Hey Mamas - Mealtime & Teeth Brushing

Hey mamas!

When it came time to write this month’s newsletter, there were so many topics on the table. It’s incredible how much you learn while growing into the role of new parent. Every few months (weeks even!) the rules change, the routines evolve, and the needs look different. I am constantly discovering things I didn’t know I needed to know.

If you’re new here, hi, I’m Jen! My goal is to bring you along on my journey. Everyday I’m figuring out what mamahood looks like. As I do, I hope to pass along any tips, advice, resources, and products that might make navigating your way a little easier.

After great deliberation, I decided to focus this month on mealtime and teeth brushing primarily because questions slid into my IG DMs around these topics. If you have any hot issues at hand feel free to hit reply and let me know what you’d love to see in the next newsletter. And, don’t forget to check out the archive where you’ll see everything that’s been tackled so far. Alright, let’s dive in!

INTRODUCING SOLIDS

I’ll couch this information by reiterating that I’m not the expert and only aim to share tips that have been helpful in our household. With that said, when it comes to feeding your little one, I have found Solid Starts to be an excellent resource to turn to. I would highly recommend checking them out and even bookmarking their website. I’ll also be linking to several of their resources below for quick access!

There are three basic approaches to introducing solids to babies: purees, finger foods, or a combination of both. We decided to go with finger foods, also known as baby led weaning, primarily because it was recommended by our pediatrician. In this approach you skip over the purees and jump right into giving your kiddo foods they can pick up and feed themselves. We liked this approach for a few reasons:

01: Variety
It immediately introduced Libby to a big variety of foods because we offered her portions of whatever we prepared to eat ourselves. It's amazing what this girl will now eat - sauerkraut, spicy salsa, chili, fish, guac!

02: Simplicity
This also made it easier to prepare her food because there wasn't a need to prep or puree anything separate for her to eat.

03: Independence
Lastly, we liked the idea that it promoted independence by giving her the chance to join us for dinnertime and feed herself while we ate.

Here’s a great article to learn more about baby led weaning

FOOD

The first solid food we offered Libby was a purple sweet potato. This happened primarily because we’re big fans of them and they were already on the menu. When baked for long enough they also assume a texture that, realistically, isn’t too far from a puree. We simply cut a small baked potato in half, peeled down the skin, and let Libby hold onto it. She ate it like it was a lollipop which worked beautifully.

There are mixed opinions about how you should introduce food e.g. one food at a time or all at once. The one food at a time method argues that if your child is allergic to something you’ll more easily be able to identify what that thing is. This makes sense to me but we decided to go for the all at once approach instead with one. Whenever we included a common allergen in the meal, like eggs or peanuts, we would only include one at a time. Our pediatrician advised this approach and ultimately it was easier. I’d say talk to your pediatrician about this one if you’re on the fence.

If you’re wondering what to feed your baby, the easiest answer is, whatever you’re eating. If that response still leaves you questioning, this book offers several good ideas.

Simple Starts also has a database of foods that breaks down how to cook & prepare them for different aged children. You can find that database here.

Now, if all of that sounds exhausting, there are plenty of companies out there willing to do the work for you. Yumi is a brand that I really love. They have purees, pinchables, bites and snacks so no matter which approach you choose, they have something for you. The flavors will also be oddly tempting. Check them out and you’ll see what I mean!

CHAIRS

When it comes to deciding where to sit your baby for mealtimes, you have three primary options:

01: High Chair
This is the one you’re probably most familiar with. It’s a stand alone chair that pulls up beside the table. The benefits are that they are sturdy and come with safety harnesses to keep the littlest babies in. They can also move around so they can be useful for times other than eating e.g. you can scoot it close to you while you’re in the kitchen meal prepping.

02: Hook-on Chair
These chairs clip onto your dining table or counter. The main benefits are that they take up less space and are portable. You can toss this in the car and bring it with you if you plan to have meal time at another home. I don’t have personal experience using this type of chair, but have read that this one from Inglesina is well loved.

