• Win a Portable Highchair
• Why Your Baby Needs Calcium
• Visit our New Pages
• Competition Corner
• Stop Press - Cool Kitchen Tools on Sale!
• Tip of the Month
• Safety Recalls
• Our Featured Product Review
• Visit Our "Website of the Month"
• This Month's Recipe - Easter Treats

SPECIAL NOTE

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

Win a Portable Highchair

Last month we launched our new 'Baby Product Review' section, where we invite you to tell us about those baby care items you just wouldn't be without! The best review each month wins a prize - and February's winner, Cristina Zapata from Miami, Florida won the 'Leapfrog Rhyming Reflections Crib and Floor Mirror'. She told us "I'm super happy! And my daughter will love it! Thanks so much".

You can read Cristina's winning review of the Peg Perego Stroller Aria 2007 here - and more great reviews from last month, including the Miracle Blanket and the The First Years On The Go Inflatable Booster Seat.

This month, we have ANOTHER fantastic prize up for grabs...

and that's the 'Safety 1st Grow with Me Portable Booster Seat'.

This handy seat folds up for storage or travel - making it the ideal accessory when you're out and about, or a compact alternative to a regular highchair if you're a little short on space!

For YOUR chance of winning, just visit our Baby Product Reviews section and tell us all about that special item that has made your (or your baby's life) a lot easier!

Your review will help other parents discover the most useful baby care accessories on the market - and your little one could soon be dining in style when you're 'on the go'!

Why your baby needs calcium - and how to ensure he's getting enough

We all know that calcium is an important part of the diet - particularly for a baby - but do you know exactly WHY we need it? This month's article aims to answer your questions about calcium, with guidelines to help you make sure YOUR little one is consuming the calcium he needs.

Why do we need calcium?

Throughout life, our bones undergo a lot of changes! From birth, then throughout childhood and adolescence, a great deal of bone formation takes place.

A lack of calcium in infancy can lead to rickets, a conditions where the bones soften and may become deformed or may break easily.

Our bodies continue to add bone mass until the age of 30, when we achieve 'peak bone mass'. After that, things may begin to go downhill as our bones start to break down (this is known as resorption). As we age, the rate of resorption exceeds the rate of formation - and this leads to bone loss.

Building strong bones from infancy, therefore, not only protects against rickets but also plays a huge part in delaying bone loss in later life.

A lack of calcium is also believed to contribute to diseases like hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease and - possibly - cancer of the colon.

How much calcium does my baby need?

So why the difference?

Well, the lower set of figures was established for breast fed babies - and the higher set for those babies receiving formula (more about that later). There are also small differences in recommendations from one country to another.

This guide to the Calcium Requirements of Infants, Children, and Adolescents from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows both the lower and higher figures (scroll past the first few paragraphs and click the link for 'Table 1').

Doesn't my baby get enough calcium from his milk?

Breast milk is actually lower in calcium than formula - but that's because the calcium in breast milk is much more 'bioavailable' to your baby (which means it's more easily absorbed). Because calcium from formula is LESS easily absorbed, then its concentration has to be greater (this is also true of the iron levels in breast milk and formula).

And the good news is that breast milk always contains the right amount of calcium for baby - even if Mum does not have enough in her diet.

Incidentally, babies have a wonderful capacity for absorbing calcium (around 60% of available calcium), precisely because it's so important for the formation of their bones. Sadly, this capacity for absorption decreases with age.

So what happens when baby starts solids?

Good sources of calcium for your baby

• Milk remains a good source (but by no means the ONLY source) of calcium throughout life. Calcium from milk is easily absorbed and milk products are generally popular with children (experts even recommend adding a little chocolate syrup for those less willing to drink milk - this is still healthier than drinking soda instead!).

• Soy milk (some brands are better than others, so it's important to read the label)

• Cheese is a great way to get calcium into your baby as it's very easy to incorporate into meals (it tastes great sprinkled over cooked veggies, for example). In addition, people who can't tolerate other dairy products often do better with cheese. This is because the milk protein that can cause problems breaks down as the cheese matures.

• Yogurt - the calcium from yogurt is easily absorbed and - like cheese - yogurt is often better tolerated than other dairy products by sensitive individuals. Fortunately, yogurt is also a very popular food with babies!

• Blackstrap molasses (you can read more about blackstrap molasses in our article from April 2007's newsletter).

