The Truths About Breastfeeding after One Year

My son is 2 1/2 and still breastfeeding. There are days when I'm utterly exhausted and ready for him to wean. Then there are other moments when I know I am doing the right thing. He is likely my last baby, so I want to savor this time.

Breastfeeding beyond a year in the United States, unfortunately, is not common. Lucky for me, I am part of a very active local Facebook group called the Badass Breastfeeders of Southern Maryland. The group is made up of supportive moms, and many of them now have little toddler nursers. I asked them to share their truths about extended breastfeeding.

 

#Truth 1

“Gymnursetics is real.”

-Alithza Martinez

#Truth  2

“Nineteen months — that's how long I spent nursing my last baby. Through challenges and triumphs, I only wanted to nurse for three months, then six months, and then a year. Then when it was over, there I was sobbing uncontrollably the last time my baby latched.

“No one ever tells you how that weaning period feels. The emotional sadness you feel when it all ends. He unlatched, looked me in the eyes and sighed while saying 'All done.' That was the last time he ever latched.”

-Shannon Heany Crush

#Truth  3

“My son is almost 19 months old. Breastfeeding was hard at first. Really hard. My other two children didn't make it past four months. With a family who calls my son a 'titty baby' because he is clingy and fussy, I have very family little support.

“My husband isn't very supportive either, but through a move across country, sickness, surgery, and two kids in school, I am still breastfeeding.

“Going past a year was new to me. My son is so very demanding and always pinching, too many touched out days for me, but our bond is so strong. I love our time together. I dread our weaning days and am hoping that isn't anytime soon.”

-Amber Enrriques

#Truth   4

“This is the last photo I have of my daughter nursing. She weaned September 2014 at 20 months old. I was roughly 7-months pregnant with her little brother.

“My goal had been to nurse until she was 2, as that is what the World Health Organization recommends. We didn't quite make it, but we nursed until she was ready to wean. Some days it was hard, but mostly, it was an amazing bond that I will never forget.”

-Annie Stauffer

#Truth  5
“Fifteen months and going strong! Truth is that it's difficult eating enough to keep yourself satisfied while providing enough for your baby. Truth is that it's not easy, in any sense, nursing a toddler. Truth is that I get a huge sense of pride and accomplishment out of knowing that I have nourished her and that she will quit when she's ready.”

-Gwyenne Buttrill

#Truth 6

 “My truths about nursing past a year:

“Nursing a toddler doesn't feel any different than nursing a baby. I'll admit, before I had my daughter, the idea of nursing past a year or two weirded me out. But nursing my 2-year-old feels just as natural and normal as it did when she was a newborn.

“Extended nursing in no way limits a child's independence. Or at least, if it does, thank goodness! If my fiercely independent and strong-willed daughter were any more so, I'm not sure I'd survive it!

“Sometimes I love our nursing relationship; sometimes I don't love it. In fact, if I'm being honest, sometimes I resent it. I resent that some days I'm so touched out from nursing that the last thing I want to do when my daughter finally crawls down from my lap is to get down on the floor and play blocks, or cars, or dress up. Although I love how strong our nursing bond is, I sometimes worry that other parts of our relationship might suffer for it.

“The hardest part of nursing a toddler is other people. You would think by now I would be immune to the opinions of other people, but actually, it's the opposite. With the perceptions about extended nursing in our country being what they are, the older my daughter gets, the more self-conscious I feel about nursing. I very rarely nurse in public anymore, and I sometimes cringe when my husband (who cares not at all what other people think) tells people we're still nursing.

“Not everyone who nurses past a year plans on self-weaning. I never planned to nurse until my daughter self-weaned. From the beginning, my goal was to nurse for as long as both she AND I wanted to. And now that she's over 2, I sometimes feel like I'm caught in a limbo between the early weaning crowd and the full-term nursers.

