Okay with Some Mess

Whereas we did wish to reduce messes, baby-led weaning will get messy, and it’s greatest to only form of let it occur. I don’t imply letting your toddler throw meals or misbehave, however letting your child get meals throughout their face as they discover it with out swooping in to wipe their face or the tray each 5 seconds. This will help create extra of a relaxed, low-stress expertise on the desk. 

(A slathering of petroleum jelly on Ethan’s face earlier than mealtimes helped reduce delicate pores and skin reactions to acidic meals like yogurt and tomato sauce, in addition to meals that he had contact reactions to, like peanut and walnut/pecan.)

Certainly one of our single most favourite child gadgets is the Catchy, which is a big tray that goes below your excessive chair to catch errant meals scraps. It reduces wasted meals (you possibly can simply choose it up and put it again on the tray) and makes cleanup after the meal a lot simpler.

11. Attempt Practising with Straw Cups and Open Cups Early

Just like the preloaded spoon, training with straw cups and open cups early made transitioning off bottles and sippy cups a lot simpler. We began this apply when Ethan was 7 months previous (beneath, left), and he did fairly nicely with it! Then we took a little bit of a break from open cups till he was round 1 12 months to concentrate on straw ingesting, however he picked it proper again up! Now his open cup abilities prolong to slurping egg drop soup proper from the bowl.  

12. Don’t Hover or Pressure

If child isn’t consuming, attempt to not strain, hover, or power them to eat. Staying calm—particularly in a state of affairs through which a child may need bitten off greater than they will chew—is essential to making a secure, constructive, and relaxed consuming atmosphere. (See this text on choking hazards & prevention.) 

I’ve been responsible of hovering over Ethan once I’m anxious that he’s not consuming his dinner, and Justin is at all times fast to remind me to cease. It simply provides stress and makes the state of affairs worse whereas hardly ever getting him to eat any extra. 

13. Attempt Altering Up Textures

I discovered that altering up the feel of a dish might assist Ethan take pleasure in it extra. For example, if I served him our Vegetable Moo Shu as is, it might be a bit stringy and tough for him to chew, despite the fact that he has 14 enamel at this level.

However taking a pile of the tofu and greens, chopping it finely on a slicing board, after which mixing it right into a bowl of Quinoa Rice not solely made it simpler for him to chew, but additionally rather more palatable and pleasant.

One time, my sister was watching me attempting to coax Ethan into consuming some chopped up leafy greens, and he or she stated, “Isn’t the expertise of having fun with leafy inexperienced greens extra essential at this stage than simply getting him to eat it?” She was proper. I’m not saying it’s a must to disguise greens in issues or smother them in cheese sauce. Typically a slight textural tweak is all you want. 

14. If They Didn’t Like What You Served, Don’t Give Them An Various Possibility 

This one is controversial, as a result of it may be seen as harsh or withholding. After all your valuable angel youngster must eat! In the event that they didn’t just like the dish you served, it’s good to make them a pot of mac and cheese so that they don’t go hungry till their subsequent meal. Otherwise you’ll give them a snack in somewhat bit to allow them to a minimum of eat one thing. 

This sort of considering is so pure, but additionally apparently the place a whole lot of choosy consuming begins. Not consuming between meals is an enormous a part of the French philosophy as specified by French Youngsters Eat All the things. In case your toddler is snacking quite a bit, they gained’t come to the desk as hungry for the precise meal, making them fussier and choosier. 

My pediatrician even stated to me at our 15-month appointment, “No short-order cooking. If it’s a must to put him to mattress somewhat hungry, he gained’t starve. He’ll simply eat extra at breakfast.”

I’ve discovered {that a} good completely happy medium right here is to at all times have one thing on the desk that your youngster will eat, significantly at dinner, the final meal of the day. Attempt extra adventurous or new meals at breakfast or lunchtime, when their subsequent meal is just a few hours away. If you happen to nonetheless do milk earlier than mattress, you can provide them somewhat further if dinner didn’t go nice. 

The pediatrician additionally stated that infants and toddlers are higher than adults at listening to their starvation cues, and that their urge for food varies broadly with their exercise ranges. In the event that they’re taking part in with their meals, they’re most likely not that hungry. 

Once more, you possibly can be at liberty to disregard me and simply do what feels best for you! 

15. Reduce Snacking

Many American sources counsel 2-3 snacks per day for a toddler, along with 3 meals. Take into consideration that for a second. That may imply your toddler is consuming round each 2 hours, which is consuming extra typically than once they had a bottle each 3-4 hours as somewhat child! 

At first, I used to be apprehensive Ethan wasn’t consuming sufficient, so I did 3 meals, plus a morning snack and a day snack, along with the couple cups of milk he was getting day by day. We undoubtedly seen extra fussiness at mealtimes, and the way he simply wouldn’t be hungry once we sat all the way down to a meal.

It simply felt prefer it made extra sense to stay to the feeding schedule we’d already established in babyhood—4 alternatives to eat, with breakfast, lunch, a day snack, and dinner. Since switching to this format, mealtimes have gotten a lot simpler. Doing fewer meals/snacks can also be much less work! 

