TheHistoryOf.net

The Gerber Baby is an International icon, a symbol of the perfect cute child, ready to eat the food created especially for her nutritional needs.  From the vibrant blue eyes to the healthy pink cheeks, she sends the message that there is a company out there that is devoted to developing the perfect for your child at each stage of his life.  However, it has not always been thus.

In the Beginning

Like other mammals, human females naturally produce the perfect food for their offspring.  Children were typically breast fed until they could eat the same food as their parents.  Until the early 20th century, women who could not breast feed their children, or just didn’t want to, were assisted by “wet nurses,” women who had recently given birth themselves and could be employed to nurse another woman’s child, also.

A Formula for Success

In addition to breast milk, babies were also fed homemade formulas.  Families often passed their traditional recipe down from one generation to the next.  Because there were few, if any, standardized and scientifically tested recipes, the quality of each recipe was pretty much up for grabs.  Thus, even children in the same socio-economic environment might have very different nutritional benefits.

The post-WWII consumer culture brought about a surge of companies producing a myriad of infant formulas.  In fact, breast feeding fell out of favor as more and more mothers came to believe that companies knew better than nature what was best.

The Original DIY

As children reached the six month range, they were introduced to their first semi-solid foods; typically whatever type of cereal was most common in that culture.  This meant that a child in the Orient would consume well-cooked rice, while an infant in the American West would get his start with something similar to today’s Cream of Wheat.

As a child grew and developed teeth, mothers would begin to feed their children from their own plates, mashing up whatever soft foods they themselves were eating.  One the one hand, they had little if any nutritional training.  On the other hand, the children benefited from the generally fresh, home grown and organic foods.

Factory Firsts

The first type of food designed exclusively for infants were finely ground cereals that were processed to be easily digested for infants that were still being nursed or fed formula.  The first, the infamous Pablum, was produced in the early 1930s and marketed primarily as a food for infants who were too ill to progress to table food.

By the mid-1950’s, factories weren’t just making cereals; they were producing every kind of highly processed, finely pureed fruits, vegetables and meats.  These were marketed in tiny sealed single serving jars that sparked a whole new industry:  the baby food jar craft plans.

Moving on Up

Today, supermarkets devote entire aisles to nothing but baby foods and products.  In addition to foods for children just transitioning from milk to table food, there are multiple types of baby, and now toddler, foods that are designed to meet every need for children until they are ready to start school.

About the Author

As a mom, Melissa Cameron knows the importance of good nutrition from an early age.  She has devoted herself to researching and choosing good foods for her family.  She also shares her thoughts and opinions at Joovy Caboose reviews and Bumbleride stroller reviews.