Jeff:
>....skipped....You see, my wife is pregnant, and we're interested in
>folks who've had experience with raw-food fed babies. Naturally, breast
>milk makes up all of their diet for some period of time, but when do raw
>pureed solids come into the picture? And what types of foods (fruits, I
>presume?). Has anyone fed a baby solely raw food that would care to
>share what foods, when introduced, raw for how long, and results? I'd
>appreciate any thoughts when it's convenient!

Since it's not "convenient" at the moment...but will be later on...I'll
throw in my tidbits for your consideration in the next day or so.

I will say this much:  It's been tough for you to stick it out 100% beyond
five months, but then you've been addicted to the cooked junk for quite a while.

Your newborn will not have this same problem, since he/she will start from
scratch...with none of those delicious cooked concoctions luring him away
from the straight and narrow road of true nutrition.

My son started 100% raw for this reason, a good four years before I bit the
bullet.  I had too much (was a veggie gourmet type) to give up, in my
unbridled hedonism of the palate, so he led the way for the rest of
us...and, of course, thrived on his nursing (four years) and then pure raw
diet, as he weaned off the nipple-faucet.

That was a few years ago (he's 24 now), but, strange as it may sound, I
wouldn't mind trying it all over again...especially since I have so much
experience behind me now.  Back then it was all working out my theories (I
hadn't yet had the good fortune of encountering the likes of Dr. Shelton, et
al) on him, and, with some trepidation, getting myself psyched up for the
inevitable plunge for myself...and his older sister.  I procrastinated as
much as was conveniently excusable...but finally came to that point when I
had to dive in and join him.

My radical ideas about diet and the strange life-style that seemed to go
along with it, did a lot to help undermine my long term marriage to his
mother.  She was sure that I had lost my marbles (she may have been right,
but wouldn't want her to know I admitted as much, of course!), so we
literally grew apart. But I lucked out and enjoyed the kid raising more than
she did, so got to experience the great joy involved in watching two
youngsters grow and flourish without the maladies that worry and so stress
out "normal" parents.

Jeff, I envy what you are about to begin.  It is challenging, not always an
easy road to hoe, but the rewards are simply indescribable.

TTYL,

Ric

>P.S. Ric -- In 1991, my brother and I were traveling around the country
>living out of a van (we were raw at the time). We attended a Natural
>Hygiene meeting in Los Angeles that fall and heard you speak!! You'd
>been raw for 16 years and were absolutely inspirational! Keep up the
>good work!

Well, I'll be darned.  What a small world! Thanks for the overly kind words.
The kids and I traveled about the U.S. for a year in a RV, too.  Going all
raw made it much, much easier, as you obviously discovered, too.

Glad you enjoyed the talk, especially if it encouraged you at all to keep up
the raw-is-law number a bit longer (hope you didn't abandon the raw-is-law
routine right after Los Angeles!).  Did you settle back East...or where?