Tiny Tummies, Big Differences: US vs Japan
Starting babies on solids can be both an exciting and terrifying step. Thankfully, before my son, A-chun(his nickname), was born and only a few months after getting pregnant, the local government provided a boushitecho, Mother and Child’s Handbook.
Inside they provided a detailed description of how to prepare baby food, 離乳食(rinyushoku) in Japanese. There were pictures, suggested food types, and a timeline to help with weaning.
In fact, there can be a lot of pressure on moms to make homemade purees for their little ones. I was one of those moms who felt the pressure to provide my son with carefully crafted and healthy food.
I bought all the tools I thought I needed. When my in-laws were planning to get rid of their immersion blender, I excitedly asked for it knowing I could make baby food for A-chun. I thought it would be easy preparing everything since I was already cooking meals for myself. I could simply take the vegetables from our meal and make the baby food everyday. There are even special ice trays for baby food to store the extras in the freezer.
However, reality set in pretty quickly. When my son refused certain foods or simply didn’t eat, all my hard work would be wasted and go into the trash. I gave up all notions of making everything from scratch. I turned to the supermarkets and local delivery systems to provide baby food that was easier, more convenient, and lasted longer.
The food delivery companies in Japan cater to moms by providing a special catalog that features different kinds of food for both babies and toddlers. Some of the food is frozen like pureed spinach or rice that can be quickly warmed up in the microwave and served. They even have other items such as formula, diapers, and wipes.
Weaning and First Foods
Japan is still focused on purees and starting babies on solids around 5 to 6 months. Over the next few months, there’s a slow gradual increase of food’s firmness and size. The approach focuses mostly on the baby’s stomach and digestive system to reduce discomfort or problems along the way. It’s also recommended by doctors as a safe way to introduce foods to prevent choking.
I found that the American style of weaning is much more relaxed, focusing on signs that tell parents when baby might ready: sitting up, showing interest in food, etc. Baby-led weaning has become popular, focusing on letting babies explore and play with their food to get comfortable with it. There’s a lot of focus on increasing baby’s skills with holding food and using their tongue or gums to mash it.
The first food is rice for its simple taste and digestive ease. Japan is also pretty passionate about rice and the nutrients it provides. There’s also a belief that each grain of rice holds the power of seven gods inside of it. Even during my labor when I was struggling to eat, the nurse made small rice balls by hand. She told me that by eating rice I would gain enough energy to give birth to my son. Other foods that babies are given right off the bat include vegetables like carrots, daikon (Japanese radish), and kabocha (pumpkin-like squash). Dashi (fish stock) and miso are also provided as soups or healthy flavorings.
The first food is usually iron-fortified cereals. These cereals are especially made for babies since their iron levels tend to drop after around six months. Pureed vegetables are also very popular foods for babies to try as they begin eating solids. I’ve heard some parents hold off on giving pureed fruits for a while since they’re sweet and babies will refuse others foods in favor of the fruit.
One of the big differences I think between America and Japan is how protein is introduced. Japan tends to introduce tofu and white fish early one as one of the first foods babies start with. Whereas America tends to provide beef, chicken, or turkey as the first proteins a baby eats.
Allergens
This was likely the hardest cultural aspect I had to deal with: allergens. In Japan they’re often introduced very late around 9-12 months of age. Some items like soba (buckwheat) are introduced even later. My husband is worried about it the most as his cousin is highly allergic to it. We haven’t given soba directly to A-chun yet. He’s had udon noodles that have been prepared and cooked in the same water as soba so we can feel some ease that his allergy is likely not strong.
However, in America, there’s a push to introduce allergens early in hopes of reducing the development of allergies later on. There’s also the belief of introducing small amounts of allergens to build up a tolerance over time. Peanuts are probably one of the biggest allergens that parents worry about in America. Peanut puff snacks are introduced early to reduce the chances of a reaction.
Outings with Baby
This is probably the biggest stress all parents face both in America and Japan. No one wants to be the parent with the crying baby or toddler who is ‘ruining’ everyone else’s outing. This can very much be the case in Japan. In places like cafes and restaurants, parents are often reluctant to go in fear of causing a scene. Many places don’t offer high chairs and some that offer them don’t have a seat belt to keep your little one seated during the meal.
However, there are places that welcome babies! One of the sushi chain restaurants we often went to offered baby food purees for littles ones as young as five months. A restaurant we went to last week provided the similar baby food purees. They even had a kids menu that offered different sizes of meals depending on the child’s age or appetite.
Closing Thoughts
There is no perfect way to raise a child. Every family and every country has their own unique way of doing things. Even throughout generations, the way we raise children changes as we grow or learn as a society. I’m not here to judge how one country does something over the other. I simply enjoy sharing the different perspectives and way of life.
How was starting solids in your family? Did your child have a favorite first food? My son absolutely loved daikon (Japanese radish) and still scarfs it down whenever we have it at meal time.
Until next time, stay safe~
a.t.kumagai
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