Tag: baby
The Photo Gallery: Together
This week’s theme at The Photo Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog is Together.
Having our beautiful baby girl was the most incredible thing that could happen. It has made us a family. Life is precious and we treasure every moment we have together.
The Photo Gallery: Walks
We adore walking and exploring the outdoors. Hubby and I have spent our 10 years together walking everywhere we can. We’ve been lucky enough to explore France, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, England and Switzerland.
We had grand plans to continue walking and discovering the countryside when our baby arrived in 2011. We continued to get out and about and when she was a baby and we explored countryside lanes and forests with her strapped to one of us in the baby carrier.
When Imogen and I were in New Zealand at the beginning of this year we were absolutely spoilt for choice with beautiful walks in the bush at Kaitoke Regional Park, through Wellington’s Botanical Garden and along the Kapiti Coast.
Walking in the Suffolk countryside with Imogen in her baby carrier.
Exploring the coastal path along the town of Orford in Suffolk.
Some of our favourite walks are along the coast in Brittany.
In our local park in London.
Food for Thought
Weaning your baby from the breast or bottle is an exciting time for you and your baby. You’re about to introduce new tastes, textures and foods that will help provide the nutrients your baby needs to develop and grow into a healthy child.
Waiting until your baby is ready to process solid food lessens the chance of developing food allergies. Health experts recommend full term babies begin weaning at six months to give baby’s digestive system time to mature. At six months babies start to need a higher level of nutrients, especially iron, which they can’t get from breastmilk or infant formula alone.
Nutritionally, babies still need breastmilk or infant formula until they’re one year old and emotionally your baby receives a great source of comfort and security from nursing.
In the beginning weaning is all about taste and exploration. For the first couple of weeks offer a teaspoon or two of solids once a day when baby is slightly peckish. Pureed pear, apple, sweet potato, parsnip and carrot are sweet tasting and gentle on baby’s tummy. Ripe banana and avocado can be mashed to achieve a smooth consistency. Baby rice and baby cereals are a good introduction to grains and can be mixed with your baby’s usual milk.
It’s beneficial to introduce foods one at a time over a few days to check for any allergic reactions. Foods that most commonly cause allergies are wheat, eggs, shellfish, milk, nuts and seeds. You should seek urgent medical help if you think your baby is having an allergic reaction.
Foods to avoid when weaning are salt, sugar and low fat foods which are nutritionally unsuitable. Honey is a source of sugar and should not be given to babies under one year as it can contain bacteria. Cow’s milk should only be used in cooking until baby is at least one year. Nuts should not be given to children under the age of five due to the risk of choking.
Let your baby lead the way. At six months I started to wean my baby with pureed fruit and vegetables and by seven months she was showing an interest in using her fingers to eat so we moved to more of a baby-led weaning approach.
Take things slowly to give you and your baby time to adjust to weaning and allow baby to enjoy a variety of foods. Weaning is an incredible developmental stage for your baby. Eat together as a family, have fun and accept things will get messy!
Lydia Oliver – Nutritional Advisor Only Best For Baby
This article was published in the March 2013 edition of Mummy and Me Magazine.
I offer one to one nutrition programmes for breastfeeding, post pregnancy weight loss, weaning, weight management and health. Contact me.
