kids
Getting baby (and parents!) ready for solids – a case for baby led weaning
February 29, 2012 | 
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If you’re at all familiar with my practice, you’ll know that I’m a huge advocate of baby led weaning (BLW). For the past year I’ve been offering workshops at Nurtured Products for Parenting and Fiddleheads Kids Shop in addition to counseling patients and families in my office on the ins and out of BLW for the past several years.
My interest in BLW was piqued after we my first daughter was born, 4.5 years ago. We had such success with it that we subsequently used it to introduce food to our twins, who are now almost 2! When asked about the benefits of BLW, I tend to be a little emphatic! I think it encourages family time at the table, requires less prep and care (don’t have to worry about running out of baby food!), introduces new flavours and tastes and encourages self-control. And, a recent study echoes these sentiments – kids weaned using BLW were leaner and enjoyed a greater variety of foods than those fed traditional purees.
What is BLW?
In a nutshell, BLW is a method of introducing solids that generally doesn’t involve purees or spoon feeding. By providing developmentally appropriate foods (right size and texture), spoon feeding becomes unnecessary as baby is capable of feeding him/herself! It’s quite amazing really. That’s not to say it has to be all or nothing, but it can be a stand-alone method of introducing “real” food to babies.
What’s wrong with rice cereal and purees?
Rice cereal is suggested as a “first food” because it is fortified with iron, and breastfed babies need a reliable source of iron by 6-9 months of age as the stores of iron they’d gotten from Mom will start to run out. But, if iron is the concern, why not offer great sources of iron such as meat and fish, both of which are recommended first foods? The other concern is that white rice, in particular, isn’t very nutritionally dense. We recommend a whole-grain diet for adults, why not babies? And finally, the other concern I have with rice cereal is that I often see babies suffering from terrible constipation, especially if they’re already receiving iron fortified formula. While not advocating BLW per se, Dr. Greene has launched a “White Out” campaign which encourages whole grains (vs. white rice cereal) as a first food. It’s a start!
Purees, if made from whole foods (ie just fruits and vegetables) are healthy. But, why not introduce baby to foods that the whole family is eating? BLW is cheap and easy compared to buying/preparing jarred foods! Purees were introduced at a time when infant feeding guidelines were recommending a much earlier introduction of solids foods (ie 3 months old). We know better now, and most babies are perfectly capable of feeding themselves by approximately 6 months of age. There’s nothing special about purees, and if baby is showing signs of readiness (able to sit up, loss of tongue thrust reflex, etc) then they can feed themselves!
But what about choking?
Gill Rapley, author of the ‘Baby Led Weaning‘ book sums it up nicely:
Many parents worry about babies choking. However, there is good reason to believe that babies are at less risk of choking if they are in control of what goes into their mouth than if they are spoon fed. This is because babies are not capable of intentionally moving food to the back of their throats until after they have developed the ability to chew. And they do not develop the ability to chew until after they have developed the ability to reach out and grab things. The ability to pick up very small things develops later still. Thus, a very young baby cannot easily put himself at risk because he cannot get small pieces of food into his mouth. Spoon feeding, by contrast, encourages the baby to suck the food straight to the back of his mouth, potentially making choking more likely.
It appears that a baby’s general development keeps pace with the development of his ability to manage food in his mouth, and to digest it. A baby who is struggling to get food into his mouth is probably not quite ready to eat it. It is important to resist the temptation to ‘help’ the baby in these circumstances since his own developmental abilities are what ensure that the transition to solid foods takes place at the right pace for him, while keeping the risk of choking to a minimum.
Tipping a baby backwards or lying him down to feed him solid foods is dangerous. A baby who is handling food should always be supported in an upright position. This ensures that food that he is not yet able to swallow, or does not wish to swallow, will fall forward out of his mouth.
Getting Started with BLW
Do your research! Read sites such as www.babyledweaning.com, and pick up a copy of Gill Rapley’s ‘Baby Led Weaning’. If you think BLW is right for you and your baby, join me for a workshop at Nurtured, or schedule a BLW consult in our Dartmouth office.
Here are a couple pictures of my kids loving food!
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Chiropractic Care and Kids
Many people wonder why kids should be checked by a chiropractor. Admittedly, their lives are not like adults, but they should be checked for different reasons.
For starters, the birth process may have been hard on their little bodies, not to discount mom’s experience. Then, it is all the falls and bumps associated with learning to crawl and walk. This is followed by spending time in desks for approximately thirteen years, without the benefit of an ergonomic assessment. Don’t forget about sports injuries either, or heavy backpacks or horsing around with their friends.
There is also the obvious benefit of having someone uniquely qualified to assess your child’s spine for a scoliosis screening. (Scoliosis refers to a curve in the spine that should not be there.)
