Feeding Solids to a 7 month old

Since my baby was three months old, my mom and my m-i-l have been insisting I start solids. It has been a debate that I think most Indian moms go through with the grand parents. Doctors against grand parents. Well I choose to do what Aadi's doc says, my mom had nightmares that Aadi is the weakest of all the kids in his generation since I choose to not feed him when she asked me to :).

But anyways he has been on solids for about 3 months now and its always a challenge for me. It is tiring, boring, slow and messy. But I am suppose to do this and have been doing it as an important duty of a mom :P. And I know its only gonna get tougher and messier as I keep introducing new foods to him.

At first Aadi was good. He loved carrots and sweet potatoes and I was like great! he is gonna be like me and like all his veggies unlike his Dad. But then it was time for green beans. By that time he had learned how to spray his food all over the place. So the minute I put the green beans in his mouth phurrr! all came out. Stuck on his cheek, hair and my table. I tried to make an angry face and tell him, "NO! Do not play your food". He is so amused to see my reaction... this becomes a game for him. So again the minute the food gets into his mouth...phurrrr! followed by lots of giggle. I could not help myself and start smiling too! So basically I just managed to spoil him and encouraged him to play with his food.

Even though I have to follow the same routine every time I feed him and it takes half an hour to finish 2-3 spoonfuls of cereals (mixed with veggies) I have manged to feed him sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, pear, peach, banana and squash. It feels like an accomplishment. Its a relief I do not have to feed him all the days of the week. So far mostly weekends. Its currently the burden of the teachers at day care to feed him twice a day. They tell me he has not been much trouble to them as he has been with me. He is more bossy with me. But I do find food stuck in his hair when he gets back home from day care. So I guess they are not admitting how difficult he can be.

But I do believe he does throw more tantrums with me than he does with anybody else. He thinks he can behave anyway he like with his mom and get away with that. But then I also am his favorite person :). Sometimes when I am trying to make him eat what he does not like, he goes red with anger, shuts his lips tight and makes grunting noises. At such times I really want to just give up and be one of those parents who's kids eat only potatoes and cauliflower. Its so tough to fight with babies all the time. And you do not want them to go to bed hungry. I know I am thinking too much... Aadi is only 7 months old. But I think I understand those parents who's kids just refuse to eat anything healthy. Its tough!

I would have liked to make most of the food at home for him but only thing I have managed in squash and banana. I tried to make Avocado at home too. But it was unripe and I was not able to feed him that. When selecting an Avocado, you want a dark green color with bumpy texture. The fruit (yes! its a fruit) should be firm yet yielding when gently pushed.

For mom's who want to make their own baby food, but careful about the nitrate levels in your water and veggies. The most likely sources are beets, carrots, green beans, spinach, and squash. Baby food companies test their products for nitrates. Store-bought baby food — including dishes containing beets, carrots, green beans, spinach, or squash — should be free of these chemicals. A good website for baby recipes is http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/index.htm.

Good Luck!