cherries? blueberries?

[teezee]

for the last month i have been making all of lo's baby food and was just wondering about adding some new 'flavors'.  are cherries, blueberries, cauliflour, broccoli ok?  also i bought dried apricots, peaches, pears and prunes and steamed and purreed them but lo doesn't like them at all.  i have done dried apricots with bartlett pears and she liked those for awhile but won't have anything to do with them now.  she doesn't seem to like any of the dried purrees at all.  i know i left them a little thick and seem to be strong tasting,  but i do dilute/thin them out with bm or water but still no luck.  it's not necessarily a texture thing cuz she likes her sweet pot thick as well as some other foods.  would love to mix them with cereals but they all constipate her...i thought with all the dried fruit it would be a good laxative...if only she'd eat it.  any suggestions???

[Carter'sMama]

Hi There! 
My ped told me to wait on any berries until DS is over a year old ( I guess they are high allergens).  As for broccolli and cauliflower ... the book that I am reading suggest waiting until 8 months to introduce those as they are gassy foods.  I just introduced broccoli and Carter loves it but it does make him gassy.  :roll:

 Also, my DS used to have a problem with only pooping every 2 weeks (he was completely bf and his poops weren't hard, he just never went!) and the GI specialist told me to give him Oatmeal rather than any other cereal because of the fibre content.  I found a brand in the U.S  called Earth's Best brand and it is organic and has a high fibre content.  It made things get moving for my guy!!

I usually make all of my lo's food too except when it came to prunes and apricots.  He loves the jarred kind and I found that they help to keep him regular.  Earth's Best makes these foods as well.

I don't know what else to suggest ...  good luck!! 

BTW .. just noticed you were from Chatham ... that makes us practically neighbours!!!!

[notenoughshelfspace]

Broccoli and cauliflower I started at 5 months with no problems at all; mixed with sweet potato especially and cauliflower and cheese is also a favourite. As for the berries; blueberries are one of nature's wonderfoods and I would def. introduce it. If oyu are worried about allergies steam the berries for 5 min; no risk of allergy then at all. Great mixed with apple.
As for dried fruit; thety do have a very strong flavour and therefore have to be mixed with other fruit; you are competely right. SOme combinations which have worked great for us are pears and prunes and papaya with pears and dried apricots. Dried fruits are packed full of goodness too so if you can encourage you little one to take it then do!
Good luck.

[teezee]

thanks - will try to mix them up a bit and see how she takes to them...