the best place for baby to eat

So a friend of mine was getting ready to feed their baby for the first time and asked for some advice on things she should know before beginning this new adventure. One of the first things I mentioned was almost equally as important as what foods to eat- WHERE to put baby. 

The answer is usually, duh, in the high chair of course. This is a somewhat obvious fact, but what is not so obvious is what kind of chair is best, and there is a best.  No, i'm not here to push a specific brand, but the TYPE of chair that is best.  

signs of readiness

Even though some pediatricians say you can start solids at 4 months (cereal and oatmeal), I wouldn't recommend it from an anatomical perspective and a feeding therapist perspective.  Nutritionally, those foods are not really doing anything special for your baby. They are mostly empty calories. Cereal is void completely and can potentially lead to arsenic toxins exposure if rice is the basis of the cereal, where as oatmeal potentially has merits, but also concerns. Mainly if it is not organic, there is risk of toxin exposure.

There is a theory floating around in Facebook forums, that I had believed myself, that if you give the baby food before 6 months, specifically gluten, that it would lead to GI health issues due to gut permeability. What that means is that food can escape from your infants gut and get into the body. This can occur when the gut is not fully intact due to infancy and development, or it can occur due to environmental toxins.

When I looked at the research though, it argued that infants closed their guts by 1 month. A significant difference. So even if you started before 6 months with food, the gut should be closed. Unless of course there is a lot of toxin exposure from GMOs that can lead to gut permeability. 

The chair should have support beneath the child's feet.

Why is this relevant to feeding?

Why? Because the 90 degree position allows the head align over the shoulders and the trunk to be supported.

This is needed to keep an upright position.

When you are upright, the airway is open and food will be directed into the esophagus rather than the trachea (airway).

Additionally, being in this position also allows for movement, specifically, the ability to lean forward. When you can lean forward, you can pick up food more easily, lean in for more, or turn away in protest when finished. 

• Hips at a 90 degree angle
• Knees at a 90 degree angle
• Ankles at 90 degree angle
• Knees over the edge of the seat
• Tray between belly and breastbone

90, 90, 90

Some benefits of the 90 degree angle are:

• Decreased risk of choking 
• Improved ability to pick up and manipulate food
• Ideal for breath support

Do you have a chair already? Check out this awesome post from New Ways Nutrition to learn more about how you can modify your specific chair!