Keeping your baby’s teeth clean may not always be easy — when he clamps his jaws shut, it can be difficult to persuade him to open them — but it is very important.

Ideally, you should start cleaning your baby’s mouth from birth, using a piece of damp gauze or a soft, damp washcloth to wipe any milk residue from his gums and teeth. It’s a good idea to start this early, as it gives your baby time to get used to the whole routine and may make him less likely to object to having his teeth brushed later on!

Once his baby teeth start appearing, it’s crucial to clean them carefully at least twice a day. The bacteria that live naturally in your baby’s mouth turn the sugars (including natural sugars) from foods into acid. This acid may then attack the enamel of your baby’s teeth.

The importance of your baby’s first teeth

Although your baby will eventually lose his first teeth, don’t be fooled into thinking that caring for them is any less important than caring for his permanent teeth later on. Baby teeth “reserve” a place for the permanent teeth to grow into. If a baby tooth is lost, the permanent teeth may shift, potentially leading to orthodontic problems later on. Babies need their milk teeth in order to learn to speak clearly and correctly. Baby teeth are needed for biting and chewing. The excessive loss of baby teeth due to decay can affect your child’s confidence at pre-school level — after all, we all want to look our best!
Choosing a toothbrush

Once your baby has his first tooth, it’s time to buy an appropriate toothbrush. A long handled brush with a small head is best at first, as this design makes it easy to reach all parts of your baby’s mouth quite easily. The brush should have soft, rounded filaments and should be replaced every 10-12 weeks, or as soon as the filaments start to splay.

Alternatively, you could use the type of infant toothbrush that fits over your finger and some babies do prefer this — but beware if your baby is a biter, as they don’t offer much protection to your vulnerable finger!

When your baby is older and wants to hold the brush himself, then buy him a chunkier-handled design, which will be easier for him to hold — although you will still need to do the bulk of the brushing yourself!

Toothpaste and fluoride

You don’t have to use toothpaste to clean your baby’s teeth — the action of brushing is the most important factor in keeping them clean. If you do use toothpaste, then choose one specifically designed for infants — these usually contain very little fluoride. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry actually recommends that babies under the age of 2 should receive NO fluoride at all.

Although fluoride can help strengthen the enamel of the teeth, too much of it can lead to fluorosis – a condition which can cause white spots to appear on the permanent teeth. Young babies tend to swallow toothpaste rather than spit it out — if you use an adult toothpaste, then they will be swallowing too much fluoride.

Speak to your child’s dentist for more information about the fluoride requirements for your child.

For further information, see How Much Fluoride Is Enough?

Tips for brushing baby’s teeth

If your baby is reluctant to open his mouth, try putting a brush in your own mouth — babies love to copy whatever Mum’s doing! Try singing a musical scale with your mouth wide open (no-one’s looking!) He may try to copy the singing — or he may laugh — but either way, he’ll open his mouth! Sit your baby in whatever position works best for you — standing or sitting behind your baby as he looks up is a great position, because it enables you to reach all parts of his mouth very easily. Be gentle — firm brushing isn’t necessary at this stage and can put your baby off the whole experience.
Visiting the dentist

So when should your baby pay his first visit to the dentist?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and many other dental authorities worldwide, you should take him for a dental check-up at some point during his first year.

This gives your baby’s dentist the opportunity to identify potential problems at an early stage and also to establish a good prevention program. It also gets your baby accustomed to the routine of dental visits and can help ensure he is calm on future visits.

Tips to keep your baby’s teeth healthy

Avoid giving your baby juice. Nearly 90% of infants in the US are drinking juice before their first birthday. Yet whole fruit is nutritionally superior to fruit juice and contains dietary fiber, which juice lacks. Giving water to your baby is the healthiest option when he needs additional fluids. If you do give your baby fruit juice, then make sure he drinks it from a sippy cup, not a bottle. Drinking juice from a bottle causes it to “pool” around your baby’s teeth and puts him at a very high risk of dental decay. Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of juice or milk. The lactose in milk can react with the bacteria in your baby’s mouth, forming the acids that attack tooth enamel. Do not dip your baby’s dummy/pacifier into any sweet substance. Do not add sugar to your baby’s food. (NEVER use honey as a sweetener for babies less than 1 year of age — honey may contain botulism spores, which can be fatal to a young baby). Ensure that baby’s teeth get an extra good clean at bedtime! During the night, his natural production of saliva decreases, so its rinsing action diminishes too. This means that any harmful bacteria in the mouth are able to settle on the teeth more easily. If your baby is receiving oral medication, give it to him before you brush his teeth, not afterwards. Almost all oral medications for infants contain sucrose.

