Baby Food Recipes, News and Information

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Once your baby has been separately introduced to all the fruits in this recipe, then why not make him this delicious fruit compote served with a cinnamon cream topping?

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

4oz dried apricots
2oz sultanas
1 apple, peeled and sliced
1 pear, peeled and sliced
1 pot of natural yogurt
drop of pure maple syrup
pinch of cinnamon

METHOD

Place the dried apricots and sultanas into a saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the fruit is tender (20-30 mins).
Add the sliced apple and pear and simmer for a further 10 mins. Check the amount of water in the pan and add a little extra if needed.
Puree until smooth, then set aside and cool.
To make the cinnamon cream topping, stir a little maple syrup into the natural yogurt and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Spoon a blob of cream topping on to your compote and serve! Yum!

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January 9, 2007 13:47 - Do You Practise What You Preach?

We all want our children to eat healthily - to forego fast foods in favour of wholesome, home-cooked meals and to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. But do we always practise what we preach?

There is no doubt that babies love to mimic others - that's how they learn, after all. If you want your baby to clap his hands, you will clap yours... and he will copy. So it makes sense that if you want your baby to learn to eat healthily, then you need to do the same!

I was reading an article today about a survey carried out in Canada, which revealed that 55% of parents said that they wanted their children to adopt their own eating habits, but admitted to eating more salty snacks than their children and snacking on fruit less often. As a parent, though, you won't get away with that for long! A little secret snacking may be possible whilst your little one is still in infancy, but older children will soon notice if your eating habits differ from the ones you hope to impose on them!

Another problem these days is that many families don't sit down to eat together on a regular basis - if at all. It can be hard to do, particularly when everyone is on a different schedule, but it really does establish good eating habits... plus it's an invaluable part of quality time with the family. It is, perhaps, even more important to eat together when you have a young baby. He learns all sort of things during mealtimes - not only healthy eating but also acceptable "dinner table behaviour", such as using cutlery when appropriate, not throwing food on the floor and so on. And, of course, the way he learns is by following the good example set by you and other family members.

Like adults, babies are far happier eating in company than they are alone - our making mealtimes fun page gives you some tips on how to include your baby at the family table (and still manage to eat some dinner yourself)!

So try your best to sit down to a healthy, family meal as often as you can. Use this special time to demonstrate healthy eating behaviour to your little one... make sure you eat lots of fruits and veggies along with your baby and that way you'll BOTH reap the benefits!

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January 10, 2007 15:32 - An Apology

It has just come to our attention that some of the links in our latest newsletter were not working properly due to recent changes to our site. We have fixed the problem, but our apologies to all those of you who kept getting returned to the same page when you clicked on a link! Please click this link to view the amended newsletter!

To sign up for our newletter (which works just fine, usually!!!), please click below.

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January 10, 2007 18:30 - Heinz Baby Food Concerns (UK)

The BBC is reporting today that two families are claiming to have found foreign objects in tins of Heinz baby food.

In the first incident, a 10 month old baby was left bleeding from the mouth by a piece of metal that his family claimed was present in a tin of Heinz spaghetti bolognese baby food. A second family then claimed to have discovered a stone in the same variety of food.

According to the BBC's report, Heinz said it would not be withdrawing the product from sale, adding that the incidents were unrelated but would be investigated.

For more details, you can read the full story at the BBC News website.

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January 10, 2007 20:18 - Two Heartwarming Stories

I came across two lovely, heartwarming stories this week that I wanted to share with you.

The first is the amazing story of little Kaven Gainey, who is making great progress after a difficult start to life. When he was born 8 months ago in Cardiff in the UK, he was given only a 5% chance of survival - because his birth was extremely premature, at only 23 weeks, when he weighed just 1lb 6oz (0.62kg).

Following his birth, little Kavan underwent surgery twice and stayed in hospital for 5 months due to a life-threatening bowel infection. He finally went home in October, although he may still face complications in the future. Nevertheless, according to this BBC story Kavan is doing well and gaining weight.

The second story from The Saratogian in the US concerns 7 year old Valentina Grace Savoia from Clifton Park, who decided to donate all the money the Tooth Fairy left her to a child with cancer. Little Valentina had was inspired by a TV show she had watched in which a girl collected other children's unwanted toys and donated them to a hospital. She had also asked her mother about cancer, having seen a newspaper photograph of 3 young children with no hair.

Valentina's touching plan also inspired those around her, because - once her relatives were made aware of her wishes - the Tooth Fairy's contributions multiplied significantly and Valentina collected over $200.

She and her family then elected to "adopt" a 10 year old girl and bought her special Christmas gifts with the funds they had raised!

