Source: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers, Fresh Baby        

Introducing solid foods is a very important step in your baby’s development and well-being. In fact, studies show that babies who are fed nutritious, healthy diets grow into stronger kids and better-adjusted eaters than those who are fed poor diets.

Many parents don’t realize that making baby food at home is a simple and economical plan to provide your baby with the best in quality, nutrition and taste. It makes it easy for you to ensure your child gets the best start possible. Making baby food using fresh, all-natural ingredients has many benefits, including:

Increased nutritional value

Vitamins and other nutrients are critically important to your baby. For the next three years, your baby will experience rapid growth and development. It is essential that he be fed a healthy and nutritious diet to maximize his growth and development process.

Processed baby foods have added water, sugars and starchy fillers. While these products are not nutritionally bad for your baby, their use in baby food dilutes the nutrient content of the actual foods. To make matters worse, processed baby foods are cooked at high temperatures to kill bacteria, so they can be stored in jars at room temperature. Bacteria are not the only things that are eliminated in this process. Vitamins and nutrients are also destroyed. Many baby food manufacturers compensate for the loss of vitamins by artificially adding some of them back in after the food is processed.

When you make baby food at home, you can cook it quickly. This process not only preserves the wonderful color and taste of the food, but most importantly it maximizes the foods’ nutrient content for your precious baby

Elimination of additives

Processed baby foods contain trace amounts of chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved these chemicals, you may choose not to feed your baby products containing them. Buying certified organic produce (fresh or frozen) and preparing food at home eliminates agricultural chemicals from your baby’s diet.

In addition, many varieties of processed baby foods add ingredients that are not essential or beneficial to your baby’s diet. These can include ingredients such sugar, butter and salt. Most healthcare professionals will recommend you avoid the introduction of these foods until your child is much older. Homemade baby food is pure, wholesome food with nothing added that you did not add yourself.

Improved freshness

Have you compared fresh green peas to a jar of pea baby food? Even though they are the same food, they don’t look, smell or taste similar. While your baby does not have the refined palate of an adult, he does respond to taste, color and smell. With the enormous availability of fresh produce in your grocery store and the simplicity of making baby food, there is really is no reason he needs to be deprived of colorful, tasty, great-smelling baby food. And serving fresh food from the very beginning will help your baby be more open to tasting new flavors and types of food.

Additional variety

Processed baby food is developed for the mass market and, as a result, is limited in variety. Variety is key to a balanced diet and healthy living. Today’s grocery stores offer a tremendous variety of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. There is no reason why your baby should be limited by what food manufacturers consider the most popular foods. What’s more, preparing baby food at home enables you to add herbs, combine flavors, and easily introduce new textures, making your baby’s mealtime a pleasurable, gourmet experience.

Luna Lullaby is having a fun “Homemade Baby food” recipe contest on our Facebook page! We would love for all of our viewers/followers to participate! First, Second, and Third prizes will win Luna products.  Check it out and share your favorite recipe!

When your little one has mastered baby food, you can start with small pieces of finger foods. Basically, any foods that are cut up small enough to be picked up and eaten by baby are classified as finger foods. This is an important step toward independent eating and also allows baby new tastes and textures. Around 7 to 9 months is when most babies are ready to make this step, and they generally show their desire to eat on their own by grabbing the spoon you’re feeding them from.

So what are some of the best finger foods you can give your little one?

- Bananas are soft and easy to eat, plus packed with plenty of vitamins.

- Avocados are filled with good fat and super soft for little fingers.

- Sweet potatoes can be cut up in small chunks or sliced into fries. They’re sweet and power packed with nutrients.

- Cooked peas are easy to eat and even more fun to play with!

- Shredded, cooked chicken is a lean protein.

- Cheerios contain whole grains and serve as the perfect snack for little fingers. Instead of adding sugar, try the flavored varieties as a treat.

- Cooked lentils are soft and easy to pick up. They contain lots of protein and get baby used to eating beans.

- Garbanzo beans are also easy for baby to grasp and have a sweet taste that kids love! Serve them cold or hot.

