Five Reasons For Preparing Your Own Baby Food

Are you unsure whether you should make your own baby food at home or just buy it from the store? If so, then take a look at these five good reasons for doing it yourself - they may help you make up your mind...

1. Home-made Baby Food is Healthier and More Nutritious

Commercial baby foods contain additional fat, salt, sugar, fillers or other ingredients that are completely unnecessary (and often inappropriate) to your baby's diet. These additives are an attempt to add flavor, texture and bulk to poor-quality products. They contribute nothing at all to your baby's health or well-being. By preparing the food yourself, you can be sure that your baby is getting exactly what his/her little body needs - and nothing that it doesn't.

2. You're in Control

By preparing your baby's food yourself, you know exactly what your baby is eating. When you prepare an apple sauce, you know he/she is getting fresh, pure apple and all the goodness it contains. However, when you buy apple-sauce at the store, you'd almost need a degree in nutrition just to decipher the list of ingredients.

3. It's Easy to Make Your Own Baby Food

Once you get started cooking for your baby, you'll quickly realize just how easy it is. All you need is a food blender and some fresh ingredients to quickly prepare healthy, tasty, home-made meals for your little one. Furthermore, by making large amounts of his/her favorite meals in advance, and then freezing them for later, you'll be able to serve up delicious, healthy meals in minutes -- every day of the week.

4. It's Much Cheaper

The prices that baby food manufacturers charge for their products is nothing short of scandalous and are in no way justifiable. The reason they can charge so much is because they've conditioned most parents to believe that they have no choice but to buy from them. By preparing your baby's food yourself, you can avoid being a victim of this daylight robbery, and find yourself with extra cash to spend on all those other things that a growing baby needs.

5. It's Very Gratifying

Watching your baby enjoy the meal you've just prepared for him/her is already a very gratifying experience. On top of that, however, you have the satisfaction and pride of knowing that you're giving your child the gift of a healthy and nutritious diet - and saving yourself money as well.

And finally...

If all that weren't enough, here's another great reason to do it yourself: home-made baby food is much tastier than any commercial product. Delicious food is one of life's great pleasures and your baby deserves to enjoy the rich flavor and texture of real home cooking just as much as you or I. After all, none of us would enjoy eating 'TV Dinners' morning, noon and night - and that goes for your baby too!

So, don't put it off. Get started today. Your baby will thank you for it in more ways than one.

Nancy Miller is author of 'How to Make Your Own Healthy Baby Food' and a full-time working mom. Visit Nancy's site for more tips and advice on making baby food.

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Baby Food Allergies - How To Identify And Avoid Them

Many parents find the risk of baby food allergies one of the most worrying aspects of introducing new foods to their baby. But there are simple steps you can take to minimise potential problems and make your child's introduction to solid food a safe and happy one.

Allergic reactions take place when your baby's immune system mistakenly treats a harmless substance as a harmful one. Baby food allergy symptoms include diarrhea, eczema, nausea, constipation and watery or red eyes. Very rarely, a serious reaction known as allergic shock can occur. This can cause the throat and tongue to swell dangerously, which could lead to choking. In this situation, professional medical help must be sought immediately.

Baby food allergies should not be confused with food intolerance. A baby with food intolerance would have difficulty in digesting a particular type of food, which can be caused by many other things besides an allergen. In either case, diagnosis should be made by a medical professional.

In order to prevent baby food allergies such as these, or to identify foods to which your baby reacts, it is important to follow these simple guidelines --

1. Try to delay feeding your baby solid food until he is at least 6 months of age. His immune system will be better developed by this stage.

2. Only introduce one new food at a time and wait for a few days to see if a reaction occurs. It will then be easy to spot the "problem" food and eliminate it from your baby's diet.

3. Avoid foods that are known to be more likely to cause allergic reactions. Examples of such foods include eggs (particularly the whites), shellfish, gluten and citrus fruits.

4. Decide whether or not your baby is at a particularly high risk of developing allergies -- for example, do you suffer from an allergy yourself? This can often lead to an increased risk of allergies for your baby, although not necessarily to the same allergen (i.e. the substance responsible for the reaction).

5. Discuss any concerns with a medical professional.

Whilst it is sensible to be cautious, it is still important to remember that baby food allergies only affect around 8% of children. So try to keep things in perspective, introduce new foods individually and stay alert for possible reactions -- these measures will give you the confidence to safely introduce the delights of solid food to your little one.

Christine Albury is the author of http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com, helping you become head chef for a very special little customer.

