Weaning Hannah - the basics

After the last blog by Mr Knightrider-wannabe, this one is going to take a 180-degree turn and move into...

... our kitchen.

By popular demand, we are responding to a very common query by friends and strangers alike when they see Hannah: "What do you feed her?"

In this age where we are drummed with the concept of 'you are what you eat', most assume that Hannah's fair and rosy complexion must be due to a secret ingredient mixed into her daily feeds. Never mind that Hannah is half an English rose, and naturally looks different from the typical Malaysian baby.

So, you have been warned. If you have absolutely no interest in what goes into a baby's mouth, and think that this mother is slightly looney to post pictures of common kitchen appliances, then surf on to another website.

We have been careful to follow official recommendations in weaning our daughter. The reason is simple. Not only has Hannah inherited half of Daddy's looks, she has also inherited his family history of allergies - food allergies, hay fever, asthma, skin allergies etc. So if you wonder why we have been so fussy with her food choices, then wonder no more. We simply want Hannah to have the best start in life possible.

Making baby food is simple and easy. We've used this over and over again:




Baby food jars are notoriously expensive and contain high amounts of preservatives that can't be too good for a baby's young tummy. We've taken to preparing our own food , storing it in ice cubes (one cube = one ounce) and storing it in our freezer. When required, we take out one to two cubes of fruit/vegetable, mix it with two cubes of expressed milk, a small amount of cereal/rice/oats and ta daa, we have one healthy, tasty baby meal ready.

Doesn't that take up a lot of time?

Not really. Writing this blog is probably more time consuming. Weekends are the best time to prepare the food cubes. Or in my case, any day when I am post-call.

In fact, looking at the kaleidoscope of colours in the freezer is pretty rewarding. Let's see, we have: Sweet potato, carrots, green peas, mango, apples, pears, pumpkin, bannanas, plums and avocado in view.

But, what if you travel?

These frozen food cubes travel surprisingly well. We've brought them to Port Dickson, and as far as Penang. I suppose if you're used to handling frozen / chilled expressed milk, this is no different.

If fact, since Hannah loves to eat with the family, we have made it a habit to bring her food along when we go out for simple meals. Never mind that she gets comments like "Yucks, what's that green stuff she's eating?". She laps it all up and even asks for more at times!

It is beyond the scope of this blog to talk about what and when to feed your baby. Here are some sites to check out if you'd like to know more about recommended feeding schedules and baby food recipes that are tried and tested:

http://askdrsears.com/html/3/T030100.asp

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

For a more local perspective, check this helpful book :

"When and What to Feed My Baby" by Mrs. Gill

Cooking for Hannah has been a joy. It has also been a way for us to reclaim some territory (the kitchen) that we've lost to Po Po since she moved in.

Our culinary skills must be of a decent standard. After all, the proof is in the pudding:

Have we answered your question?