- Whole wheat macaroni is filled with whole grains and tastes delicious with a bit of sauce or butter.

- Cubes of tofu are fun and easy to eat, plus absorb flavor. They can also be added to dishes such as macaroni and cheese.

- Pieces of low-mercury fish such as salmon or tilapia are tender and tasty. Cook these filets of fish in a small amount of butter or oil and season lightly for a delicious alternative to meat.

- Small chunks of cheese are tasty for baby and offer good fat and plenty of calcium.

Image c/o: thebabycorner.com

Whether you are weaning your baby off of breast milk or just simply searching for the right baby formula to supplement with breast milk, which brand is the best and most gentle on your baby’s digestive system?

Because there are so many types of baby formulas out there, I have narrowed down the list to the top 5 baby formula brands that are on the market today.

Top 5 Formula Brands

Enfamil Premium Lipil- This is by far the best brand on the market, though it’s the priciest. It’s the only formula that actually promotes growth and development. It also supports eye and brain development and supports the immune system. It’s the closest formula to resemble mother’s breast milk because it contains DHA and ARA.

Similac Advance Early Shield- This particular formula has prebiotics to aid in proper digestion. It also helps build immunity.

Nestle Good Start- This formula contains comfort proteins also known as whey proteins. It is very gentle on a baby’s digestive system.

Parent’s Choice Milk Infant Formula- This is a Walmart brand and is the closet to the Enfamil brand.

Bright Beginnings Milk Based Infant Formula- This formula contains vegetarian blends and nutrition levels which are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

It’s best to consult your baby’s pediatrician before deciding on the best formula for your baby’s health and well being. Remember, breast milk is the best milk that your baby could ever consume so consider this before shopping for baby formula. If you are unable to nurse at this time for whatever reason, hopefully this list of baby formulas will give you a head start in searching for the proper nutrition for your sweet baby.

Do you give your baby formula or do you nurse? Maybe both? Please feel free to share your experiences with us.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Sources: Enfamil, Similac, Brightbeginnings, Parent Choice Formula

What every mother wants

Healthy moms and healthy pregnancies are the best way to get a healthy baby, so having a healthy pregnancy is something that is important to everyone during this incredibly exciting time in your life. Here are some ideas to help you have the healthiest pregnancy possible!

Educate yourself

The best thing you can do is to learn as much as possible about what is happening and what to expect during your pregnancy, childbirth, and infancy. Once you have this information, you will be able to discern between normal changes and ones that should be discussed with your health care professional. You can read books, check out websites (being careful to stick to reliable sources), and ask your doctor for advice and information to add to your knowledge base.

Good habits

Another way to stay healthy during this time is to establish habits that will help you be healthy and safe after your pregnancy as well. Remember to wear your seat belt and exercise regularly – these are things you know you should have been doing anyway, but with the baby growing inside of you, you have a better reason than ever to take especially good care of yourself.

Better diet

Eat a varied diet while you are expecting with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. This will help you get the nutrients both you and the baby need and the fiber in these foods will alleviate constipation issues that are common among pregnant women. Also, drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.

Can switching from breast to bottle cause digestive problems?

Many parents worry about their child’s bowel movements. It is something you probably haven’t thought about before, but once your baby is born, it is an important concern.

While it is important that your child has regular bowel movements, constipation in general and constipation caused by switching from breastfeeding to formula are often misunderstood by parents, resulting in unnecessary worry.

Constipation defined

Constipation is not the same for infants as it is for adults, leading many parents to become concerned that their child is experiencing this problem when it is not the case. Bowel movements change as a child develops, both in frequency and consistency.

Keep the following in mind when worried about your baby’s constipation:

• As a baby gets older, they may not have a bowel movement daily. This is normal.
• Straining during bowel movements does not indicate constipation for infants. Their developing digestive system may just be adjusting, and straining does not indicate a problem.
• If your baby’s stool is hard, pebbly, and dry, your concern about constipation is warranted. If not, don’t worry.

Constipation and formula

When a baby switches to formula from breast milk or from one formula to another, he or she might experience some constipation. This is normal and in many cases, they can outgrow the constipation as their digestive system adjusts.