For more baby food allergy information, visit http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/babyfoodallergies.html

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Save Money on Baby Food

Look for easy ways to save big money by using coupons for baby food and other baby products like diapers, baby formula, and baby utensils. Even if you have very specific brand preferences for your baby's products, you can still find good coupons and special offers if you know where to look. Check out these sources for baby product coupons:

• The Sunday grocery coupon circular frequently has coupons for diapers, baby food, baby dishes and utensils, and various brands of baby formula. 

• Your pediatrician's office usually has baby product coupons or samples available. 

• Get even more coupons by directly asking manufacturers to send them to you. You can send your request in via their website or by calling their 800 number. Be sure to share any positive comments about their products if you like them while you are requesting coupons and be sure to include your address in your email. 

• Ask the customer service department at your grocery and drugstores if they have any special Baby clubs. They can be a source of many baby product coupons. You may also get money-back rebates from your accumulated spending on baby products. If you are buying your baby products at that store already, then getting automatic rebates for your purchases is like getting free money with no effort. 

• Drugstore circulars frequently feature promotions for great diaper bargains, such as "buy one, get one free" offers on their store brand. Generic diaper brands may work just as well as the much more expensive name brands, you just have to give them a try. Stock up at sale prices, and remember that if your baby outgrows that diaper size before you've used the diapers, most stores will happily exchange unopened diaper packages for the new size.

These baby product manufacturers offer savings clubs or free coupons. You can also check out your favorite manufacturers' sites and look for "promotions" or "coupons" Companies that offer generous coupons include Similac, Huggies, Gerber, Beech Nut and Earth's Best Baby Foods. Simply search these company names in a search engine to find special offers available on their websites.

 

You can also make your own baby food, which is wholesome and much less expensive than store-bought baby food. I made most of my second child's baby food, after spending a fortune on my first child's store bought jars! It does not have to take much time if you learn a few simple tricks. For example, consider that a four-ounce jar of baby food carrots, including the water to process the carrots, costs about fifty cents, about the price of a full pound of fresh carrots in most cities! Baby food in jars offers convenience, but you can find small plastic storage containers that will do the trick just as well. Reusing plastic containers is also environmentally friendly.

You can find many good books on this subject (at no cost) at your local library. You can also find many helpful websites by doing a quick Internet search. I did a Google search of "make your own baby food" and found many informative websites with specific instructions on how to prepare and store several different types of food. I found this recipe from Dr. Sears' site.

Baby Food-Carrots

1. Steam or bake peeled carrots to preserve nutrients (as boiling vegetables reduces vitamin content for soluble vitamins like Vitamin A).
2. Puree cooked vegetables in a blender or food processor, adding water, breast milk or formula to thin to the desired consistency.
3. Store pureed food in the refrigerator for 48 hours or less.
4. Freeze pureed food in ice cube trays to have pre-measured one ounce servings. Fill trays and cover tray with plastic wrap to freeze.
5. Once food cubes are frozen, remove and put in a plastic freezer bag, noting the date you prepared and froze the food. Although many foods would be safe to eat after several months in the freezer, a good rule of thumb is to use the frozen baby food within one month.
6. Thaw freezer cubes of food in the refrigerator (in a covered container), which should take about four hours. If you use the microwave, be sure to stir the food to avoid "hot pockets" that could burn your baby's mouth. Do not thaw cubes on the counter at room temperature. If you would prefer not to use the microwave, you can thaw food in 10-20 minutes with the "submersion method" by placing the cubes in a small bowl and then placing the bowl in a larger bowl filled with hot water.

Stephanie Nelson's free grocery-saving system at http://www.couponmom.com is used by millions of shoppers a year. Stephanie is a regular contributor on ABC News’ Good Morning America and writes a bi-weekly savings column for ABCnews.com. She is the author of the book “The Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom” and writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column, "Supermarket Shopper."

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Baby Foods

The baby will be provided with enough nutrition in the first six months of its life through its mother's breast milk. However, as the baby grows older, its requirements will start to change. Although it will get most of its nutrients from breast milk or Formula, introduction of solids and cereals, at this stage is advisable.

You might even want to start your baby on solids after four months if you feel that the baby is unsatisfied with the usual milk feed or is not gaining sufficient weight or perhaps even losing weight. 

Fortified cereals such as baby rice are a good way to introduce solids into the baby's diet. They can be mixed with breast or formula milk which babies continue to prefer and at the same time contain the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to help babies grow. You can also begin to introduce pureed fruits and vegetables into your baby's diet to get their palates used to a wider range of flavours.

