Bottles vs Food

[midaycare]

Lol isnt it funny how different parents can be?! Half my policies are bc there is always that one parent who goes to the extreme! Most are great, but there is always one it seems

That is one of the reasons why I do pouches. So excited dcf's will want me to make hm baby food, all organic, starting at 5 months. Some want hot dogs served at 8 months. So I just say, ""pouches, pouches for everyone!" Until about 10 months.

[Blackcat31]

That is one of the reasons why I do pouches. So excited dcf's will want me to make hm baby food, all organic, starting at 5 months. Some want hot dogs served at 8 months. So I just say, ""pouches, pouches for everyone!" Until about 10 months.

Do you transition them to being spoon fed at 10 months then or.... ?

Curious as I've had several parents mention using pouches but in most of their cases, it's due to traveling or being on the go or sometimes it's just laziness but I am curious about them. They just seem weird.

[happymom]

Curious as I've had several parents mention using pouches but in most of their cases, it's due to traveling or being on the go or sometimes it's just laziness but I am curious about them. They just seem weird.

For me, pouches are absolutely for convenience and laziness. If baby is hungry and I am beginning to cook a meal, I stick him in his high chair with a pouch. He goes to town, doesn't make a mess and he's not under my feet

He still eats dinner when I serve it. ****ing food from a pouch doesn't help him learn any new skills the way eating table foods or using a spoon does, so it is advised (by my pediatrician) to not rely on just pouches for feeding an infant.

[Blackcat31]

For me, pouches are absolutely for convenience and laziness. If baby is hungry and I am beginning to cook a meal, I stick him in his high chair with a pouch. He goes to town, doesn't make a mess and he's not under my feet

He still eats dinner when I serve it. ****ing food from a pouch doesn't help him learn any new skills the way eating table foods or using a spoon does, so it is advised (by my pediatrician) to not rely on just pouches for feeding an infant.

Thank you! Those are my thoughts too... I can totally see and rationalize the ease of use BUUUUUTTT as a provider I don't think I could/would use them.

I wonder how the food program feels about them or even my QRIS program? Considering everything needs to satisfy some sort of goal and my own laziness is not even a consideration... :: ::

[midaycare]

Do you transition them to being spoon fed at 10 months then or.... ?

Curious as I've had several parents mention using pouches but in most of their cases, it's due to traveling or being on the go or sometimes it's just laziness but I am curious about them. They just seem weird.

I think we're thinking of different things. Maybe? I spoon feed these to babies. I would never throw a pouch a baby and be like, "Have at it!" HAHAHA, I can't imagine, but I'm getting a good laugh out of the visual. It's baby food, it just comes in a pouch instead of a jar.

If we are thinking of the same thing, Ive7never had a baby be able to **** one of those things down.

The 6 month old I have right now I use the baby food pouches with and spoon feed, and she is already trying to take the spoon from me and feed herself.

When I said I don't have time I meant I don't have time to cook 2 completely different meals, puree baby food, no thanks. The pouches already have that done for me, all organic ingredients, no added crap.

When the baby is about 10 months we transition off completely "smooth" aka "pouch" food and go to big kid food.

I have a big fear of babies choking. It definitely shows, I'm sure.

[midaycare]

For me, pouches are absolutely for convenience and laziness. If baby is hungry and I am beginning to cook a meal, I stick him in his high chair with a pouch. He goes to town, doesn't make a mess and he's not under my feet

He still eats dinner when I serve it. ****ing food from a pouch doesn't help him learn any new skills the way eating table foods or using a spoon does, so it is advised (by my pediatrician) to not rely on just pouches for feeding an infant.

How does your baby **** right from the pouch? How old is this baby? Seriously, the thought never occurred to me. I just take it, put it on a spoon and feed.

[Blackcat31]

I think we're thinking of different things. Maybe? I spoon feed these to babies. I would never throw a pouch a baby and be like, "Have at it!" HAHAHA, I can't imagine, but I'm getting a good laugh out of the visual. It's baby food, it just comes in a pouch instead of a jar.

If we are thinking of the same thing, Ive7never had a baby be able to **** one of those things down.

The 6 month old I have right now I use the baby food pouches with and spoon feed, and she is already trying to take the spoon from me and feed herself.

When I said I don't have time I meant I don't have time to cook 2 completely different meals, puree baby food, no thanks. The pouches already have that done for me, all organic ingredients, no added crap.

When the baby is about 10 months we transition off completely "smooth" aka "pouch" food and go to big kid food.

I have a big fear of babies choking. It definitely shows, I'm sure.

Yes! :: talking about the same thing but not same use.

My daycare parents that use them do exactly as you said.....toss one to baby and let them just **** it down.

I see the value of spoon use verses convenience for me but as a parent, I get it too.

[midaycare]

Yes! :: talking about the same thing but not same use.

My daycare parents that use them do exactly as you said.....toss one to baby and let them just **** it down.

