Baby Food Recipes, News and Information

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Despite what the commercial baby food manufacturers may have you believe...baby food does not have to be bland!

Many parents worry about including spices in foods for their babies - yet many spices are aromatic rather than hot. Adding them to your baby's dinner is a healthy way to provide some extra flavour and can turn a simple, uninspiring vegetable dish into something exciting that your baby will enjoy.

You can introduce spices into your baby's diet from 6 months, but - as with any food - you need to check first with your child's doctor and always apply the four day rule as you introduce them. If your baby does experience any kind of reaction or digestive upset, then you will be able to easily identify the culprit and eliminate it from your baby's diet.

You may wish to delay the introduction of spices for at least another few months if there is a family history of food allergy, or if your baby's digestive system is particularly sensitive.

Milder spices - as opposed to hot ones - are best at first, although babies in many cultures enjoy very spicy foods from an early age. This eye-opening article from MSNBC shows how some pediatricians feel that many of the traditional "rules" for feeding babies are rooted in myth - and that there is no reason why infants shouldn't be able to enjoy a much more varied diet than that commonly offered in the west.

When you stop to think about it, your baby (if breastfed) is probably ALREADY familiar with the tastes of spices and garlic from your breastmilk! And here's food for thought... studies have shown that many babies nurse BETTER if their mothers have been eating garlic!

JUST A FEW OF THE BENEFITS OF SPICES FOR YOUR BABY

Turmeric is an excellent anti-oxidant.

Cumin promotes a healthy digestive system.

Cinnamon is a good source of manganese, fibre, iron and calcium. Also, the scent of cinnamon is said to boost brain function... so a quick sniff is good for us Mums too!

Garlic is a powerful anti-oxidant and aids digestion.

Coriander (both a herb and a spice, because its seeds and leaves are used) is a good source of fibre, iron, magnesium and manganese.

Many of our recipes use these tasty and healthy spices - click below to try some of our delicious baby curry recipes and add a spicy twist to your baby's meal tonight!

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October 24, 2006 18:50 - Infant Feeding Problems - Is Therapy The Answer?

A report today reveals that more and more parents are turning to therapists to seek solutions to their babies' problems.

Therapists working in the field of infant mental health, which covers children from birth to the age of 3, are being widely utilized to treat such problems as separation anxiety, social anxiety disorders and eating problems, including sensory food aversions and infantile anorexia.

Although, in many cases, seeking therapy may be perfectly justified, it seems that some parents are worrying about "problems" that don't actually exist. As the report points out:

"...Dr. Thomas sees babies who have physical or psychological problems as well as babies with parents whose expectations are out of sync with the child's abilities. "What if the parent expects the child to sit at six months and the child is not sitting?" she says. "The parent might worry that the child is delayed or retarded. They might pressure the child and then the child gets frustrated"..."

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06297/732517-114.stm

It's certainly true that many "feeding problems" aren't actually problems at all - but are perfectly normal infant behaviour! A baby's reluctance to eat is a VERY common cause of worry to many parents - yet babies refuse to eat for all sorts of reasons. Of course, it's always a good idea to consult your child's doctor if you suspect a problem, but in most cases, fussy feeding is just a phase that babies outgrow. Click below to visit our "Baby Feeding Problems" page, which looks at common feeding difficulties and tells you how you can tell that your baby is eating enough.

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October 25, 2006 16:54 - US Study Confirms That Flu Shots Are Safe For Babies

The largest study ever conducted to assess the side effects of flu shots in children has confirmed that the flu vaccine is safe for babies and toddlers.

45,000 U.S. children were studied and virtually no side effects requiring medical treatment were found during the six weeks following the date of vaccination.

This news is a big comfort for many parents unsure about whether or not to have their children vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 90 children under 5 die of the flu each season.

The study did report a few more cases of mild nausea and diarrhea than expected during the first two weeks following the shot, but this occured in only 13 cases out of the many thousands studied.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=2603242

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October 26, 2006 14:45 - Breakfast Ideas For Baby

Sometimes, it can be difficult to look past the traditional "bowl of cereal" when deciding what to give your baby for breakfast. Our new list of 15 breakfast ideas for baby offers a few more suggestions to make baby's breakfast more interesting - including tips for making quick and nutritious instant oatmeal that your baby will really enjoy!

Of course, it's not essential that your baby eat specific "breakfast food" and we'd love to hear about the weird and wonderful things YOUR baby has for breakfast... just click below to comment and share your ideas with other Mums!

