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Baby Food Recipes, News and Information
For all the latest baby food news, updates to nutrition guidelines, product recalls, great new baby food recipes, hints, tips and more!
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December 10, 2007 14:35 - Safe Toys For Baby this Christmas?
With a record number of toys recalled this year because of high levels of lead, shopping for Christmas presents for your baby may not be quite as straightforward as it once was! And lead isn't the only concern - tests by consumer and environmental health organizations have shown that many children's items also contain chemicals such as mercury, cadmium and even arsenic.
So how do you know which toys are safe for your baby?
Well, the Ecology Center - a non-profit organization based in Michigan - has put together a site to help parents find the safest possible toys for their children.
www.healthytoys.org lists toys by name, brand and type - revealing the levels of chemicals their tests detected in each item. You can even nominate toys that you would like to have tested - and, to stay informed about updates and action alerts about toxic toys as they happen, you can sign up here.
Safest Baby Toys as Revealed by The Ecology Center
Here are the baby toys found to be the safest - we have linked to those that we have found available online in the US.
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December 11, 2007 14:50 - The Gift of Homemade Baby Food
Are you looking for an extra special baby gift this holiday season?
Then why not give the gift of homemade baby food with our ebook - Tempting Tiny Taste Buds!
Packed with recipes and advice from our site, Tempting Tiny Taste Buds is a truly unique and invaluable resource for parents during their little ones' first year - and its useful ebook format means that it doesn't take up precious shelf space in a busy home!
Once you've placed your order, you will immediately receive a link to download your book, which you can send to a friend or relative - ALTERNATIVELY, you can contact us here as soon as you have ordered and provide us with the name and email address of the intended recipient. We will then send them the link to download their book, along with a Christmas message - plus we'll also give them details of their BONUS baby food book and personalized meal plan (more details here).
Unlike a toy that may end up languishing at the bottom of the toy box, the value of this gift will last for years to come.
Establishing a regime of healthy eating at an early stage will instill a respect and appreciation for nutritious food that will last a lifetime!
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December 12, 2007 13:30 - Certain Xplory® Strollers Recalled (US)
Certian Xplory® Baby Strollers are being recalled because the bolt attaching the front wheels to the strollers can come loose, meaning that one of the front wheels can fall off. This, of course, poses a serious risk to babies and the company has had 14 reports of wheels falling off, plus over 200 similar reports from outside the United States.
The only Xplory® baby strollers included in this recall are those with serial numbers between 1 and 28,097 and with grey handles. You can find the serial number under the footplate. Please note that strollers with white handles are NOT being recalled.
These strollers were sold for around $770 from September 2003 through December 2006. They were available at Stokke distributors, websites and juvenile product retailers nationwide.
If you have one of these strollers, please stop using it and contact Stokke toll-free at (877) 978-6553 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit their website, to arrange for the front wheeels to be replaced free of charge. If you have already received a repair to your stroller or are in the process of receiving replacement wheels, you do NOT need to contact Stokke again.
Plate
Label with serial number under foot plate
The serial number on the label which is placed under the foot plate
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December 12, 2007 13:41 - Recall of Little Rider Cowboy, Little Rider Knight and Lovely Horse (Australia)
Little Rider Cowboy, Little Rider Knight and Lovely Horse are being recalled because the Cowboy toy is high in lead and the Knight and Horse contain detachable small parts that present a choking hazard to young children.
The products have the following barcode numbers -
Little Rider Cowboy - barcode 6939501686106, item number 8610B
Little Rider Knight - barcode 6939501686106, item number 8610A
Lovely Horse item number 051
These toys were sold between January 2006 and November 2007 in discount stores in the Marrickville, Bankstown and Cabramatta area of NSW and a few in the Northern Territory.
If you have these toys at home, please take them away from your children and return them to the store you bought them from for a full refund.
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December 12, 2007 13:49 - Do You Wash Your Christmas Turkey Before Cooking It?
If so, then you do the same as 80% of the population in the UK - but, according to a new survey by the UK's Food Standards Agency, this practise increases the risk of food poisoning dramatically.
How?
Well, the Agency says that washing meat causes harmful bacteria to splash from the raw meat or poultry to work surfaces, chopping boards, utensils and dishes around the sink. And the germs that cause food poisoning can remain on these surfaces for days.
Judith Hilton, who is the Head of Microbiological Safety at the Food Standards Agency, said
"...it's not possible to wash off all the germs that cause food poisoning with water. They're killed by heat. By washing your raw turkey, you're actually more likely to spread the germs than get rid of them."
This, of course, makes perfect sense - yet it's something that many of may overlook when we're busy preparing the Christmas dinner this year.
We have lots more tips to help you safely prepare food for your baby...
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December 13, 2007 08:28 - Why You Shouldn't Add Salt to Baby Food
You are probably aware that adding salt to your baby's food can be dangerous - but do you know what the consequences of giving your baby too much salt may be?
We take a look at exactly WHY it's important to avoid salt in your baby's diet - and we show you where 'hidden' sources of salt may lurk in your baby's food...
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December 13, 2007 16:07 - Recall of Fishing Games (US)
Fishing Games that were sold at grocery stores are being recalled by Far East Brokers because parts of the games contain too much lead.
The games were sold at Grand Union Family Markets, Southern Family Markets, P&C Stores, Publix Super Markets, and Food Lion stores nationwide for around $10. They were available from October 2007 through November 2007.