I see the value of spoon use verses convenience for me but as a parent, I get it too.

WHAT IN THE WORLD? Sorry for the caps, but seriously. I wonder if my dcf's think that's what I do. I'm kind of horrified now. That thought literally never, ever even occurred to me.

[Alwaysgreener]

For me, pouches are absolutely for convenience and laziness. If baby is hungry and I am beginning to cook a meal, I stick him in his high chair with a pouch. He goes to town, doesn't make a mess and he's not under my feet

He still eats dinner when I serve it. ****ing food from a pouch doesn't help him learn any new skills the way eating table foods or using a spoon does, so it is advised (by my pediatrician) to not rely on just pouches for feeding an infant.

When I first heard of pouchesI did not like them. As I would see parents just hand a baby a pouch and walk away and not have any interaction with their child when their child was eating. But then I had a mom who brought pouches and I sat and spoonfed the infant and since I did not touch the spoon to the pouch I was able to cap the remaining food and refrigerate. If I had fed from a jar and the baby did not finish the food I would have had to toss it after an hour but with the pouch I can keep it for 24 hours.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

There are different types of pouches. Some are the type with a little nozzle on the end for the kid to **** it out or you can squeeze it on a spoon. The other type are resealable pouches where you tear off the strip on the top and the pouch opens for the spoon. They reseal when they are done.

[Blackcat31]

When I first heard of pouchesI did not like them. As I would see parents just hand a baby a pouch and walk away and not have any interaction with their child when their child was eating. But then I had a mom who brought pouches and I sat and spoonfed the infant and since I did not touch the spoon to the pouch I was able to cap the remaining food and refrigerate. If I had fed from a jar and the baby did not finish the food I would have had to toss it after an hour but with the pouch I can keep it for 24 hours.

I was always taught to spoon out a small portion onto a separate plate/bowl and feed baby from that.
You can always get out more food if needed but spooning out only what is needed eliminates contamination of the remaining contents like you mentioned.

Plus, I recycle and reuse the jars and plastic containers for a million and one other things.

[cassiesue]

If I am busy preparing meals etc. I will give both babies a pouch. They are in the high chair. They are able to feed themselves with it. They do make a huge mess as I think equal amounts get in the belly & tray. Then they have fun playing with the food from pouch that fell on the tray along with any finger food. My version of a mini sensory bin. ::

The babies figure the pouches out pretty quick. Nether had used one prior to my providing them as neither of their parents feed the babies at home, unless you count the cereal that the 8-month-old's mom pours in the bottle and has since about 2 weeks. When she enrolled I had to let her know that I would not be doing that.

Thus far I have witnesses no negative repercussions from use of the pouches. Both babies are spoon fed by me for a meal while here. It took them a bit to get used to it as it has with any other baby I have had before. The 8-month-old was spoon fed by me prior to the use of a pouch. However, the 7-month-old had a pouch first as I gave her one to play with when we were on a field trip to one of those indoor bounce house/trampoline places.

[happymom]

How does your baby **** right from the pouch? How old is this baby? Seriously, the thought never occurred to me. I just take it, put it on a spoon and feed.

Oh that is very different from what I was thinking.

My baby has eaten food directly from the pouch since he was about 7 or 8 months old, he's 14 months now. I still give him or my 4 year old an apple sauce pouch on occasion. Even I eat them out of convenience/laziness sometimes. They're not a health food, but when considering some of the alternatives, they are not all that bad: no sugar added, preservatives mean they don't need refrigeration.

ETA: I never spoon feed my children. They go straight to table food when they are ready and I introduce things like yogurt and oatmeal when they are ready to learn to feed themselves with a spoon.

[CalCare]

Middaycare- I'm sure that's what your parents are thinking. That's really the whole point of pouches! You should letthem know you are spoon feeding those pouches. It's terrible for development when that is all the child is eating from. Theat way they are lacking small motor development and are missing out on care giving interaction. If you are paying the higher price (per an ounce) for the pouches and NOT using them that way, you are totally ripping yourself off. They sell the exact same purees (organic, no additives, whatever you want) for a lower price in jars.

[midaycare]

Middaycare- I'm sure that's what your parents are thinking. That's really the whole point of pouches! You should letthem know you are spoon feeding those pouches. It's terrible for development when that is all the child is eating from. Theat way they are lacking small motor development and are missing out on care giving interaction. If you are paying the higher price (per an ounce) for the pouches and NOT using them that way, you are totally ripping yourself off. They sell the exact same purees (organic, no additives, whatever you want) for a lower price in jars.

I totally talked to the dcf of my infant at "pouch age" today at pickup. I'm like, "Did you think I was just giving dcg a pouch a not feeding her???" Dcm said, "I thought that was the point of them, but dcg always comes home so clean, it didn't make any sense. I figured you had to be feeding her."

I feel like a bit of a tool. I seriously had no idea I guess I'm switching to jars for a lower price. Thanks for the tip CalCare!