“I am absolutely certain I would not still be nursing without the support of other nursing moms!”
-Amanda Mastran

by Mindi Stavish

7 Ways to Stay Awake During Middle of the Night Nursing Sessions

Nursing mamas, let's get real for a second: the ability to feed your baby by pulling out a boob is pretty convenient, but there's one part that always throws me for a loop: the middle-of-the-night feed. Simply put: getting up to breastfeed in the middle of the night is kind of a drag. Sleeping when you have little ones is highly coveted, so waking up to a crying and hungry baby puts a slight damper on that glorious sleep.

I'm no stranger to the MOTN nursing session; I breastfed my first daughter for 16 months, and I'm currently exclusively breastfeeding my six-month-old baby. I'm not a whiz at math, but I know that combined, that's almost two years of being awake a whole heck of a lot in the middle of the night.

During those early newborn days, especially if you have a baby who likes to nurse forever, staying awake when the rest of the house is fast asleep can be extremely difficult. Sometimes I even have to turn on a light just to keep myself awake, while my precious little one sleeps on the boob, gulping down her midnight (and 2 am, and 4 am) snack in her “dream feed.” (And don't worry, there are plenty of times when she comes into bed with us and I catch some zzz's while nursing her–gotta love the side-laying position!)

I have some tricks up my sleeve that may help you keep your eyes wide open when all they'd rather do is close and go back to sleep.

Here are 7 Ways to Stay Awake During Middle of the Night Nursing Sessions:

#Way 1

Read a Book. It's no secret that moms have very little time to themselves once little ones come around, but one of the things I've missed from my kid-less days is reading. I have a Kindle app on my phone, and during each MOTN feed I pick up right where I've left off. Since the beginning of this year I've already read a dozen books with this method! The books I'm reading aren't super complicated, but they're fun, easy reads that help keep me awake long enough to nurse the baby. The bonus part to this is that I recently joined a book club; so nursing in the middle of the night is essentially helping me make friends! Win/win.

#Way 2 

Clean Out Your Phone Book. In this day and age, it's probably safe to say that your Rolodex is now stored on your phone, and if you're anything like me, you have dozens of numbers stored on there you probably don't need in there anymore. It's also extremely safe to say that you reallydon't have time in your day-to-day life to do something as mundane as looking through your list of contacts for people to delete. Well, now that you're up at oh-dark-thirty, you have plenty of time on your hands to take care of business.

 #Way 3

Play a Game. Nothing can make you doze-off faster than being bored and sleepy. Put that brain to work by playing a game on your phone. Words with Friends, Scrabble, or even that matching game you have on there for your toddler … anything that will make you think. I play games against friends, and you'd be surprised how many other moms are up right around the same time you are. Just don't be surprised if your baby finishes eating and you're still awake trying to get through just one more round. 

 #Way 4

Edit Those Pictures. I typically don't have time to post pictures during the day since I snap around a million photos on my phone just to get that one decent picture of my girls. When I'm breastfeeding I have some extra downtime to scroll through all my pictures, find the ones I like, and get them up on social media or into an email for the grandparents.

 #Way 5

Binge Watch TV. My first daughter was a marathon nurser, meaning she paced herself and was in it for the long haul for each feed. Thankfully, we had a subscription to Netflix, so I binge watched shows in the middle of the night. Consider this an opportunity to catch up on all those shows you've been meaning to watch someday.

 #Way 6

Get Some Food and Pour a Drink. Drinking water is essential to keeping up a good milk supply, so pour a tall glass of water (or keep a water bottle handy on your nightstand), to drink while nursing. During the early days when I was still establishing my supply (and ravenous any time I nursed), I even made some “booby bites” and kept several on my nightstand so I could tame my rumbling tummy during a MOTN feed.

 #Way 7

Get Out of Bed. If you're not keen on cosleeping, and don't want to risk falling asleep with the baby in your bed, get out of your bed and feed her in another room. The act of getting out of bed and walking somewhere else will help wake you up–then use one of the tips above to stay awake.