Here are some essential foods that are most suited for your baby from the time you start the weaning process - cooked potato, sweet potato, baby rice, cooked swede, turnip and carrot, soft dessert pear and apple and banana. Ensure that you mash, sieve or puree the foods to get rid of all lumps. Avoid adding any seasoning, salt or sugar.

These complementary foods in the form of solids can be given to the baby once or twice a day, before, after or during the baby's milk feed, depending on your baby's needs. Later on you can begin to coincide your meal times with the baby's solid feeds for the sake of convenience. Once the baby has got accustomed to mashed foods, introduce him to finger foods which he can pick up and eat himself without your help. Finger foods are usually cut so that the baby can hold it and put them into the mouth without any problems and include cooked vegetable, slices of pear and apples, sticks of carrots, celery and cucumber and cooked peas. You could also offer the baby slices of bread, or toast, savoury cheese biscuits without salt, tiny sandwiches with grated cheese, mashed banana or sugar free preserves, fingers of cheese, cooked chunky pasta pieces that are easy to put into the mouth. Do not give fried foods, or anything spicy. Avoid nuts if the baby is allergic to peanuts or other such nuts.

As far as drinks are concerned, milk (breast or formula) is the only drink your baby needs for about the first year. You may give the baby plain boiled water from about six months onwards. Whole, pasteurized cow's milk can be given as a drink after the age of one year. Since most juices contain either natural or artificial sugars, these should be limited to mealtimes as they might harm the teeth. Select only those drinks that are meant for babies and are totally sugar free. Pure fruit juice should be diluted as it too contains a high amount of sugar.

Pre-prepared baby foods are easily available and very convenient, especially if you are a working mom or on the move. They also come in a variety of flavours designed to suit baby needs. Babies love these foods which are made without any salt, sugar or artificial preservatives. Most baby foods are nutritionally balanced so as to provide your baby with the essential vitamins and minerals needed for healthy development. When selecting pre-packaged foods for your baby you should check the ingredients and avoid those with added sugar or too many additives and flavourings. Organic baby foods are becoming quite popular and are now more widely available; these provide your baby with the nutrients they need naturally without artificial boosts from chemicals.

Again, if you have the time, preparing fresh meals at home is always a healthier option. It may take a little time and effort but it is worth it and ensures your baby has a chance to experience the variety of tastes and flavours of home made food. By supplementing breast milk or formula milk with different types of solids like cereals, fruits, vegetables and whole grains you will be able to provide your baby with all the requisite nutrients necessary for their healthy growth and development.

William Brister - [http://www.babylife.tv] - All about your newborn baby.

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Baby Health Care - Which Vaccinations You Should Consider

Babies are prone in acquiring diseases because they have not yet developed resistance to certain diseases. They are easily infected by harmful microorganisms because of poor immune resistance. You as a parent will always want the best for your precious baby. You always give your best in giving your baby the best care and attention. Immunization can greatly help you in making your baby healthier as they boost your baby's immune resistance to specific diseases. Here are some of the immunizations that you will need for your precious baby:

HEPATITIS B VACCINE

You have to know that Hepatitis B is a deadly disease of the liver caused by a virus. You can be infected with this through sexual contact, blood transfusions and needle pricks. As of today there is no known cure for Hepatitis B. But you can prevent the occurrence of this disease by having your infant immunized with Hepatitis B Vaccine after he is born.

DTaP VACCINE

This vaccine will protect your precious baby against three serious illnesses such as diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus. Diphtheria is a disease that damages your nervous and cardiovascular system while tetanus can damage your muscles and nervous system. Tetanus is also known as lock jaw and can be acquired though open wounds infected with tetanus toxins. Pertussis on the other hand is also known as whooping cough and can endanger your baby's life. There is one vaccine that can protect your baby against these illnesses and it is known as DTaP.

HIB VACCINE

Haemophilus Influenzae Type B vaccine can also help your baby prevent the occurrence of flu caused by a certain strain of virus. You have to realize that babies who will not undergo this immunization will be at risk of having meningitis and respiratory infection. You can visit your physician for this vaccination.

POLIO VACCINE

Poliomyelitis is a dangerous disease that may lead to irreversible paralysis of certain parts of your body. You can prevent this to happen on your baby by having immunization. Polio vaccine comes in two forms such as Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) or Oral Polio Vaccine. There are series of immunization schedules that you can follow for this vaccine.

MMR VACCINE

This vaccine can protect your child against three diseases such as mumps, measles and rubella. Mumps is the inflammation of parotid gland and is often accompanied by fever and pain. Measles is an infection that can produce distinctive red spots and high grade fever while rubella is just like measles but is often more serious and life threatening.