By: Christine Albury

About the Author:

Baby does not have to be “left out” of Holiday meals just because she is an infant. The Holidays are a wonderful time for baby to explore foods and share in the family celebration. Pull baby’s high chair up to the dinner table and watch her joy and wonder as she takes part in the Holiday meal tradition. With some creativity, your baby can have a Holiday dinner similar to what the big kids and adults are eating! Bring your food mill along and grind up some Holiday Foods for your little one!

Below you will find our ideas for how to serve up a Holiday Dinner for your baby or toddler. Please ensure that the combinations and foods suggested are age appropriate for your child! These “recipes” have been found at our Tips Recipes page since we began our baby food website and we look forward to “taking them out” every Holiday.

“Holiday Dinners for Little Ones” For Beginners (younger than 7months old)

Squashy Sweet Potatoes Take a small scoop of that baked acorn or butternut squash and mash in some sweet potatoes

Baby Apple Pie If you will be offering your baby cereal at Thanksgiving, make him a Baby Apple Pie – mix some applesauce together with oatmeal or rice cereal

Pumpkin Pie Baby Pumpkin Pie is easy, simply blend pumpkin puree together with oatmeal or rice cereal

For the Intermediates (7months to 10 months old)

Spicy Squash Add some cinnamon and/or nutmeg to baby’s squash

Green Beans and Potatoes Green beans and mashed potatoes are a staple of many Holiday meals, for your baby, make a blend of white potatoes and green beans

Baby’s Turkey Dinner Serve your baby a yummy Holiday Turkey Dinner m?lange. Take some turkey, applesauce, sweet potato and squash; blend it all together for a yummy meal. If your baby is eating finger foods, simply cut the turkey into small pieces and arrange in baby’s dish with the squash, sweet potato and applesauce.

Tofu Dinner If you will be offering your baby tofu at the Holiday Dinner table, you can make your baby’s tofu meal fitting and festive too. Blend or dice the tofu into manageable bites and blend with squash or sweet potato for a yummy meal. You can also arrange the tofu bites in baby’s dish with squash, white potato and another veggie like carrots or green beans.

Sweet Potato Pie Mix sweet potato, yogurt, cereal and a dash of cinnamon, top with powdered Cheerios or Oatie O’s and mix well. For additional fun and enjoyment, let your baby do the blending of her own Sweet Potato Pie!

Apple Pie Combine cereal, yogurt and applesauce together adding a dash of cinnamon, top with powdered Cheerios or Oatie O’s and mix well. For additional fun and enjoyment, let your baby do the blending of her own Apple Pie!

Pumpkin Pie Combine pumpkin puree together with cereal, yogurt and add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, top with powdered Cheerios or Oatie O’s and mix well. For additional fun and enjoyment, let your baby do the blending of her own Sweet Potato Pie!

For the Experienced Palate (11months old +)

Use all the recipes above only serve as “finger” meals if baby is eating chunky foods.

Arrange dices of turkey, dollops of sweet potato and squash and add some white potato along with green beans.

Offer your baby some “real” apple pie at this age (if you don’t mind the sugar that is!)

Is it ok to Offer My Baby Cranberry Sauce or Cranberries? Cranberries tend to be acidic and as such, are not recommended as a “starter’ food for babies. As cranberries are not related to strawberries or other “berries” such as blackberries or raspberries, they do not follow the “no berries until 12 months old” rule. You may wish to introduce cranberries between 9 and 12 months old so as to avoid any possible reactions due to the acidity. Reactions may occur in the form of rashes around the mouth or bottom. Always keep in mind that a bite of a food may not prompt a reaction however a “full” serving may. Read our article for more information>> Cranberries for Baby Food



Can My Baby Eat the Family Pumpkin Pie? Pumpkin Pie typically contains whole eggs and evaporated milk. Many pediatricians will say that for the non-allergic baby of 8 months or older, baked goods with whole eggs are fine. The same advice is true for milk products. Milk in a baked good recipe is fine for the non-allergic infant of 8 months or older. (Please remember that milk is NOT appropriate as a replacement for ****** milk or formula until a baby has reached the age of 12 months or until your baby’s pediatrician indicates this is appropriate!) If you would like your baby to have a Thanksgiving treat and wish to serve him a wee bit of pumpkin pie, consider the above and as always, consult with your pediatrician!

