Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [139]
Also, toxins could be lurking in toddler and infant formulas, so it’s wise to research the manufacturing and packaging of each product. The major organic soy and dairy formulas claim that hexane, a volatile solvent used to manufacture some of their ingredients, isn’t present at all in the final product. Still, parents worry that any product made with a dangerous chemical isn’t healthy for their children. Similarly, canned foods, including formula, may contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), a resin used in packaging materials. Overexposure to BPA can be harmful to an infant’s reproductive system and can alter hormone levels. Even organic formulas can be packaged in containers with BPA. Liquid formula tends to leach higher amounts of this chemical, so it’s safer to choose steel cans of powdered formula.
Starting Older Babies on Solid Foods
After your baby reaches the age of 4 to 6 months, you may decide to start offering him food in addition to breast milk or formula. Not only must the baby’s digestive system evolve slightly to allow for some food, but the baby’s mouth muscles also need to develop enough to move food around and swallow. Around 4 to 6 months, your little one also will begin to hold up his head, developing stronger neck muscles for swallowing as well as sitting up with some help. These milestones are all important on the way to solids.
Current recommendations state that the main source of calories should be coming from breast milk or formula until a child is at least 6 months old. Some parents decide to wait until their child is even older, perhaps not introducing solid food until he’s 8 to 10 months old. As long as your baby is still gaining weight and meeting developmental milestones, you have no reason to start feeding your baby solid food too early. Whenever you and your baby are ready, this section is here to help.
Even though your baby may be ready to begin trying some solid foods, hold off on introducing any type of milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that cow’s milk not be fed to children under the age of 1, because it can cause digestive problems and allergies. As a vegan, you aren’t likely to be buying cow’s milk anyway, but you still need to hold off on giving your baby soy or rice milk until after they’re 1 year old. Stick to breast milk, formula, or a bit of water to wash down solids for now.
Slow and steady wins the race
If your little vegan has reached those pivotal milestones of development and starts grabbing for your dinner, you can start experimenting with different foods. Take it slow and introduce foods one at a time. Experts have several theories about which foods are best to serve first, so you can simply go with what makes the most sense for your little one.
Choose only one food at a time, giving each a trial of a few days. For instance, feed your baby a few mashed spoonfuls of avocado a couple of times a day for up to a week. If the baby has no noticeable reactions, try mashed banana the next week, on its own. If she still has no reactions, you can move forward in this manner with a different food every few days. If your baby has a reaction to any certain food, you know not to use it again for a while. Keep in mind that if you were to make a mash of several foods at once and the baby reacted, you wouldn’t know which food was the culprit. So always introduce one food at a time.
Deciding what and how to feed your growing baby
What should you choose for your baby’s first solid foods? Iron-fortified rice cereal is a popular first food for vegan and nonvegan babies alike. Rice is a great first grain because it rarely causes digestion problems, is gluten-free, and is low in protein. These rice cereals can be mixed with a little breast milk or formula to make a thin gruel. You can use your finger or a spoon to tip the cereal into your baby