Feeding a Toddler - The Complete Transition to Adult Food

As I have talked about before, we have been in the process of transitioning Willow from baby food to adult food. And like I have said time and again we knew she would let us know when she was ready to make the complete switch to Adult food.

While I have been mentally preparing for the change, I didn't know what a challenge it would be for me. Not for Willow, since she pretty much gets what she wants like most babies and toddlers tend to. If she doesn't want something, she throws it on the floor in defiance and gives us this "are you kidding me" look.

We started this "transition" in August and now that we are half way through December, she has finally gotten to the point where jarred food is just not on her menu anymore. And it's not for lack of trying...

As a mother I am constantly finding things to worry about. If it's not her overall health, it's her clothes or shoes or toys. I find something. It helps keep me sane. This month it's a combination of making sure she gets the nutrition she needs and making sure she is comfortable overall since she's been sick quite a bit complete with her first ear infection.

So, how do I make sure Willow is getting all the calories a growing toddler needs when she only likes yogurt and Cheeto's? That's a great question!! AND, how do I know what kind of portions are good for her? The answer to those questions (and many more I am sure) is: No one knows!!

Just kidding.

Actually, to make sure Willow gets the vitamins and minerals she needs for the day I give her a multivitamin. Poly-Vi-Sol, to be exact. it tastes terrible but she is so used to it she opens her mouth for it right before her morning bottle. I have said this before and I'll say it again. NEVER MIX THIS STUFF WITH ANYTHING TO MAKE IT TASTE BETTER!! Why? Because nothing helps and you are just prolonging the agony for your child by diluting it in something.

Other than that, eating real food is an experiment. Willow likes grilled cheese and I like it too because we give her whole wheat bread and what's not good about cheese? She also likes peanut butter and jelly and peanut butter is nutritious. She is a fan of pasta and the aforementioned yogurt as well. Basically we try and feed her something of what we are eating because if we give her something other than what we eat she throws it on the floor and reaches for what we have.

Portion sizes are small. You have to remember that toddler bellies don't equal big. When we give her a sandwich, it's actually half a sandwich. Grilled cheese is 1 slice of cheese and 1 piece of bread. PB&J is 1 piece of bread with peanut butter on the whole thing and jam on top in a light coating.

You get the idea.

Willow tells us when she wants more by crying. We are working on the sign for "more". And if she doesn't like what we give her we do NOT make everything under then sun until we find something she likes. That sets a bad precedent and she needs to learn that she gets what I give her and nothing else.

It's all basically a learning curve and if you are in my situation please know that you are not alone. There are others struggling through it as well and I am one of them. But know that there is hope!! Your toddler will not be a toddler forever and you will look back fondly at these "difficult" times when your child was learning to eat real food. And as long as your child is continuing to chart up in weight when they visit the doctor, you are doing something right!!

Before I know it she will be able to tell me exactly what she wants. I both long for and dread the coming of those times.


Previously:
Babies and Food - Part I: The Beginning
Babies and Food - Part II: Transitioning to Solids
Babies and Food - Part III: Transitioning to "Adult" Food
Toddler Snack and Meal Ideas

Read more!

Toddler Snack and Meal Ideas

Willow has been a wee bit picky lately. It's pretty off and on as to whether or not she wants to eat her jarred food. So, I have been soliciting advice from fellow moms on some nutritious snacks and meals for Willow.

I know she will (very soon) be off the jarred food and I have to admit that I am a bit anxious about the whole thing. See, I don't want to feed her crap all day long but I still want to make sure that she is getting the nutrition that she needs in the foods she eats. And although she will eventually be eating what we eat, at this point in time not everything we eat can be consumed as a finger food. Since Willow doesn't know how to use a spoon or fork yet, her being able to pick up the food and eat it on her own is essential.

It's so convenient to just give her snack foods all day long since they are easy for her to grab on to and eat. But that is not a healthy way for her to be getting her calories. And at this stage in the game, she should be getting between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day.

So, what are some good snack tips? Well, according to KidsHealth.org, the influence you have on your child’s eating patterns may never be stronger than it is right now. Toddlers can’t run out to the store for candy and chips. They’ll eat what’s served to them and ask for what they know is in the cabinet. Take this opportunity to set the stage right.

Also bear in mind that coming up with a snack schedule is a good idea because small children thrive on routine and like to know what to expect. Feeling the sensation of being full and then hungry again a few hours later teaches your child to respond to internal hunger cues — and knowing when to eat and, more important, when to stop is vital to maintaining a healthy weight. If allowed to graze all day without a schedule, kids may lose the ability to detect their own hunger and fullness, which can make them more likely to overeat.

Additionally, the size of the snack is typically quite small. Adults tend to overestimate the amount of food children need to eat, but the recommended serving size for a toddler’s snack is actually quite small: ½ cup (118 ml) dry cereal and ½ cup (118 ml) milk (serve low-fat if your child is over 2 years old) make a fine mid-morning snack, just as a banana and ½ cup (118 ml) milk are great in the mid-afternoon. Not only are small portions less overwhelming for a picky eater, but they also help prevent an avid eater from overdoing it at snack time.