Is Gravy Ok to Offer my Baby? Our inclination is to not offer babies gravy during the Holidays. Homemade Gravy is made of starches and the fatty drippings from the Holiday Turkey pan. Jarred or canned gravy contains a variety of un-pronounceable ingredients that may not be good for your baby.

Keeping in mind the above, if you wish to offer your baby a small drizzle of gravy during Holiday Dinner then feel free to do so. If you bay is prone to digestive upsets, we would recommend using a very small amount or none at all.

As always, you should consult with your pediatrician about offering your baby foods that may not appropriate for baby’s stage!

By: Maggie Meade

About the Author:

With the advent of computers and in particular the internet, it is now so easy to get hold of Restaurant Recipes Online. You can simply find a recipe you like or maybe an entire recipe book of your favorite Restaurant meals and download them straight to your computer.

With access to some of the best restaurant meals that have ever been created I now cook all the time. Before I had my recipe book I used to just throw whatever I could find into a pot or the fry pan and see what turned up. Some of the meals were fantastic whilst others were a little ordinary. This is fine for a single guy but if you want to invite a girl over for dinner then you really need to learn how to cook or at least follow a recipe. Following a recipe is something I can do and cooking great meals is just a bi product of that. Below I have provided you with one of the recipes I found for Chilli’s famous Baby Back Pork Ribs.

In the past when I invited my friends over for dinner I used to always have a BBQ. I love BBQ’s but that was really the only thing I could cook. Once I learned to follow a recipe book I then began to cook other things to go with the BBQ. I started out cooking simple things like Buffalo Chicken Wings and some simple deserts until I really improved my cooking skills. Now I have dinner parties and cook anything my friends tell me they like. Well as long as I can find a recipe for it. I have even gone to the extent of making up proper menus and printing them from my computer of the meals my friends like and cook them in dinner parties every week or so.

Guys if you can learn to cook then you will really impress the girls. Practice makes perfect and that is true for anything including cooking. Have a go at cooking your favorite Restaurant Recipes Online and keep trying until you get it right. I now you can do it. Enjoy the recipe below and happy eating.

Here is the Baby Back Pork Ribs recipe I promised you.

I want my “Baby-Back, Baby-Back, Baby-Back Ribs.” This is the dish that Chilli’s is famous for. Full rack of ribs “double-basted” with BBQ sauce. Typically served with cinnamon apples and home style fries.

6 pounds of baby back pork ribs
2 cups of water

Sauce

1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon of yellow mustard
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of liquid hickory flavoring
3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cut the rib slabs in half, leaving 6-8 ribs per section. In a large roasting pan, arrange the ribs evenly, then add the water. Cover pan tightly with a lid or foil to prevent steam from escaping. Bake for 3 hours.

3. About 2 hours into the baking time, make the sauce. In a large saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

4. Prepare the coals in a BBQ. Remove the ribs from the roasting pan. Discard the water.

5. Cover the ribs with sauce, saving about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce for later use at the table. Grill the ribs on the BBQ for 5 minutes on each side, or until slightly charred.

6. Serve with the remaining sauce and lots of moist towelettes or paper towels.

Serves 6-8

By: Mathew J Flanagan

About the Author:

A perfect baby shower recipe is an essential part of the entire ceremony. Fruit Pizza is a simple to make at home and is an absolute delight.

So, what you need to make this appetizer is:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups all purpose flour
1 small pack of cream cheese
Seasonal fruits, such as pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, grapes, cherry, banana, apple, etc.

This recipe hardly takes 30 minutes to get cooked and baked, but it is recommended that you chill it in refrigerator at least for 2 to 3 hours before serving. So, you can make it early in the morning before the baby shower party starts.

Let’s proceed towards making the fruit pizza.
1. Wash the fruits, drain well and allow them to dry.
2. Combine sugar, cornstarch, half of salt, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a frying pan. Cook for a minute and set aside to cool.
3. Now make a sugar cookie pizza. Beat butter in a big bowl and add half of granulated sugar, salt and baking powder and beat well, so as to make a uniform mix.
4. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla & egg to above mix and beat well. Now add flour and mix all ingredients, so as to make uniform dough like paste.
5. Roll out about 1/8 inch thick layer on a well-greased pizza-pan.
6. Bake it at about 330 degrees for 7-8 minutes and take out to cool.
7. Meanwhile, combine rest of vanilla extract, softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Spread this mix over baked pizza.
8. Cut slice fruits in different shapes and make toppings on the pizza.
9. Spread orange sauce all over and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

So…your fruit pizza appetizer is ready to be served to your baby shower ceremony guests. Serve, eat and enjoy the occasion!