Author,

Jessica Lynn       

Cherishing Your Child

"Everybody's got a hungry heart."
-Bruce Springsteen

"…the precondition for giving is receiving… It is natural to say 'That is a well-cherished child' or 'There is a child who wants cherishing.' We think of cherishment as the emotional equivalent of nourishment. Soul Food."
-Elisabeth Young-Bruehl and Faith Bethelard

Humans are born ready to love, and to be loved. All parents recognize the adoration reserved especially for parents, the small arms reaching up, the joy of infant and parent in their cocoon of mutual delight. Babies expect to be cherished.

This cherishing, this affirmation of the infant from head to toe, teaches the baby who he is. In interaction with the parents, the baby learns "Yes, these are my toes, how good they feel when Dad kisses them!" and "Mom makes that happy noise when I smile at her!" The baby also learns "Mom and Dad love to bathe me, to nurse me, to care for me: I am worth taking care of. I am lovable."

Cherishing our babies is natural, if we listen to our instincts. It is our secret weapon, the nourishment that helps them grow inside, the source of self esteem, the foundation on which their ability to love and be loved rests.

This expectation of being loved is what allows our children to learn so quickly, to risk bumps and scrapes and hurt feelings: the security of knowing that someone who adores them is watching out for them, supporting their growth. Cherishment is the security of unconditional love.

For the parent, cherishing is reveling in being this baby’s parent, being grateful even in the middle of diapers and sleeplessness and colic that this baby was sent to these arms.

But if we have not been cherished ourselves, cherishing can be challenging. When we have been frustrated in our attempts to love and be loved, we may find it difficult to revel in our new baby. We may find ourselves annoyed rather than delighted by her need for our attention, angry rather than sympathetic when he howls. We may avert our eyes from her adoring gaze. We may become uncomfortable when engaged in reciprocal play with our baby and interrupt it without really noticing what we are doing, or even our discomfort.

Often, parents who have not been cherished themselves are envious of the attention the baby receives from others. These parents may insist that the baby adapt to their needs, by, for instance, refusing to adequately babyproof and then becoming angry when the baby persistently attempts to explore the VCR or the stack of magazines.

And for the baby, what happens when this need to cherish and be cherished is frustrated? Frustration, of course, is anger. Lack of being cherished creates an angry child.

Some parents are conditionally accepting. They might adore the baby, for instance, but find it difficult to deal with her when she's angry. What happens? The baby simply rejects the parts of herself that haven't been accepted. The ability to love herself is compromised, shadowed with self hatred; she is not, after all, good enough to evoke what she needs and wants most: cherishing. As she rejects parts of herself, her emotional growth is compromised. (See the Attachment Research for more about the Resistant-ambivalent response.)

The need for cherishing, like all survival needs, doesn’t vanish when thwarted. It goes deep underground. We defend ourselves against this dangerous need that would make us vulnerable; we ward it off with anger, which eventually turns into bitterness.

In extreme cases, the hope of being loved becomes too painful, and the child defends against it by consciously expecting rejection. We all know these children, who become experts at soliciting dislike. In very extreme cases, these can become the kids who are capable, one day, of taking a gun to school and opening fire. The famous researcher Rene Spitz said it most succinctly:

"Infants without love…will end as adults full of hate."

Luckily, virtually all of us get enough cherishment that we don't end up as killers. Few of us, though, get enough of this "soul food" that we don't end up with a heart that is, at times, more hungry than we would like. That hunger, those unmet needs, are what drive all "bad behavior" on the part of our children. Kids whose needs for cherishment are met become cooperative kids. Sure, they'll have times when they're overwhelmed by emotion, or have a hard time regulating their behavior. But these kids WANT to cooperate to please their parent.

Want to raise a happy, cooperative, responsible child? Cherish your baby.

