Many parents find weaning daunting and confusing and are keen to make sure their baby eats healthily. But they often forget to look after themselves, and can end up grabbing unhealthy, empty calories on the go. By sharing ingredients, such as an avocado, both you and your baby will eat well.
A baby’s first experience of food is so important to help develop adventurous tastes and avoid fussiness, so it needs to be social and inclusive. If they’re eating alongside others, your baby will naturally copy other people, and eat a broader range of foods and develop better eating habits. Many babies sit in their highchairs with nobody else eating, while they are spoon-fed and wiped by an anxious mother, who might be worrying about mess. Put yourself in their shoes for a minute. Such a stressful environment does not make for a lovely first-time experience of food and eating.
There are huge benefits for you if you eat with your baby. The foods you offer your baby are packed full of important vitamins and minerals they need to grow and stay healthy and you need the same. The better you eat, the better you will feel. This will help you deal with the tiredness, improve your mood and give you the energy you need to take on the challenges of the day.
Sharing food is one of life’s great pleasures and so it should start from weaning.
