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| Little P with his mush on his 1st birthday. We avoid white sugar until 2 so we used his mush for the candle. It worked! |
So, using the Dr. Denmarks feeding and sleeping routine, by 12 weeks your baby should not only be sleeping through the night (10pm-5/6am without crying it out) and nursing/getting a bottle every 3/4 hours (6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, and 10pm). So, that is where we are when she starts talking about baby food.
So, at around 12 weeks your baby will start to drool...LIKE CRAZY! I'm talking, changing their clothes a few times a day, drool! While most doctors will tell you that it is the beginning of teething, Dr. Denmark explains that thats not the case. Rather, at around 12 weeks, a baby begins making an enzyme that is produced in order to break down carbohydrates. With that, it is the sign that the baby is ready to begin baby food.
***Disclaimer: Dr. Denmark recommends starting baby food (cereal) at 3 months. I have always waited until 4 months, more out of convenience than anything. I just wanted you to know that that waiting a little longer won't hurt anything.***
Okay, so now it is time to begin Dr. Denmark Mush.
(Wait to form any opinons until the end of the post...I promise, it's not crazy)
On the first day, you begin with 1/4 teaspoon of baby oatmeal or rice mixed with breastmilk or formula (I've always done oatmeal because it's less binding) after the 10am, 2pm, and 6pm feedings.
Keep in mind that it will take a bit for the baby to learn how to eat from a spoon.
Over the course of the next week or so, not only will your baby get the hang of eating from a spoon but you will also build up to about 2 Tablespoons of cereal a feeding.
Once you have built up to 2 tablespoons of cereal, you add banana's to the mix. Starting with 1/4 teaspoon on the first day and slowly building up to a 2 tablespoons.
You follow the same plan with a veggie, applesauce (I always use normal no sugar added applesauce), and then a protien (baby meat, beans, etc.) Starting all of these off at 1/4 a teaspoon and gradually building up to 2 Tablespoons.
So, by the time you have the full mixture, your baby is eating 10 tablespoons of food, 3 times a day.
I wanted to tell you about my personal experience with Dr. Denmark Mush. I know that it is completely different than what most people have ever heard of but I can tell you that not only will your baby get a perfectly well balanced diet at EVERY meal, but it will also make your life so much easier as a parent. Between birth and two years, your baby's brain almost TRIPLES in size. There is something to be said for KNOWING that they are getting everything that they are supposed to be getting.
Using the Dr. Denmark Mush also helps tremendously when it comes to picky eating. When using individual food, a baby has the ability to wrinkle his nose when something doesn't taste 'right'. What that baby doesn't know is that it takes many more times than just that one to know if you actually like something. But, most parents, will take that queue from the baby and not try that food again. With the mush, you don't have that problem. Everything is mixed together and there is never a concern for a well balanced diet. Now, does it cause picky eating when the baby begins eating table food? No. When a toddler begins eating more and more table foods, the curiosity of feeding themselves far outweighs what they are putting in their mouth. Everything is new and exciting.
All three of my children, and any children who I know who ate the mush as babies, will eat just about anything!
So there you have it. The Dr. Denmark Mush. We used to make our babyfood and for a full weeks worth of mush, it costed about $10. Can't beat that!
I would love to hear your comments, questions, concerns, stories, etc. on this and any other post.
Make sure you 'follow' me and keep updated on the things to come. Big changes are in the making!