03: Booster Seats
A booster seat is a small seat that can either be used on the floor or attached to a dining chair. The primary benefit is its ability to move between both of these locations. Booster seats are generally made for older babies - toddlers and it's important to check the manufacturer’s specs for age requirements. These are often also used as a transition when squirming toddlers outgrow their highchair. We haven’t purchased a booster seat, but if we did, I really like this one from Lalo.

So what did we do? We opted for the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair. I really like the sleek design and the fact that the chair can convert as your baby grows. Theoretically this should eliminate the need to transition to a booster seat but then again, the best laid plans…

UTENSILS & SUCH

As with all things baby related, there’s an endless stream of things it seams one needs to buy as a new parent. Meal time is no exception. Beyond the chair, you’ll need to stock up on a few essential supplies.

Bibs
I love these bibs from Mushie. They are soft and flexible, easy to clean, and have a pocket to catch spilled food. Plus they come in a lot of cute colors and designs. This is our go-to bib for at home.

In addition to the Mushie bib, I love these bandana ones. These are great for tossing in your diaper bag and bringing with you when traveling.

Utensils
At first your little one won’t have a need for utensils as they’ll primarily be using their fingers to pick up foods. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it's ever too early to introduce them. One route to do this is through a tool called a pre-spoon. They have a grid surface meant to help food adhere and are more or less meant for practice than real eating. Amazon parents seem to love these, tbh I’ll say we found them ok but not wow-worthy.

Once you are ready to have your little one start using utensils on their own, this spoon & fork set is a nice option to try. They are extra deep which gives baby a better chance of actually picking up food and making it to their mouth.

Place setting
When looking for plates / bowls for baby, my only advice here is to find an option with a suction bottom. This will help it stay in place when your little one inevitably tries to pull it off and toss all of their food on the floor. I like these from WeeSprout which are also dishwasher and microwave safe.

On that note, if you have carpet or a rug in your dining room, you might also consider procuring a splat mat. This washable fabric goes beneath the high chair to pick food that will surely find its way to your floor. You can find them in all colors and styles. I find this one particularly cute.

Cups
When you’re transitioning baby to a cup, my best advice is to have a lot of different options. It can be a little rough moving away from the bottle and having options gives you a higher probability of finding one your baby will take to. As with most things, check with your pediatrician about their recommendations. Some will advise against certain types of cups and point you toward others. Here are a few we have cycled through:

360 cups: These spill proof cups were the first ones Libby took to after coming off her bottle.
Trainer with straw: I like that this one is transitional & can be used with or without the straw.
Sippy cups: These are really durable and like the 360 cups, they are spill proof.
Travel straw cup: A must have! This one is indestructible and comes with us on walks.
Cup: This silicone one is a good option for letting baby try drinking out of a non-lidded cup.

TEETH BRUSHING

Around the time you start introducing solids, you’ll also begin brushing your baby’s teeth regularly. Typically this is whenever the first tooth pops in but again, check with your pediatrician.

In terms of figuring out which toothbrush to use, you’ll find there are, as with all things, numerous options. We started Libby with this electric toothbrush because it mirrored the kind Grant & I used. She had been watching us brush our teeth and, from time to time, would hold the toothbrush while we did. Giving Libby her own electric toothbrush was something she felt excited about.

Eventually the excitement wore off and we entered the battle stage of brushing. See exhibit A. Our next strategy was to switch it up and give Libby her choice of brushes and toothpastes to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites:

This helped for a bit. It was my mother-in-law who landed on the ultimate hack. We’ve curated a shortlist of Youtube videos about brushing your teeth. This has been magic. It’s special screen time for Libby and she loves brushing along with the music. Here are the videos we rotate through, and yes, unfortunately, they will get stuck in your head. On the bright side, no more tears or tantrums.

Missed previous newsletters? You can find the archive here.

November (nanny jds, checklists, photography, books)
December (travel tips part 1)
January (travel tips part 2)
February (3rd trimester & postpartum)
March (all things naps)
April (babysitters)
May (pool safety)
June (postpartum fitness)
August (daycare / preschool)

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Thanks mamas!

Jen

Jen Miller

Hey Mamas - Mealtime & Teeth Brushing

Jen Miller

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