I’m excited to write this blog post to document our journey to starting solids and inspire other mommas!

Before we begin, I want to encourage you to find a method that works for you and your baby. There are no two babies that are the same and what works for us may not work for you.

With a BS in Food Science and Nutrition and a desire to lay a foundation that will encourage a healthy relationship with food for my son, I want to share how we’re starting! We’re only a couple of weeks in and every day looks different. Eating solids is a skill that has to be practiced, so be patient. The best thing you can do is stay out of the way and let your baby figure it out on their own without any reaction.

During my research and after talking to our pediatrician I was shocked to know that starting solids does not replace a feeding. I am still breastfeeding five times a day (every three hours).

For the first year they are expanding their palate and perfecting the skill of eating. Once you are comfortable it’s time to change things up add a new texture or food! Our end goal is for Brooks to eat what we eat at every meal.

When we started thinking about starting solids, we were quarantined with state-driven stay at home orders. Hello 2020 #coronavirus! Brooks was five and a half months, so we had time to practice. 

when

There were three key milestones I wanted Brooks to master before we introduced solids, even if that meant waiting. 1) Sitting up unassisted for several minutes at a time, 2) showing interest in our food, and 3) having the desire to put things in his mouth. Just like tummy time, we practiced sitting up unassisted and we would eat in front of him more often saying things like crunchy, smooth, sweet, or chewy to explain food textures. Try and replace words like yummy and stay away from yucky completely with words that describe the specific foods. We also added a spoon to the set of toys Brooks likes to play with, so he could get the hang of putting the spoon in his mouth. He gagged and quickly learned how far the spoon goes into his mouth. Two weeks before he was 6 months old he had mastered sitting unassisted for 10+ mins at a time.

Your baby has their whole life to eat solid foods! It’s so important to wait until all of the developmental signs are there. Give your baby plenty of opportunity to practice before starting. Eating is a skill! We felt Brooks was ready so we started solids a week after he turned six months old!

what

We decided to take a flexible approach to starting solids by combining the traditional and baby-led feeding styles. Since I love learning about the science behind foods, I did lots of research to come up with the foods we would use. Your baby is born with about 6-8 months worth of iron stores (give or take depending on the mother’s iron stores during pregnancy). After that time, babies need iron from foods as a supplement to breastmilk. We’ve started with 1 meal a day and I’m offering three different food groups at each meal: a high calorie food, an iron rich food, and a vegetable. So far, I’ve served whatever we have in the refrigerator and modified it appropriately. I steamed, pureed, and sliced foods to give Brooks a wide variety of tastes and textures. Being in tune with your baby and his/her milestones is most important. Meet your baby where they are and practice! It took Brooks one whole week of meals before he swallowed his first piece of food! Do not get discouraged, this is normal! Remember, for the first year they are getting most of their nutrition from either the breast or bottle.

where 

Believe it or not, where your baby eats is a huge part of the success! After I dive into explaining this a little more you may have the same ah ha moment as I did.

Highchair – This is the most important item! You want to find a highchair that has a foot support! This isn’t something you may think about, but listen up. Have you ever been to a bar or restaurant and the chair is either too tall or the bar stool doesn’t have a foot rest, and your feet are left dangling? Remember how uncomfortable and distracting that was? How often did you fidget, slouch, or move around to try and get comfortable? This is no different for babies. Parents jump to conclusions about why their baby doesn’t sit still at the table and this is most likely the main reason!

We are using the Nomi High Chair and are loving it for so many reasons:

The footrest can be adjusted without any tools so that it’s always in the correct spot for your child as they grow. It’s easy to wipe down. There are no crevices, cushions (sold separately and removable), or other places for food to get trapped. It’s lightweight making it easy to carry around with one hand. Having your baby at the table during mealtime encourages social skills, manners and how to be an active part of the family conversations. It’s not just for mealtime. You can easily pop off the tray making it chair or a stool that is perfect for activities like homework, crafts, coloring, games, and standing to help cook. This chair holds up to 330 lbs. We can’t wait to make so many memories with our Nomi! It’s an investment, but instead of spending $100 here and there on highchairs, boosters, and cooking stools this is an all in one! 

Babycook – I’ve been either steaming or pureeing Brooks’ food in this and love how easy it is to use.

Spoon – These are the spoons we let Brooks use while playing and eating. I love them because the food doesn’t slide down the spoon and is easy for the baby to grip since they are silicone!

Bib – Our favorites linked here.

Mat – Our favorite linked here.

Sippy cup – We are practicing with this one.