Tip: You can also sprinkle some small sized candies, gems or shredded cherries over fruits layer.

By: Isha Suri

About the Author:

The doggie recipes below were selected because they are easy to make and provide a healthy alternative to store bought treats and food. All have been tested and have met a most positive response from a variety of eager recipients.

The recipes are time tested meaning they have been around for a while. I decided to make them available for those that would like to try making their own treats and foods for their pets. Give them a try and you’ll discover that they are easy to make. Your Cocker Spaniel will love them and you can rest assured that you are providing healthy homemade products.

Have fun with the recipes. You may want to start with Bacon Bites treats. It’s a sure crowd pleaser.

Bacon Bites Doggie Treats – Great treats for training

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon — crumbled
1/4 cup bacon grease — or vegetable oil
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
When thoroughly mixed roll out on a floured surface to about a 1/2 thickness.
Bake for 35-40 minutes in oven.
Cool and serve.

Birthday Cake for Pups – Fun way to celebrate your pup’s birth date

Ingredients:

2 strips beef jerky — (2 to 3)
4 eggs
1 jar baby food, meat, beef, strained
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup corn oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a 8x5x3 inch loaf pan then flour throughout.
Smooth butter to a cream in a bowl.
Add corn oil, baby food, and eggs. Mix well until smooth.
Mix dry ingredients into beef mixture until batter is smooth.
Crumble beef jerky and fold into batter.
Pour batter into loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool on wire rack 15 minutes.
As an option you can ice with plain yogurt or cottage cheese.
Store uneaten cake in refrigerator.

Chicken Delight Comfort Doggie Food – This recipe will tighten up your pup with a delicious meal

Ingredients:

2 cups rice – uncooked
2 small sized potatoes — cubed
2 chicken thighs — or white meat
1 stalk celery — sliced thick
3 carrot — peeled and halved

Instructions:

Place chicken pieces in large pot.
Cover with cold water (5 -6 cups).
Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to water.
Add salt to taste if you want.
Cover and simmer on low heat about 2 hours until the chicken becomes tender.
Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat for about
30 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Remove soup from heat.
Pull the chicken meat off the bone ( it will
practically fall off), discard bones.
Return shredded pieces to pot.
Stir well.
Let cool.
Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

Divine Doggy Dinner – A big favorite and very easy to make

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef — or turkey, chicken, lamb
1/4 cup cooked rice
1 small potato
1/4 cup green beans — about 5-8 beans
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Brown the meat in a pan.
When completely cooked, drain the fat.
Add the cooked rice and mix well.
Set aside.
Cut the potato and beans into small bite-sized pieces.
Place in a pot with water; bring to a boil.
Simmer until veggies are tender (about 15-20 minutes).
Drain.
Add the vegetables to the meat mixture.
Add garlic powder; toss thoroughly under low heat.
Let the dinner cool thoroughly before serving to prevent burning.
Yield: about 2 dinners

Dog Oil Supplement – Great for dry doggie skin, helps promote a shiny coat

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup cod liver oil
1/4 cup flax seed oil

Instructions:

Place oils in brown bottle and shake well.
Store in refrigerator.
Add two teaspoons to the dogs food each day.
Can be add to dry food as well.
Safflower and Sunflower oil may used as well.

Healthy Snacks – Easy and yummy

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 tablespoon molasses — unsulphered
2 tablespoons safflower oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Add molasses, egg, oil and milk.
Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and
cut into bite-sized pieces.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Let cool and store in tightly sealed container.

Home Made Biscuits – Your pup will love these

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm chicken broth
2 tablespoons molasses
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour — (1 3/4 to 2)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups cracked wheat
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup non fat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg – beaten

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, 110 to 115 degrees.
Stir in broth and molasses.
Add 1 cup only of the all purpose flour, all the
whole wheat flour, cracked wheat, cornmeal, dry milk, garlic salt and
mix well.
On floured board, knead in remaining flour.
Roll out 1/2 at a time to 3/8″ thick.
Cut in desired shapes.
Place on ungreased baking sheet, brush tops with beaten egg and milk mixture.
Repeat remaining dough.
Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
Turn oven off and let dry
overnight.
Makes 42 to 48.

