First comes milk, then comes food!

“First comes milk, then comes food” is about your baby’s feeding metamorphosis from birth till about the age of 1! Colostrum is the first form of nutritious milk that flows from the breast after giving birth. It is high in protein, minerals, vitamins and antibodies that help to build your baby’s immune system. Colostrum, also known as liquid gold, is yellow and thicker than regular breast milk which begins to flow between two and four days after your baby is born. I believe I struggled with a proper feeding routine with our first child but made several corrections with our second. This post is designed to help a new mom avoid some of my/other feeding mistakes.

My Experience

Like many of us, I did everything by the book with our first child. I exclusively breastfed her until she was 6 months old; I would not allow her to taste other foods before then. To some of you, this is totally fine, and that’s okay! But, with our second child, I altered my breastfeeding plan a bit. I sought breastfeeding advice from the Panorama Breastfeeding Clinic in Cape Town and I did things differently which yielded good results. Instead of waiting 6 months until solid foods touched his palate, 4 months (that is, 17 weeks) was the target. According to the Breastfeeding clinic, introducing my baby to solids before 6 months would help him to be less sensitive to different food textures by the 6 months old mark. In turn, he’s likely to also have less allergies and avoid becoming a picky eater.

So, when our son was 4 months old, I did a trial on “introduction to solids”, and it actually worked! I let him play with different food textures to encourage and enhance his sensory exploration. The following tips on introducing solids to my baby at 4 months (17 weeks old) were super helpful:

• Milk feed is the most important feeding at this stage;
• Solids should be introduced gradually as it is not yet the focus for feeding;
• Start with cereal or veggies, not fruits! (fruits are ‘sweet’ and your babies might reject veggies which are more nutritional, if introduced after);
• Start with the yellow/orange veggies (pumpkin, carrot, butternut, gem squash, etc.). Green veggies may cause gassiness;
• You may add milk (breastmilk or formula) to the veggies – no need for salt or butter;
• The first level of cereals are labelled from 6 months (don’t look for a 4 months label);
• Look out for cereals that indicate “just add milk”, because the “just add water” indication means that the cereal already contains milk which might be different from your baby’s.

I was also advised that my baby will most likely be ready to start solids when he has good motor skills coordination. This meant that the ability to sit up with support (in a baby feeding chair, for example) and having good head control were essential. In addition, when baby was double their birth weight, and also made us feel guilty while we ate in his presence as he followed our spoons, chances are that baby is ready for some real food! I have an example meal plan for your 6-month-old baby which worked for me, and a few friends that I shared it with. This meal plan lists of types of foods, snacks and their portions from morning till bedtime. Feel free to reach out to me on [email protected] for a copy.

From 7 months till about the 1 year old mark, baby’s food should be a bit more textured. For instance, I mashed a bit of my baby’s food with a fork and mixed it with a smooth blend version. By doing that, the food had a varied and uneven consistency, which my baby’s tastebuds gradually learned that not all foods are smooth. Furthermore, to quench baby’s thirst and to prevent constipation, I offered water in a sippy cup with meals as solids became a larger part of baby’s diet. In any case, if you feel a nagging doubt about something, it’s always best to consult with your paediatrician for personalized advice and to address any concerns during your baby’s transition.

Word-based Addition

Before 6 months old, milk (breast/formula) remains the most important meal for your baby. In 1 Corinthians 3:2a, Apostle Paul makes a distinct comparison between milk and solid food, saying, “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it”. This means that growth is a gradual process starting with the ingestion of milk, then solids at the individual’s readiness. Similarly, Hebrews 5:14 reads, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil”. BibleRef explains that a Christian’s spiritual maturity grows through effort and experience, just as a child is trained to grow beyond milk to eating solid foods.

In conclusion, since breastfeeding is a very broad topic, I am unable to touch all angles. Breastfeeding angles worth talking about range from its benefits; antenatal classes; diet; inverted nipples; expressing milk; latching; returning to work; multiple birth, etc. Again, I am open to sharing detailed information on any of these/other angles upon request. Kindly send a mail to [email protected].

Reference

BibleRef. 2024. What Does Hebrews 5:14 mean? Available at https://www.bibleref.com/Hebrews/5/Hebrews-5-14.html#:~:text=Just%20as%20a%20child%20has,they%20are%20inexperienced%20or%20unskilled. Accessed on 3 March 2024

Cambridge Dictionary. 2004. Textured. Available at https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/textured. Accessed on 3 March 2024.

Cleveland Clinic. 2024. Colostrum. Available at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22434-colostrum. Accessed on 2 March 2024.