Once more, for those who’re not doing this and your meal/snack schedule works for you, that’s nice! Simply proceed to disregard me. 

16. Keep away from Processed Meals As A lot As Potential, however Don’t Obsess Over It

I undoubtedly need Ethan to have the ability to determine and respect entire meals—fruits, greens, grains, meats, and so on. A giant a part of exposing him to all these meals is just not filling these mealtime alternatives with processed merchandise. But in addition, if we’re out and about and the one possibility that he’ll eat is frozen hen tenders and french fries, it’s effective.

17. Have a Plan

As a meals blogger and recipe developer, I’ve a whole lot of recipes in my arsenal, however I’ve discovered that I undoubtedly must do a whole lot of pre-planning in the beginning of every week. I’ve every week’s “meals plan,” through which I lay out every day’s meals, and store based on that plan, so I don’t want to consider each meal, simply execute. It additionally helps to have some emergency freezer meals (normally leftovers from earlier meals) accessible so you’ve gotten one thing in a pinch. I’ll be doing a separate put up quickly displaying what a pattern week seems like!

Feeding Instruments

In case you’re creating your child registry or simply questioning what merchandise labored greatest for us within the sea of choices on the market, I’ve give you a listing of all of the merchandise we’ve been utilizing within the final 12 months. Notice that these are Amazon affiliate hyperlinks, so any purchases from these hyperlinks will help The Woks of Life with a small fee. 

WeeSprout Silicone Child Spoons: Ethan’s first spoons. The slim form and delicate texture have been excellent for these first few months of giving him loaded spoons. He turned proficient with them in a short time, and was utilizing utensils this fashion very early. They have been particularly useful in feeding him his mashed fruit with crushed peanut for peanut oral immunotherapy, as a result of the slim form of the spoon allowed us to feed him with out getting any of the peanut on his face, stopping contact reactions. We used these spoons for about 6 months, till the 1 12 months mark, when he moved to toddler utensils. 

OXO Tot Roll-up Bibs: We love these bibs. A stiff silicone “catcher” for any bib is crucial (it has saved us from numerous potential messes and spills). In our expertise, these smock bibs with a flappy material “catcher” don’t work. What I like about this one is that the highest of the bib is material with velcro, which makes it extra comfy and adjustable than the all-silicone variations. We’ve been effective with solely 2 of those bibs, as we at all times have one able to go and one to clean. We hand-wash them proper after every meal and grasp them to dry. They dry fairly rapidly, so the one you used for the final meal is at all times dry and prepared. If the velcro will get gunky, cleansing it with a delicate bristle brush works nicely. 

EZPZ Mini Cup + Straw Coaching System: Many feeding therapists suggest transferring toddlers off sippy cups sooner slightly than later to help higher oral growth. Ethan picked up straw ingesting with this cup earlier than he turned 1. It took him some time to get the grasp of it (Strong Begins has a fantastic information to straw ingesting), and we used the “pipette” technique with this straw. As soon as he acquired it, although, this cup was nice.

It’s the right form and measurement for tiny palms, and he used it completely for ingesting water for a lot of months. It was additionally nice for open cup apply, which we began round 8 months or so (an extended journey. At round 16 months, he acquired a lot better at open cup ingesting with out pouring water in every single place). Now he loves taking the cup aside and taking part in with it at meals, so we’ve moved him to a safer cup (beneath). 

Zak Designs Stainless Metal Straw Cup: I really like that this cup is chrome steel slightly than plastic. (I’ve not an insignificant quantity of tension round microplastic. Although the straw inside is plastic. Sigh.) It has a leak-resistant design that forestalls spills. (Undoubtedly not fully leak-proof, although!)

Ethan makes use of these cups for water at mealtimes. It additionally matches in our automotive seat cup holder so he can seize water on his personal once we’re within the automotive. The opening within the straw stays principally lined whereas the kid isn’t actively ingesting and opens up once they begin ingesting. (Notice that your toddler must work to get the liquid out of the straw. This isn’t the worst factor, because the circulate in different straws may very well be too quick for Ethan, inflicting a little bit of choking and sputtering.) There are different plastic-free choices on the market, however I haven’t discovered a fantastic different with leak safety. In case you have the right cup, inquiring mothers wish to know—tell us within the feedback! 

Nuk 5 oz. Learner Spill-Proof Sippy Cup: Ethan acquired used to ingesting water from straws, however milk was a unique story. After weaning him off breast milk round 10 months and transferring him onto formulation after which a pair months later, cow’s milk, he drank from a bottle till we transitioned to this sippy cup round age 1. This cup is supposed for use to transition off the bottle, because the sucking sample is similar to bottle ingesting. It took just a few days for him to heat as much as this sippy cup, however not lengthy. We stored him on it for about 2 months earlier than transferring to exploit in a straw cup, which took a bit longer (about 2-3 weeks of fussing and refusing his previously beloved morning cup of milk), however we held our floor and now he drinks his milk from a straw like a champ. 