The game (pictured below) contains a large, battery operated fish, three small wind-up fish and a fishing pole. You can find the UPC #011546208270 and product #25741 printed on the product’s packaging.
If you have one of these games at home, please take it away from your child and return it to the store you bought it from for a full refund. If you have any questions, you can contact Far East Brokers and Consultants toll-free at (877) 695-8354 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit their website.
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December 15, 2007 15:01 - Children's Vaccinations Recalled (US)
Around 1.2 million doses of the Hib vaccine and a combination vaccine for Hib and hepatitis B are being recalled. According to the Merck website, the recall is due to a sterility problem in a Pennsylvania factory.
The Hib vaccine is intended for children under 5 and is normally given in a series of three shots, starting at 2 months old.
Although a spokeswoman for Merck insists that the potential for contamination of any individual vaccine is low, this will clearly be of concern to many parents.
Please visit the Merck website for more details of this recall and discuss any concerns with your child's healthcare provider.
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December 15, 2007 15:55 - Recall of Bunk Beds (US)
About 1,300 Bunk Beds are being recalled by Hooker Furniture Corporation because they pose entrapment/strangulation hazards to children.
The beds have gaps between parts of the upper bunk that a child could get his body through, but not his head. This exceeds the space permitted by the federal bunk bed safety standard.
For a description of the beds involved, plus images of the recalled products, please visit the CPSC website.
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December 15, 2007 16:05 - Children's Jewelry Recalled (US)
Codeena Princess Children’s Jewelry is being recalled because it contains too much lead.
The jewelry involved is pictured below - and the only items being recalled are those with item numbers KS1367SS and KS1369SCP. You can find the item number on the back of the packaging.
These sets were sold at discount stores across the US in various sets, including pink or white pearl-like necklace, bracelet and earring or ring combinations. Some sets also included studded charms hanging on the bracelet and necklace.
The sets were available for around $5 from September 2005 through August 2007.
If you have any of this jewelry at home, please take it away from your children and return it to the store you bought it from for a full refund.
If you'd like more information, please contact Codee International Corp. at (877) 767-1888 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Alternatively, you can visit their website.
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December 15, 2007 16:17 - Various Dollar Tree Stores Toys Recalled (US)
'Baby Toys' Baby Bead and Wire Toys and 'Speed Racer' Pull Back and Go Action! Cars are being recalled because they all violate lead paint standards.
The Baby Bead and Wire toys are coloured wires with beads that can slide along them, set on a woodern platform. You can find the item number '903419' and 'date code 71' printed on the back of the packaging.
The toy cars are white with red stripes or yellow with black stripes. You can find the item number '873820' and 'date code 77' printed on the back of the packaging.
These toys were all sold for $1 at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Only One $1 and Deal$ stores nationwide. The Baby Bead and Wire toys were available from March 2007 through October 2007 and the racing cars were available from September 2007 through November 2007.
If you have these items, please take them away from your children and return them to the store you bought them from for a full refund.
For more details, please contact Dollar Tree Stores at (800) 876-8077 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit their website.
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December 15, 2007 16:35 - Recall of Infantino® Lion Teethers (US)
Infantino® Lion Teethers are being recalled because the plastic nose can come off, obviously posing a dangerous choking hazard to babies. There have been 8 reports so far of the noses detaching and, in one case, a child began to gag on the nose.
The recalled teethers have date codes 6116, 6129, 6158, 6137, 0606, 0806, 0906, and 1006. You can find the date code above the Infantino® logo on the back of the lion's head.
Please note that lion teethers with other date codes are NOT being recalled.
These teethers were sold at Pottery Barn Kids, Babies R Us and other speciality stores for around $5 from June 2006 through December 2007.
Please take this teether away from your little one IMMEDIATELY if he is using one and contact Infantino for either a replacement teether or another product of equal value.
You can contact Infantino® toll-free at (888) 808-3111 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit their website.
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December 16, 2007 15:49 - Probiotics and Baby Food
There has been a lot of discussion in the press this week about the potential benefits of probiotics in the diet - including the diets of babies.
So what exactly ARE probiotics?
Well, they are 'friendly' bacteria, just like those that already exist in the human digestive system. Of course, the word 'bacteria' conjures up images of sickness and contamination for many of us - yet there ARE certain bacteria that are actually good for us!
How could probiotics benefit my baby?
Although probiotics have been popular in many parts of the world for some time, their effects have never been extensively researched. The American Academy of Pediatrics standpoint is that - although probiotics can't do any harm - more studies into their benefits should be carried out before they can be actively recommended for their health-giving properties.
Many pediatricians, however, find that probiotics can be useful for children with diarrhea, as they replenish the gut with 'good' bacteria. Some studies have shown them to be a definite aid to digestion and also suggest that they may help avoid certain types of gastroentiritis, allergic skin reactions and eczema.
It is also believed that probiotics help boost the immune system and prevent colon cancer in later life.
Sources of probiotics for baby
Earlier this year, Nestle unveiled a new infant formula containing probiotics and certain jarred foods now contain these 'friendly' bacteria.
When you're making your own baby food, the easiest way to incorporate probiotics into your baby's diet is by giving him natural yogurt. Most babies will readily accept yogurt - and if your baby doesn't enjoy the plain variety, you can 'customize' it by adding his favourite fruit puree! Yogurt is also a great source of calcium, making it doubly good for your little one!
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