Starting baby on meat

[Fraser]

Ok I seem to be going around and around in circles trying to find out about starting Charlie on some meat/protein.

I just want to know how to cook it and how much I should give him!!

Anyone have any tips on how you should cook Chicken or beef for a baby and how much is enough to give them

I think I'm working myself up!

[christy]

I didn't try Matilda on meat until she was 11 months. As I was a vego for so many years I just supplemented beans & legumes into her diet. I would puree them, so I would make a chick pea and red lentil puree and mix it with a vegetable to help. As breastmilk or formula is their main source of nutrients until they are 12 months he should be getting enough. You will hear a lot of talk about reduced iron intake, but many foods have iron in them that aren't meat. Legumes are great, sultanas, spinach, rice cereal...

I started buying the mothers choice organic cubes with beef or chicken to introduce meat, but Matilda really hates all meat but ham

[castle]

Emily, how old is he?
I have 4 children. We have always used just whatever meat we were cooking for the family meal. Make sure he gets a better-done piece if it's beef or lamb.
Cut it in tiny pieces, or for the first time or two, whiz it briefly in a blender/food processor with a little water, just to break it up a bit. Although it seems like mince would be an ideal first meat, it's actually one of the more risky ones. Since it's been handled a lot, there is a slightly greater chance of bacterial contamination.
TMI perhaps, but my dh's favourite way is to make what he calls "pre-gurge"! He takes a small piece of meat, chews it up and then puts it in the baby's mouth. I have to say they love it. Also, because it has his adult salivary enzymes on it, it's easier for them to digest.
As far as amount, just follow his lead. Offer 2-3 tiny pieces. If he eats them eagerly, then offer more. My babies often went in spurts. They would eat an amazing amount of something at one meal, and then little of it for a day or two. Then back "on" again.
If you are going to season or salt the meat for yourselves, just set aside a little for him that is plain. If he tries your meat and likes it, so much the better. An Indian friend always reminds me that millions of babies around the world eat spicy food and like it!
Have fun....

[2CheekyMonkeys]

put some meat, chicken, beef, veal etc in a saucepan put in just enough water to cover it, then boil it. don't add any salt or other seasonings. then drain it and let it cool a little then puree it in a blender. i froze mine in ice cube containers in the freezer. i havent given any to her yet but when i do i will mix it with one ice cube of vegetables that i have pre-made and i know that she loves.

[Mumma2three]

Mince has been my best friend with coco!! I probably started her at about 7 months. She loves meat. I also used to blend lamb chops with vege for Tilly. Same with chicken etc and then gradually start to just cut it reallly really finely. The great thing about mince is that it's in tiny bits anyway. xo
PS if you look at Heinz website you will get some good feeding advice ox

[Fee]

A baby cookbook I have says you can introduce meat, chicken, fish, egg, legumes, lentils and tofu at 7 months.

A few recipes are:

Chicken, lentils & vegetables
Poached fish with potatoes & peas
Stewed beef & vegetables
Steamed chicken & apple
Steamed chicken & pumpkin

Let me know if you'd like the recipes!

[Fee]

TMI perhaps, but my dh's favourite way is to make what he calls "pre-gurge"! He takes a small piece of meat, chews it up and then puts it in the baby's mouth. I have to say they love it. Also, because it has his adult salivary enzymes on it, it's easier for them to digest.

Did you know that babies can acquire bacteria this way? The bacteria from our mouths can be transferred to them. This is why it is suggested you never lick your baby's dummy and then give it to them.

Just wanted to mention it.

[castle]

Fee, as far as the pre-chew, we have told several paediatricians about this at different places and times. They all supported it. We asked specifically about this issue (bacteria) and they pooh-poohed it. One said that not only was that not an issue, but the baby should get some extra parental immunities as well. Of course a systemic illness or infection in the mouth or throat would be a no-no.

[christy]

hmmm... thats interesting because I've heard the same as Fiona. Infact we are quite paranoid about it in this house LOL.

[Pandora]

Milo stared meat at about 9 or 10 months I think, and at that age it would have been minced chicked or beef, as he really did not get the hang of finger food until about 11 months. Now he has chicked breast or whatever meat DH is having in small pieces.