Washcloth – I know this may seem silly, but these are my favorite washcloths for an easy clean up!

how

Like I said earlier, the first several months of eating is more for practice and skill building. Babies are getting their primary nutritients from milk or formula. You are in charge of what is offered, let them be in charge of how they eat and what they eat. Keep cool, calm, and collected. Babies can sense if you are anxious. Be prepared for a mess and don’t try and prevent them from making one. Once they are done eating, they will let you know, and then you can clean up.

Relax and enjoy this process! They learn so quickly and get so excited when they master new skills.

If you have any other tips or questions please let me know!

Our Nomi High Chair was gifted, but all opinions are my own.

I am not and do not claim to be an expert. Please consult with your pediatrician before starting solids.

Learn more about Nomi here!

Inspired, Maryashley

The post Starting Solids appeared first on Simply Maryashley.

My Recent Diagnosis

Michael and I haven’t had much going on this year, ha! With the exciting news of our baby in January, building and selling a home, moving, Michael in graduate school, both of us occasionally traveling for work and traveling for fun we wanted a solution! We researched different options for quick, easy, and healthy meal options in Atlanta. It was honestly hard for me in the beginning to wrap my head around, because we enjoy being in the kitchen together. I absolutely love being creative with my meals, but we are exhausted.

The car was packed and we were heading to Charlotte for the holiday weekend when I got a call from my OB’s office. I answered the phone to my absolute favorite nurse! After she asked how I was doing she told me the news. I had failed my glucose tolerance test. I was speechless. What! I said? So, confused! I honestly asked her if she had the right patient. I couldn’t help but think it was my fault knowing deep down it wasn’t. I have a Bachelors degree in Nutrition. The nurse told me she failed hers with her first baby and so did my sister. At this point I was feeling certain that when I came back for the 4-hour retest it would be negative. It wasn’t.

Even though I know there was nothing I did it’s only natural that your mind goes there. Anything that could negatively impact your baby is scary! I’m healthy, never had a diagnosis in my life, and am still working out at OrangeTheory at least 3 times a week. How could this be possible?

I wanted to write about my diagnosis because it is very common and I don’t think talked about very often. If you are reading this and feel for a second, it’s your fault I want to tell you again it’s not! When you are pregnant your placental hormones can cause high blood sugar. Your pancreas isn’t able to make enough insulin to convert glucose into energy so you have extra glucose floating around in your bloodstream.

During my next Ob visit we went over the diagnosis and next steps. They recommended that I attend a gestational diabetes education course and check my blood sugars four times a day. Luckily, I don’t need medication or insulin! I scheduled my appointments and Michael came with me. He has been so supportive and was the best student! My goals are to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day, remain active, and check my blood sugars 4 times a day. I guess this is only preparing me for all of the feeding I’m about to be doing when baby Brooks gets here!

That Monday we had our first appointment with the Perinatologist and had an extensive ultrasound. We finally got to see his parts (if you know what I mean). Michael finally feels confident it’s a boy! Baby is measuring a week ahead and is super healthy! We were so relieved. Then the Dr. came in to review the results with us and told me that they found I have two placentas. What in the world? Well this explains the spike in placental hormones! Thank goodness for the technology! He gave us details which I’ll spare you, but just said it is imperative that I deliver both placentas.

Luckily this all happened the same week we started Good Measure Meals and talk about great timing!

Good Measure Meals

With my Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition I have to say I was skeptical. What if the meals have too much sodium? What if we are starving an hour later? Let me tell you both thoughts weren’t true! Each meal is fresh, never frozen, and perfectly balanced. Giving you the lasting energy, you need to conquer everything else life throws your way!

I got to work one on one with Caroline, the sweetest Registered Dietitian, to build a meal plan that was perfect for each of us! Knowing the baby and I are getting all the nutrients we need has brought such peace of mind!

Michael and I have enjoyed everything Good Measure Meals has to offer for over a week now and let’s just say we’re fans! Having 5 days of healthy balanced meals prepared and ready to go has been amazing. The hardest part is picking which meals we should eat first! Not hearing “what are we going to eat” every night has been ah-mazing!


Wether you are expecting, just had a baby, or wanting to start a new training regimen, Good Measure Meals has you covered! Let Good Measure Meals cook and deliver! You will be eating in less than 3 mins.

They even sell gift cards! Give that mamma to be or the new mamma what she really wants, a break from the kitchen without sacrificing taste or nutrition!

Thank you, Good Measure Meals, for giving us a much-needed break! Click here for a $20 discount code and try it for yourself! I can promise you won’t regret it.

For every meal you get you are giving back to Open Hands Atlanta. I’ve volunteered with Open Hands since I moved to Atlanta in 2012. Michael and I have both enjoyed our experience volunteering with Open Hands Atlanta and were so excited to give back and try the meals ourself.

Shop the post! 

