food safety for a 7 month old

[Flowermoon90]

So, I have started soilds for my DD, and I have been trying to make her purees. I usually makes them in Avent food processor and the last food I made was butternut squash puree. I washed, peeled, and cut about 100 grams into tiny cubes and let it steam for about 15 minutes.
Now I'm paranoid about whether I steamed it enough or not. Did the food's internal temperature reach 75 C? Was the kitchen knife clean? was the board clean?
To give you a little context, I suffered from postnatal anxiety for three months, but I've been doing so much better. However, now that food is in the picture, I find many things triggering my anxiety even though I've been taking my medicine and was really fine.
So, help me out here. Do I have reason to worry or is this excessive anxiety? Those of you who have experience making baby food, is steaming for 15 minutes enough?

It's a vegetable, the internal temperature wouldn't matter. It will be absolutely fine.

It’s excessive anxiety. It doesn’t need any special cooking just normal like you have done.

if you find this is worrying you maybe worth seeking a bit more help

Butternut squash can be eaten raw. If you aren't sure about anything, just do a quick check on Google.

I did, and it actually made my anxiety ten times worse. Apparently vegetables need to be steamed for at least 15 minutes, and it keeps saying that you need to check the temperature with a thermometer. Now I'm just worried if it did or not.

I'm mostly worried about the knife and the cutting board. Since i kept half of the squash in the fridge for two days and then steamed it, in my head, somehow bacteria multiplied like crazy in there. -__-

I'm actually considering talking with my OP to up my medicine. It's just too much to take like this. I need to give my DD food, and it is torture this way.

Lots of people would just be giving a baby a mashed up version of what they or their other children are having, or bits of their own meal to gum or chew on, so no special preparation involved at all. So you are overthinking it.

It’s good that you’re recognising the anxiety (and yes it does sound like you’re worrying unnecessarily).
I think talking to your GP again would be a good idea.

It's excessive, well done for questioning it.

For perspective, I have never once thought about the internal temperature of a vegetable, and occasionally my dog licks the spoon my 7mo is eating off...

Yes speak to your GP. I feel like I have read loads about weaning (also felt quite anxious about it) and I have never seen anything about temperature of foods or how long to steam things for, only that it needs to be soft enough to puree.

Hope the GP is helpful and that you feel more in control soon💐

I sympathise OP, I was very anxious postnatally too. But honestly, a slightly raw vegetable won’t hurt baby, if it was meat the risk would obviously be bigger but even then still tiny. Steaming for at least 15 minutes is probably more to make sure it’s soft enough to purée and reduce the risk of choking rather than about killing bacteria.

I chilled out a bit when DD started crawling and eating all kinds of crap off the floor and she suffered no ill effects. The final straw for me was when we went camping, I was stood at the sink sterilising her bottles and dummies while she was literally outside eating mud - it was like an epiphany and since then I’ve been way more relaxed. It will get better and easier as she gets older ❤

My DD is 22 months now and I haven't made her sick with any of the food I have cooked for us yet. It's fine, just relax. Perhaps talk with your HV/GP about your anxiety coming back.

Honestly your baby will be fine. It's definitely the anxiety making you think these things. Definitely speak to the GP as soon they will be mobile and putting all sorts of things off the floor in their mouth. Can you reframe it in your head - germs build strong immunity etc?

I don't know what I'd do if DD ate mud. I definitely know that when she starts crawling, she'll put everything in her mouth, but I'm still in the denial stage. :)
Believe it or not, I have become more relaxed. I spent one month crying because I thought I'd given her neonatal listeria. My GP believed my OCD had in fact turned to delusion, and they believed the only way it can be controlled is through medicine.
Though it seems I'm not relaxed enough yet. :)