It s very common for babies to eat little to no food when the introduction of solids first takes places. It s usually a very gradual process.

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1 The Very Beginning Baby s First Foods When first introducing solids, it s important to remember that the bulk of baby s nutrition is still coming from your breastmilk or formula. You ll want to continue with the same amount of breastmilk/formula feedings. It s very common for babies to eat little to no food when the introduction of solids first takes places. It s usually a very gradual process. // Just like adults, more demanding days require more food, & less active days require less food. While babies may not be physically active, their bodies are hard at work doing some major developing, so a hungry day may be a sign of a growth spurt. On the other hand, try not to worry if your baby is uninterested in eating; your milk might be all they need for their growth & function that day. On that note, it s typical that a baby will not finish everything given. It is also typical that a baby needs more than originally served. Don t assume they are full just because their tray is empty. It s like an educated guessing game...fun! ;] You may also notice your baby s cravings change. This isn t so much pickiness as it is their way of listening to their body s needs. There are times when my little one only wants animal protein, & other times when he prefers starchy veggies over anything else. Instead of forcing certain foods, give them a few nutrient dense options to choose from. It will increase their ability to be & stay in tune with their bodies, & help them properly meet nutrient needs. // The following is a very loose interpretation of what the first few weeks of introducing solids may look like. While these are excellent first foods & good general guidelines for amounts of food, you may decide to change the order of introduction & should look to baby for the correct amounts to give. As mentioned, continue to breast/formula feed as usual, every day.

2 Week 1 Soft boiled egg yolk 1-2 bites of yolk Baby may spit food out or seem uninterested. Don t force it. Soft boiled egg yolk Soft boiled egg yolk Mashed avocado Mashed avocado 2 bites of yolk 2 bites of yolk 1-5+ bites 1-5+ bites Watch for reactions from the first day, if a reaction occurs, continue with breastmilk or formula for the next 2 days. Baby may take more interest in the food and even want another bite. Follow his/her cues, but don t overserve the yolk, it is very rich! *same as day before. If baby is still refusing the food it might be a sign that they are not ready, or that it s not the right first food for them. If baby has no negative reaction to the food, move on to a new food. If a reaction occurred, continue breastfeeding & try a new food in a week or two. Baby may have distaste for the new flavor/texture. Don t force it if baby is uninterested. Offer bites until baby shows that he/she is done. Baby might still be playing with & spitting out food. That s ok. It s all a learning process. If they want more, listen to their cues & go for it!

3 Week 2 Soft boiled egg yolk & avocado Sweet potato with grass fed butter or unrefined coconut oil {you may add a pinch of cinnamon} Sweet potato, dressed {as above} & avocado 2+ bites of yolk, 5+ bites of avocado, eaten separately or together {meaning served as one meal or split into two different meals} Half of a small organic sweet potato* *potatoes should always be organic Half of a small organic sweet potato, half a small avocado, eaten separately or together Baby might still be playing with & spitting out food. That s ok. It s all a learning process. If they want more, listen to their cues & go for it! *not too much more yolk. Watch for reactions from the new food, if a reaction occurs, continue with breastmilk or formula for the next 2 days. Baby may have distaste for the new flavor/texture. Do not force it if baby is uninterested. Offer bites until baby shows that he/she is done. Baby may start to understand solids as a food source & become more curious. Breastmilk or formula Sweet potato, dressed & soft boiled egg yolk Mashed avocado & grass fed ground beef blended with bone broth. Half of a small organic sweet potato, 3+ bites of egg yolk, eaten separately or together Half+ an avocado & 2 tbsp ground beef, to start {offer more if all is eaten}, eaten together or separately If a reaction occurs, it s most likely to the butter or coconut oil than the potato. You may eliminate those fats for the next four days as a test. Reintroduce one at a time, on foods that you know are safe. As baby becomes familiar with solids, he/she may want to play & explore the food. It might be messy, but it s important to let them explore. Liver, meats, & broth are extremely easily digestible foods & usually don t cause a reaction. They may be introduced at the same time.

4 Week 3 Sweet potato & yolk with dehydrated liver sprinkles {dehydrated & blended into a powder} Slivers of avocado {pinch of mineral based salt & pepper optional} that baby can grab & bite Grass fed ground beef blended or pulsed with bone broth & sweet potato, dressed Soft boiled egg yolk with liver sprinkles, very soft shredded pastured chicken {can be whole, pulsed or pureed}, & sweet potato, dressed Banana with coconut butter, soft shredded chicken, sliced avocado, & sweet potato, dressed Banana with coconut butter, cooked pastured liver blended with bone broth Soft shredded chicken & avocado slices {with salt & pepper optional} Half+ a potato, 5+ bites of yolk, eaten together or separately. Half+ avocado ¼ cup beef, half+ a small organic sweet potato, eaten together or separately 1 yolk with a pinch of liver sprinkles for breakfast. A few pieces of shredded chicken & a dollop of sweet potato as a family dinner. ¼ banana with 2tsp coconut butter for breakfast. A few pieces of chicken with half+ avocado for lunch. A dollop of sweet potato for dinner. ¼ banana with 2tsp coconut butter for breakfast. Liver pate for dinner {liver & onions for the family? ;] } A few pieces of chicken & half+ avocado for lunch Baby may want to have more control over the food. While the yolk needs to be fed, consider letting him/her grab at the mashed potato. Transitioning to grabble foods may result in less actual food consumption. This is ok. Baby is still getting all nutrients from milk/formula. At this point you will have a better idea of amount of food that baby needs. You may also be seeing some preferences. Use this information to guide future choices. One of the most enjoyable elements of feeding baby is when you can eat together. Feeding baby when you eat is fun, & sharing meals is even better! If baby has not already tested coconut oil, you want to keep a special eye out when trying coconut butter. Don t forget to let babies feed themselves what they can. If a reaction occurs at any time, peel back all new foods & reintroduce one at a time, one a week. Meats are rarely the issue, but anything is possible. Feeding baby may go in waves. It never hurts to offer at every meal, but it s perfectly normal for baby not to want to eat much on any particular day.

5 Friendly reminder: This is a very loose interpretation. Let baby lead the way by watching them very closely rather than worrying about a certain schedule. They will let you know what they want, what they need, & how much. While some babies take to eating like champs, other are more skeptical & ease into it much slower. Both ways are perfect. What to do in the next weeks: Continue with the same pattern of one new food at a time, for 4 days, & monitor baby to make sure that the food does not have a negative effect on your sweet little one {see page 33 in program}. While monitoring for reactions is very important, try to give baby a variety of foods once safely introduced. You can actually cause intolerance to a food by eating it too often {think multiple times a day}. This can happen to babies as well! Which foods to add into the rotation next: pulsed or pureed zucchini, pastured lamb, raw grass fed kefir, natural bison, mashed blueberries, wild caught fish, roasted beets, & cooked peaches are all good examples. Any of these foods may be lightly seasoned or spiced, as you would prefer them {not excessively, & no sweeteners}. A note about reactions*: It s sometimes difficult to wait 4 days to introduce a new food. This process is very exciting & as parents we can get ahead of ourselves. While I do recommend this method for at least the first two foods, should you introduce more than one thing at a time & a mild reaction {bloating, gas, irritability} does occur, here s what to do: make a list of all foods that you fed to baby within the few days that the reaction occurred eliminate all foods & return to breastmilk/formula for 1-3 days days introduce the foods from the list one at a time, with at least 2 days between new introduction {4 is ideal} NOTE: if the reaction is severe, disregard this list & contact your doctor ASAP *Refer to page 33 for a list of signs of a reaction.