VARICELLA VACCINE

This vaccine can protect your baby against chicken pox which is a highly infectious disease. Chicken pox will produce blister like rashes on skin that can be very uncomfortable. You can prevent this to happen in your precious baby by having an immunization against it.

Always try your best in giving your baby the best care and attention. Make him more resistant with various diseases by going to your health care provider for his immunization schedule. Do not risk your baby's health. Give him your best care and love.

Baby equipment are important for your baby. Get it from Baby Bouncer for you to make sure that they are safe and have high quality.

Discover more about Baby Rocker Chair. This will surely make him more active and energetic.

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Better Baby Health - Five Ways to Insure a Healthy Baby

Raising a healthy baby has always been a big responsibility, and probably even more so today with the wealth of information available to us. It is sometimes difficult to know what choices will ultimately mean better health for your baby. By focusing on 5 major categories, your choices will become clearer thus easier to make.

Food

Select foods that are organic, not to be confused with the term natural. The label of natural means different things to different companies, and is nebulous in terms of genetic engineering, pesticide, and chemical exposure. Organic foods have a label certifying that they have not been genetically engineered and that pesticides, antibiotic use, and chemicals have not been part of the process. Bypassing the chemicals, pesticides, and antibiotics will give your baby a head start down the road toward good health. Not mention, that organically grown foods generally taste better, and will encourage your baby to eat foods just because they taste so good.

Water

Choose a water filter for drinking water, particularly if you live in an older home where the supply pipes are possibly made of lead. This lessens the chance of your baby ingesting lead and causing irreversible damage to baby's newly developing systems. Many such filters can be purchased for under $100 dollars and can be installed on top of or under the counter.

Clothing

Choose fabrics for clothing, bedding, towels, diapers that are made from natural fibers that are chemical-free. Organic clothing stores in your community and online are a good starting place. Also, many other larger stores and chains now carry clothing and bedding for babies. Consignment shops are also a great way to find organic products at great savings.

Baby Products

Really read product labels on items for your baby such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, lotion, baby wipes, insect repellent, and sun screen lotion to insure that they are free of additives that might be harmful to your baby's long term health. Your pediatrician is the best source for information on products that have been proven to be the best.

Air

Have you heard the saying, If you can' not breathe nothing else matters? Providing clean air for your baby means your baby's respiratory system is not bombarded with typical airborne pollutants that are found in all our homes. Dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, smoke, and many airborne chemicals that are released by common household building materials and products can wreak havoc with a newborn's respiratory system and long term health and development. Portable high efficiency particle arresting air purifiers will remove these pollutants making your home safe from both seen and unseen dangers.

An excellent resource for a HEPA air purifier that will remove harmful pollutants from your baby's air is offered by PurerAir.com-- the Baby's Breath Purifier at http://purerair.com/babys_breath.html

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Is Taking Fish Oil For Baby Health Safe?

Getting good dietary advice when pregnant is of course wise for both the health of the mother and the developing baby. There's some intriguing data from studies that looked at how taking fish oils whilst pregnant, could be a benefit to both the woman and the unborn child.

These nuggets of information concerning the consumption of fish oil for baby health benefits, should be of interest to any expectant mother. We all wish for any women whose pregnant to give birth to a healthy, bouncing baby, full of the joys of life.

What modern science has gradually begun to uncover by diligent research and multiple clinical trials, is that lifestyle and dietary choices of the expectant mother do have a bearing on the health of the child. The revealing facts state that this can happen at numerous stages between conception and birth.
With particular reference to omega 3 fish oils such facts include the following. That by taking such dietary supplements the birth weight of the baby may increase, and that there's less chance of it developing type 1 diabetes.

Fish oil for baby health benefits also includes the next piece of research. It claims that the timing of when you take them could be equally important as it's during the last three months of pregnancy that the child's brain puts on a growth spurt.

As far as the mums to be go, they too could benefit from these omega 3 oils, as it helps in reducing blood pressure and the risks of suffering anti natal depression.

Even if we fast forward a few years, tests on kids whose mums took the supplement while pregnant, showed a marked improvement in hand-eye coordination from those mothers that didn't. No doubt potential effects need to be explored further.

It's important to try and choose a quality, effective capsule that's also good value as there's so much choice. My main site offers easy to follow advice and suggestions on how to go about this process.

Tony Tucker is a prolific researcher into the benefits of taking fish oils. At http://www.fish-oil-supplements-guide.com he shares that information freely on how to find the most effective brands to keep you healthy, fitter and living a fuller life.

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