Just a warning on the lentils to start off slow (goes for any food I guess but I found it especially relevcant to lentils and chick peas) Milo's first experience of lentils (at 7 and a half months) resulted in an horrific nappy and a late night call to the maternal and child health hotline, as it stripped his bowel.

[castle]

Of course ultimately everyone has to decide what's an important issue for them, with bacteria as with everything else! I have done postgrad work in microbiology & my father is a dentist so I feel quite comfortable with my knowledge of oral bacteria & transmission of bacterial disease. We first mentioned this to a paed when our son was seeing one (for non-feeding reasons). It just came up in questions about his diet. He told us that in previous times toothless grandmothers would often "gum" food to share with the babies of the family.
I found this issue interesting, because of my own background, so I have brought it up with other doctors since then, some seen professionally, some as friends. We have many doctor friends; three are paediatricians. All said it was nothing to worry about. I don't think they were saying that just because we were friends. They are committed to intellectual honesty and have disagreed with me on things before. LOL, one advised me very seriously not to eat liquorice because it's a risk factor for GERD (gastroesophogal reflux)!
So I am not worried...but if you are, by all means don't do it.

[Fee]

That's very interesting castle. Thanks for your posts. Especially as your father is a dentist. The stuff I have read and been told has been from dentists (about this bacteria issue). Makes it confusing when we are told so many different things isn't it!!!

[Baby~amore`]

I read any easy way is to steam chicken, freeze it in chunks, then grate it while frozen.
IT FLAKES and is very easy for babies to eat.
I then put into the bowl with reheated frozen or fresh warmmed vegies.

My reading said thighs have more iron, and turkey too.

I tried pan /bbq steak too and it works too.
When I tried to pureed meat when Ds was a baby it was never an even texture and still had lumps -ok for later on but not as first food.
At hospital when they pureed meat for babies it was a thick paste and didn't mix well with vegies.

I found mince was very dry and can get grizzly bits in it -even premium mince.

[castle]

Fee, I think it's so good you brought it up. In fact I started thinking about it again over lunch & decided to email someone to double check. His reply was (sorry I should have copied it but it seems to have dropped off, here is the gist),

Unless you know you are colonised by a pathogen, for example if you have strep throat, it really is not an issue. Don't worry about normal bacteria in the mouth. Relatively few diseases are transmitted through saliva. As far as chewing up meat, the physical tenderizing of the meat is the most important part. The salivary enzymes affect starch digestion more than anything (although having said that, we usually consume meat and starches together).
Diseases communicated by hand to mouth contact, ie not washing hands, are far more common and have a much greater mortality rate. As far as dummies, you should be much more concerned if it falls on the floor, than if you or another child have it in your mouth before giving it to the baby.

LOL, he added that he was on call & my email made a refreshing change for him & the other doctors to talk about! This is from the guy who was worried about my liquorice consumption. I'm still Darrell Lea's best friend!

[Lea13]

Trish that is a fantastic idea re 'flaking' the meat! I am going to try that one! Thanks!

[*Ang*]

Alex has been eating meat/chicken for the past month, I just throw dice up a nice bit of steak, put it in a pot with vegies and/or rice and some stock and then puree - so delicious that I eat his leftovers too!

Interesting debate about the saliva/bacteria issue. I have also been told numerous times that it is "healthier" for a dummy to fall on the floor then be "sucked clean" by a parent. Personally I always thought that this didnt sound right and have on occasions when unable to wash a dummy after it falling have rather "cleaned" it myself then give it to the child uncleaned IYKWIM? So thanks Castle for reconfirming what I thought was the logical reasoning!

[Lea13]

On that topic... a very uneducated and reactive response I had was that I'd be horrified if my mouth carried more germs then say the floor in the local McDonalds

I myself never lick a dummy clean (mostly because if I don't want it in bubs mouth then I certainly don't want it in mine pmsl) and I've never chewed food and given it to DS either because again I wouldn't eat anything that had been chewed by someone else!! I never even stopped to consider the germ thing.

[christy]

At our hospital they make every pregnant women watch a documentary from QLD health about how dental dieae is started by parents transfering bacteria from their mouths to babies... I guess thats why we have always been concerned about it.