That said, here is a list of some good, nutritional snacks for 1-3 year old toddlers:

Cold Meals/Snacks

• Whole grain, cold cereal with whole milk


• Milk or yogurt shakes blended with fruit


• Yogurt with fresh fruit pieces or applesauce


• Yogurt with crackers or roti


• Rice and raisin pudding with whole milk


• Dessert tofu with fresh fruit


• Sandwiches made with egg, tuna, chicken salad, sliced cheese or tender meat


• Grated or small cubes of cheese with whole grain crackers


• Small muffins and orange wedges


• Whole grain crackers or rice cakes thinly spread with cottage cheese or mashed avocado


• Banana bread spread with cream cheese


• Whole grain toast spread with peanut butter, fruit puree, or non-hydrogenated margarine or butter


• Whole wheat pita and hummus


• Deli Slices cut into small pieces

Warm Meals/Snacks

• Oatmeal or cream of wheat with whole milk


• Pancakes or waffles topped with applesauce


• Mini omelet's or scrambled eggs and toast


• Congee or rice porridge with small pieces of meat


• Soft tortillas filled with beans or ground meat


• Soups made with milk, and a whole grain bun


• Vegetable, split pea, or bean soup with crackers


• Fish chowder with bread sticks


• Macaroni and cheese


• Spaghetti with tomato or meat sauce


• Meatballs with pasta


• Chicken with vegetables


• Rice or pasta and meat with vegetables


• Fish served in a bun


• Baked beans and toast


• Chili, dahl or lentils, and rice


• Cooked ground beef


• Grilled cheese (with or without a meat slice)


• Hot dog and bun (sliced)

And don't forget about fresh fruits and vegetables!

Now, while those snacks and meals are great for at home, lots of us are on the go and our children are in daycare or preschool.

Here is a great list of snacks you can give your toddler to take with them when you are on the go:

• Teething biscuits


• Mini-muffins (homemade is best to ensure healthy ingredients)


• Mini-bagels (good stale for teething babies)


• Mini-pancakes (in the frozen section, microwave before leaving or they can heat up at daycare)


• Dry cereal, unsweetened, avoiding cereals with nuts (cheerios are always a hit)
  


• Crisp crackers made from whole grains, low sodium (ritz, etc)
  


• Wedges of soft, ripe peeled banana, peach, papaya, mango (put prepared into a tupperware type container)


• Small cups of yogurt (yo-baby in the organic section)
  


• Small cups of applesauce


• Grated cheese (grate and put into container to take to day care)


• Small slices of tofu (put into container)


• Lunchables


• Fig Newtons

I hope this list has helped give you an idea of good "adult" food to feed your growing toddler! And bear in mind that when it comes to liquid nutrition, your 1-year-old should be drinking whole milk or water. After 2 years, switch to low fat or skim milk. Juice is not really a good idea since it has a ton of sugar in it so stick to water! (And that goes for you and your soda addiction too! *wink* Practice what you preach when it comes to your toddlers nutrition!!) Read more!

The Sippy Cup Dilemma

So, Willow is going on 1 year old and I would like to get rid of bottles altogether and move on to sippy cups. But, are they the safe to go or should I be using a regular cup? And what kind of sippy cup should I be using? The kind that's like a bottle, but a cup or the kind that has a straw but is leak proof? As usual, Baby Center has some great information.

According to Pediatrician Susan Sorensen you can start offering a sippy cup to your baby as young as nine months old since that's when they have the motor skills to drink from a cup. She recommends filling a sippy cup with water and letting your baby play with it to get a feel for what it is, working on a complete transition by 12-14 months.

One benefit of switching to a sippy cup sooner rather than later is that the longer a baby drinks from a bottle, the harder it is to wean him. If you're breastfeeding, you can even bypass the bottle altogether and go straight to a sippy cup for other beverages. But if you first fill it with breast milk or formula, make sure he drinks enough, since drinking from a sippy cup is slow going at first.

That may seem soon to some parents but the longer your baby is attached to the bottle, the more likely they are to suffer from tooth decay. According to the American Dental Association, a sippy cup is actually NOT the way to go:

Baby bottle tooth decay can destroy your child's teeth. It occurs when a child is frequently exposed to sugary liquids such as milk, including breast milk, fruit juice and other sweet liquids. The ADA recommends the following steps to prevent your child from getting early childhood caries.

• Begin clearing your baby's mouth during the first few days after birth. After every feeding, wipe the baby's gums with a damp washcloth or gauze pad to remove plaque.


• Never allow your child to nurse or breast feed for prolonged periods and don't give him or her a bottle with milk, formula, sugar water or fruit juice during naps or at night in bed.


• Encourage children to drink from a cup by their first birthday.


• Discourage frequent use of a training (sippy) cup.


• Help your child develop good eating habits early and choose sensible, nutritious snacks.

Interesting, right? I have tried to get Willow to use a regular cup but she doesn't like how it basically covers her face in order for her to drink from it.

According to Baby Center you can start introducing a regular cup to your baby when they are around seven months old but they will not have the motor skills to use it properly until they are around two years old. And as with anything new involving food or drinks, expect frequent spills!!

The great thing about the Avent bottles that we use is that their sippy cups and baby bottles are interchangeable. What I mean by that is you can take the handles and valve from the sippy cup and use them with the bottle. This is a nice feature.

However, Willow does not like the standard valve-type sippy cup, so we decided to try her on the ones with the straw. We bought the Nuby Flip-It Leak-Proof Sipper (10 oz.) and after showing her how to suck through the straw, she got it! (This was just a few days ago though so we haven't completely rid ourselves of the bottle just yet)

Honestly I was a little afraid of the transition and how to do it and how long it would take, but I think we are well on our way to ridding ourselves of the bottle. But, a word of warning...those valves and straws and the like are a pain in the neck to clean. I guess if you use a dishwasher it may be slightly easier, but we hand-wash all our dishes (since it's just the three of us) and it takes time...longer than bottle washing. Ahh well. If it's not one thing, it's another right?