Kangaroo Mother Care: The Magic of a Mother's Touch

Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is for every mother; every baby. The mother's skin is the baby's natural environment, and both physically and emotionally the healthiest place for the baby to be, says KMC researcher Dr. Nils Bergman of Cape Town.

When Krisanne Collard's "tiny miracle" was born at 24 weeks, she weighed only 795 grams. To save her life, baby Kaia was rushed into intensive care in another hospital 40 kilometres away and put onto a ventilator because she needed oxygen. Krisanne was devastated - she had just given birth, but her arms were empty. Even when she was able to visit her baby and touch her gently, Krisanne felt terribly helpless. Kaia's heart kept stopping whenever she was touched, and she wasn't expected to live.

So when the staff gave Krisanne a reclining chair and suggested she take off her shirt and bra so they could put Kaia onto her warm skin, she was absolutely terrified. "Kaia was so tiny and fragile," she says, "I thought I would kill her if I touched her - maybe her heart would stop beating again. But the staff were very encouraging, so I was finally willing to give it a try. To my amazement, Kaia wriggled a few times, snuggled in and fell into a deep, healing sleep. Her blood-oxygen saturation increased so well that we had to turn down her ventilator by almost half! "I was on top of the world and felt like a real mother for the very first time. After that I held her skin-to-skin on my chest every day and she thrived", she adds.

Why all newborn babies need KMC

KMC research assistant Marianne Littlejohn explains that the transition from the womb to the world is a big adjustment for any baby, even if they are not premature. When we go through very big changes, the first thing we search for is the safety and comfort of something familiar. "Being placed skin-to-skin on the mother's chest stabilizes the baby better than an incubator or heated cot", she says. "The baby is soothed and comforted by the mother's familiar heartbeat, her smell and the sound of her voice." The mother's gentle touch and breathing also stimulate the baby's breathing, and he is rewarded with the sweet-tasting colostrum from her breasts. This eases the baby though the new experience of being outside the mother's body for the very first time.

Newborns need to be kept warm until their temperatures stabilize, and a mother's body is beautifully designed to do this. The temperature on her chest will rise two degrees to warm a cold baby, and fall one degree to cool a hot baby, stabilizing the baby's temperature better than even the most modern incubator. This phenomenon is called "maternal-infant thermal synchrony." If the mother has had an anaesthetic or is too ill to hold the baby, he can be placed skin-to-skin on his dad's chest instead. Dad's voice is also familiar and soothing to the baby and he can help keep the baby warm too. Fathers who have had this extra contact with their newborns are more likely to be involved in caring for the baby than fathers who missed out on early contact.

Why babies need their mothers

"The more skin-to-skin contact, the better", says Dr. Bergman. "It should ideally start at birth, but is helpful any time, and will immediately soothe and calm the baby". If they are separated from their mothers, babies start to cry in distress, stopping only when they are too tired to go on. These distress calls are similar to the distress calls of other baby mammals who have lost their mothers, and are an attempt to bring the mother back. This is called the "protest-despair" response, as the baby finally gives up if the mother doesn't appear, and stops crying in order to conserve energy for survival.

The reason that babies (premature and also full-term) become so distressed when they are separated from their mothers, is that they know instinctively that if she abandons them, they will die. The mother provides everything the baby needs to stay alive: safety, warmth, protection and food. In nature, a baby separated from its mother wouldn't survive for very long, and babies are born knowing that being with their mothers is essential if they are going to survive. As a result, any separation from the mother can create high stress levels in the newborn, with long-term adverse effects on the baby's physical and emotional health. So we refer to the mother and baby as a "dyad" - a pair who should not be separated, but kept together from birth on.

