Competition corner

The Homemade Baby Food Recipes Competition

As there was no issue of Baby Bites sent out in February, we have two months worth of competition results to tell you about!

Rebecca Beckstrom from the United States was the winner of January's Homemade Baby Food Recipes Competition with her nutritious recipe for Colorful Chicken 'n' Squash Soup. Her recipe can currently be found on our Baby Dinner Recipes page, at the top of the list of soup recipes.

February's winner was Angela Buchanan from the United States. She sent us a wonderfully simple recipe for Mango-Plantain Puree with Mint which we're sure will be a big hit with your little ones!

Angela's recipe - plus other recipes for

• Cumin-Pumpkin Soup
• Reimi’s Sauce
• Creamy Sweet Orzo
• Pearl’s Spinach & Potatoes

Do you have an original baby food recipe you'd like to share with other Mums?

Then send it in using this simple form - you could be March's winner of a $20 voucher from Amazon!


Baby of the Month

Thank you SO much for all the wonderful entries over the last two months for our Baby of the Month competition.

You can visit this month's winner and see more of our favourite entries on our Baby of the Month page. You'll also find the entry form and details you need to submit YOUR baby's photograph!

You can also see February's winner here..

Check Out Our Ad on YouTube

Come and check out our new video ad on YouTube - and please pass the link on to other parents you know who may be trying to decide between homemade baby food and the store-bought variety.

Let's persuade them that making your own baby food isn't just easy... it's fun, too!

A Fun Way to Save Time When Making Baby Food

One of the most common reasons that people give for NOT making their own baby food is that they don't have the time. And whilst the time it actually takes is infinitely less than many parents imagine, there's no denying that it does take a bit longer than opening a jar!

But there IS a way to fill your freezer with homemade baby food in record time... and that's by forming a Homemade Baby Food Group with like-minded Mums!

So how does it work?

Well, most of us with young babies have a circle of friends with babies of a similar age, usually through connections made at pre-natal groups, or at local Mother and Baby groups. So, once a week, get together with your group and assign each member a particular veggie or fruit to prepare (or perhaps two veggies or fruits if the group is small).

Each Mum (or Dad... we can hope!) prepares a very large batch of their assigned item, then shares it with the other group members. That way, your baby will not only have the food that YOU prepared, but everything that the rest of your group prepared, too!

Preparing a large quantity of one particular food is MUCH quicker than preparing several vegetables or fruits - yet your baby still gets to enjoy a variety of flavours!

This is a great, sociable way to create meals for your little one - and if you try it out and want to tell us about how it works for YOUR group, please contact us here!

Tip of the Month... Pacifier Weaning For Babies - When, Why and How

This month's article was kindly provided for us by guest writer Paula Dennholt from Easy Baby Life

Pacifier weaning is much more a common issue for parents of toddlers than babies. But sometime weaning a baby off the pacifier is a really good idea.

When?

Well, I suspect if you're still reading this article, you already have clue... ;-)

But if you don't, I'd say the most important reason for pacifier weaning for babies is that the little darling continues to wake up again and again and again for his or her binky.

So just when you thought the pacifier would be a great relief (compared to being a human pacifier for example), it instead becomes an obstacle to a good night's sleep. Or a long, refreshing nap.

For many babies this never really becomes a problem. They might need or want the pacifier to fall asleep, but doesn't really need it to stay asleep. Or they learn quickly to pop it in themselves.

But in some cases, the pacifier becomes an hindrance, rather than a help to improve the baby's sleep. This is when the infant decides (subconsciously) that he or she needs to be sucking on it all the time to stay asleep and go back to sleep after those brief waken moments that occur once every hour or one and a half.

Then, as a parent, to have to go to the crib, find the pacifier and pop it in, isn't all that much better than having to feed that baby at night.

If this only happens say once per night, it is not such a big deal, but some babies really do start to wake up several times per night for their pacifier.

That's when the thought comes - I don't want my child to have the dummy anymore, but how do I get rid of it?

Well, pacifier weaning for a baby can sometimes be a lot easier than for a toddler. Their memory is shorter and their protests are likely to subside faster.

There are basically two ways to do it; fast or slowly.

Pacifier Weaning In Just A Couple Of Days

OK, so if you are desperate or just simply want to get it done, then just take the pacifier away. Just like that.

I would recommend you do it on a Thursday or any other day that will give you and your partner a few days off from work to take care of your baby.

Depending on how dependent your baby is on the pacifier for sleep, the nights and days may be quite tough for a little while. Cuddle your sad little darling, and help him or her to learn new ways of falling asleep.

But don't overdo it! You don't want to exchange the pacifier for a car ride...

Most likely within a few days or a week, your baby will master his new skills of going to sleep and staying asleep without the dummy.

Pacifier Weaning Gently

If you don't want to rush it for one reason or another, there are some tricks to teach your baby to stop using the pacifier in a more gentle way. (This technique can also be used to help your baby learn how to fall asleep without breastfeeding) Here's how:

When you put your baby to bed (or in your arms or wherever she goes to sleep), let her suckle for a while until she is almost asleep. But right before he or she falls asleep, release the pacifier. You can do it by gently inserting your finger into the corner of her mouth to get rid of the vacuum. Then press lightly on her cheek to keep her mouth shut. This may sound very weird, but it actually helps the baby to not root for the pacifier (or the nipple).

