When can I give dried fruit to my baby?

You can give dried fruit to your baby from 6 months, although don’t give too much as it can have a laxative effect. Dried apricots are packed with nutrients including iron and a good combination is apple, pear and dried apricot. I prefer to use dried apricots without sulphur dioxide which is used to preserve the bright orange colour. This can trigger asthma and tummy problems in susceptible babies.

What are good foods to take out with me to feed my baby?

A banana makes perfect portable food as it comes in its own eco friendly packaging and only needs to be mashed. Avocado is good too as its quick to prepare and its rich in nutrients. Carrot and cucumber sticks make good snacks. A little tip – if you wrap them in damp kitchen towel they wont dry out and will stay fresh.

How should I defrost my frozen baby food?

Either leave the frozen food in the fridge overnight or defrost the food in a microwave. Make sure that you heat the food until its piping hot, then stir to get rid of any hot spots and leave to cool. Test the temperature before giving it to your baby. Ocassionaly food dries out a little in the freezer and you may need to add a little extra liquid like milk.

Is it OK to give my baby juice?

You shouldn’t put anything other than milk or water into your baby’s bottle, but it is a good idea to give vitamin C rich fruit juice in a cup at mealtimes occasionally as vitamin C helps your baby absorb iron from her food. Dilute one part juice to 5 parts cooled boiled water.

When should I introduce a cup?

I would introduce a cup from around seven months. I would avoid giving juice in bottles as this can cause dental caries. I would recommend a valveless cup to begin with (most valves are removable) as many of the spill proof cups are actually very hard to drink from. Try them yourself ! Some babies may even prefer an open cup.

My baby was born at 34 weeks, do I need to wait until she is 6 months to wean her?

Babies born before 37 weeks are considered preterm and have a greater need for certain nutrients like iron and zinc because these start to be stored in your baby’s body in the last month’s of pregnancy. A lot of preterm babies will be ready for solids before 6 months .Preterm babies tend to be in a state of catch up, so its important to give nutrient dense foods like avocado, cheese, potato, meat quite early on.