In cultures around the world the norms of infant feeding vary. In France the baby may start on broth, in Japan rice porridge and fish, in Argentina puréed vegetables. In the U.S., rice cereal flakes and jars of purees were the starting place for years.

Baby-led weaning came about as an alternative to the long time use of rice cereal and jarred food.

The idea is to let your baby feed herself food that she can pick up at independently at mealtimes with the family. There is a lot of good in this – the baby is part of the family meal, she is not limited to bland purees. The goal is for a toddler who eats a variety of foods – it is meant to combat picky eating. Does it work? The answer is – sometimes.

Many babies that eat a wide variety of foods at 1 year still go on to be "picky" eaters in toddlers. This can do with the toddler wanting to be in charge, or on the go or just that toddlers are growing more slowly than infants and so don't eat as much food.

When I talk to parents about infant feeding I advise a mix of purees and baby-led weaning style feeding. A baby can be fed both ways. I like offering pureed or smashed cooked vegetables as early as 5 months of age.

At this age babies are open to new tastes and it is a time for fun and trying foods like squash, green beans, sweet potatoes and avocado. If your baby loves it, great, then offer tastes 1-2 times per day at family meals. If your baby isn't interested that is OK. It is not for nutrition yet.

Once your baby is a strong independent sitter, usually around 7 months old, then add soft solids that your baby can try to pick up and feed herself. You can still offer purees with meals. Don't worry about feeding soft foods made with some spices or olive oil--flavor is good. Feed your baby soft bits of what you eat – soup, soft noodles, pieces of soft fruits and vegetables. Be creative – hummus, mild guacamole, stew.

Finally, start offering water at meal times. Teach your baby to drink water with meals, nothing sweet is needed – no juice.  

Using pureed vegetable and fruits together with baby led weaning is my favorite way to start your baby on solids – but not the only way.

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Just like my patients' moms I have lived all of the small daily rituals, frustrations and love that is being a mom. I know that it has made me a better pediatrician and will continue to do so.

I am a better pediatrician because I have experienced life as a mom. I know the tears and tiredness of a new mom and so when she cries at the new baby check I can tell her it's normal and she believes me. I have lived with picky eater and so can give realistic plans for parents to overcome it. Siblings fighting is a weekly event in my home and so I can help with strategies for everyone to get along. I have seen my child limp for days and wondered if it is some terrible illness and so when a mom brings in her child with leg pain I understand what her deepest fear is.

It is all of these and the hundreds of other mom experiences that give me empathy for the moms of my patients. It has made being pro-mom one of my overarching themes in practice.

Remember, on Mother's Day to go and look at your children while they are sleeping. It gives you an immediate feeling of love and peace. Thank you to all the moms that trust me to care for their children.

Happy Mothers Day.

Dr C

Ensure school-age children know when to wash - before eating and after playing on a playground at recess, using the restroom, and coming into contact wiht friends and classmates. Teach kids that it's important not to chew their fingernails or touch their faces.

"Hand-to-mouth transmission is a major way children are infected by viruses," said Vanessa Charette, M.D., a Cook Children's pediatrician in Fort Worth. "Keeping hands out of the mouth is a difficult behavior for certain children to master, but it's important that they do."

Little hands can pick up a lot of germs. At any given time, you have close to 150 different bacteria living on your hands, and 80 percent of illnesses are spread by direct human contact. For kids, stomach bugs, strep throat and other bacterial illnesses can spread quickly, particularly in environments such as schools and day cares.

"I also tell young children to keep their hands below their neck. They don't rub their eyes, such their fingers or pick their nose," said Kim Mangham, M.D. a Cook Children's pediatrician in Keller. "Kids can have all the germs in the world living on their hands, but they don't put their hands in their mouth, nose or eyes, they won't get sick."

Having trouble convincing your children to get with the hand hygiene program? Let them know that fighting the spread of germs can be pretty cool. A recent study published in the American Journal of Infection Control concluded that fist bumping transmits far few bacteria than handshaking.