• black eyed peas

• lentils

• sardines (our babies loved a little sardine mashed on toast!)

• collard greens and spinach (although these plants have a high spinach content, it is less well absorbed than from other foods - see the notes below about calcium absorption)

• kale

• broccoli

• okra

• salmon

• cottage cheese

• squash (summer and winter)

• oranges (1 year+)

• calcium-fortified orange juice

• calcium-fortified cereal

• chickpeas/garbanzo beans

• pinto beans

• raisins

• prunes

• swede/rutabaga

• amaranth (you can read more about amaranth and other nutritious grains here)

• some tofu (tofu processed with calcium sulfate - a calcium salt - is a good source of calcium. But tofu processed with a NON calcium salt is not a significant source of calcium. Of tofu processed WITH calcium sulfate, the firm variety is a better source of calcium than the soft.)

• watercress

• parsley

How to help your baby absorb the calcium from his food

• His body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium efficiently (you can read more about making sure your baby gets enough vitamin D here).

• Don't give too many calcium-rich foods at one meal. It seems like this would be the natural thing to do, doesn't it, yet the amount of calcium absorbed from the digestive tract GOES DOWN as the amount of calcium consumed at one meal INCREASES. Instead, offer small amounts of calcium-rich foods on a regular basis.

• Some plants contain substances called oxalic and phytic acids. These bind to the calcium contained in the plant, preventing it from being properly absorbed by the body (please note, though, that they only bind the calcium from the plant itself and do NOT affect the calcium absorption from other foods consumed along with it). Examples of foods containing oxalic or phytic acids are rhubarb, collard greens, spinach, sweet potatoes, beans, whole grain bread, seeds and nuts.

How the body loses calcium

Another problem can be consuming too much protein. When protein is digested by the body, acids are released into the bloodstream. Your body neutralizes these acids by drawing on calcium from the bones. Protein from animal sources is believed to cause more leaching of calcium than protein derived from vegetable sources.

Calcium and the vegetarian/vegan baby

On the plus side, however, the reduced calcium absorption from these plants may well be balanced by the fact that vegetarian babies do not consume as much protein (particularly, of course, meat protein) as their meat-eating counterparts. This results in less of the leaching of calcium from the bones associated with the digestion of protein.

Still, it's a good idea to discuss the requirements of your vegetarian baby with your child's doctor.

Babies on a vegan diet may be at risk of low calcium levels because they do not consume dairy products. It's important, therefore, to ensure that the diet of a vegan baby contains lots of alternative calcium sources from the list above. Again, you should consult your doctor to ensure that your baby is receiving enough calcium in his diet.

Does my baby need a calcium supplement?

No available evidence shows that exceeding the amount of calcium retained by the exclusively breastfed term infant during the first 6 months of life or the amount retained by the human milk-fed infant supplemented with solid foods during the second 6 months of life is beneficial to achieving long-term increases in bone mineralization.

...Perhaps of most importance in this age group is the development of eating patterns that will be associated with adequate calcium intake later in life.

4 quick ways to increase your baby's calcium intake on a regular basis

• Offer him yogurt, either mixed with his favourite fruit puree or as a delicious dip with fruit or veggie sticks.

• Sprinkle grated cheese on to cooked veggies, pasta and soup. Offer your little one fingers of cheese on toast (grilled cheese) and offer pieces of cheese as a finger food.

• If your older baby refuses to drink milk, try freezing it to make milk lollies (popsicles) - they're far more tempting! Add some fruit puree for extra flavour!

• Stir milk into mashed potatoes, make milky puddings and - if you use any types of instant cereal - make them with milk instead of water.

New and updated pages

• We've added a delicious new recipe for Chicken In a Creamy Bread Sauce to our chicken recipes page. It's easy to prepare and has an ideal texture for babies making the transition to lumpier textures. You can see the new recipe here

• If you have any lo-o-ong journeys planned for your baby, then you may be worrying about how you're going to keep him occupied! So check out our updated Baby Travel Toys page, that has lots of lovely ideas to help amuse your tiny traveler!

• Pizza - is it really a 'junk' food? Not if you use our tasty new recipe for Baby Pizza with a Sweet Potato Base! You'll find it at the foot of our 'Sweet Potato Baby Food Recipes' section

• Pears are not only nutritious - they're one of the least allergenic foods around and they're a great way to prevent constipation in babies. Our newest section is devoted to these fabulous fruits and is packed with ideas, tips and recipes.

