Making my own baby food

[hollie2716]

So I'm thinking ahead to when my baby can try foods. I would prefer to make my own and purée it rather than buy what's available in the shops as I worry about additives and preservatives etc. So I'm wondering how much milk stuffs a baby can have? As up to now she's being breastfed. Yet a load of the jar foods contain milk such as rice pudding or custard. I'm assuming that this stuff is made with powdered milk? Anyway my question is more along the lines of when I make such stuff can I use breast milk, or stick to formula? Obviously using breast milk means they're still getting all that goodness. Just wondering if anyone out there has ever tried to do something like a white sauce (I'm thinking cauliflower cheese kind of dish) with breast milk or if they use formula milk etc or even cows milk? Thanks!

[Hidden]

Hi, I have just started weaning my son (started 5.5 months) and its not advised to introduce cows milk until 12 months of age.

As for cheese, as you mentioned re cauliflower cheese, thus obviously contains cows milk, as does butter which you will need to make white sauce so I wouldn't do anything like that until 12 months upwards

I don't really intend on giving him "desserts" until much later. Currently I feed him home made pureed vegetables 2x per day and home made pureed apple once a day. He has baby rice late afternoon to fill him up for bed time, this is just made with his formula but you can use breast milk too.

I only give him little bits so his system is can get used to it but also, so that he is having enough milk, as there are little or no calories in veg so it's important they don't cut down on milk.

There is lots of info online, Some of it does contradict though because everyone seems to have their own opinion!

Yellow and orange vegetables are easier to digest than greens, so I'm waiting a bit longer till I introduce such as broccoli.

Hope this helps!! X

[Hidden]

At first I wud start with pureed fruit and veg too see how u get on.

When it comes to it..I am going to make exact same stuff we r eating e.g roast dinners etc with no added salt.and use blender and put tht in pots and freeze. Start of simple pasta dishes..potato and veg. I cud b wrong but I dont think babies can hav cows milk till bit older so wud stay away from tht. I personally wud save stuff like cauliflower cheese till the weaning is going well as its quite a strong taste and an aquired one at tht. There is a book by annabel karmel which is really good.

[Hidden]

Used to be can use cows milk in cooking and cereals from 6 months just not to use cows milk as their main drink til a year. .. and start with root veg first then fruit like apple pears first... one at a time then u can mix together x

[Coeny-em in reply to Hidden]

I have been advised that you can use small amounts of cows milk for cooking and cereals after 6 months as well.

[Megzey]

Use breastmilk I would if that is what your little one has been having unless you are wanting to stop producing then use formula until your baby is 1. When I made my own food like porridge etc I used formula not cows milk. Invest in a good food processor as I could never get the food smooth enough texture with my hand held one and my little lad gagged to start with.

[xanon]

You can use cows milk in cooking from 6 months providing it is boiled whilst you're cooking to kill of the bacteria but I don't think they advise it in baby rice x

[tnct]

you can use cows milk in cooking but not as baby's drink.

If you wait till around 6 months (baby sitting unaided, grabbing food off your plate and eating it) then there's no need to puree at all-have a look at baby led weaning-it's really easy/much less hassle if you want baby to eat what you are eating.

You may find NCT offer Introducing solids workshops in your area, one of these would answer all your questions