You might be wondering, "What are other moms and dads doing?" According to a Baby Center Poll of 25,000 boy parents and 18,600 girl parents, at 12 months old 51% of boys and 55% of girls were using a bottle and sippy cup. 29% of boys and 31% of girls were using a sippy cup exclusively and 11%of boys and 10% of girls were still using only a bottle.

So, if you're not there yet (like me) no worries!! Your baby will tell you if they are ready or not. Read more!

Babies and Food - Part III: Transitioning to "Adult" Food

My experience with transitioning my baby to Adult food.

So the final question: When do you start introducing "Adult" food?

The quick answer? When your baby tells you they are ready. Here's how we knew Willow was ready...

We feed Willow Gerber Puffs or Cheerios (and some dessert that we are having) when we are eating our dinner since we've given her baby food a bit earlier.

(Again, this will be changing soon as we want her to eat her last meal when we do. This may seem a bit convoluted but we actually set her meal times based on the time in between meals, not based on when people traditionally eat their meals. This started many months ago and was to keep her on a very set schedule. Now, as she is getting older and we are "going with the flow", we want her last meal of the day to get on sync with our last meal of the day.)

Rule #1 of baby eating: When the food is being thrown on the floor, this means Willow is done eating what we are giving her.

We noticed that she was not wanting the snacks we were giving her. She would look intently at our food and start smacking her lips. So, we set aside some of our food and would give her some a piece at a time.

Rule #2 of baby eating: Food is given (for now) one piece at a time.

Rule #2 was to prevent wasting food. Now, if Willow drops a piece in her chair, she goes hunting for it and eats it. I know that we will get to a point where she will have food everywhere and we are prepared to deal with the mess. Heck, sometimes we do end up with quite a bit of food on the floor and it's not a big deal at all. But, until she is eating entire meals of real food, we will continue with the way that works best for us, and this is it.

Depending on the food, Willow either wants us to feed it to her, or she wants to try it herself. We discover the preferred method when we try to feed her and she makes a face and shakes her head. That means she wants to be the one to do it. And when we let her try she does great, especially recently when her tongue stopped getting in the way.

So, that's it! We feed Willow real food when she lets us know she is interested. Soon, she will be eating dinner with us and likely eating even more real food until there is no longer a need for baby food. I don't know how long the overall transition will take but we are patient and it can take however long she needs it to.

I hope this 3-post series has been of some help to you. Like I said, I have had a hard time finding any information on stages of baby feeding. Good luck if you are going through what we have been!



Babies and Food - Part I: The Beginning
Babies and Food - Part II: Transitioning to Solids Read more!

Babies and Food - Part II: Transitioning to Solids

My experience with transitioning my baby to solid food.

So, how do you figure out this whole "solid food" thing? Let me start off by saying that no matter what it is, your baby will let you know when they are ready for something. Weather it's swaddling, crawling, walking, or eating, they will tell you, in their own individual way, when they are ready to start something. Even though I am a first-time mother I have learned (often the hard way) that making them try something they are not ready for is a surefire way to get them to NOT want to do it even more. (And yet I keep trying *smile*)

So, back to my questions posed in the previous post: How do you know when to transition to stage 2 foods? And then how do you know when to transition to stage 3 foods? And how do you know when you should reduce the amount of breast milk or formula you are feeding your baby?

You can get a good idea of how much your baby needs nutritionally (e.g. the major food groups like meat, dairy, and grains) by searching the Internet. But how does that translate into calories and food? Honestly? I still have no idea. When it comes to food, it is still a mystery to me how we are getting by but I'll tell you what we did. (And bear in mind that even if your baby is charting in the 20th percentile, as long as they stay in that percentile as the months go by, they (and you) are doing just fine.)

Asking your pediatrician is always a good idea but they will all have a different suggestion as to what to do. You can honestly ask 5 doctors and get 5 answers on what you should be feeding your baby and when. My grandmother was telling me that when my dad and aunt were babies (in the 1940's) she went to the pediatrician monthly and the pediatrician would tell her what she should be feeding her babies and how much she should be feeding them. Boy would that be handy, but times have changed. There are pretty good guides out there for how much formula or breast milk your children should be consuming in a day until they turn 1 year old. And from what I have read during that time it's a good idea for your baby to get liquid nutrition before solid nutrition since there are more calories in the liquid. And that works for a while. When Willow was about 8 months old or so we switched to bottle AFTER solid food and she does fine.

Ont thing that I didn't really think about was a snack for Willow. She gets a bottle in the morning and a bottle before bed at night and two solid meals during the day. One day when I dropped her off at daycare her teacher asked if I had thought about giving her a snack. And I never had thought of it. (This is one of those things "seasoned" moms know about I guess...count me in that crowd now!) She suggested baby yogurt and I thought that was a good idea. And Willow really wanted one too since all the other kids were getting snacks. We also give her Gerber Puffs for snacks at other times of the day when it's needed now that she is really good at feeding herself.

When Willow was about 8 months old, we moved to stage 3 foods. How did we know she was ready? We didn't. We knew it was more texture so we gave her some to see if she could eat it and she did fine. When we moved to Stage 3 foods (which introduce meat into the diet if you haven't already), we kind of started off small. She would get 1/2 a jar for lunch and 1/2 a jar for dinner accompanied by a stage 2 fruit (for "dessert") and 4 ounces of formula. This was working out well until she would cry when her food was gone (when she was around 10 months old). This was how we knew that she was ready for more food. Now she gets 1 full stage 3 jar and 1 stage 2 fruit and 4 ounces of formula. Sometimes she doesn't finish the formula but she drinks most of it.