The baby has only been exposed to a very limited variety of food sources and their digestive system has only been functioning since they were born, so it is natural that they would need to learn to digest and process new foods as they are introduced.

If the problem persists, make sure that you are using sufficient water in the formula and consult your doctor about either adding water into the baby’s feeding schedule or switching to another formula.

Maybe, but let’s look at why it can happen

While good health is always important, it becomes particularly important to keep a close eye on your health during a pregnancy. Not only are you responsible for the development and growth of another person, but you may face unusual or unforeseen health issues as a result of the demands pregnancy places on your body.

For this reason, it may be disconcerting to see that your cholesterol levels are higher than usual both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Normal fluctuations

The good news is that these elevated cholesterol levels are entirely normal. Most pregnant women see a decrease in their cholesterol during the first trimester followed by higher levels for the remaining two trimesters.

The higher levels often persist while the mother is nursing.

The cholesterol is produced by your liver, which receives hormonal signals telling it to make more cholesterol than usual because you are pregnant. It does not reflect an unhealthy diet or poor health choices.

Cholesterol is important for babies

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that plays an important role both during pregnancy and nursing. It contributes to neurological development in the infant and is an important way to transfer energy. Cholesterol is able to hold a great deal of calories and can be completely digested by the infant after he or she is born, making it a great way for the baby to get the nourishment and energy needed at this time.

Additionally, the higher levels of cholesterol do not pose a threat to mothers during this period because the cholesterol is used by the body and transferred to the child rather than remaining in arteries to cause problems.

If your baby has colic, you are probably searching everywhere you can think of for suggestions and ideas about how to relieve his or her colic. While all parents of newborns struggle to adapt to sleepless nights and waking each time they hear the cries of their little ones, parents of colicky babies have a particularly difficult challenge before them as they learn to live with a screaming, crying child that they cannot soothe.

No definite right or wrong way

It is difficult to say that one specific technique or practice will be the right or best way of relieving colic in your infant because the causes of this difficult condition are so hazy and unknown. However, there are several ways that are often found helpful by parents when attempting to calm the cries of their colicky child, including the following tips.

Parent tested tips for relieving infant colic:

-        Swaddling. Wrapping the baby snugly in a soothing swaddling blanket such as the one offered by Luna Lullaby can be an enjoyable way to sleep more soundly for your little one.

-        Changing the baby’s feeding schedule. Instead of a few larger meals, consider trying more frequent, smaller meals to see if this aids in digestion.

-        Changing your own diet. If you are breastfeeding, some of the foods you consume may be irritating to your infant when he or she receives your breast milk. Re-evaluate your own diet and see if that makes a difference.

-        Adjust the position of the baby while feeding. If they are positioned correctly, feeding and digestion will be easier for the infant, making irritation less of an issue.

Food & Colic – A Tricky Combination

If colic can be understood as a condition that results from digestive issues or immaturity in an infant, then it makes sense that changing what you eat could solve some of the digestive problems. For mothers who breastfeed, what is consumed by the mother is then given to the baby through the mother’s milk.

A baby who has colic may have an easier time digesting their mother’s milk if the mother avoids certain foods that can be irritating, cause gas, or trigger an allergic reaction.

Some problem foods may include the following:

*  Dairy products. Lactose intolerance is a major issue in the adult population, and many infants are also unable to digest products that contain the proteins from cows’ milk. Cut out eggs, milk, and cheese to see if lactose intolerance is making your infant’s colic more severe.

*  Caffeine. This stimulant can be found in coffee, soft drinks, tea, and even chocolate.

*   Beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are all likely to cause gas in adults, so they may do the same in infants.

*  Soy, shellfish, nuts, and wheat can be allergens for adults and may be causing an allergic reaction in your colicky infants too.

If you decide to change your diet in the hopes of alleviating your baby’s colic, it is important to give yourself and your infant two weeks to get the food entirely out of your system. If the baby’s colic has not improved by that point, then that food group is not likely to be related to the crying.

> Learn more about what is colic by visiting our website