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October 26, 2006 16:51 - Create Photo Gifts For Family And Friends With Sony ImageStation (US)

Don't miss this Holiday promotion from our sponsors, Sony ImageStation!

From Oct 24th to Nov 20th, Sony ImageStation is offering 30% and more off photo gifts including photo playing cards, puzzles, photo bags and color photo crystals - meaning you can create unique gifts using your favourite baby photos!

This promotion also includes
20 free prints for every new customer!

30% OFF selected photo gifts plus get 20 FREE prints from Sony ImageStation when you sign up

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October 26, 2006 22:17 - Rite Aid Accused Of Selling Expired Baby Food

Sometimes you come across items in the news that make you very glad you prepare your own baby food - product recalls, for example, when jars of baby food are found to contain bone fragments or to be contaminated in some way.

Another worrying situation is the sale of expired baby food products in stores - highlighted this week when dozens of Rite Aid Stores in New Jersey were accused of selling, amongst other things, expired baby food and formula. If you do buy any commercial baby food products, this serves as a reminder to check the dates on these items very carefully.

To ensure that your homemade baby food is eaten before its "best buy" date, rotate your supply by bringing older food to the front of the refrigerator or freezer and storing newer food behind it.

"BabySteps Freezer Trays (2-Pack) by KidCo" $7.95

It's a good idea to label any food you make with both the date of preparation AND the ingredients. It can be difficult to tell pureed foods apart and - if your baby reacts to a particular food and you need to eliminate it from his diet - clear labelling will make it easy to remove meals containing the "bad" food from your supply.

Click below for more tips and advice to help you safely prepare and store your baby's food.




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October 29, 2006 17:15 - Applesauce Recipe For Baby - Sugar-Free

This sugar-free applesauce recipe for baby is very simple to make and, once cooled, can provide a wonderfully soothing food for a teething baby.

The secret to making delicious appleasuce for your baby without sugar is to select apples that are naturally sweet. Good varieties to use include

• Red Delicious
• Golden Delicious
• Gala
• Red Rome
• Fuji
• Pink Lady

You can even try using a mixture of these apples in your baby's applesauce.

Sugar-free Applesauce Recipe

YOU WILL NEED...

4 or 5 medium apples, peeled and cored
pinch cinnamon or nutmeg
water

Chop the apples roughly and place into a saucepan.
Add around 1inch of water (alternatively, you can use apple juice, but be aware that this does contain sugar).
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for around 10-15 mins, until the apples chunks are soft.

Don't be tempted to cook the apples until the mixture actually resembles applesauce - by this time it will be very watery and tasteless. As soon as the apples are soft, remove the chunks from the "sauce" and pass them through a food mill/coarse sieve or - for older babies - mash well. You can achieve the perfect consistency for your baby by stirring in a little cooking water from the pot.
Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg and serve warm or chilled.

If you plan to freeze your applesauce for baby, add extra nutmeg or cinnamon first, as these spices tend to lose their flavour during freezing.

NOTE: If your baby is constipated - or prone to constipation - avoid applesauce, as it tends to make the problem worse.

Click below for more tasty recipes for baby using different types of fruit.

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October 29, 2006 22:22 - Caring For Your Baby's Teeth

In the news this week, a US mother is facing charges after her son, age 5, lost 12 baby teeth due to decay.

According to a police affidavit, the boy's mother told authorities that her son's baby teeth would have fallen out anyway - implying that they do not require as much care as permanent teeth.

This is a serious misconception.

Of course, your baby will lose his milk teeth - but they are important nevertheless.

• Baby teeth help your child speak clearly and correctly.

• They act as "spacers" for the permanent teeth, ensuring that a place is available for each permanent tooth to grow into. A loss of a baby tooth means that the space for the permanent tooth is lost too - this can result in the permanent teeth shifting and may lead to orthodontic problems.

• Your baby needs his milk teeth to bite and chew his food.

• Once your baby is at pre-school age, it will be important to him to look the same as everyone else - in other words, with a full set of beautiful baby teeth!

To help keep your baby's teeth free of cavities...

• do NOT add sugar to his food. Many foods are naturally sweet - if a food does require a little extra sweetening, try a little pure maple syrup, barley malt or brown rice syrup. NEVER use honey in recipes for a baby under 1 year of age (whether cooked or uncooked) because honey may contain botulism spores.

• avoid giving your baby juice - whole fruit is far better. It's a good idea to get your baby used to drinking water, when appropriate.

• If you do give your baby juice, always use a sippy cup - never a bottle, to avoid the juice pooling around your baby's teeth.

• Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of either juice or milk - many parents do not realise that the lactose in milk can cause tooth decay.

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