The thing that had been my kind of "dilemma" is the timing of her meals. She gets a large bottle in the morning (which has gotten smaller since she wasn't finishing it) and the same size bottle right before bed. Then she gets a morning snack and two solid meals. We would give her an afternoon snack but she is napping around what would be snack time. She gets her last "real" meal in the mid-to-late afternoon. VERY SOON, we will be replacing that meal with a snack and she will be eating her real meal when we eat our dinner. This will, however, eliminate the before bed bottle. How do I know? Well, she ate late one day last week and then refused her bedtime bottle. I was afraid she would be very hungry when she got up but everything was pretty normal.

So, what's the bottom line? You have to literally play it by ear. TRUST ME, your baby will let you know what they want and when they want it.

Tune in tomorrow for Part III: Transition to Adult Food



Babies and Food - Part I: The Beginning
Babies and Food - Part III: Transitioning to "Adult" Food Read more!

Babies and Food - Part I: The Beginning

My experience with feeding a new baby.

Being a first-time mother I worry weather or not my baby is getting the right nutrition. Willow has always been in the 75th and 85th percentile for height and weight so I haven't been worried about her in that regard but I hear people talking all the time about how their child is in the lower percentiles constantly and asking if they are feeding their child enough food. Bear in mind that the percentiles your child falls into has a lot to do with genetics and a little to do with their nutrition.

I have struggled with this "food thing" since there is no real definitive answer (that I can find) that says how much your baby should be eating and when they should be eating said amount. There are, of course, suggestions you can go by, but for a new mother the whole process of transitioning your baby from a liquid diet to a solid diet is a hard one. Never mind transitioning from baby food to "adult" food.

One thing that people often think when they have a small baby (under 4 months old) is that they should be feeding their baby rice cereal mixed in with their breast milk or formula in order to get them to sleep easier at night. This is a persistent old wives tale. The amount of food in your baby's belly has no correlation what so ever to how well your baby will sleep at night (the ability to self-soothe being developmentally-based not hunger-based ). There have been studies done and they all came to the same conclusion. Feeding your baby solid food too early can be dangerous since they are unable to digest it at a young stage and it can create food allergies later in life.

When your baby is between 4 and 6 months old, you may want to start introducing solid foods. One of the other reasons for waiting until then (the first reason being the inability to properly digest this food) is that solid food has a lot less calories in it then breast milk or formula. And since your baby's stomach is still relatively small at this stage they will not be able to hold enough solid food to make up for the calories they will be missing by not eating breast milk or formula. This is one reason to NEVER feed your baby water before 6 months old. There is no nutritional value in water and your baby gets all the liquid they need from breast milk or formula. If they seem dehydrated they should be drinking more formula or breast milk, NOT water.

When you finally start solid food, your baby will not really know what to do with it. If you put some rice cereal on your baby's tongue and they swallow it, this is a good indicator that they are ready for solids. Being able to hold their head up is also a good thing for starting solids and another reason to wait. Additionally, your baby's tongue has a reflex built in that sometimes forces stuff put into their mouth right back out. This can be frustrating but your baby will get the hang of it soon enough. And this reflex can be there until your baby is a year old. Willow can feed herself but until a couple of weeks ago (she is 11 months old) she would spit the food out even when she didn't mean to because of it.

So, 6 months rolls around and your baby is happily eating stage 1 solid foods (or the puree that you are making out of your food at home). How do you know when to transition to stage 2 foods? And then how do you know when to transition to stage 3 foods? And how do you know when you should reduce the amount of breast milk or formula you are feeding your baby?

These are all questions I have asked and somehow worked through. Tune in to the next post (Part II) to find out how we figured out what to give to Willow and when.

Liquid food was easy, solid food is another matter.



Babies and Food - Part II: Transitioning to Solids
Babies and Food - Part III: Transitioning to "Adult" Food Read more!

Amazon Store Highlights - Medela Pump In Style Breast Pump

I knew I wanted to breastfeed from the moment I got pregnant. But I also knew that I would be working and I would need a breast pump to express milk when Willow was unable to nurse because I was at work. (You may (or may not) have read about my woes when it came to breastfeeding) But, since Willow never latched on, I was glad that I had spent the money and bought what I feel is the best breast pump out there, the Medela Pump In Style Breast Pump.

The great thing about this breast pump is that it has two nozzles so you can express from both breasts at once, if you care to. It has a variable control so you can decide how much suction you would like to have. When I first started, I went with what it felt like when Willow tried to nurse and then as I used it, I was able to up the suction until I had it maxed out. And let me tell you. I know everyone is different, but when I really got into the pumping groove, I pumped an ounce a minute.

I just can't say enough good things about this pump. It's easy to use and has a handy shoulder bag to carry it in and comes with a freezer pack to store the milk. Everything a pumping mom needs!

While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and recommend some nipple cream since you'll definitely need it either if you are nursing or pumping milk. The best stuff out there (in my opinion) is Lansinoh.

It brought me GREAT relief for my very sore nipples when I was pumping and a little goes a long way. Read more!

Organics - Is there really any benefit?

I have been thinking about Organic food and wondering if it really is the way to go when it comes to food for my family. I remember David talking about an article in Time earlier this year, so I looked it up and found it. It was entitled: Rethinking Organics and authored by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN. We actually try to watch his show "Fit Nation" whenever we get a chance.

According to Dr. Gupta, "Few things make you feel better about your health than eating organic fruits and veggies. A diet high in produce is commendable enough, but organic produce? That's a double dose of virtue. What's less clear is how much good that virtue does you. Are there real benefits to going organic? If so, are some organic fruits and vegetables better than others? And how do you choose?"