The Savoias must be very proud of such a special and thoughtful little girl.

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January 11, 2007 14:46 - Calcium Warning To Breastfeeding Mothers

Research carried out in Japan has shown that there may be a risk to the bone structures around the teeth of breastfeeding mothers, particularly if their diet is low in calcium.

The study was carried out on rats rather than humans, so further human studies are necessary, but the researchers did feel that results showed the importance of a high calcium diet in nursing mothers. You can read more about this report here.

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January 12, 2007 09:04 - Warning About The Use Of Cough Syrup For Babies

Following the deaths of 3 babies, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning parents about the dangers of giving over-the-counter cold remedies to their infants without consulting a doctor first.

Over a period of 2 years, more than 1,500 toddlers and babies were taken to emergency rooms and 3 babies died after reacting to cough or cold medicines. When the deaths of the babies (all under 6 months) were investigated, it was discovered that they all had high levels of the nasal decongestant pseudoephedrine. These levels were 14 times higher than the amounts recommended for children aged 2 to 12.

The CDC said that the US Food and Drug Administration approves no dosing recommendations for children under 2 and that it is not known just how much cough or cold medicine can cause bad reactions or death in babies under 2 years of age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has previously warned parents about the risks of using certain cough medicines for babies and the American College of Chest Physicians recommended last year that doctors should not suggest cough suppressants and over-the-counter cough medications for children under the age of 2.

Dr. Michael Marcus, from Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital in New York, advises parents to " support with fluids and lots of kisses and time, because lots of infections are viral and will pass in a few days. The medications have a greater potential for harm than the infections you are trying to treat."

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January 12, 2007 09:05 - SIDS And The Use Of Pacifiers

Many parents find pacifiers or dummies a blessing when it comes to comforting a fretful baby, although concerns about the effects of pacifiers on dental development often leave parents feeling guilty about using them. But a new report in the January/February 2007 issue of General Dentistry shows that pacifiers may help reduce incidences of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

The new study explains that babies using a pacifier sleep less deeply than those who don't, meaning that it is possible to arouse them from a deep sleep that could result in the stopping of breathing. And, of course, the pacifier provides satisfaction and comfort.

The report doesn't dismiss the oral health concerns associated with pacifiers, though - and points out that pacifiers should not be used after a child reaches 2 years of age. Until that age, any potential problems with tooth alignment or bone development are usually corrected within 6 months of the pacifier being taken away. But continuing to offer a pacifier after the age of 2 can lead to problems with the development of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the teeth.

Tips from the Academy of General Dentistry to help wean your child from the pacifier/dummy include

• dipping it into white vinegar, which will give it an unpleasant taste
• piercing the nipple with an ice pick or cutting it shorter, to reduce the sucking satisfaction it provides
• going on a trip and leaving the pacifier behind
• simply going "cold turkey" and refusing to offer it to your child

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January 13, 2007 14:35 - Recall Of Light-Up Rattles (UK)

Marks & Spencer are recalling their Light-Up Rattles, because they may present a choking hazard.

Marks & Spencer have discovered that there is a risk that the battery compartment can become detached from the main body of the rattle. The rattles, with code T79/7790/3059, were sold at Marks and Spencer stores for £5.

If you have one of these rattles, please take it away from your child and return it to your local Marks & Spencer store, (excluding Simply Food and Outlet stores) and you will be given a full refund.

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January 13, 2007 14:42 - Peapod Soup For Baby

There are few things quite as tasty as fresh garden peas straight from the pod - but did you know that you can actually create a sweet and delicious soup for your baby from the peapods themselves?

For this peapod soup recipe, you need to use very fresh, green peapods - avoid any that appear discoloured or dried out. You can serve this soup to your baby from 6 months of age, but remember that all ingredients should have been introduced separately to your baby first.

Peapod Soup Recipe For Baby

1lb fresh peas
6 spring onions (also known as green onions or scallions), chopped
little olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
32 fl oz water or, for extra flavour, use homemade chicken stock
6 mint leaves, finely chopped
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1tbsp chopped fresh chives

Remove the peas from the pods and save for a different dish. Then, wash the pods thoroughly and remove the strings from the sides.
In a large pan, saute the onions in the olive oil until tender, then stir in the peapods and coat with the oil.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat, then cover and simmer for 40-50 mins.
Cool slightly, then pass the soup through a food mill. Finally, strain the soup through a sieve to remove any remaining fibres from the pods... and serve!

Yum... a useful and tasty alternative to the compost heap for your peapods!

Click below for some tasty vegetable recipes for babies from 10-12 months...

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