| Once your baby has completed his fourth month you | | | | sesame oil but this can make the porridge 'heaty' if |
| can start weaning him onto solids. When a baby is | | | | used too often. |
| ready to start solids he will show signs which are: | | | | Vegetables |
| 1. He starts drinking less milk. | | | | Root vegetables are used to add bulk and fibre to the |
| 2. He smacks his lips when he sees you eating. | | | | porridge. Must be grated finely |
| You also do not want to leave it later than 6 months | | | | Potato - use only half the potato |
| when it will be more difficult for the baby to learn how | | | | Sweet potato is very useful if your baby suffers from |
| to coordinate taking food into the mouth and | | | | constipation |
| swallowing because he is too used to sucking. | | | | Carrot should not be used more than 2 times a week |
| Do not give your baby solids before he has completed | | | | as it can make your baby's skin yellow |
| four months because the digestive system is not | | | | Green leafy vegetables |
| ready and you may create unnecessary problems. I | | | | Use only the leaves which must be very finely cut. I |
| have heard older ladies telling the new mothers to add | | | | prefer to buy the 'baby' variety as they are finer and |
| rice powder to the last feed at night so that baby will | | | | easier for babies to digest |
| sleep through the night before the babies are 4 | | | | Boxthorn leaves or gow gei are high in carotene. |
| months old. Please do not do this! | | | | Spinach or choy sum is rich in iron he berries can be |
| Preparing the food | | | | used to improve eyesight |
| - Place one teaspoon baby rice powder in a bowl | | | | Broccoli/Cauliflower - use only the florets and chop |
| - Add a little boiled hot water | | | | finely |
| - Stir the mixture until it is smooth | | | | Water cress is cooling so you can neutralize it by using |
| - Change to a plastic spoon (I find the spoons from | | | | chicken or adding red dates |
| KFC are ideal and it saves cost) | | | | Tomato must be finely chopped. You can remove the |
| Get the baby ready. | | | | skin by putting it over a flame |
| - Try to feed baby before bathing as it can be quite | | | | Long beans/French beans must be chopped finely |
| messy. | | | | Try to use a wide variety of food so that your child |
| - Put him in a carry chair so that he is properly | | | | gets used to them quickly and easily. I always combine |
| supported. | | | | fish or meat with one root vegetable and one leafy |
| - Give only once a day until he is ready for more. | | | | vegetable in the porridge. It also provides a variety of |
| - There is no need to sterilise the bowls and spoon. | | | | taste and your child will not become picky with food. |
| Just normal washing is sufficient | | | | Food not suitable for use before your baby is 1 year |
| - Let's put on the bib before we start. | | | | old. |
| - Take a tiny bit of the mixture on the tip of the spoon | | | | If one or both parents have a family history of allergies, |
| - Put it into the baby's mouth | | | | asthma or eczema then it would be best to delay |
| - Baby will make a funny face which is the most | | | | these food until the child is 2-3 years old. |
| typical reaction to the first spoonful | | | | - Eggs have too many allergens especially in the egg |
| - Baby will not take the food like adults but try to suck | | | | white. Start with the yolk and watch out for allergic |
| as if drinking from a bottle | | | | reactions, when you introduce eggs to your child. |
| - Being a new experience baby will not know how to | | | | - Honey can harbor spores of Clostridium botulinum, |
| swallow yet so the food will dribble out. Don't worry if | | | | which causes botulism |
| the food continues to dribble out, just continue to | | | | - Citrus fruits or juices may provoke an allergic |
| scoop it back into the mouth | | | | reaction, especially if allergies run in your family. Do not |
| - If baby is very active, you can hold him down by | | | | give sweet juices from a feeding bottle as this leads |
| placing one hand over his hands and body | | | | to early tooth decay. |
| - Be patient and do this slowly | | | | - Peanut butter - Peanuts are highly allergenic. The |
| - If baby starts crying and refuses to feed, stop and | | | | thick sticky consistency may make it difficult for baby |
| try again a few days later | | | | to swallow. |
| - If he likes it let him finish the feed | | | | - Crustaceans are considered toxic and if given too |
