The Food Dilemma

When I first started giving Georgia solids I was so excited. I'm not to sure why but I couldn't wait to make her cute little meals and have her loving all things food. I never realised how tricky it was going to be and how fussy kids can be with food! As adults we all enjoy food and most of us enjoy trying out new things, who'd of thought kids are the opposite!

I never realised that a normal reaction for babies starting out on food is to gag! So I went into panic mode, I thought I had given Georgia something bad and she was choking, I haven't done my child CPR course (which I really must do!) so I started to freak out that she was going to choke and I couldn't help her. So first time mums who are starting their babies on solids, this is normal! No one ever warned me.

I tried her firstly with the baby cereal which looks like soggy mushed up paper, how this is for human consumption I've got no clue. She ate it a little bit but very quickly lost interest in that. Then I tried her on puree sweet potato, and she gagged, went bright red and threw that up instantly. So I nearly called defeat then and there! But then I tried puree pumpkin and she loved it! She is 11 months old now and to this day still is obsessed with pumpkin!

I learned it is a trial and error with their food, and you may need to try things out several times before they get used to it. Their natural reaction is to spit it out, they've never had it before so they think it's weird to have it in their mouth, it takes a while but they will get there.

Now that Georgia has moved onto feeding herself and eating food as a solid rather then puree this is a whole other fun game. She thinks it is so much fun to just throw the food on the floor and watch the dogs eat it rather then her enjoying it herself. So the dogs are in heaven. You just have to remember not to be insulted that someone you've made a meal for is throwing all your effort and money on the ground to be consumed by animals. Which some days is harder to do! It can be frustrating that she doesn't eat very much of what I make but I'm going to keep on trying and hopefully one day (soon!) she will be bored of this game and actually enjoy all the food I put in front of her.

She is also such a messy eater! She gets it everywhere but her mouth! One of my friends girls is the same age and is so dainty when she eats, she takes little nibbles at a time and barely drops a crumb, my kid, if the room isn't plastered with food by the time she's done then it is the dogs, me and her covered in it.

I have found she enjoys zucchini slice of all things, so I make it in a mini muffin tray and they are the perfect size for her to hold and eat and I can hide extra veggies in there. I'm definitely getting on the hiding veggies in meals
band wagon any extra nutrients I can get into her tummy the better. So mums if you get yourself a mini muffin tray and make their meals in those they are a winner.

I'm also very grateful so far Georgia hasn't had any allergies to anything. I was allergic to strawberries and Mark didn't have a good time with egg but everything she's had has been fine, even peanuts thank goodness. Hopefully everything else new is ok too.

Now I've chewed your ear off about food (I'm so punny) I hope all the new mumma's out are going well and hopefully this helps you in any way at all.

x