Baby Food Recipes, News and Information

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One of the most common worries we experience when we travel with our babies is how will we manage without the equipment we use at home? This is particularly true when we plan a trip abroad and are unsure about the facilities that may be available at our destination.

Fortunately, there are a number of great products designed specifically for parents travelling with very young children... including everything from inflatable bath tubs to portable safety gates! On our new travel accessories page we have brought together a selection of our favourites, with items available in either the US or the UK.

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April 17, 2007 14:21 - Coping With Slippery Foods

Have you ever watched your little one trying to pick up pieces of slippery food, like banana, peach or avocado? It can be pretty difficult - and doesn't your heart go out to him when he almost gets the food into his mouth... only for it to slide right back through his fingers?

But you can make things a little easier for him! (This is a tip that appears on our finger foods page - but it's a good one, so we're repeating it here for those of you who might have missed it!).

Simply take the slippery food and cut it into bite-size pieces. Then roll the pieces in a healthy "coating". You can crush cereal into a powder to make a coating - or use the "dust" left at the bottom of the cereal bag (a great way to make use of something that usually gets discarded!). Make sure you choose a cereal that isn't loaded with sugar.

Alternatively, use wheat germ - a very healthy addition to your baby's diet (check out February's edition of our newsletter, which includes a great article all about the nutritive benefits of wheat germ. Or click here for more information about introducing wheat to your baby).

Hey presto - your baby's food is now easier for him to manage... and you've sneaked in a few extra nutrients in the process!

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April 17, 2007 14:33 - Getting Started With Soy

April is National Soy Foods Month in the US - so, if your baby is at least 8 months of age, you may like to consider getting started with soy by introducing tofu into your baby's diet.

Tofu is more than just a vegetarian alternative to meat. It is a highly nutritious food - and it is very easy to incorporate into your baby's diet because it readily takes on the flavours of other foods it is cooked with. This means that you can add it to your little one's favourite meal without him noticing - yet he'll be receiving all the extra nutrients that tofu supplies.

Before you get started, please read through our soy allergy information. It is important to be aware that soy is a potential allergen, meaning that it won't be suitable for all babies during their first year.

Once you've established that the time is right to introduce soy into YOUR baby's diet, then take a look at our tofu recipes and information pages for babies from 8 months and from 10 months+.

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April 18, 2007 13:48 - Recall of Infant Bouncer Seats (US)

Oeuf infant bouncer seats are being recalled because the tubular metal frame can break, posing an obvious risk to babies. The bouncer seats (pictured below) have a padded brown canvas seat with white, blue or pink stripes and a three point safety harness. The model number 2005 is printed on the label.

The seats were sold nationwide at juvenile specialty stores and web retailers from September 2006 through March 2007 for around $100.

If you have one of these seats, please stop using it and contact Oeuf at (800) 691-8810 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit their website to obtain a repair kit.

Source: http://www.cpsc.gov

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April 18, 2007 13:48 - Children's Jewelry Recalled Due to Lead Hazard (US)

Thousands of children's necklaces and charm bracelets are being recalled because they contain high levels of lead. If you have an older child who may have this jewelry, please take it away and discard it because it poses a particular risk to a crawling baby who may put it in his mouth.

The Children’s Charm Bracelets include pink or green painted heart shaped charms and silver coloured charms in various shapes, including suns, moons, stars, padlocks, keys, rattles, and fishbones. The "Sportswear" Necklaces have pendants in sports themes, such as blue or green basketballs, yellow stars, 01and Perfect 10, which hang from a black cord.

This jewelry was sold in vending machines nationwide from January 2006 through April 2007 for 25 cents.

For more information, please contact Cardinal Distributing Co. Inc. at (800) 368-2062 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit their web site.

To view photographs of the items involved in this recall, please visit http://www.cpsc.gov.

