• Christmas Cuisine for Baby
• Ten Step Guide to a Safe Christmas for Baby
• Visit our New Pages
• Were You a Winner?
• A Story to Warm Your Heart!
• Tip of the Month
• Safety Recalls
• Our Featured Product Review
• Visit Our "Website of the Month"
• This Month's Recipe - Vegetarian Christmas Dinner

SPECIAL NOTE

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If you have any problems, please let us know and we'll do our best to help.

Christmas Cuisine for Baby!

Can you believe that Christmas is almost here? It doesn't seem that long ago that we were writing about how to prepare cooling treats for baby in the summer - now it's time to start thinking about roast turkey and all the trimmings!

Our Christmas Baby Food page will help you prepare a fun and festive meal for your baby on the big day. As you'll see, we take a look at some of the typical ingredients of a traditional Christmas dinner and advise you which ingredients may - or may not - be suitable for your little one.

And that's not all - in our last newsletter, we asked you to submit a special recipe for the Holiday meal.

Well, Tania from Surrey in the south of England told us how she makes salt-free homemade stuffing for her children - and you can see her recipe featured on the Christmas Baby Food page.

Tania won a free copy of our E-book and a $50 Amazon voucher - just in time for Christmas.

Congratulations, Tania!

Ten Step Guide to a Safe Christmas for Baby

Amidst all the fun and festivity of the holiday season, it's really important to be aware of some of the hazards that may exist for your baby.

With that in mind, we've put together this handy guide to help you ensure your baby's Christmas is as safe and happy as can be!

1. Christmas lights

• Make sure that the wires for your lights are not fraying, cracked or broken. These pose the danger of electric shock AND have the potential to spark, which may trigger a fire. ALWAYS unplug your lights from the power source when you go out, or when you go to bed.

• Wrap your lights as close as possible to the trunk of the Christmas tree. This will help stop your curious baby from reaching them.

2. Christmas ornaments, dreidels, baubles, tinsel and streamers

• Glass ornaments are particularly hazardous, so it may be a good idea to pack them away until your baby is older.

• We recommend using large ornaments/baubles on your tree instead of small ones. If one DOES accidentally fall off, a large ornament will pose less of a choking hazard.

• Avoid Christmas decorations marked 'Made in China'. As most parents are aware, Chinese-made products have been involved in numerous recalls this year, due to the high levels of lead they contain.

3. Edible garlands

4. Angel hair

5. The Christmas tree

• If your baby suffers from any type of breathing disorder, opt for an artificial tree. Evergreen trees are known to aggravate breathing disorders.

• Ensure that your tree has a sturdy, stable base, to prevent it tipping over. For extra stability, use a piece of strong twine to tie the top of the tree to a hook on the wall.

• Water your (real) tree on a daily basis. This prevents the needles from drying out too much, thereby making the tree less of a fire hazard and preventing the needles from dropping.

• Pine needles present a choking hazard to babies and also have the potential to puncture internal organs if swallowed - so it's important to remove dropped needles immediately.

Some parents sit the tree inside a playpen - it may not look the greatest, but at least it keeps your baby (and your tree) safe!

6. Snow spray

7. Poisonous plants

Other popular Christmas plants that may cause irritation or more severe symptoms in your child include Poinsettia, Holly, Jerusalem Cherries and Amaryllis.

8. Gifts under the tree

9. Friends and family

10. Food

We also recommend avoiding foil wrapped chocolate tree decorations (like chocolate money). Your baby will not be able to tell the difference between edible decorations and real ones - and may be tempted to take a bite from ANY ornament hanging from the tree.

Finally, make visitors aware of any foods that your baby is allergic to, or that you do NOT wish him to have. Grandparents may see no harm in offering baby a piece of chocolate, for example, whereas your ideas on the subject may be quite different!

Our detailed guide to foods for your baby during the holiday season appears on our Christmas Baby Food page.


We hope that you have found these Christmas Baby Safety Tips useful - please pass them on to any other parents you feel may benefit from them.

New and updated pages

• As with so many other foods, there is no comparison between fresh, homemade yogurt and the store-bought variety! So come and read our Seven Step Guide to Making Your Own Yogurt and you'll soon be creating creamy batches of this health-promoting food for the whole family to enjoy!

• If you're planning to travel with your baby this holiday season, then check out our new-look Feeding Accessories page, packed with ideas to make feeding your baby easy when you're 'on the go"!

• This is the time of year when you may be looking forward to eating out with family and friends. But does the thought of taking your baby to a restaurant make a night in seem more appealing?

  Then check out our guide to Eating Out With Baby for some tips to help you visit a restaurant with your little one AND manage to eat some dinner yourself!

Were You a Winner?

This month, we had some great ideas sent in for our Baby Food Recipes competition. Our winner was Jana from the USA, with her easy and nutritious recipe for Chicken Breast with Vegetables.

Other favourite entries from this month included

Silly-Dilly Breakfast
Mini Munchkin Meatloaf
Salmon and Broccoli in a Cheesy Sauce
Applesauce and Yogurt Dippers for Two

Please keep the ideas rolling in - more details of the competition, plus the Entry Form, appear on our Baby Food Recipes Competition page.


