Whenever I log on to social forums and mommy groups, there's this one topic that is always a cause of concern for all new mothers-- their baby's eating habits which is literally driving them crazy.
But I always wonder what is it that made their baby become a picky eater. We as mothers always forget that being only a few months or a year old, a baby is not the one who takes the call here. It's you the mother who decides what, how, when and in what form would the baby eat their food. So when you say that "my baby does not eat anything", it means that there's something that you're doing, which is triggering that.
So it is you who takes the call whether the veggies have to be just boiled or pureed. Of course, you also have numerous people around you for advice, but have you ever given a thought to what your baby actually wants before following them? Do you ever watch your baby closely and try to gauge what he's trying to convey to you through his gestures?
I faced the same situation when my baby girl was seven months and had just started eating her solids. But, you'd be surprised to know that I never pureed her veggies and fruits. I also never gave her typical baby food. I would give her whatever we used to eat. Yes, that's right. I never followed any of these rules, and now when my daughter is five and a half years, she's turned out to be just fine and she eats everything including lauki, and baigan. Yes, really!
But, it didn't happen overnight. It took a year of patience and also that understanding which tells you--yes, this is what my baby actually needs. Here's how I did it:
1. I let her choose: From almost 7-8 months, I let my baby girl decide what she wanted to eat. So if she wanted to eat daal, chaawal, I gave it to her in a small katori with more daal and less rice so that it's easier for her to eat. I would also mash the rice a little with the spoon. More or less, I never forced her to eat something that she didn't want to, which is something I see a lot of mothers doing around today.
Slowly, I saw that she would start reaching out to the roti and sabji on the dining table from her high chair and I would break the roti in small pieces and give to her with a little sabji.
2. I let her eat: Yes, that's right. When my baby was 7-8 months old, she would sit on the dining table with us and eat with us. And mind you, she ate on her own, sometimes with her hands, sometimes with a spoon. But somehow managed. I also let her pick up things she liked and eat it herself. Of course, I always watched her to stop her from putting a big piece of roti or vegetable in her mouth.
It also turned to be a messy affair, but believe me I never had a problem cleaning that mess as it left me satisfied that my baby had eaten whatever she wanted to eat.
3. I never pureed her vegetables: This is something I really don't agree to. Babies are born to eat whatever is served to them. Of course, as a mother, you have to make sure that there are no big lumps and chunks of food on the baby's plate. Also, in the beginning, you can gently mash the rice and veggies with a spoon or fork so that there's nothing that gets stuck in the baby's throat.
4. I never forced her: If my baby didn't want to have her meals, I would never force her. I would let her be on her own and wait for her to be hungry. I see that many mothers want their babies to have their meals on time.
While it should be that way more or less, sometimes it's okay to bend the rules and let your baby eat at a time when they're actually hungry. Reading your baby's gestures and understanding her needs would really help you in the long go. And don't lose heart, slowly and steadily you'd get there!
Also Read: These simple steps helped me turn my baby into a healthy eater
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