Rice and Hamburger Favorite – Doggie comfort food – Very easy to make

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
1/2 pound hamburger meat
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup carrots or broccoli or spinach
4 cups water

Instructions:

Put all ingredients into a large pot, boil until done, then cool off and
serve. That’s It!

Turkey Treats – Healthy and delicious

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked turkey — cut up
2 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons grated cheese
1 tablespoon parsley — freshly chopped
2 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons brewer’s yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions:

Combine turkey, garlic, cheese, parsley and mix well.
Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over turkey mixture.
Add the flour, yeast, and oil.
Stir until thoroughly mixed and all ingredients are coated.
Drop into small lumps onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until brown and firm.
Store in refrigerator.

Vegetarian Dog Biscuits – A healthy alternative

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup Powdered Milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs. brown sugar
3/4 cup Vegetable Broth
1/2 cup carrots — optional
1 egg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300F.
Mix all ingredients into a ball and roll out to about 1/4″ thick.
Cut with bone-shaped cookie cutter, or strips, or a
cutter shape of your own choice.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and
bake 30 minutes at 300F.

Veggie Bones – Meatless treats

Ingredients:

3 cups minced parsley
1/4 cup carrots — shredded
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup water — possibly more

Preheat oven to 350 F, rack on middle level.
Lightly greased baking sheet.
Stir together parsley, carrots, cheese, and oil.
Combine all the dry ingredients and add to the veggies.
Gradually add 1/2 cup of water, mixing well.
Make a moist, but not wet dough.
If needed add a little more water.
Knead for one minute.
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness.
Using cookie cutter, cut out the shapes and transfer them to a baking sheet. Reroll the scraps and continue until dough is all used up.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until biscuits have browned and hardened
slightly.
They will harden more as they cool.
Store in an airtight container.

Puppy Formulas

Recipe #1

Ingredients:

2/3 Cup Goat milk canned (or just regular canned milk)
1/3 Cup water or Pedialyte
1 teaspoon Karo Syrup
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dyne or pediatric vitamin

Instructions:

Strain a couple of times to make sure there is no albumin in the
mixture, although it has been used successfully without egg at all.

Recipe #2

Ingredients:

1 cup of canned Condensed milk or evaporated milk
4 ounces plain, full-fat yogurt
1 egg yolk
1 dropper full of baby vitamins

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Hope that you will enjoy making some of the recipes above. We know your pup will. The best part is that there are no preservatives added. All natural treats and foods will render a healthier pet and extend its life span.

By: Charlie Draper

About the Author:

Introducing your baby to solid foods is exciting and rewarding – but it can be difficult to know exactly how and when to get started.

Your baby should be four months of age at the very least — before this, his immature digestive system will find it difficult to cope with solid food. Most medical professionals, however, will advise waiting until your baby is at least six months of age, to reduce the risk of food allergies.

Your baby’s age is not the only consideration and there are other factors to take into account when determining whether or not the time is right for baby’s first foods.

Look for signs of readiness in your baby — does he watch you with interest when you eat, following the progress of your food from plate to mouth? This increased interest in solid food can indicate that he’s ready to try it for himself.

Does your baby seem dissatisfied after his usual milk feeds, or is he waking at night after previously sleeping through? Although these may be signs of an increase in his appetite, they can also be triggered by discomfort from teething. It is important to try to establish whether or not teething is the cause, to avoid introducing solid foods before your baby really needs them.

Your baby should have good head control and be able to sit well, as this makes swallowing easier. Younger babies may not be able to sit unsupported, however, so it is very important to provide the appropriate support if this is the case.

The decision to introduce solid foods to your baby must ultimately be made by you and your child’s doctor. You may feel pressured by other people — particularly the older generation — to give solid foods to your baby earlier than medical advice recommends. It is important to remember that a great deal of research has been carried out in order to provide this advice and such information simply wasn’t available in the past.

So what is the best first food for baby?

Baby rice, an easily digestible, single grain cereal, is the ideal food to start with. It can be mixed with warmed breastmilk or formula, so its taste will be familiar to your baby. Initially, you can mix it to a fairly runny consistency that your baby will find easy to cope with, thickening the texture slightly with each subsequent feed.