Let me add something quickly. I am a huge skeptic when it comes to things that are hyped up in the media. Whether it's BPA in bottles or vaccinations (potentially) causing Autism I think those people who definitively (without doing any research) say things like "I am going to use all BPA free because it's harmful to my child" and "I don't want my child vaccinated because he/she may get autism" are giving into the hype. Because if you are so concerned about BPA you are screwed because it's in everything you yourself eat (meaning it is in the breast milk you are feeding your baby). Heck, it's in your fillings for crying out loud!! Where is the study on it's effects on adults? Why is it okay for me but not my child? (Yes I know children are not yet developed mentally or physically but there is no study saying what (if any) effects BPA has on development) As for vaccinations, the preservative the media got all hyped up about was only in vaccinations produced prior to a date several years ago (which currently slips my mind) and it's unlikely that your Pediatrician is using vaccinations that are that old. (Willow has been fully vaccinated at the recommended times) But, it's a good idea to check and do your own research instead of being a sheep and following the crowd. Knowledge is power. Again, that's just MY OPINION.

Anyway, back to the article. Does Organic = better?

According to Dr. Gupta, "One thing is certain: it's easier than ever to find organic produce. As demand for pesticide- and chemical-free foods has grown, the onetime niche product has gone mass market. Sometimes organic produce simply looks or tastes better, which for me is often reason enough to pay the higher price it may sell for. And sure, it makes sense to avoid pesticides as much as possible. At the same time, scientists have yet to document a definite, long-term negative effect of modern pesticides on our bodies, meaning that while organic foods do you no harm, they may not turn out to be as beneficial as you think.

"The evidence of nutritional advantages is almost as thin. Never mind the idea that organically grown foods fairly burst with vitamins that modern farming techniques drain out of crops. To date most studies have either shown no difference between organic and conventional produce or found very small pluses in the organic column, such as slightly higher levels of vitamin C or other antioxidants."

But, let's not discount studies which have been conducted.

"Researchers at the University of California at Davis, however, have recently added to our understanding of hidden benefits in organic foods. In a 10-year study, the longest of its type so far, food chemist Alyson Mitchell and her team compared levels of two antioxidants—quercetin and kaempferol—in tomatoes. They found that tomatoes grown in organic fields yielded significantly higher amounts of these nutrients (an average of 79% and 97%, respectively) than their conventional counterparts.

Impressive as these findings are, they alone may not be enough to advocate shelling out the extra bucks or driving those few miles farther to buy organic. For starters, the study was conducted in a highly controlled setting, so it's not clear we'd get the same results in the real world of organic farming, where conditions vary from farm to farm and field to field. Also, Mitchell points out that tomatoes are what is known as a botanical fruit, something that isn't necessarily comparable to, say, the leaves of organic spinach. "It's a totally different part of the plant, so would the results be the same? We just don't know yet," she says."

So, is Organic better? I think the IDEA of Organic is nice, but shelling out the bucks in this sagging economy for a nice feeling that doesn't have a lot of nutritional or health benefits isn't something I, personally, intend to do.

Dr. Gupta specifically says to shy away from mass produced "organic" food because "The act of processing significantly changes the chemical composition of foods, possibly erasing the benefits you think you're getting."

Time also had an article (a cover story actually) entitled: Eating Better Than Organic, which touts the benefits of buying local produce whenever possible. According to THAT article, "...for food purists, "local" is the new "organic," the new ideal that promises healthier bodies and a healthier planet. Many chefs, food writers and politically minded eaters are outraged that "Big Organic" firms now use the same industrial-size farming and long-distance-shipping methods as conventional agribusiness. "Should I assume that I have a God-given right to access the entire earth's bounty, however far away some of its produce is grown?" asks ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan in his 2002 memoir, Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods. Nabhan predicted my apple problem when he vacillated over some organic pumpkin canned hundreds of miles from his Arizona home. "If you send it halfway around the world before it is eaten," he mused, "an organic food still may be 'good' for the consumer, but is it 'good' for the food system?"

You can read that one on your own and decide for yourself. Read more!

In the News - Hospitals do poorly on breast-feeding support

I saw the article, Hospitals do poorly on breast-feeding support, and it reminded me of when Willow was born and how the hospital gave us supplements for her, just in case. And, in my case, we needed it.

In this day and age, when breastfeeding is at a high point in recent history according to this report, "Most U.S. hospitals don't do very well when it comes to promoting breast-feeding, according to the first national report to look at the issue. The average hospital scored 63 out of 100, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

"States in New England and on the West Coast scored highest, and the South did the worst. Vermont and New Hampshire topped the list, tied with a score of 81. Arkansas had the poorest score, 48.

"But practices unfriendly to breast-feeding were common throughout the country, the survey found.

"About a quarter of hospitals reported giving formula or some other supplement to more than half of their healthy, full-term newborns. The practice was common even when mothers were able and willing to breast-feed, Deborah Dee, a CDC epidemiologist said.

"Of hospitals who gave supplements, 30 percent gave sugar water and 15 percent gave water."

Let me just but in here and say that I am so very grateful that the hospital I gave birth in gave us a free sample of formula. I fully intended to breastfeed and did not buy formula as a back up. My milk didn't come in until day 5 after Willow was born and she was hysterically hungry when we got home from the hospital. While the CDC may not think that giving away these samples is a good thing, I have to respectfully disagree. I DO agree that sugar water and water are HUGE no-no's for newborn babies and I would be angry if my baby was given those but as far as I know she was not since she was in the room with me the whole time.

Back to the article...

"Breast-feeding is considered beneficial to both mothers and their babies. Breast milk contains antibodies that can protect newborns from infections, and studies have found breast-fed babies are less likely to become overweight that those fed with formula.

