Tag: child

Food for Thought

| March 7, 2013

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.

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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!

mummy and me magazineLydia 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.

Sensory Play with Bubbles

| January 26, 2013

Playing with bubbles is a simple and exciting game for babies, toddlers and children that helps to develop awareness of their senses. I love this game because it combines sensory play and the great outdoors which are important learning experiences for little ones.

If you’re looking for ideas on sensory play with your baby or child head over to The Imagination Tree which is one of my favourite blogs and a great resource for parents.

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What’s your favourite idea for sensory play with babies and toddlers?

Parenting in the 1970s

| January 17, 2013

I’ve been catching up with old friends lately. We’ve reminisced about our own childhoods and growing up as babies and toddlers in the late 1970s.

It seems we’re from an entirely different age when compared to families of today. And it’s not just the fashion of the 1970s that stands us apart.

Parenting styles have changed dramatically over the last few decades.

Parenting in the 1970sBack in the day we were allowed to play in the garden and run freely around the streets.

My friends and I would go down the lane to a nearby river for a dip on hot summer days. When swimming wasn’t an option we’d run amok across farmer’s fields where grazing bulls would stir at our laughter and foolishness.

Children today are brought up with their parent’s keeping a much closer eye on their whereabouts. This is aided by technology keeping communication between parents and children more accessible.

But by limiting the amount of freedom our children have are we detrimentally stunting their ability to grow and learn for themselves?

As for all of the baby paraphernalia we can’t live without, there’s a distinct gap between then and now.

Who’d ever heard of a car seat for a baby or child, let alone a seatbelt? These days you’ll be arrested if your baby or child isn’t strapped safely in a car.

Baby monitors? If baby cried the parents would hear and could go and check on them.

Did anyone use sun cream to protect baby’s delicate skin? Today we’re advised by leading health bodies to not expose babies under the age of 6 months to the sun.

Stair gates? Baby learnt how to climb up and down stairs.

Had parents in the 1970s even heard of the things today’s parents simply take for granted?

  • BPA free plastic bottles and cups
  • Non-toxic paints used on children’s toys
  • Safety standards in playgrounds
  • Baby and toddler products conforming to stringent regulations
  • Organic formula milk and baby food

What are your views on the style of parenting in the 1970s compared with today?

photo credit: H is for Home via photopin cc