The miracle of a mother's touch

If separation has occurred, the "miracle of a mother's touch" is that reunited with their mothers, babies recover almost immediately. Their heart rate and breathing become normal, their temperatures stabilize and their stress hormones (e.g. cortisol), return to acceptable levels. "We used to think it was normal for incubator babies to have very variable heart rates, irregular breathing and fluctuations in body temperature", says Dr. Bergman. "Now we know that these are the signs of a baby who is in distress. As soon as the baby is placed in his right "habitat" (skin-to-skin on the mother's chest), these vital signs return to normal very quickly." This means that the baby is no longer distressed, and can use all his energy for feeding, growing and thriving, rather than just trying to survive.

Sometimes premature babies are also ill and need to be on drips, be tube fed, and receive oxygen. "When they are needed we can combine these life-saving procedures, and the very latest technology, with KMC", says Dr. Bergman. "This way babies can receive the best of both worlds". A healthy preemie can be tied to the mother's chest in the "Kangaroo Wrapper" and the mother can even walk around with her baby on an IV drip. Oxygen can also be given to babies while they lie skin-to-skin on their mother's chest and babies can be tube-fed in the KMC position as well.

Benefits of breastfeeding preemies

Breastfeeding is a very important part of KMC, says Dr. Bergman. If babies are too small to suck, they are tube-fed their own mother's milk that she is helped to express, until the baby can suck on his own. Nature has designed things so beautifully that the milk of a mother who gives birth prematurely is quite different from the milk of a mother who has given birth to a full-term baby. The former contains special nutrients, which help the very tiny baby to grow and thrive. Also vitally important are the antibodies present in the mother's milk, which protect the baby from disease.

The colostrum, or clear fluid, that is in the mother's breasts for the first few days is especially important for a number of reasons. It is vital that this should also be expressed and given to a baby who is too small to suck yet. This "liquid gold" is highly nutritious and easily digestible. It is the best possible food for any newborn baby, and prepares the baby's stomach to receive the mother's milk, which will come in on the third day after birth. Even if mothers have chosen not to breastfeed, it is recommended that they express colostrum and breast-milk for their babies if they are born prematurely or are ill in any way.

KMC for "every" baby

KMC is not just for premature babies either. The transition from womb to world is a big upheaval for any baby. How we receive them and treat them for the first few days of life will set the pattern for how they will come to perceive the world. We need to reassure them that they have arrived in a good place where they will be loved, cared for, fed and nurtured. All healthy newborns should be kept in constant skin-to-skin contact with their mothers. This enhances bonding, gives them the very best start to life (both physically and emotionally), and enables optimal brain development as well.

"Someone once told me that the parents are the only ones who benefit from Kangaroo Mother Care", says Krisanne. "I don't agree. I saw the dramatic changes in my little miracle when I held her to my heart. For the parents, Kangarooing satisfies the need to feel like a Mom or Dad and gives us a chance to do something for our babies. For the premature babies, Kangaroo Mother Care lowers oxygen requirements, stabilizes heart rates, gives them an overall sense of peace and so much more!" If babies could tell us what they most need, they would simply say, "Hold me, feed me and love me". Mothers have always known this - now the studies tell us they were right!

by Pat Törngren

Mucus in Baby's Stool

Presence of mucus in baby's stool can be a cause of worry for parents. This article will provide you with some information about the various aspects of the condition.

It is said that changes in the color and consistency of stool may be an indication of some underlying health problem. In order to understand the abnormality of bowel movements, you must know about what normal stool looks like. As newborns, humans have black tarry stool, which is followed by yellow seedy and watery stool. As the kids grow, the stool color and consistency change and in an adult human being, the normal stool color is found as shades of brown (especially, the color of cardboard), with a consistency of peanut butter. Any change in such color and consistency has to be diagnosed, if persistent. Sometimes, you may notice mucus in baby's stool.

Causes

Now you understand that a baby's stool color and consistency can change with growth. There are many other factors that affect the nature of baby's stool. This includes the type of food ingested by the baby as well as the mother. Mucus in baby's stool is usually not considered a cause of concern. 