"But breast-feeding can be frustrating for new mothers because of nipple pain or the misperception that they're not producing enough milk. It's crucial that moms get proper breast-feeding advice and encouragement those first few days after birth, said Dr. Sheela Geraghty, a lactation expert at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

"It's wonderful that hospitals and birth centers are being examined because if moms aren't helped right there, where are they going to be helped?" Geraghty said.

"The research was based on questionnaires filled out last year by about 2,700 U.S. maternity hospitals and birth centers. Hospitals were scored on supportive efforts, like offering breast-feeding tips and keeping the mother and the infant together. They also were evaluated on practices detrimental to breast-feeding, including supplemental feedings or including infant formula samples in gift packs for mothers."

I should also state that I was given every opportunity to get help with breastfeeding from my hospital. And if we refused the "gift bags" they didn't say a word. And, like I said, in my case it was a God Sent because we needed it. And I still gave my daughter breast milk for the first 6 months of her life. Read more!

In the News: Obesity epidemic in U.S. kids may have peaked

I was watching the news last night and saw a story on the childhood obesity epidemic. The good news is, the number of obese children may be on the decline. According to the story Obesity epidemic in U.S. kids may have peaked on MSNBC, "The percentage of American children who are overweight or obese appears to have leveled off after a 25-year increase, according to new figures that offer a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dismal battle."

Let me interject a little here. I am a "Gen X" child. I was born in 1975 and will be 33 years old this year. When I was a kid, we NEVER drank water, or even milk (unless it had Quick in it). Our staples were Kool-Aid (basically sugar water) and Johnnie Ryan soda pop. We bought our meat from the butcher 1/2 a cow at a time and stored it for the year in a deep freezer in the cellar. And I am from Niagara Falls NY, which has a high percentage of Italian's meaning excellent pizza and pasta. You get the idea.

This is why I am striving to be a good example for my daughter. While she is only 8 months old right now, soon enough she will be looking at me and what I do. Now, back to the story...

Although it is good news that there may be a leveling off of the obesity epidemic, doctors are quick to point out that it may just be a blip on the radar. "That is a first encouraging finding in what has been unremittingly bad news,'' said Dr. David Ludwig, director of an obesity clinic at Children's Hospital Boston. "But it's too soon to know if this really means we're beginning to make meaningful inroads into this epidemic. It may simply be a statistical fluke.''

Dr. Reginald Washington, a children's heart specialist in Denver and member of an American Academy of Pediatrics obesity committee, said "the country should be congratulated'' if the rates have in fact peaked.

"There are a lot of people trying to do good things to try to stem the tide,'' Washington said. Some schools are providing better meals and increasing physical education, and Americans in general "are more aware of the importance of fruits and vegetables,'' he said.

On the other hand, he noted that he recently treated an obese young patient "who in three days did not have a single piece of fresh fruit."

"We still have a long ways to go,'' he said.

We do have a long way to go but if we, as parents, do our best we can raise children who are not overweight and will lead healthier lives because of it. I am not going to kid Willow about eating right and exercising. My mom likes to talk about a "fat gene". I know it's stupid but I think she really believes it. Read more!

In the News: FDA warns mothers about nipple cream

Bowsing the news this morning I came upon the article: FDA warns mothers about nipple cream.

The nipple cream in question is called: Mommy’s Bliss Natural Nipple Cream. According to the article, "The potentially harmful ingredients in the cream are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol."

Since the article doesn't say why these things are dangerous, I did some investigation.

What is chlorphenesin? According to Drugs.com "Chlorphenesin is a muscle relaxant. It works by blocking nerve impulses (or pain sensations) that are sent to your brain. Before taking chlorphenesin, tell your doctor if you have liver disease. You may need a lower dose or special monitoring during therapy. It is not known whether chlorphenesin will harm an unborn baby. Do not take chlorphenesin without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. It is also not known whether chlorphenesin passes into breast milk. Do not take chlorphenesin without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Chlorphenesin is not approved for use in children."

"Side effects of chlorphenesin:

Stop taking chlorphenesin and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives). Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take chlorphenesin and talk to your doctor if you experience drowsiness, dizziness, or confusion; headache nervousness or insomnia; or nausea or upset stomach."

Now, on to phenoxyethanol. According to Net Doctor, "phenoxyethanol is the main ingredient in Aqueous cream, which is a light, non-greasy moisturiser that provides a layer of oil on the surface of the skin to prevent water evaporating from the skin surface." It is for external use ONLY.

According to Wikipedia (I know not the best source but I am trying to diversify here), "Phenoxyethanol is an organic chemical compound, a glycol ether often used in dermatological products such as skin creams. It is a colorless oily liquid. It is a bactericide (usually used in conjunction with quaternary ammonium compounds), often used in place of sodium azide in biological buffers as 2-phenoxyethanol is less toxic and non-reactive with copper and lead. It is also used as a fixative for perfumes, an insect repellent, a topical antiseptic, a solvent for cellulose acetate, some dyes, inks, and resins, in preservatives, pharmaceuticals, and in organic synthesis. It is moderately soluble in water. It is also listed as an ingredient for many United States vaccines by the Center for Disease Control."

Now, back to the original article: "FDA is particularly concerned that nursing infants are being unwittingly exposed by their mothers to this product with dangerous side effects," said Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Additionally, these two ingredients may interact with one another to further compound and increase the risk of respiratory depression in nursing infants."

Let me just say that when I was pumping breastmilk for Willow, my best friend in the nipple arena was Lansinoh Lanolin - Nursing Cream It is safe for baby - Relief for Mothers since it soothes and helps heal cracked nipples. It does not need to be removed from nipples prior to breastfeeding baby and is safe and non-toxic for both mother and baby. Read more!

