How to have a happy baby at the table

It’s not an exaggeration to say, “They grow up so fast!”  Every day with a baby brings something new—an expression, a gesture, and most certainly a funny sound. Karyn Siegel-Maier’s Happy Baby, Happy You shares ideas and tips on playing, learning and nurturing your young one. From setting up a natural nursery to making your baby to giggle from silly games, this book will help you build memories and raise a confident, relaxed child.

Babies are ready to join the family at the dinner table as soon as they are old enough to sit without support. So even if eating solid foods is still a spectator sport, here are a few tips on how to make the experience safe and enjoyable for them.

• Make sure your high chair is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). This should be identified by a seal on the packaging or on the chair itself.
• Always make full use of the restraining belts and straps when your baby is in the high chair. Chairs with removable trays make cleanup easier and will allow you to simply pull up the chair up to the table sans the tray when baby is older.
• Never leave your baby unattended in a high chair.
• Don’t use bibs that tie around the neck; they present a possible choking hazard. Instead use bibs with snaps or Velcro tabs that you can easily pull free.
• Older siblings often enjoy helping to spoon-feed their younger brother or sister, but they’ll need supervision to make sure too much food isn’t being put into the baby’s mouth at once.
• For babies moving onto solid food, introduce one new food at a time and watch for signs of allergy, such as diarrhea, rashes or respiratory problems. The general rule is to let five days elapse between introducing different food items.
• Baby’s first spoon for self-feeding should be made from PVC-free plastic, since metal can irritate gums and new teeth.  A curved handle allows little hands to get a firm grasp and reduces the risk of a poke to the eye, nose or nearby sibling.
• Before the age of three, don’t give baby items such as nuts, raisins, pieces of hard fruit, raw vegetable sticks, and nut butters, which pose a choking hazard.