 

According to health experts, some amount of mucus in the stool of babies is normal. A small amount of mucus lining the intestines may get expelled with the stool. It is also said that this is mostly seen in breast-fed babies, as they use up breast milk so efficiently that most of their stool consists of mucus. But, if the condition is persistent or is accompanied with other symptoms, you must consult the pediatrician at the earliest. Let us take a look at the possible causes of this condition.

Babies with cystic fibrosis may develop mucus in stool. In those babies, mucus buildup is observed in the lungs and the intestines and this results in expulsion of some mucus through stools, which can be foul-smelling and greasy too.

If the baby's stool is green and contains mucus, it could be due to some viral infection. Teething is another cause for this condition. This is due to the increased drooling that causes ingestion of excess saliva, which irritates the intestine and results in expulsion of mucus along with stools.

Food allergy is another cause for mucus and blood in baby's stool. Even breast-fed babies may have food allergies, which could be caused by the food consumed by the mother.

One of the serious causes for this condition is intussusception, which is characterized by intestinal blockage, caused by another part of the intestine itself. In such cases, jelly like stools will be passed by the baby, who will experience intermittent pain and vomiting too. The stool will contain mucus as well as blood and this condition requires immediate treatment.

Infections of the bowel (both viral as well as bacterial) can be among the potential causes for mucus and blood in baby's stool. In some cases, mucus in stool may be due to intake of fruits like, bananas.

In short, mucus in baby's stool without other symptoms like, fever, pain and change in stool color, is not a cause of worry, if the condition is not persistent. However, it is always better to consult your pediatrician, who will be the best person to analyze the condition. If the mucus is red, contact the doctor immediately. It could be due to various reasons, some of which can be serious.

Treatment for the condition depends on the underlying cause. While in some cases, the condition may subside without any treatment, some others may require treatment as per the underlying condition. 

 

While intussusception is often treated with immediate surgery, the condition (mucus in stool) will subside on its own, if caused by teething or viral infection. So, if you detect this condition in your baby, don't panic. If the baby is having other symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. If there is blood in baby's stool, along with mucus, then also immediate medical attention is required. If the baby is otherwise healthy, then wait for a day or two and then contact the doctor, if the condition persists. The above said is only a brief overview about mucus in baby's stool. It is always better to seek the opinion of your doctor, if you have any doubts regarding the condition.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice. Visiting your doctor is the safest way to diagnose and treat any health condition.

Author,

Sonia Nair

Food Allergies in Babies

Food allergies in babies are estimated to affect 6% of the total population of children in the United States of America. It is important that we understand the foods which cause food allergies. The following write-up will help us know more on allergies in babies caused due to food. Read on ...

Often parents are told that food allergies in babies are uncommon. However, the statistics prove otherwise. 1 in 18 children suffers from food allergies. If a child does not eat a particular food, it does not always mean that the child is allergic to that food. In all probabilities the child does not like the food, hence, it refuses to eat. Let us first understand what are food allergies.

What are Food Allergies?

Food allergy is an immune response by the body to a food that the body is allergic to. Often the body makes an antibody, which tells the immune system to fight the intruder. The body therefore releases histamines. These histamines cause allergic symptoms.

Signs of Food Allergies in Babies

The time taken to display symptoms can vary from one child to another and can range from a few minutes to a few hours. Here are some of the common signs exhibited.

Hives

Eczema

Diarrhea

Itching

Constipation

Ear Infections

Swelling

Trouble in breathing

Vomiting

Collic

Runny or stuffy nose

Severe allergic reactions - It refers to reactions in the whole body, which include wheezing, swelling of the face, tongue, lips, and difficulty in breathing.

In case of severe reactions, medical help should be sought immediately. If an allergy to a certain food is hereditary, the symptoms of the allergies to that food is not apparent till the baby has eaten the food a few times, the symptoms might develop after that particular food product is consumed a few times. 