A stainless-steel straw cup for milk: I don’t have a precise product suggestion for this one, as a result of I’ve but to discover a excellent answer. I favored the thought of preserving milk safe in a tightly sealed plastic-free straw cup, however Ethan didn’t wish to drink something however water from the Zak cups, and the EZPZ cup comes aside too simply. I ended up going with this Chrome steel sippy cup that has a straw, however discovered that the straw it comes with isn’t nice. So I simply use a unique silicone straw that I bought individually. We solely have 1, and simply clear it after every use. It’s been working nicely for us for milk! 

Stainless Metal Meals Scissors: Some years in the past, I used to be at lunch at a Chinese language restaurant with my cousin Amy. Her daughter was a preschooler on the time, and I watched in awe as she took a chopstick filled with noodles from a serving dish, plopped it in entrance of her daughter, produced a pair of small scissors from her bag, and lower the noodles into manageable items with just a few swipes earlier than turning again to her personal meal. I filed that piece of parenting knowledge away for later, and might now verify that these are a vital in our diaper bag. Reducing meals with scissors could be a lot simpler than chopping it up with a knife—particularly at eating places. This set comes with two pairs, one for the home or grandparents’ kitchen, and one for the diaper bag.

Munchkin Elevate Toddler Fork and Spoon Set: We transitioned from silicone spoons to those steel ones (and intro’d the fork!) We additionally simply hand-wash them, although they’re dishwasher secure. The fats handles and small measurement are nice for toddlers, although most of the time, Ethan simply desires no matter utensil we’re utilizing.  

Stokke Tripp-Trapp Excessive Chair: Okay, now for the large expense. There are excessive chairs on the market which might be a LOT cheaper than this one, so don’t really feel in any respect pressured to get this specific one. (The IKEA Antilop chair is well-reviewed and prices $20.) You can too discover this excessive chair used on FaceBook Market typically (I’ve purchased a lot deeply discounted used child stuff on FB Market. All the time begin there!) Having tried just a few totally different excessive chairs, that is the one which Ethan feels most steady in. It’s essential for his or her ft to be flat on the foot relaxation and for the chair to encourage them to sit down upright slightly than reclined.

Inglesina Quick Desk Chair: This excessive chair fastens to the sting of tables (it solely works with tables which have a steady base and flat undersides). We discover it nice for journey and use in eating places, because it’s extra comfy and supportive, making it simpler for him to sit down by means of a restaurant meal. (He acquired fidgety in restaurant excessive chairs, which don’t have a lot help). This may be your ONLY excessive chair. It packs away simply, making it nice for residence residing, you possibly can take it in every single place you go (grandparents’ home, touring). I like that your child additionally has a seat on the desk with you. That stated, their ft are dangling, so that you may wish to put a desk below them with a stack of books as a footrest so that they have that further help. 

Catchy: Okay, so that is one other expensive merchandise, nevertheless it has saved the rug below our kitchen desk, numerous blueberries, and sanity. It’s principally a chunk of molded plastic that attaches like an enormous tray below your child’s excessive chair, making a “catch” for all of the meals that will get thrown or spilled. Ensure you get the one appropriate together with your excessive chair. It’s fiddly to put in and undoubtedly feels costly for a chunk of plastic, however we’ve discovered it to be value its weight in gold. It’s really easy to scrub, and when meals lands on it, it’s a food-safe, clear floor, so the meals doesn’t go to waste. We will simply choose it up and put it again on the tray. They go on sale each on occasion, so look out for that! 

A notice on silicone suction plates and placemats: I do know you guys are most likely questioning, what about plates or placemats? We didn’t use our silicone suction plates for very lengthy. As I discussed earlier on this put up, we discovered that the silicone absorbed the flavour and scent of dish cleaning soap. Even after hand-washing! It gave any meals on it an off-putting taste. I additionally don’t discover placemats to be of a lot use—simply one other factor to scrub! As a rule, we put meals immediately on Ethan’s tray. (We spray his tray and catchy down with a mix of vinegar and water. Then we simply wipe it up with these nice Swedish dishcloths.)

Then he began displaying curiosity in our plates. Consider it or not, Ethan began utilizing common dishes round 16 months. We set boundaries round their use. If he picked up a dish to throw it or tried to knock it over, we took it away. As of late, he simply makes use of them as they have been meant (for now, anyway). Typically he picks up the plate to place it again on the desk when he’s performed consuming, however so long as we control him, we haven’t had any drops or breaks! 

I’ve discovered one of the best form of plates for him to be small shallow pasta bowls with a rim like these. They’re simply deep sufficient to maintain meals within the dish, whereas additionally being shallow sufficient in order that Ethan can see and entry all of the meals in it. The rim helps forestall him from pushing meals out of the dish as he tries to scoop it with a spoon. 

Phew, I feel that’s the whole lot! I hope you discovered this put up useful and instructive (and never exhausting in any respect). My subsequent put up shall be extra centered round serving Chinese language meals to infants and toddlers, so look out for that! 

In case you have any questions, suggestions or ideas, or enjoyable tales to share out of your expertise with your personal little ones, please go away them within the feedback!