Moving on to our Baby of the Month Competition...

Our gorgeous winner this month is little Gaura from India. You can read about Gaura - and see some more of November's entries - on our Baby of the Month page - you'll find the Entry Form there, too, if you'd like to submit YOUR baby's photograph!

A story to warm your heart!

Debbie from the USA told us about her son, Alex, who was born at only 28 weeks - but is now making wonderful progress.

Read the first installment of Alex's blog here - just scroll to the end of the page to read more installments, including the touching story of how Alex got his nickname 'Two Cent'!

Thank you, Debbie, for sharing Alex's story on our site.

Tip of the month - Put Your Baby’s Photo on a Decorative Plate

This month's tip has been written for us by a special guest author - Eileen Bergen from The Artful Crafter..

Eileen discovered her talent for crafting during her retirement and went on to establish her own craft company. She then decided to share her skills and knowledge with other home crafters - and the Artful Crafter was born!

It's packed with masses of free patterns, ideas and and advice - an absolute gem of a site for all you crafty parents (and those who'd like to get started!).

And now to the project...

If you have a digital camera or scanner and photo manipulation software, you can place any photo (or other graphic image) you like onto a decorative plate to be enjoyed for years to come. What a great way to capture your baby’s growth or make a very special gift for new parents.

Materials

• Ceramic plate
• Lazertran inkjet waterslide decal – available at misterart.com
• Photo – digital or scanned at 300 psi
• Other graphic designs (optional)
• Access to photo manipulation software – e.g. Photoshop Elements, Print Shop, software packaged with digital cameras and services generally available at places that make prints of digital photos.

Instructions

• Enhance and crop your photo using a circular crop tool. [In Photoshop Elements, use the circular Marquee tool to frame the part you want. Then Select>Inverse and Delete to remove the part you don’t want.] Size the cropped photo to fit the flat center portion of the ceramic plate.

• Open a new 8 ½ by 11-inch document with resolution of 300psi. Copy and paste your cropped photo into the new document. Design or choose your other images and text. If you are adding text, choose a chunky font so that the words will stand out. I used Banner in the First Christmas plate.

• Print onto a Lazertran decal sheet using a low print quality. Too much ink will result in a blurred image. I used Draft mode on my HP printer.

• Cut out your design. [Cut right to the edge. Any clear areas of the decal will dry white which may not matter much on a white plate, but would ruin your work if your plate is not pure white.]

• Soak the image in a shallow bowl of water until the decal slips off its backing paper – less than a minute. Lift the decal from the water. Pat the top with a tissue to remove excess water.

• Position the image on your plate and smooth it with your fingertips. Let dry.

• Johnny’s First Christmas Plate uses graphics found in Print Shop 20 and EHI_LoveAlways_12x12_BlueGreen paper from ScrapGirls.com. The Mom and Baby plate uses SBA_Becoming_12x12_Special_Lilies paper from ScrapGirls.

For more free craft ideas, patterns and tips, visit The Artful Crafter.

Safety Recalls

Here's our round-up of product recalls for the past month - once again, there are lots of recalls involving lead paint! Please take a look and see if you have any of the items listed - clicking on the link will take you to the relevant post on our blog for more information. Please do share this list with anyone else you know who may be affected...

• Bindeez Beads are recalled in Australia and the UK because they have been found to contain a dangerous drug. Sets of the equivalent product, known as Aqua Dots in the US, are recalled for the same reason.

• Swimways 'Skippy' Pool Toys are recalled in the US because the fish's tongue may break, making it forcefully come out and lacerate the hands of the user as the toy is launched.

• 'Laugh & Learn' Learning Kitchen Toys are recalled in the US because loose parts may pose a choking hazard. We also have details for returning this product in the UK/Ireland and Australia.

• The CPSC issues a list of seven more toys recalled in the US because of excessive lead, including - 'Big Red' Wagons, Dragster and Funny Car toys, Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Tops, 'Robot 2000' collectible tin robots, Pull-Back Action Toy Cars, Duck Family Collectible Wind-Up Toys and Dizzy Ducks Music Boxes.

• Children's Sunglasses are recalled in the US because they contain excessive lead.

• Various Curious George Toys are recalled in the US because they are high in lead.

• Wendy Bellissimo Collection Convertible Cribs sold in the US are recalled because they pose entrapment and strangulation hazards.

• Romano Pitchers and Tumblers are recalled in the US because they contain high levels of leachable lead.

• Children’s Wooden Storage Racks are recalled in the US because of their instability. Tragically, a little boy was killed when one of these racks toppled on to him.

• Halloween Baskets are (belatedly) recalled in the US because they are high in lead.

• Zoggs Trainer Seats are recalled in Australia because a design fault makes them unsafe for use.

• Flashing Pacifiers are recalled in the US because they pose a choking hazard.

• Slipcovers Used With Boppy Pillows are recalled in the US because the zipper is high in lead and can break, posing a choking hazard.