 

Indirect exposure to allergic food too can cause complications. It means that if a baby is allergic to eggs, then eggs eaten through cakes and cookies are also to be counted in the exposure, although indirect. The other indirect way is if the mother has eaten an egg, while she is still breastfeeding the child.

Common Food Allergies

Food allergies can be caused due to direct consumption of a food or through the mother's milk. 

 

Therefore, it is important that the mother keeps a watch on what she is eating and checks if the food she is consuming is causing an allergy in the baby. In such a situation, the mother should avoid the food till after she has breastfed the baby. When you introduce new food to your baby remember to keep a gap of 10 to 12 days. At the same it is always better if you introduce only one new food at a time. In case of an allergy it will be easy for you to find out, which food is causing the allergy. 

 

Generally speaking, a child can be allergic to any food, but there are some foods which are more problematic than the rest. Statistics have shown that the following common food products account for 80% of allergies in babies.

Milk, especially cow milk

Wheat

Eggs

Soy

Peanuts

Fish, especially salmon and tuna fish

Shellfish, shrimp, crab, and lobsters

Tree-nuts like walnuts, cashew, etc.

How to Prevent

It is difficult to prevent these allergies altogether, but they can be prevented if adequate care is taken. 

 

There are many opinions in regard to preventing food allergies. Some pediatricians opine that breastfeeding babies for a longer period of time protects them from potential allergy causing allergens. This advice should be followed, especially where either one of the parent suffers from allergies. You can try alternative food products if the baby is allergic to a certain food. For example, in case of allergy to milk, you can give non-allergic formula or you can try soy formulated food products.

These allergies do not pose a threat to the babies. It has been observed that most of the food allergies disappear after a few years. Then the food can be reintroduced after the child grows up.

Author,

Bhakti Satalkar

How to Make Baby Food

The following article will give you some four quick, easy, and healthy baby food ideas.

Making baby food is quite easy as you do not have to use a whole lot of ingredients. Homemade baby food usually contains only two or three ingredients which are easily available. Food for babies and toddlers should be made only with the most nutritious food items like fruits and vegetables. Fruits like bananas, avocado, apples and veggies like peas, green beans, sweet potatoes are generally encouraged by baby food nutritionists. Without wasting anymore time, let's learn how to make baby food in just a few minutes.

Baby Fruit Salad

As we all know, fruits are rich in nutrients, so for this baby food dish, we are going to make use of some of the most nutritious fruits - avocados, bananas, and pears. This recipe is for babies between 6 to 8 months of age.

Ingredients

Ripe avocados, 3

Ripe bananas, 3

Steamed pears, 3

Process

Firstly, peel, slice, and seed all the fruits. Place the sliced fruits in a clean blender or food processor and blend until desired texture is achieved, do not make it too liquidy or too thick. Remove in a small bowl and feed immediately. If your baby is above 8 months, you can add dollops of yogurt.

Rice and Fruit Squash

Butternut and acorn squash are the perfect choices when it comes to squash as they are high in calcium and various vitamins. Besides, they are smooth and delicious, so your baby is sure to love them!

Ingredients

Squash (acorn, butternut, or other winter squash), 1

Cooked brown rice, 1 cup

Applesauce ½ cup

Process

First cut the butternut or acorn squash in half; discard the seeds. Take a large pan, place the squash halves face down in it and pour water until an inch of the squash is covered. Bake for about 40 minutes at 400ºF in a preheated oven until the shell of the squash puckers and the pulp becomes soft. 

 

Scoop the pulp out of the shell, place it a food processor. Add applesauce and cooked rice to it. You can also add water if necessary and blend until smooth and thin in consistency.

Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potatoes are a must for baby food. If you are dying to know how to make your own baby food, this simple and nutritious recipe is the answer.

Ingredients

Medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, 3

Bay leaf, 1

Homemade chicken stock, 3 cups

Chopped celery, 1 cup

Chopped onion, ½ cup

Canola oil, 1 tbsp.