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April 18, 2007 13:48 - Recall of Disney Pyjamas (US)

Baby Einstein Caterpillar and Baby Einstein Duck pyjamas are being recalled by Disney because they do not meet children’s flammability standards. This means that they present a risk of burn injury to children.

The footed pyjamas (pictured below) are made of 100 percent cotton and were sold in two styles - green, with blue sleeves and a caterpillar on the front - or yellow with orange sleeves, plus a duck design with "Quack! Quack!" printed on the front and duck beaks on the feet. The words "Disney Store" are printed on a tag inside the sleepwear.

Please note that only pyjamas in sizes 12 and 18 months are being recalled - this recall does NOT involve sizes 3, 6 and 9 months.

The sleepwear was sold nationwide at Disney Stores from April 2006 through May 2006 for around $20.

Please stop using these pyjamas straight away and return them to your nearest Disney Store for a full refund. For more information, you can call Disney Store toll-free at (866) 902-2798 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

Source: http://www.cpsc.gov

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April 19, 2007 12:53 - Recall of Magnetix Sets (US)

You may remember that a huge recall of Magnetix Building Sets was announced last year - the recall has now been expanded to include ALL sets, except fo newer Magnetix sets sold since March 31, 2006, that are age-labeled 6+ and sets that contain the following caution label:

CAUTION: Do not ingest or inhale magnets.
Attraction of magnets in the body may cause serious injury and require immediate medical care

According to Mega Brands, the sets of Magnetix currently in stores are safer and new quality control methods, materials and product design prevent the magnets falling from the toy.

Swallowing or inhaling tiny magnets poses a very serious - sometimes fatal - risk to children - and babies are particularly vulnerable due to their habit of putting everything in their mouths.

The sets involved in this recall were manufactured in China and contain up to 250 plastic building pieces and 1/2-inch diameter steel balls. The building pieces are in various shapes, including 1 1/2-inch squares, 1-inch triangles, cylinder rods, flexors, connectors, x-tenders, and curves. They come in an assortment of colors such as metallic, primary, translucent, and glow in the dark.

The sets were sold nationwide by mass merchants and other toy and arts and crafts stores for between $20 and $60.

Please stop using these sets at once and contact Mega Brands for a comparable replacement toy. For more information, you can contact Mega Brands at (800) 779-7122 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit their website.

If you experience any incidents of loose magnets, please report them immediately to the CPSC Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or to their website.

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April 19, 2007 13:29 - Strong Warning To Parents About Magnets

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a very strong warning to parents about magnets in toys. They have received reports of hundreds of incidents where magnets have fallen out of toys and 33 reports of children needing emergency surgery after swallowing them. One child has died.

If a child swallows more than one magnet, or a magnet and another metal object, then the two may attract each other. This can lead to serious medical problems like intestinal blockage, perforation and infection.

You can read the full report, along with measures that toy companies are taking to limit these hazards - plus CPSC recommendations - here.

Although these sets are designed for older children, it's very possible that your baby may come across pieces from a sibling's toy. For this reason, it's CRUCIAL to keep these sets away from areas where your baby plays - it's also a very good idea to explain the seriousness of this to older children. From our experience, older children will do all they can to protect their little brothers or sisters from harm. If they are aware of the danger that these magnetic sets present to babies, then they will understand that they need to keep these toys in clearly defined areas - away from the reach of little fingers.

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April 19, 2007 13:41 - Save Money On Diapers (US)

Keeping our household expenses to a minimum is important to most of us - particularly when there's a baby in the house and our income may be reduced. So it's always nice to find a way to save a little extra - and Diapers-4-Less offer Discount Baby Diapers that help you do just that!

Diapers-4-Less offers diapers, wipes, pull-ups and youth diapers at brand name quality, but for greatly reduced prices and with FREE SHIPPING included.

If you'd like to give their diapers, wipes or pull-ups a try, Diapers 4 Less offer special "sample" packages - so you don't need to commit to a large purchase until you're completely satisfied that their products work well for you.

Discount Baby Diapers
Buy namebrand quality baby diapers at discount prices!