The lovely thing about seeing kids is how quickly they respond to care. If you have spent a sleepless night with a sick child, only to have them bright-eyed the next morning, while you are struggling, you know how fast they can get better.
If you have questions about kids and chiropractic, please feel free to contact me at dr.wright@pillarsofhealth.ca
Stretches for weary backs!
It is that time of year again where everyone gets back into their routines and the kids go back to school. Lives get busy, and we forget just how heavy the things we lug around every day are and how they affect our daily lives. On average people shouldn’t carry more than 15% of their body weight, and children only 10%. This means a 50 lb child should only carry 5 lbs and a person weighing 150lbs should only carry 22 lbs. Now this might sound like a lot of weight but on average a laptop weights 6 lbs, a lunch roughly 2 lbs and two binders roughly 3 lbs. If you are experiencing back, shoulder, or neck pain it might be that your bags are too heavy.
First try some simple stretches for your neck and back. First place feet shoulder width apart, and bend over and touch your toes, only go as far as you feel a comfortable stretch. Next try a stretch for your shoulders and neck. Place your hands behind your back then gently tilt your head to your ear again only going as far as you feel a nice stretch. Repeat on the other side. Always hold for 30-45 seconds and never stretch to the point of pain. If these stretches do not resolve the issue you should book in with your massage therapist.
Lunchbox Goodies: Healthy choices for back to school
We have the shiny new Spiderman lunch box all ready to go for the new year at school. The question is what to put in it. Finding healthy kid-friendly options is hard enough but add in a food restriction such as gluten free or dairy free (both of which we aspire to at home) and then things become challenging. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
The Basic:
I grew up taking a peanut butter and jam sandwich with some crackers and an apple. With a few substitutions this can still be a staple. Keep the apple (or another piece of fruit) and use rice crackers instead. It’s really only the sandwich that needs to be tweaked- try using gluten-free bread or brown rice wraps with almond butter (if your school allows nuts).
The Easy Vegetarian:
Rice crackers and hummus are a staple at our house. Add some fresh veggies to dip, too, and you have a complete meal. Just make sure to pack lots of hummus – at least 1/2 cup.
The Picnic:
We pack a little bit of everything to keep things interesting and use up the leftovers. Any source of protein will do (chicken, fish, tofu, etc.) with some cut veggies, crackers, nuts, and seeds. Just make sure to include an ice pack if using animal products or anything else you would refrigerate.
Parents of picky eaters, unite!
We’ve recently just overcome the “picky eater” stage at our house, and I’ve also been counseling a number of parents about how to add variety to their child’s diet. Here’s a typical scenario I hear about:
“My child used to be such a great eater. She’d eat anything and everything we gave her. Now, we rotate between a handful of foods, and often end up making something just for her to ensure that she’s eaten something. I feel like a short order cook!” Sound familiar?
Children often start out as “great eaters” as young toddlers, but become more selective as they get older. It may be a texture issue (cooked, but not raw), or a true dislike of food. My almost 4-year old was able to detect pureed cauliflower in a sheppard’s pie topping, proof that she really didn’t like the taste of cauliflower! Whatever the reason, it’s important not to let mealtimes become a battle ground. Try not to use food as currency, and avoid power struggles at the table. Mealtimes should be a positive experience.
Most young children go through “food jags”. They will really, really like a food (ie. peanut butter and jam sandwiches) for awhile, shunning all other foods. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal. Kids need the freedom to make their own choices (within reason) and choosing what to eat is part of that. Use the opportunity to talk about healthy food choices, and do your best without engaging them in a power struggle. And, most importantly, lead by example. Even if they don’t eat their vegetables, Mom and Dad should. They’ll get the message, eventually.
In the meantime, what to do? Some parents like to “sneak” foods like pureed veggies into sauces, soups, etc. I don’t think that’s a bad idea, but rarely is it necessary in the long-term. Most kids change their food preferences (and dislikes) quite frequently, so there’s isn’t much risk of developing a serious nutrient deficiency. But, your ND, MD, or nutritionist can help you decide what your child needs in terms nutritional requirements.
Here are a few suggestions for increasing your child’s food repertoire:
1. Involve your child in food preparation. Kids love to participate and be included. My 4-year old is much more likely to try something she’s had a hand in preparing. In fact, salad is one of her favourite meals now that she helps me put it together!
2. Keep it simple. Mom and Dad may love curry chicken, but kids often prefer plain old tomato sauce. Keep that in mind when preparing family meals.
3. Let your child pick out a new fruit or vegetable while grocery shopping.
4. If your child shuns vegetables, try growing them in the garden! Tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce are easy to grow and will amaze young gardeners.
5. Honour true dislikes. Believe them if they say they don’t like something, and find ways to work around it.
Happy eating!