  Visit our new Pear Baby Food section here

• To peel or not to peel?

  Find out more about the pros and cons of peeling veggies and fruits for your baby here

Competition corner

Since we started our Baby Food Recipes Competition, we've been thrilled to receive an impressive range of yummy recipes, using all sorts of nutritious ingredients!

The winning recipes page is now packed with masses of original and simple ideas to help expand your baby's menu. We've just added February's winning recipes, for Single Serving Fruit Porridge Smoothie, Cheesy Potatoes and Avocado Houmous - (you'll find them all near the top of the page, just under the main list of categories).

Would you like to enter YOUR recipe - and have a chance at winning March's prize of a $20 Amazon voucher?

Then send us your idea using the simple form on this page - and remember, we're not looking for cordon bleu cuisine... just simple, healthy recipes using natural and nutritious ingredients!


Our beautiful Baby of the Month

March's Baby of the Month has, of course, been chosen and you can see who the winner is on our Baby of the Month page. We are now archiving all the winners from this competition, which means that if YOUR baby is chosen, you'll be able to send friends and relatives to see him on our site for months to come!

To send in your little one's photograph - and for the links to the pages showing previous winners - just visit the main Baby of the Month page.

Stop press!

If you love cool kitchen gadgets and gizmos, you'll be pleased to hear that wrapables.com are having a special Easter sale, with up to 60% off all Cook's Tools!

Wrapables.com have a really wonderful range of stylish, innovative and just plain useful accessories for your kitchen, including

• A gorgeous vintage Easter Cookie Press

• Beautiful decorated spatulas (you can choose from penguins, snowmen, hearts or a Halloween theme)

• A handy egg separator (ideal for when your baby needs to avoid egg whites)

• Tovolo popsicle molds (great for making treats for your teething tot)

• An innovative Soft Skin Peeler (perfect for removing the peel from soft foods like tomatoes, peaches and kiwis).

Remember - this is a limited promotion for Easter - so shop now and Purchase 60% off on all your cooks tools at Wrapables.com

Tip of the month - How to increase the calories in your baby's foods

Alternatively, your baby may need extra calories due to illness - or may simply be a picky eater whose minimal food consumption is becoming a cause for concern.

Breast milk or formula should meet your baby's nutritional needs for much of his first year - but if your pediatrician recommends that you need to increase the calorific value of your baby's foods, how should you go about it?

High calorie baby foods

• Avocado - Highly nutritious, easy to prepare and packed with healthy fats, giving your baby avocado is the perfect way to boost his calorie intake. Serve it straight from the skin, or puree/mash it... try combining it with other foods like banana or tofu... or serve mashed avocado as either a spread on toast or bagels, or a creamy dip to accompany fruits and veggies.

• Oils/butter - Use olive oil for cooking (or just stir a little directly into baby's food). Serve veggies tossed in a little butter. Stir butter into mashed white/sweet potato. Add flaxseed/linseed oil to baby's food (please note that this should be kept refrigerated and is not suitable for cooking).

• Cheese - Cheese can be incorporated into baby's diet in various ways and is often well received! Try grating it over cooked veggies (a great way for tempt baby to eat them in the first place!), stir it into mashed potato, sprinkle over pasta and stir into scrambled eggs (yolks only for the first year).

• Full fat cream cheese - an alternative to regular cheese, use as a spread on toast or bagels or as a filling in sandwiches, stir into cooked veggies or even mix with pureed fruit and serve as a delicious dip!

• Whole (full fat) milk - Ensure that all dairy products you give to your baby include whole milk, not the reduced fat varieties. Here's a recipe for whole milk homemade yogurt

• Cooked egg yolk - good for the development of your baby's brain, egg yolks are extremely versatile! Try using them to thicken baby food purees, or crumble them into soups and stews.

• Wheat germ - packed with goodness, wheat germ makes a valuable addition to any baby's diet. You can use it as a topping for virtually ANY food (sweet or savoury), stir it into purees or cereal, use it to coat slippery finger foods or stir it into smoothies.

Safety Recalls

Here's our round up of recalls issued since our last newsletter. Please check through the list of items below and - if you think you have any of the products concerned - just click on the relevant link(s), which will take you to our blog for more information. Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to family/friends who may have any of the items listed.