| - Continue feeding and scooping back until it is all gone | | | | early can lead to allergies. There is no hurry to |
| - Give him some water from a bottle after he has | | | | introduce this food. |
| finished feeding | | | | - Kai lan/cabbage - the leaves are too fibrous which |
| If baby likes his solids, continue with one teaspoon a | | | | makes it difficult to breakdown and digest |
| day for one week then increase to two teaspoons the | | | | - Nuts or anything that is hard and cannot dissolve |
| next week and slowly increase according to his | | | | easily. A small child does not know how to chew the |
| appetite. Please take note that this small amount does | | | | nut and I have seen too many cases of the nut going |
| not replace a milk feed. After he has finished eating | | | | into the lungs which resulted in the child having to have |
| and has had his bath give him his normal milk feed but | | | | part of the lung removed or dying from choking. |
| if he cannot finish it, don't force him. As the amount of | | | | Signs of an allergic or bad reaction to food include |
| solid he is taking increases you can decrease the | | | | vomiting, diarrhea, rash, swelling, abdominal pain, cough, |
| amount of milk accordingly but only for the feed that | | | | crankiness, excessive gas, stomach bloating, hives, |
| the solid will eventually replace. | | | | itching and runny nose. Check with the paediatrician in |
| After one month of plain rice powder you then add | | | | case your baby needs medication to treat the reaction. |
| vegetable powder, and if there are no signs of | | | | Shortness of breath and wheezing are more severe |
| allergies you can use the other flavours of ready to | | | | reactions so you should take your baby to his |
| eat food. You can also try increasing to 2 feeds per | | | | paediatrician immediately. Symptoms often show up |
| day. I find that before 6 months it is more convenient | | | | within a few hours of eating. |
| to use packet food as the amount they eat is too | | | | From 10 months onwards, you can start offering other |
| small to warrant the time and energy to cook food. | | | | types of food such as noodles but it must be cut up |
| From six months onwards you can start making home | | | | finely so that baby will not choke. If the noodles are |
| cooked food for him. What you cook will depend on | | | | salty, rinse it out with boiled water before cutting it. You |
| whether you want to offer western or eastern style | | | | can also offer bread and sliced cheese but make sure |
| cuisine. Personally, I find it easiest to offer Chinese or | | | | that they are cut into smaller pieces so they do not |
| local cuisine as I can put in the meat, rice and | | | | become a choking hazard. Initially, you have to feed |
| vegetables all in one pot until the child is older and has | | | | the baby yourself but you can start teaching him to |
| teeth to chew other types of food. So I will | | | | feed himself so that he can do this by the time he is 1 |
| concentrate on teaching you how to cook baby | | | | year old. Some children will take to this like a duck to |
| porridge. Also it looks more appetizing at least for the | | | | water but some are lazy and will not even try. Do not |
| adult. Please do not blend the porridge. Giving blended | | | | worry as the objective of this exercise is to provide |
| food for too long will make it difficult for baby to learn | | | | your baby with the opportunity to develop his skills, not |
| how to eat adult food which can be introduced from | | | | to force them to do things against their will. |
| 10 months onward. If you think that the porridge is too | | | | High chairs |
| lumpy you can mush it up using the back of a spoon. | | | | Once your child can sit quite well you can start putting |
| Do not give baby overnight porridge as it can cause a | | | | him in a high chair for his meals. This helps to discipline |
| lot of wind. | | | | him to sitting in a chair during meal times. |
| I find it easier to cook the porridge in a slow cooker | | | | I personally find it best to use a high chair that do not |
| and it only takes about 4-5 hours for it to be ready. | | | | have foot rest because there will not be a place for |
| The time you start cooking will depend on what time | | | | the baby to step on and start climbing out. They are |
| your child wants to eat. | | | | not going to sit for very long so it is alright for their feet |
| - Put hot water into the slow cooker and add the | | | | to dangle for a while. In fact the babies actually love to |