Dried basil, ½ tsp.

Process

Pour oil in a large pot and sauté onion and celery in it until tender. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce the heat. Let it simmer for bout 25 - 30 minutes. 

 

Discard the bay leaf, cool a little, and then blend it until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and heat through. Feed warm.

Peas Dinner

This healthy dinner is for babies above 8 months. Babies of this age need more than simple liquids. In this recipe, we will make use of nutritious chicken, sweet potatoes, and peas.

Ingredients

Small sweet potato, peeled and diced, 1

Boneless and skinless chicken breast, cubed, ½

Water or homemade chicken broth, 3 cups

Frozen peas, ½ cup

A pinch of dried sage

Process

Add the chicken breast to a large saucepan and cover with stock or water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and cook further for 3 minutes. Now add the peas, cook for 2 more minutes. Cool for a bit. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add sage, and blend until smooth.

Now that you have these simple recipes at hand, you can stop worrying about what to feed your little angel.

Author,

Girija Shinde

Making Baby Food

Are you wondering how to make baby food at home? Well, it is quite easy. Read on for some easy homemade baby food recipes.
 

While making baby food, several important things need to be kept in mind, out of which the most important is the age of the baby. Babies should not be fed any solid food until they are 6 months old. 

 

In fact, till then they should be fed only mother's milk. Secondly, you should avoid a few things, most importantly spices. Not even a pinch of spice should be added to baby food, even salt should be minimal. Only food that is easy to digest and nutritious should be opted for.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup warmed milk

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

2-3 drops vanilla extract

Process

Take a medium-sized bowl, add all the ingredients in it. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Let cool slightly and then feed. Do not forget to check the temperature before serving. This recipe is for 6 - 9 month old babies.

Vegetable Purée

Ingredients

250 g butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled

250 g potatoes

250 g sweet potatoes

250 g carrots

Process

Cut the veggies in small pieces, set aside. Put a steamer set over boiling water, place the veggies into it, and cook for about 15-20 minutes. If you do not have a steamer set, place the veggies in a pan and pour boiling water over them, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. When done, purée the vegetable using the liquid of the veggies that remains in the pan. Feed lukewarm. To store, pour into ice cube tray and freeze until needed.

Rice with Chicken

Ingredients

1 peach, peeled and diced

½ cup diced, cooked boneless skinless chicken

¼ cup cooked brown rice

2 tbsp. milk

Process

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and purée until you get the desired texture and consistency. 

 

Isn't making your own baby food easy? This recipe is especially for babies who are 6-8 months old. 

 

The baby is sure to like the yummy chicken and rice taste!

Vegetables with Cheese

Ingredients

1 medium carrot (approx 125 g), peeled and sliced

300 g potatoes, peeled and chopped

75 g broccoli florets

40 g cheddar cheese, grated

15 g unsalted butter

4 tbsp. baby's usual milk

Process

Take a large saucepan and add carrots and potatoes to it, add boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes until tender. While the carrots and potatoes are cooking, steam broccoli in another saucepan for about 7 minutes. After the broccoli is tender, add it to the potatoes mixture after about 12 minutes. 

 

Drain and mash the veggies, add butter, cheese, and milk. This is a recipe for babies who are 9 - 12 months old.

Potato Soup
Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cubed

1 bay leaf

1 cup celery, chopped

½ cup onion, chopped

1 tbsp. canola oil

½ tsp. dried basil

Homemade chicken stock

Process

Take a large pot, add oil to it and sauté onion and celery in it. Add all the other remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 25 - 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and then lower the heat. Remove the bay leaf and cool. Purée in a food processor in batches. 

 

Again heat the soup, cool, and then serve. This is a recipe for 9 - 12 months old babies.

There are also many books on cooking baby food which can provide you with proper guidance. Make baby food at home and get rid of the tension of whether the food you are serving is fresh and healthy.

Author,

Girija Shinde