She will probably wake up when you do this, and NOT accept it the first few times. Give her the pacifier (or nipple) back and repeat the above process. Do this over and over again until she falls asleep without the pacifier (or nipple).

Then continue to do this every time she needs the pacifier (or nipple) for falling asleep.

Eventually, she will learn to fall asleep without suckling, which is great step towards sleeping through the night. Also with this method you have not substituted the suckling with something else (like being rocked).

The disadvantage is that it might take time and that it can be very hard at night to really motivate yourself to continue doing this. To be able to share the burden for a week or two would probably be of great help for you.

So fast or slowly is really up to you!

Or of course, you can wait until you "must" get rid of the pacifier when your baby is approaching his or her fourth birthday. Then, to avoid dental problems, the binky has to go.

These pacifier weaning tips are provided by Paula Dennholt, the founder of Easy Baby Life. She is a passionate parent advisor helping new moms and moms-to-be with information and tips on all from pregnancy to all aspects of baby care.

Safety Recalls

Here's a round up of recalls and warnings posted to our blog since our last newsletter. If you (or someone you know) has any of the items listed below, then please click on the link to visit our blog for more information.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone else who you believe may be affected by these recalls.

Taggies Sleep n Play Infant Garments, Flashing Pacifiers, Roman Shades and Roll Up Blinds, High Speed Pull Back Toy Cars, Stork Craft Baby Cribs, Jardine Cribs (US)

Children's Sunglasses, Toy Xylophones, Rainforest Portable Playards, Infantino Rattles (US) - and Gepetto Bead Rattles and Bell Rattles (Australia)

Spotlight Beaded Leg Santa and Reindeer (Australia)

Playhome Canopies (US)

Stair Gates (US)

Children's Aquafresh Toothpaste (UK)

Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese (US)

Nestle Baby Food (France)

Steelcraft Cruiser Infant Carrier (Australia)

Disney Toy Tool Sets (US)

Solid Light Tuna in Olive Oil (US)

Golden Sultana Raisins (UK)

Potato Products (US)

Featured Product - The Learning Tower

One of the best ways to instill a real appreciation of food in your child is to allow him to help prepare meals with you as soon as he's old enough to do so.

But this is sometimes easier said than done!

In order for your little one to participate, he needs to be raised to the level of your kitchen countertop. This usually means standing him on a chair or step stool, either of which can be somewhat precarious and require you to keep a very close eye on him to ensure he doesn't fall off!

So we just LOVE the innovative Learning Tower by Little Partners.

The Tower, made of high quality layered birch wood, is a sturdy structure designed to elevate children from 18 months to 6 years of age to a height where they can help get dinner ready, yet still remain safe.

It has four sided railings to help your child climb into the structure and to keep him safe once he's in, plus a nice wide platform (18" x 15") to enable him to move about without the risk of falling. The platform is adjustable (according to the age/height of your child) and can even safely hold two children - so brother or sister can join in the fun, too!

The Tower's manufacturers even suggest a method for getting additional use from their product - just throw a piece of fabric over the top and it magically becomes a puppet theater - a cool idea!

At $179.95 from Baby Earth, The Learning Tower does not come cheap - but if you're looking for a product that your child will be using all the time and will continue to be useful for years to come, then this may be one of the best investments you'll make!

Featured Website

OneTravel.com is a travel website that offers some genuinely useful information for planning a trip.

If you're in the US and want to avoid those tedious check in queues at the airport, then visit One Travel's Airline Web Check In information page. Just find your airline on the list, click on the link and read all about their web check in policies and restrictions. Another link will take you directly to that airline's web check in page... a real time-saver if you have little ones in tow!

Need the contact details for a particular airline? OneTravel's comprehensive list of Airline Toll Free Numbers and Websites makes it easy to locate any airline, anywhere in the world.

The amount of baggage you'll need for a trip with your little one will inevitably be higher than it was when it was just you and your partner. But just how much luggage can you bring? OneTravel's Airline Baggage Policies gives detailed baggage information for all US airlines.

And finally...

If you need a hotel, OneTravel lists telephone numbers and websites for all major US hotel chains.

For more information to help you make sure your first trip with baby goes as smoothly as possible, don't forget to check out our travel tips...

Travelling with Baby

Flying with Baby Food and Milk

Air Travel with Baby

Car Journeys with Baby

Taking Baby to a Restaurant

Baby Travel Snacks

Taking Baby Abroad

Recipe of the month - Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Soup with Oatmeal

This month, we have a simple soup recipe for you that's both warming and super-satisfying. Thickened with oatmeal, it's highly nutritious, too!

The soup contains cauliflower, which may cause gas in some babies. For that reason, you might prefer to wait until later in baby's first year to give this recipe a try.

You will need...

2 tsp unsalted butter
2 leeks, sliced
4 oz cauliflower florets
10 fl oz (1 1/4 cups) milk
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
10 fl oz (1 1/4 cups) low sodium or homemade chicken stock
pinch freshly ground black pepper (optional)
4 tbsp rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)

Melt the butter in a pan and saute the leeks for several minutes.
Add the cauliflower and cubed sweet potato, stir well, then cover and cook over a very low heat for 10 minutes.
Stir the oatmeal into the milk, then pour into the pan.
Finally, pour in the stock.
Raise the heat. When the mixture starts to bubble, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the vegetables are fork tender.
Transfer to a blender and puree until nice and smooth.
Cool to a safe temperature and serve - this recipe provides enough for you to enjoy a bowl along with your little one!