New Series - Amazon Store Highlights - Bottle Warmer

As you may (or may not) have noticed, I have an Amazon store. The reason for this store is to make people aware of things that I have purchased that have helped me in my new job of being a Mom. So, I have decided to have a series of posts where I highlight an item and tell you why I bought it or, should have bought it (but didn't because my daughter is too old now). The first item I am going to discuss is the one that I have gotten the most use out of. It is my Philips Avent iQ Bottle Warmer. This is one of the best purchases we made.

When I first had Willow I knew I wanted to breastfeed and didn't think that I would need something like a bottle warmer since she would (obviously) be drinking right from the breast. Little did I know that circumstances would arise that would necessitate the use of bottles, and later a bottle warmer. You can read my story here (if you haven't already).

Needless to say, I knew nothing about warming up a baby bottle. I knew that it shouldn't be warmer than your finger. I wasn't really sure how to use the microwave but I knew you should never warm up a baby bottle in the microwave because the microwave could cause the bottle to heat unevenly, which could burn your baby’s mouth. So, we were left with the stove and using a pot. Honestly, a bottle warmer never entered my mind. I am an Aerospace Engineer so you would think that technology and all its wonders would have led me to the bottle warmer right away but, nope.

When my husband was getting ready to go back to work (he had been off for 2 months or so helping me with Willow) I was starting to panic. We had to go downstairs to heat up the bottles during the night since all the bedrooms were upstairs. We had been kind of tag-teaming the whole feeding process, which was partially necessitated by my pumping breast milk while Willow had a bottle. He would go downstairs and heat up the bottle while I changed Willow's diaper after she woke up.

Finally I got sick of it and thought there MUST be a better way. That is when the use of a bottle warmer dawned on me. So, I brought up the trusty Amazon website and looked around. The thing I LOVE about the Amazon website is the customer reviews for all of the products. Like I said, I ended up choosing the Philips Avent iQ Bottle Warmer.

It is one of the best purchases I could have made. And the great thing about it is it will heat up frozen milk, refrigerated milk, or room temperature milk. It also heats up baby food, if you're into that as well. It's super easy to use and in the time it takes to heat up the water on the stove (let alone the bottle) the bottle is warm and ready for your baby's consumption. I have recommended this to a TON of friends who have babies or know people who are going to be having babies. And now I am recommending it to you. Read more!

In the News: Drinking water can hurt babies under 6 months

I was perusing the Kids and Parenting section of MSNBC and found an article entitled: Drinking water can hurt babies under 6 months.

According to Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, MD. "Babies younger than six months old should never be given water to drink [because] consuming too much water can put babies at risk of a potentially life-threatening condition known as water intoxication."

You would think that a parent would know that babies should be drinking breast milk or formula at that young age, but apparently not. Anything I have personally read said that juice or water at such a young age has no nutritional value for the baby and is therefore unnecessary.

From the above article: "Even when they're very tiny, they have an intact thirst reflex or a drive to drink," Dr. Jennifer Anders, a pediatric emergency physician at the center, told Reuters Health. "When they have that thirst and they want to drink, the fluid they need to drink more of is their breast milk or formula."

Because babies' kidneys aren't yet mature, giving them too much water causes their bodies to release sodium along with excess water, Anders said. Losing sodium can affect brain activity, so early symptoms of water intoxication can include irritability, drowsiness and other mental changes. Other symptoms include low body temperature (generally 97 degrees or less), puffiness or swelling in the face, and seizures."

Maybe parents think that water can tide baby over? I am the first to admit that when I am hungry I try drinking a large glass of water first. Honestly, I only drink water. I get in about 3-4 liters a day since I gave up soda-pop about 3.5 years ago. (Sure, I'll have a soda now and again but if I am thirsty in any way, I drink water since pop makes me thirsty) But that's just me and I am not an infant who is growing at an astronomical rate. Since an average baby will double his birth weight in six months,and triple it in a year, they need all the nutrition they can get and empty calories in juice or no calories in water just don't make sense to me.

Additionally, according to Pediatricians at Hopkins Children's, Too Much Water Raises Seizure Risk In Babies. "It’s a recurrent summer-time scenario in the pediatric emergency room and doctors from Johns Hopkins Children’s are sounding the alarm on it: An otherwise healthy infant is brought in by panicked parents after suffering a seizure, which turns out to be caused by drinking too much water."

Since we all know it gets hot in the summer, "Babies need extra fluids in the hot weather, but straight water is not one of them," says pediatrician Allen Walker, M.D., head of the Emergency Department at Hopkins Children’s. "A parent’s natural instinct is to give the baby water to prevent dehydration, but too much water can disrupt the delicate balance in a baby’s body, leading to water intoxication. Before you know it, the baby is seizing."

"Breast milk and formula are the best way to keep a child under 1 year of age who is not eating solid foods hydrated, Walker says, and straight water should be avoided. Over-diluted formula can lead to water intoxication as well. Electrolyte-enriched pediatric drinks are not recommended for routine hydration."

So, I guess the lesson is that sometimes what seems like an obvious solution really isn't.

Who knew? Now, you do. Read more!

Breast Milk vs. Formula

I am an advocate of breastfeeding. I think breast milk is the best thing for your baby and you should attempt to breastfeed if at all possible.

That said, I know it can be difficult for a lot of moms and then there are those whose lifestyle does not fit with breastfeeding so they opt for formula.

Here is my story...