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April 20, 2007 13:07 - Recall of Banana Flavour Ice Lollies (UK)

Magic Foods Banana Flavour Ice Lollies are being recalled in the UK because of a labelling error. The lollies actually contain milk - but it is not noted on the packaging, which means that someone with a milk allergy or intolerance to milk could experience a reaction from eating one.

The lollies show the following "best before" dates

18/08/2007
28/09/2007
29/09/2007

These lollies are sold from ice cream vans throughout the UK, so please be aware of this if you are out and about with your little one.

Source: http://www.food.gov.uk

TIP: Commercially prepared ice lollies and popsicles are not recommended for babies because they are high in sugar and other additives. If you would like to create a tasty but healthy frozen treat for your baby, try mixing fresh fruit juice with plain, natural yogurt and freezing it in lolly/popsicle moulds!

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April 20, 2007 13:16 - Nutrition For A Baby With A Cold

When your little one is suffering from a cold, it can really affect his appetite and he may refuse his food altogether. Keeping his fluid levels up is, of course, the important thing - but there is a soothing way in which you can provide him with some valuable nutrition, too.

Yes, your Grandma was right when she told you that chicken soup is a great way to treat a cold - cooked in the right way, it contains easily absorbed nutrients that really seem to aid recovery.

We'll show you how to prepare the perfect chicken broth for your baby... and just what it is that gives chicken broth its curative powers... Read more...

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April 20, 2007 13:38 - Children Eat More Fruits & Veggies When They're Homegrown

A new study from Saint Louis University in the US has found that children of preschool age who live in rural areas eat a lot more fruit and vegetables when the produce is grown at home.

Debra Haire-Joshu, Ph.D., director of Saint Louis University's Obesity Prevention Center and a study author, said that the findings were clear and simple and that "...Garden produce creates what we call a 'positive food environment.'".

The study also found that children who are raised eating homegrown produce prefer the taste of fruits and veggies to other foods - and that children fed from the garden are more likely to see their parents eating fruits and vegetables. This is an interesting point and confirms just how much of an impact YOUR eating habits have on those of your child.

This research shows that growing your own fruits and veggies can have real health benefits for your family - and there's no doubt that homegrown produce tastes so much better than commercially grown foods. It can also be great fun for your children to take part in growing their own food - it is not only a magical experience for them, but gives them a real appreciation of where their food comes from.

www.kidsgardening.com/ is an excellent resource for parents who want to get their children more involved in the garden and has lots of great tips, information and ideas to get your little ones started!

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April 21, 2007 21:07 - Have YOU Subscribed To Baby Bites?

Baby Bites is our free, monthly newsletter and is packed with useful information for parents!

If you haven't subscribed yet, just see what you're missing...

• In-depth articles about the various aspects of feeding your little one - past subjects have included "How to Boost Baby's Nutrition With Wheat Germ", "Including Bell Peppers In Your Baby's Diet", "A Natural Way To Sweeten Your Baby's Food" and lots more!

• A summary of all that month's food and product recalls.

• "Website Of The Month" - great websites we've come across that we think you will enjoy, too!

• Featured product reviews - a closer look at some of the baby-care products in stores today.

• And - coming in this month's newsletter - DETAILS OF OUR NEW COMPETITION!

So what are you waiting for?

Sign up for Baby Bites today and make sure you don't miss another issue!

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April 21, 2007 21:25 - Recall of Ground Beef In Five Western States (US)

At least three children have become sick after eating ground beef earlier this month, prompting a recall of hamburger patties and ground beef sold under the brands Fireriver, Chef's Pride, Ritz Food, Blackwood Farms, California Pacific Associates, C-and-C Distributing, Golbon and Richwood.

It is believed that these products may have been contaminated by E-Coli. They were distributed in California, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

A California public health officer says that consumers who have these products should either destroy them or return them to the place of purchase.

Source: http://www.kltv.com

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