| vegetables. Cook enough for 2 meals | | | | swing their feet whilst sitting in the chair. |
| - After one hour add the washed rice (about 1 handful) | | | | If you feel that your baby needs a tray, then it is best if |
| - When the rice grains have opened up (usually about 1 | | | | the tray is detachable which will not knock their heads |
| hour) add the meat | | | | as with the ones that you have to put over the baby's |
| - If you use fish add this 1 hour before meal time as | | | | head. In fact you do not need to have a tray as the |
| fish cooks very fast. | | | | chair can be pushed right up to the dining table so the |
| What do you put in the porridge? | | | | child can eat from the table. The chairs must have |
| Meat and fish | | | | seat straps so that you can strap the baby otherwise |
| Always boil the meat for a couple of minutes to | | | | they will start trying to climb out when you get up. |
| remove the scum before adding to the porridge. The | | | | If your dining area is not very big a booster chair will be |
| bones will give extra taste and sweetness. Leave a | | | | ideal because you strap it onto one of your dining |
| tiny bit of fat on so that it can extract fat soluble | | | | chairs. I like this chair because it is portable and is ideal |
| vitamins into the porridge. | | | | for dining out since you do not know what type of |
| Pork is 'neutral' therefore it can be used frequently. | | | | chairs the restaurants provide. It is very light and |
| Use the ribs or bony part as this will add sweetness to | | | | washable. |
| the porridge. | | | | You should let your child sit with you at the table during |
| Chicken is 'heaty' so once or twice a week is alright. If | | | | meal times so that he learns how to eat at the table. It |
| your child has a cough do not use as it makes the | | | | is easier for him to learn by watching you eat and it |
| cough worse. | | | | gets him used to eating at the table instead of running |
| Beef is 'heaty' and the smell can be very strong if you | | | | around with you chasing behind him. Letting him sit at |
| use too much. | | | | the table also helps to encourage family bonding. |
| Lamb is very 'heaty' and the smell is quite strong so I | | | | A little tip: never make funny faces at food in front of |
| don't use it in the porridge but you can let your child eat | | | | your child, no matter how awful it may look or smell to |
| it when he is older | | | | you. If you do this too often she will imitate you and |
| Fish is 'neutral'. Add a slice of ginger to the porridge to | | | | can become a picky eater. |
| remove the fishy smell. Check carefully that any bones | | | | Try not to give your child too much sweet food |
| are removed. Do not use if your baby has a cold as it | | | | before 2 years of age. |
| produces more phlegm. Salmon and cod are too rich in | | | | A little tip: when you decide to give sweets to your |
| omega oil therefore not suitable below 1 year. | | | | child, never let him see the original packaging. I always |
| Dried scallop, ikan bilis (anchovies) and oysters are | | | | transfer the sweets into a container and Marie did not |
| very salty so they should only be used once or twice | | | | recognize the sweets when we go shopping so no |
| a month. To remove the excess salt, soak in milk for | | | | demands for sweets at the checkout counters. |
| about 20 minutes before use. | | | | Instead she will ask for her sweeties at the plastic |
| It is best not to use minced meat because you do not | | | | container section and when I show her the empty |
| want baby to eat too much meat at this age. Minced | | | | containers she is quite happy to forget about the |
| meat is quite rough in texture which may make it | | | | sweeties. |
| difficult for baby to swallow. Eating too much meat | | | | Do not let your child eat unsupervised in the car. Better |
| may also lead to intestinal worms. The reason for | | | | still don't let your child eat in the car at all as the |
| using meat is to extract the protein and add taste to | | | | crumbs will attract ants and cockroaches if you do not |
| the porridge. When baby is older you can flake off | | | | remove them immediately. If your child is hungry stop |
| some of the meat and mash it up with the spoon | | | | at a designated rest area. Happy eating as you will |
| before giving it to him. Do not add salt as too much | | | | most likely be eating your baby's leftovers. |
| salt can lead to kidney problems. Some people add | | | | |