As I have stated previously, I had a birth plan. That plan included breastfeeding and NO FORMULA. I was adamant. Unfortunately for me, my milk did not come in until day 5 after giving birth. My cousin got me what she referred to as her "Bible": The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. I read it trying to get an idea of what to expect when Willow was born. La Leche League says that even if it takes that long (5 days) for your milk to come in, your baby is getting all the nutrition they need via the colostrum your body is producing. Never mind if your baby loses almost a pound of her birth weight in the first two days of life because she isn't getting food.

The second day after Willow was born, she was crying hysterically for a long time and I was concerned that she wasn't getting the milk she needed from my breasts. I had never had a baby before and I didn't know what to expect as far as when my milk should come in and how it should feel. So, I thought that I would pump and see what came out of my breasts. I was horrified to discover that just about nothing was coming out. Willow was crying because she was hungry. Sobbing my eyes out and feeling like a complete and utter failure, I asked my husband to make some formula. (We had been given a sample at the hospital) After eating an ounce or so, Willow went right to sleep. It was like a miracle had happened.

I was still determined to give her breast milk. So, every time she ate, I pumped. I figured that if she was on a colostrum only diet, that's what I'd be doing anyway, right? And it worked. Day 5, my milk came in. The only problem? Willow would not breastfeed. I talked to her doctor about it and she said it's a simple matter to get her to latch on. I knew this involved making her go hungry until she took milk from my breast and I was not willing to go that route. I minimally regret that decision, but what's done is done and I am very happy with how things turned out.

After my milk came in, I would pump when she was drinking a bottle so milk was always ready for her the next time she ate. However, after a few months when she was sleeping through the night, I found myself getting up in the middle of the night to pump milk in order to keep my supply steady. I did this for some time since I knew breast milk was best and I wanted my baby to have the best. However, wanting to be better rested for both myself and for Willow I gave up pumping during the night and had to supplement her nutrition with formula. (I stopped pumping altogether when Willow was 6 months old.)

When it comes to formula, I have standards. While all formulas provide the same essentials when it comes to nutrition, and it is completely unnecessary to buy brand named or pre-mixed formula, I have a preference and buy Enfamil Lipil. You don't have to do that. There is a great article on the Mayo Clinic website on Infant Formula. It pretty much sums up everything I have read from many sources.

The bottom line? Although all infant formula must meet FDA requirements, there are differences among them. For instance, Good Start is made with 100 percent whey protein, while Similac and Enfamil are made with a combination of whey and casein proteins, like breast milk. As with most consumer products, brand-name infant formulas cost more than generic brands. But that doesn't mean that brand-name formulas are better. All infant formulas sold in the United States must meet the nutrient standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although manufacturers may vary somewhat in their formula recipes, the FDA requires that all formulas contain the same nutrient density.

So, don't let someone tell you that brand name formula is better or that you are doing your child a disservice by buying powdered formula instead of premixed since it's pretty much all the same. And don't let anyone tell you that you are doing your child a disservice by feeding them formula. In my generation (Gen X) about 70% of babies were formula fed (including me) and we all turned out just fine. Read more!

Pacifiers and Thumb-Sucking

When my baby was on the way, I had a birth plan. I wrote out exactly what I did and did not want for my baby. One of the things I DID want was to breastfeed. I DIDN'T want her to have any pacifier or foreign nipple.

I really wish I had had some advice on the matter.

According to an American Academy of Pediatrics study on The Effects of Early Pacifier Use on Breastfeeding Duration:

"In adjusted analyses, pacifier introduction [after] 6 weeks was associated with a significantly increased risk for shortened duration of full and overall breastfeeding. Women who introduced pacifiers tended to breastfeed their infants fewer times per day, with significant differences noted at 2 and 12 weeks' postpartum. At 12 weeks postpartum, women who introduced pacifiers also were more likely to report that breastfeeding was inconvenient and that they had insufficient milk supplies. Pacifier use begun either before 2 weeks or before 6 weeks' postpartum was not significantly associated with breastfeeding duration at 2 and 3 months."

"Conclusions: Breastfeeding duration in the first 3 months' postpartum...was unaffected by pacifier use."

Interesting, no? This is one of the reasons that the AAP recommends pacifier use up to four months of age.

Let me just tell you how much it calmed my baby down in the first week to have the pacifier to suck on, as sucking is the main way a newborn soothes themselves.

I took my daughter's pacifier away at about 4 months. Before 4 months, the pacifier was wonderful for getting her to go to sleep. After 4 months, I was waking up in the middle of the night and putting it back in her mouth to get her to go to back to sleep and I was not about to do that every night for goodness knows how long.

She would suck her fingers and I thought that her thumb would be a wonderful replacement. So, when she would suck her fingers, I would try and stick her thumb in there instead. (I really started this from the beginning) Yeah, she wasn't having any of that. I also wondered if thumbsucking could be bad for her teeth. It turns out, not so much.

According to the American Dental Association article on Thumbsucking it is perfectly fine for a child to suck their thumb. However, "Children should have ceased sucking by the time the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Usually children stop between the ages of two and four years." Makes sense to me.

Granted, you can't always get your child to stop, but once they go to school and are the only ones sucking their thumb, they'll quit soon enough. Some tips from the ADA are:

1. Praise children for not sucking, instead of scolding them when they are.


2. Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure or needing comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort to your child.


3. For an older child, involve him or her in choosing the method of stopping.


4. Your dentist can offer encouragement to a child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop sucking.


5. If the above tips don’t work, remind the child of their habit by bandaging the thumb or putting a sock on the hand at night. Your dentist or pediatrician may prescribe a bitter medication to coat the thumb or the use of a mouth appliance.
   

Willow is 8 months old and happily sucks her thumb. Who am I to argue? Read more!