Inspired, Maryashley

The post My Recent Diagnosis + Good Measure Meals appeared first on Simply Maryashley.

The holiday season is all about celebrating, togetherness, and indulging…in moderation!

I’ve put together 15 useful tips to help you do just that!

I admit the holidays are hard, but implementing the below tips you will be sure to get through the holidays and into the New Year feeling your best! 

1. Give in to Cravings

Giving in to cravings, in moderation, can curb the desire to binge. Still want more of that apple pie …try thinking of your favorite holiday activity or daydreaming about pleasant activities to reduce the intensity of food cravings. If you’re still craving the pie, have a bite and truly allow yourself to enjoy it! 

2. Bring your Own

Bring a healthy side dish or dessert. Taste what you want, but know you have a healthy alternative. My favorite thing to bring to a party is a big ole salad!

3. Fill up on Fiber

Snacking on vegetables and other high-fiber items like whole grains, chia seeds, beans, and avocado can help keep you fuller, longer.

4. Make Room for Healthy Fats

We need fat in our diets to provide energy and absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, plus fat helps us feel full. My favorite sources of healthy fats are from avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.

5. Ditch Added Sugar

Added sugar may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity. Stick to sugar that comes in its natural forms (fruits, veggies, and whole grains), and try small tastes of the desserts you’re truly craving!

6. Beware of Booze

I’m not saying cut it out completely, hear me out! Not only does alcohol add calories to your diet, but getting boozy has another effect on us, too. Drinking too much can make us lose our inhibitions around food and start overeating.

I recommend treating your booze like a food group! I’ve calculated the macros for easy planning! Cheers y’all!

5oz glass of Champagne = 98 calories, 12g Carbs and 5.5g Fat

5oz glass of Red Wine = 129 calories, 16g Carbs and 7g Fat

1.5oz shot of Vodka = 110 calories, 14g Carbs and 6g Fat

1.5oz Tequila = 105 calories, 13g Carbs and 6g Fat

7. Drink Plenty of H2O

Drinking water helps you feel full, and as a result consume fewer calories. Treat yourself to a glass of red wine with dinner and keep your allegiance to water for the rest of the day.

8. Smaller Plates

True story growing up, I ate on a small plate until I went to college! This is a trick I’ve used my whole life and it works.

Using smaller plates can actually make us feel full with less food. It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that dinner has been served, it’s best to go for a walk or chat with friends and family before dishing up seconds.

9. Practice Mindful Eating

The quicker we eat, the less time the body has to register fullness. So slow down and take a second to savor each bite of baked brie or a scoop of spiced nuts.

10. Serve Meals Restaurant-Style

When you sit down for the main meal, leave food in the kitchen (away from reach). By leaving food near the stove it can help reduce overall food intake.

11. It’s ok to Just Say No

Though your relatives may encourage overeating by shoving seconds onto a cleaned plate, it’s OK to respectfully decline. “I’m full” or “I’m taking a break”.

12. Festive Tupperware

Before guests leave you with half-full platters of food, load up containers for friends and family as they leave.

13. Meditate

Using techniques like muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and mindfulness can help binge eaters become aware of how they turn to food to deal with emotions.

14. Stay Positive

Many of us punish ourselves for indulgences. Instead, positive messages like “I can control my eating” or “I’m proud that I ate responsibly today” can reframe our relationship with food. Research shows positive expectations are associated with weight loss. Even if it feels a little silly, try telling yourself at least one positive affirmation per day.

15. De-Stress

The holiday season is full of cheer, but it can also be stressful keeping up with family get-togethers and paying for all those gifts. Unfortunately, a lot of stress can trigger increased eating and cravings, especially for sugary carbs. If family time (or being away from family during the holidays) has you feeling overwhelmed, try out one of these ways to reduce stress before turning to hot chocolate and cookies.

     Move

Pre book your workouts during the holidays, so that you have accountability. Take a walk around your neighborhood and call a family member or friend. Use your bodyweight, even in small spaces, to work up a sweat.

     Sleep

Getting enough sleep can help shave off some pounds, since sleep loss is linked to changes in appetite. Getting enough sleep has also been associated with less weight gain. For your best nights sleep turn off electronics in the bedroom and avoid high-fat foods or alcohol before bedtime.

     Set Realistic Goals

During the holidays, especially New Year’s it’s easy to set lofty goals about weight loss (ex. drop ten pounds by February!). Write down your goals, keep them specific and attainable, and post them somewhere highly visible.

I hope these tips were helpful! I recommend carrying these principles into the New Year and beyond!

Which tip are you going to adopt today?

Inspired, Maryashley

shop the post

The post 15 Useful Tips for Navigating the Holidays appeared first on Simply Maryashley.