Eating Wisely
Cultural Aspects of Starting Solids
Michelle Brode
Boulder, CO USA
From NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 18 No. 2, March-April 2001, pp. 64-65
Sometimes it's hard to recognize
the beliefs that are part of one's own culture. They are easier to observe
when contrasted with the beliefs and practices of other cultures. Differences
and similarities highlight each culture's values. Western cultures tend
to place a high value on teaching children to be independent. Punctuality
and higher education are stressed in cultures where much of the work
is done in offices or manufacturing plants. Many of us value higher
education and the associated social skills. When it comes to eating,
I one common goal in American culture is for children to sit alone on
a chair at a table using customary eating utensils. Food is served on
a plate and is chewed with the mouth closed. Napkins belong on laps;
elbows do not belong on the table. The salt is passed politely. Meals
are eaten three times a day. Snacks are acceptable - but not before
meals!
These are familiar "rules"
for American adults, but at what point should a child be expected to
follow them? For some parents, a punctual schedule is important from
the moment of birth. The baby is expected to eat at certain times and
sleep at certain times. La Leche League encourages parents to watch
for the babys cues rather than watching the clock.
By the middle of the first
year, many babies can sit up and begin eating solid foods. They lose
their tongue thrust reflex, begin to have a pincer grasp, and show an
active interest in what is on parenes plates. This is often when the
high chair is brought out of storage. A young baby is usually permitted
to smear food around on the tray and to drop things off the side. One-year-olds
are encouraged to wreak havoc with their birthday cakes while cameras
snap the pictures. But as babies grow older, these activities become
less acceptable.
Around the world, including
in the US, many people start food other than human milk at birth. In
many cultures, colostrum is considered dangerous for babies. Babies
may be given herbal teas, animal milk, and formula or may be wet-nursed
for one to four days until the mother's milk comes in. Some cultures
believe that these foods help cleanse the newborn's system. In the US,
a babys diet is frequently supplemented with sugar water and infant
formula. It's not uncommon to hear of babies several weeks old being
fed rice cereal. La Leche League recommends starting solids only when
the baby shows signs of readiness, around the middle of the first year.
In some parts of the world,
problems arise when there are few foods suitable for babies. One study
documented that the later the introduction of any solid foods to a baby's
diet, the lower the infant mortality rate (Goldsmith 1984). A friend
who worked in the Peace Corps in Niger, Africa noticed that babies were
chubby and healthy up until about age two. After that time, most of
the children appeared malnourished. She discovered that the younger,
healthier babies were breastfeeding. As soon as a mother determined
she was pregnant, the child was immediately weaned. The staple food
in Niger is a grain called millet. It is frequently the only food available
and is not a complete protein. Even if there is meat available, women
and children may be the last ones served.
Around the world, solid food
is introduced in different ways. In many cultures, parents first chew
adult food before offering it to the baby. This is called "premastication"
or "prechewing." It may be that enzymes from the mother's
saliva help make the food more digestible. Certainly, it's a simple
way to make adult food soft enough for a baby to swallow. In the book,
Babies Celebrated, there is a photograph of a mother passing
food directly from her mouth into her babys mouth. Water is sometimes
given to a baby the same way.
In Oceania, the Yafars prechew
fish, headless grubs, and liver for babies (Fontanel 1998). Most Westerners
are certain that any insect would taste bad without having ever tried
them. Low in fat and high in protein, insects are easy to find and are
commonly eaten in many parts of the world. In Polynesia, a staple food
is poipoi, a pudding-like mixture of breadfruit and coconut cream, a
favorite for adults and easy for babies to eat. The Inuit, who reside
in the Arctic, experirnce long winters with 40-mile-per-hour winds and
temperatures 40 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit). It's difficult to grow
crops or to have fresh vegetables or fruit. First foods for Inuit babies
include seaweed, "nuk-tuk" (seal blubber), and, later on,
caribou. In Puerto Rico, first foods might be potatoes mixed with milk,
mashed boiled plantains, rice, mangos, fresh juices including pineapple
juice (sometimes juices are diluted), and many other tropical vegetables
and fruits. Herbal teas are frequently given to babies as well.
Most Japanese health care
providers recommend feeding solids at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The first food
is thin rice porridge. Eventually the rice is made thicker and topped
with small dried fish, tuna, tofu, vegetables, or mashed pumpkin. The
graduation to solids is when the baby can eat the same rice as adults.
Babies are likely to begin using spoons and forks, but by age two, most
children love to eat with chopsticks.
In many parts of the world,
food is eaten without silverware. At a local Ethiopian restaurant, my
family was astonished that there were no knives, forks, or spoons in
sight. Instead, we tore off bits of injera, a pancake-like bread, which
we used to scoop up the delectable meat and vegetable sauces.
Cultural expectations affect
how children eat around the world. In many cultures, parents hope that
their children will learn to eat a wide variety of foods, while in others,
food choices may be limited by geography or strife. In some cultures,
parents encourage their children to use spoons and plates, while in
other cultures, food is eaten by hand from a communal bowl. Some families
eat at a low table and sit on mats, while others sit adults on chairs
and have highchairs for babies. Some babies learn to use silverware,
others learn to use chopsticks.
All of these variations on
infant feeding help to show us that there is never just one way to make
the transition to solids. La Leche league recommends that you watch
your baby and look for cues from him. Then you make a transition that
works for your baby.
References
Dettwyler, K. Dancing
Skeletons. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc., 1994.
Fontanel, B. Babies Celebrated. New York: Harry N. Adains, 1998.
Goldsmith, J. Childbirth
Wisdom. New York: Congdon and Weed, Inc., 1984.
Minchin, M. Breastfeeding
Matters. Maryborough, Victoria, Australia: Alma Publications, 1989.
Nagata, Yoshi. LLL Leader
in Japan. Personal communication via email with permission.
Adapted from an article
that appeared in the November-December 1999 issue of Visions,
the Area Leaders' Letter for LLL of Virginia.
Last updated November 13 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:52 UTC 2007.
