We spoke with the nutritionist dietician Melisa Gómez (@Nutrikids), specialized in pediatric clinical nutritionjust published With two teeth already bitten (Ed. Vergara)a book he has written with chef Juan Llorcadisseminator and food manager at Valencia Montessori School. It is the continuation of the first book that both specialists wrote together, Without teeth already bitten (also from Vergara)a real best seller with which they contributed enormously to Baby Led Weaning (BLW) became better known and was applied by more and more families. Despite being great defenders of this system, Melisa Gómez reassures, in the interview we had with her, parents who are afraid of using it with their children, a fear that she considers understandable, and explains what to do in this situation.
If we want our children to eat properly, is it essential to take the first steps in complementary feeding with ‘Baby Led Weaning’?
No, it is possible start complementary feeding with crushed foods and that our children are properly nourished both at that moment and in the future. There are principles common to both ways of feeding our little ones that, beyond eating soft solids or purees, can make a big difference, such as paying attention to hunger and satiety signals so as not to overfeed them, offering natural flavors without sweetening or adding salt, sharing the table with the rest of the family, allowing you to decide how much you will eat, and exploring different flavors and textures.
It is very important to be able to feel comfortable with the option you choose and there would be no problem in starting with crushed foods to observe how the baby progresses.
What if the children are left in the care of grandparents or other relatives and they refuse because they don’t dare?
It is completely understandable that many people do not feel confident offering food in any way other than porridge. Then We would advise offering crushed foods with other caregivers and solid with parents. We usually call this mixed BLW.
What if those who have concerns are the parents themselves? Is it appropriate to choose to start with purees and crushed foods?
No problem. It is very important to be able to feel comfortable with the option chosen and there would be no problem in starting with crushed foods to observe how the baby progresses and how he tolerates the foods and, a couple of months later, offer solids. We only remember in these cases that science describes a window of opportunity for the transition to solids between 9 and 12 months of the baby, a stage in which they are more flexible to try different textures and that one of the possible risks of waiting until after this stage is that they tend to reject textures other than ground foods and it may be difficult to progress to a diet more similar to the rest of the family.
How can we help children who find it more difficult to try different types of foods to do so, to encourage them to try more and to eat them with pleasure?
There are various strategies, depending on the possible causes that may be behind not wanting to try different foods. They can be tested sensory games, involve them in the preparation of meals from a very young age (with options such as high chairs or learning towers that are placed in the kitchen and allow the child to look at, or touch when possible, the food while we prepare it), include new foods on the plate in a very small amount along with foods that he usually likes, offer them in a relaxed environment (such as the park during a snack time), and whenever possible, lead by example. Continuing to offer and set an example can be great allies so that at some point they are encouraged to try them.
Although this is not infallible; There will be foods that they may never really like or strategies that may not work. In these cases, each case will have to be assessed individually. If entire food groups are rejected (e.g. does not accept any fruit or any source of protein) or generally accepts very few foods, it is advisable to seek help from the health team.
© Ed. VergaraIf this happens to children with certain special needs in which sensory aspects especially affect them, this difficulty may be greater; What can parents do in these cases to help them try more types of foods?
Have the support of a occupational therapistwho will be able to implement appropriate strategies to address the case and provide families with resources to continue working on it at home (sometimes games, routines, ways of presenting food, among others…).
What is the first food you would give to a child who is starting complementary feeding?
There is no evidence that one food is better than another to start complementary feeding, so it could be any safe food (that is soft or falls apart easily and knowing those that should be avoided) that the family has at home or is going to eat that day, without adding salt or sugar. It will be advisable to try iron-rich and calorie-dense foods soon, so you could try pureed lentils, chickpea hummus, minced beef or chicken (e.g. in a hamburger), baked sweet potato on sticks, broccoli with oil extra virgin olive, cooked pear, among many others.
Science describes a window of opportunity to transition to solids between a baby’s 9 and 12 months
In your book, you include healthy recipes; Is feeding the little ones a headache for families?
We don’t believe it and it will also depend on each family, but in general we believe that it is approached more with enthusiasm, especially in these stages surrounded by first times, grimaces and discoveries. That the recipes are sought to be able to offer different options and enrich your palate and your health with different alternatives that we can all enjoy at the same table.
What role do cafeterias play in early childhood education centers and schools in general so that children integrate healthy eating habits?
They will be a very important part as they grow. At the stage referred to in With two teeth already bittenthey will be able to work together with parents to achieve a varied and healthy diet that can make it easier to follow good habits in the future.
What can we parents do to encourage these habits?
We can do many things, among which we would highlight:
- Respect the little ones’ appetite.
- Avoid adding sugar or salt to foods when possible.
- Offer a variety of foods so that they can choose, based on their appetite, the food groups they will eat at each meal.
- Join them at the table and generate a pleasant climate.
- Set an example.
- Avoid rewarding or punishing different eating behaviors which are normal in childhood.
- Seek help in the presence of obstacles that seem complex to address.