29 January, 2020
My First Foods
Approximate reading time: 2-3 minutes
You’ve been told something different from the MCHN, Mother’s group and your own parents? When do you start solids? What do you start with? How do you know if they are eating and getting enough of the right nutrients?
It’s a big, big topic!
And a super important one too! Starting foods sets up your child’s future relationship with food too.
Naturopath, Alex and Paediatric-trained Chiropractor, Dr Cassie discuss the ins and outs of introducing foods at their My First Foods workshop.
When is the right time to start solids?
It’s a big, big step. One that many parents are excited by… until they actually start. Once you start, there’s the mess, smelly poos and more cooking, washing and cleaning.
But then leaving it too late can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Missing the right timing can play havoc on sleep too. Starting too early leads to an average of half an hour less sleep a day! But so too, can leaving it too late.
Cassie discusses the developmental milestones to look out for readiness. And the fake ones too!
Alex discusses the four or six-month debate.
What foods are the best foods to start off with?
Can you imagine giving your baby a carrot stick as their first food? When done correctly, it’s a great option. But what does ‘correctly’ mean?
You’ll learn in our workshop.
Get sample meal plans. Yep - you’ll walk away confident in knowing how much food to give at what times of the day. And what foods to get the required nutrients in the right texture. Sounds complex? We’ll simplify it all for you.
Nutritional deficiencies can be common in babies if they don’t have a well-balanced diet so you’ll learn what to watch out for and what those key nutrients are.
Allergies
Melbourne has the highest levels of allergies in the world!! The world!
Why?
We don’t know yet but there're a few theories. One is that we may be deficient in vitamin D. If your baby is under 8 weeks old, you may be able to help study this further with the Murdoch Institute.
Our workshop presents how to best avoid allergies. Yes, it’s not a hard and fast thing (because we don’t really know) but you can rest assured knowing you are doing the best you can.
Poos
You know you are a parent of a baby when you talk about poo. Frequently.
The colour, consistency, frequency. And of course - how to get the stains out!
Starting solids introduces lots of firsts for babies. Not only is it the taste, texture, smell and feel of the food but it’s also the first time their body has to break down something other than milk.
This can come with its own set of woes. Alex will run through simple home remedies for constipation, diarrhea and colic.
Goodie Bags
All our attendees received massive goodie bags with organic food for babies to try out. A big thank you to:
Interested in coming along to our next workshop? Check out our events page for a full list of upcoming events.
Appointments available in Moonee Ponds or online.
About the Author
Alexandra Lucc - Naturopath
Alexandra is our resident naturopath at Body and Brain Centre. She generally treats female health concerns and digestive issues with majority of her clients. Alexandra believes that natural medicine is a fundamental part of our lives sometimes without us realising it. Alexandra uses various therapies including nutritional and lifestyle advice, herbal preparations, Bach therapy, essential oils and more.
Dr Cassie Atkinson-Quinton - Paediatric-Trained Chiropractor & Paediatric Sleep Coach
Dr Cassie is a paediatric-trained chiropractor, sleep coach and, most importantly, mumma to Master H. She loves seeing newborns grow into inquisitive toddlers and busy school kids. She assesses for neurological development (primitive reflexes), posture, sleep health and movement patterns. She's an eager learning just like the kids she sees.
"It's better to grow healthy children than fix injured adults."
Similar articles you'll enjoy:
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What are Primitive Reflexes?
27 January, 2017
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