• The CPSC gives details of 8 more toys recalled in the US due to excessive lead - including Metal Jewelry Sold by Family Dollar Stores, 'Shaving' Paint Brushes, Crystal Innovations jewelry, La Femme NY Children’s Necklace and Earring Sets, Children’s Metal Necklaces and Bracelets, Decorative Stretchable Aqua Bracelets, Sparkle City Charm Bracelets and Tack Pin Sets and Children’s Pencil Pouches.

• George Noddy Children's Slippers sold at ASDA are recalled in the UK because they pose a choking hazard to young children.

• Tesco Harness and Reins are recalled in the UK because they can come undone during use.

• Fish Pies are recalled in the UK because they contain undeclared egg.

• Special Mission Combat Force Military Play Sets are recalled in the US because they are high in lead.

Our featured product review - The Configure Gate

When you have your first child, you invariably buy a ton of equipment that you later find was completely unnecessary - or that only gave you a few weeks of use!

But the one item really worth investing in is a good baby gate! As soon as your baby begins to crawl, you discover how important it is to be able to control the areas he has access to. It's just not possible to completely baby-proof your entire home (think staircase, older kids' bedrooms etc) - so a secure gate can give you a great deal of peace of mind.

Sometimes, though, finding the right gate can be a challenge - particularly if you have odd shaped spaces in your home, or you can't mount a gate in a straight line across an opening.

That's where the Configure Gate (made by Kidco) really comes into its own!

It's a 'build-your-own' system that comes with three 24" interlocking sections that adjust in ten degree increments. This means that it can be set in either a straight line, OR angled - a real bonus for those awkward areas! If you need to section off a really large area, then you can simply order as many additional 24" segments as you need.

The gate has to be mounted to the wall in order to be completely secure and it takes a little while to set up, although the instructions are clear and the procedure isn't at all difficult. The manufacturers do recommend that you leave this gate set up, though, rather than regularly dismantling it - this is because it doesn't fold up 'accordion style'. However, the gate DOES include a walk-through section for the adults, so you won't have to climb over it every time you need to pass!

We highly recommend this system as it's extremely well designed and is very sturdy, even if you purchase the extra extensions and use it across a very wide area. It can be a real life-saver in open plan homes and will give you years of service as your family grows.

The Configure Gate is available from One Step Ahead, who are currently offering FREE shipping on orders over $85 (just enter coupon code RUDOLPH when you checkout) and a FREE one year subscription to a magazine of your choice.

Be quick though, free shipping ends Dec 13 2007.

Website of the Month

Do Something Amazing This Christmas - Change Someone's Life with A Microloan

This month, our 'Site of the Month' demonstrates just how the internet can make a very positive difference to the world we live in.

kiva.org is a website that allows people with a little spare cash to lend small amounts to people living in developing countries who need help with starting their own small businesses.

Kiva, which means 'unity' in Swahili, was established two years ago in Uganda and built partnerships with 'microfinance' institutes in the area, to enable thorough vetting and approval of businesses before posting them on their site.

How it works

The money you lend will empower the sponsored individual to 'earn their way out of poverty'. There are lots of stories on Kiva's site that show just what a difference a microloan through Kiva has made to them.

Loans normally run from 6-12 months and - during the course of the loan - you can be updated via e-mail about how the business you sponsored is progressing. And once the loan is repaid, you can choose to withdraw it - or re-loan it to a new business.

Kiva has received a great deal of praise from the press, including Forbes.com and Smithsonian.com. It is a completely non-profit organization that relies solely on donations.

The wonderful thing about lending money through kiva.org is that you don't just get your loan returned... you also have the immense satisfaction of knowing that you've made a huge difference to someone's life.

Please click here to visit kiva.org and find out more

Vegetarian Christmas Dinner - Butternut Squash Stuffed with Apple, Raisins and Rice

This is the perfect festive vegetarian dish, combining the goodness of squash, apples and raisins with the subtle spiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg.

It's so tasty that you can reserve baby his portion, then serve the rest as a side dish with the main meal for the rest of the family.

This recipe is suitable for babies from 6 months of age - but it is very important that you have separately introduced all the ingredients to your baby beforehand. This is to ensure that none of the ingredients cause him any digestive discomfort - or even an allergic reaction.

Here's what you'll need

1 butternut squash
1 small, sweet apple (like Golden Delicious) - peeled, cored and cubed
2oz (1/4 cup) raisins
2oz (1/4 cup) cooked brown rice*
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1tbsp melted butter (optional)

* To give this dish a richer, fruitier flavour, cook the brown rice in apple juice instead of water.

• Wash the butternut squash, then cut it in half lengthwise.
• Spoon out the seeds, then set the squash halves (cut side down) in a baking dish with a lid.
• Cover and bake at 350 deg F, 180 deg C, for 30 mins.
• Whilst the squash is baking, soak the raisins in warm water.
• Remove the squash from the oven.
• Combine the cooked rice, apple, raisins and spices in a bowl and mix well.
• Spoon the mixture into the cavity of each butternut squash half.
• Drizzle with the melted butter (if using) and return to the oven for a further 30 mins.
• Cool to a safe serving temperature.

Older babies, happy with lumps, will enjoy this dish mashed!

You'll find more delicious veggie recipes for baby here