That pretty much summarizes my feelings on starting solids. It's scary! I'm betting I'm not the only parent who has had this thought. My sweet baby girl has only had mommy-milk and gas drops (which she now tolerates). No bottles, no pacifiers. She is an avid thumb sucker now and is beginning to chew on anything she can grab. The idea of putting REAL food in her mouth scares me.
A very common first food for babies is rice cereal. Recent studies have found low levels of arsenic in rice cereal. ARSENIC! I realize it almost impossible to avoid, as it is found in soil, but I would just like to avoid it completely. Shouldn't anything we use for baby be 100x safer than everything else?
We have decided to start with something besides rice cereal and practice Baby Led Weaning. BLW is the practice of starting your baby on solids that they can feed to themselves and that have texture to help your lo (little one) learn to chew and handle food in their mouths. I am not claiming to know much/anything about BLW, but hopefully soon I will be getting a copy of the book and will be well equipped when E hits 6 months! I'd love to hear any experiences you've had with BLW!
Happy Friday!!
A very common first food for babies is rice cereal. Recent studies have found low levels of arsenic in rice cereal. ARSENIC! I realize it almost impossible to avoid, as it is found in soil, but I would just like to avoid it completely. Shouldn't anything we use for baby be 100x safer than everything else?
We have decided to start with something besides rice cereal and practice Baby Led Weaning. BLW is the practice of starting your baby on solids that they can feed to themselves and that have texture to help your lo (little one) learn to chew and handle food in their mouths. I am not claiming to know much/anything about BLW, but hopefully soon I will be getting a copy of the book and will be well equipped when E hits 6 months! I'd love to hear any experiences you've had with BLW!
Happy Friday!!
Link to USA Today article on arsenic levels in rice cereal and other products.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/06/arsenic-rice-low-levels-fda/2771903/
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/06/arsenic-rice-low-levels-fda/2771903/
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggested in a 2012 report that parents off their infants a variety of first foods. "arents commonly feed infants rice cereal as a first food, but other foods are equally acceptable as a first food. Finely chopped meat provides a source of iron. Cereals made from other grains may be given first, or vegetable purees." - See more at: http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Offers-Advice-For-Parents-Concerned-About-Arsenic-in-Food.aspx#sthash.UlQfMJH8.dpuf
ReplyDeletedon't "Off your infants" LOL Sorry, that was supposed to say "offer"!
Delete