• Rank Hovis Flour (UK)

• Seedless Dried Apricots (UK)

• Children's Sketch Books (US)

• Toy Egg Shakers (US)

• Toy Dump Trucks (Australia)

• VTech Discovery Playground Toys (Australia)

• Fresh Salmon from Morrisons (UK)

• 1st Expansion of Salmon Recall (UK)

• 2nd Expansion of Salmon Recall (UK)

• 3rd Expansion of Salmon Recall (US)

• Girls' Bracelet Sets (US)

• Bassettbaby Drop-Side Cribs (US)

• Massive Beef Recall (US)

• Mothercare Safety Gates (UK)

• Cinderella Battery-Powered Toy Cars (US)

• Spiderman Water Bottles (US)

• Children's Metal Jewelry (US)

• Kids' Dart Boards (US)

• Poundland Baby Rattle and Learn Toys (UK)

• Crib Recall by Munire Furniture (US)

• Battered Fish Fillets (US)

• Four Bean Salad (US)

Our featured product review - the Fuss-No-More Baby Buzzer

There are about a million baby rattles on the market right now - so what makes this one special?

Well, it vibrates - and that alone is enough to get the Fuss-No-More Baby Buzzer a big thumbs up from us!

The manufacturers say that 'Vibrations are a new sensation that will captivate your baby'... and we have to agree, if a dreamy expression of bliss and a good few minutes of total silence are anything to go by!

This rattle does a lot more than vibrate, though - it has flashing lights, plays classical music and has a mirror on the back for baby to check his reflection! Winner of the 'Dr Toy Best Vacations Children's Products' award, the Fuss-No-More Baby Buzzer was invented by a physician.

If you'd like to see YOUR baby captivated by the soothing sensations of vibration, the Fuss-No-More Baby Buzzer is available online from Baby-Wise in the US.

Website of the Month - Swap Your Unwanted Baby Items (US)

SwapBabyGoods.com was invented by a stay at home Mum who - like many of us - had a house full of baby items that her daughter had either grown out of or just didn't use.

Her brilliantly simple idea was to create a website where other parents in the same situation could get together and sell their items or swap them for something they actually need! Thus, SwapBabyGoods was born!

It's free to register and list your items and you can view the feedback that other members have received (just like on eBay!). The site includes a small forum and also provides a monthly newsletter.

There is so much waste in the world these days that it is important to take whatever steps we can to protect our children's futures. Exchanging our unwanted baby items for something useful is one way in which we can make a difference - so if YOUR attic is bulging with old toys and items you know you'll never use again, visit SwapBabyGoods.com and get swapping!

Two Easter Treats for Baby!

Please note - these recipes are suitable for older babies who are feeding themselves and comfortably biting and chewing.

Healthy Easter Nests

1 whole wheat bagel
cream cheese
fruit puree
a drop of vanilla essence
a few grapes (red/black and white)

Combine the cream cheese with the vanilla and a puree that your baby enjoys - the idea is to make the cream cheese a pretty colour! Pureed strawberries will turn the cheese pink, or you could use pureed apricots - their lovely vibrant colour gives the cheese a soft, peachy hue!
Lightly toast the bagel, cool, then cover it with the cream cheese mixture, leaving the centre of the 'nest' empty.
Place a toy easter chick in the centre, or fill it with 'eggs' - we use a combination of peeled white and red grapes!
Let baby dig in to this fun - and messy - Easter treat!


Crunchy Carob Nests

This idea was sent in to us last year by Rhianne from Warwickshire in the UK. We actually received her recipe a little too late to publish last Easter - but better late than never! Here it is at last... thank you Rhianne.

8oz (1 cup) puffed rice cereal
8oz (1 cup) unsweetened carob chips (dairy free versions are available from many health stores if required)
a touch of maple syrup or honey for babies over 1 year of age (optional)

Carob, which is caffeine free, has a degree of natural sweetness. You may prefer to add a little maple syrup or honey, however, if you feel the taste is a little too bitter for your baby.

Melt the carob chips in a bowl set over a saucepan of water (do not melt them directly in the saucepan).
Stir in the puffed rice, then form the mixture into 'nests' on wax paper.
Chill, then serve, filled with either a toy chick or 'eggs', as suggested above.