About a tablespoon of baby rice is the perfect amount to start with. Try giving this first solid feed around lunch time, but take the edge off your baby’s appetite by giving him some of his usual milk feed before the baby rice. If he is too hungry, he will be frustrated and distressed.

He will respond well to supportive gestures and smiles, so stay relaxed and don’t worry if he pushes the food back out of his mouth! Most babies do this instinctively at first and this “tongue-thrust” reflex will subside as he becomes accustomed to the new and unusual textures he is experiencing.

If he does not seem interested, simply take the food away and try again the next day, or a few days later. You should not try to force him to eat, as this is traumatic for him and will only make things more difficult. After all, there is no rush — at this stage, breastmilk or formula is meeting all of his nutritional needs.

Once your baby is comfortably enjoying baby rice, then try introducing pureed, fresh vegetables. It is worth noting that some babies do not like baby rice at all and begin by eating vegetables straight away.

Introduce only one new vegetable at a time, leaving four days between each new food. This will help you identify any foods that cause an allergic reaction or trigger digestive problems in your baby.

Some good vegetables to introduce as baby’s first foods are butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, swede (or rutabaga) and white potatoes. These can be boiled or steamed, then pureed. Alternatively, sweet potatoes can be baked in their skins, then the soft flesh scooped out, ready to serve — instant, healthy baby food!

You can try combining different vegetables for some delicious new flavours — examples include parsnips with green beans, sweet potato and squash and swede (or rutabaga) and carrots. The possibilities are endless!

Once your baby is enjoying vegetables, you can add fruits to the menu. Good choices include pureed banana, avocado and cooked, pureed apples and pears. Citrus fruits should be avoided for the first year, as they can trigger allergic reactions.

For something really different, try combining fruits and vegetables, such as apples with carrots, or bananas with sweet potato, for some unusual but tempting new flavours.

Follow your baby’s lead and increase the amount and frequency of his meals as his appetite dictates. Always watch carefully for any signs of allergic reactions and discuss any concerns with a medical professional.

Above all, have fun introducing baby’s first foods — by selecting and preparing these fresh and wholesome ingredients, you are getting him off to a wonderfully healthy start.

By: Christine Albury

About the Author:

There can be nothing more exciting than seeing your cute little child eating his own food and getting a feel of accomplishment. But as far as self feeding is concerned the capabilities and the mind of the baby is not always in synchronization. Though baby is determined to feed herself but do not have the capability to grasp food or have it through spoon. During the early stages of self feeding baby when the child is around eight to nine months you can introduce him to baby finger food.

This type of baby food should always have soft texture so that it can be easily gummed by your child. The baby finger food which can be served raw include avocado, banana, puffed rice cereal, O shaped cereal, semi hard cheese and others.

Many other types of food may also require cooking in order to make them soft enough for gumming. These foods may include pear slices, apple slices, broccoli spears, whole green beans, sweet potato slices and many others. You can also try wide variety of finger food recipes which you can easily get either through internet or through various books and your kid will definitely love them.

After this initial stage of finger food you can slowly and gradually move towards spoon feeding. At this stage of time give a spoon to your child while you feed with the other. The spoon for children use load of sticky food so that the baby learns to self food. During this time it is always better to give homemade baby food to your child as it is nutritious and healthy. Various baby food recipes for these types of food are also available. Be patient while your baby is learning to self feed. Do not try to make the process to hard and too fast. Just enjoy each and every moment while your baby is self feeding.

By: Dwi Sri Handayani

About the Author:

So many women become interested in eating a whole foods diet once they become pregnant. Whereas before they were mostly interested in maintaining their weight, once the are responsible for another life, it becomes more important to maintain health.

But then when baby starts eating solid foods, a curve ball is thrown into the kitchen. How do you prepare meals for babies, tots, kids and a hungry husband too?

Thankfully there are many awesome cookbooks available that make the job of preparing and cooking food for your family a little easier.

Feeding the Whole Family is one such cookbook. It is not strictly vegetarian nor does it advocate any kind of exclusive eating regime. The book is just what it says it is – a whole foods cookbook. You will not find any recommendations for fake foods or boxed stuff or mystery ingredients that are hard to pronounce (except maybe for a couple of items that are only available at your local health food store). The recipes are simple and easy to prepare, tasty and appeal to everyone.

What makes this cookbook unique is that each recipe has a recommendation for feeding a baby. Many moms want to make their own baby food so as to give their infant the freshest, highest quality food they can, but do not want to spend all their time in the kitchen. That is hardly feasible when you have a young baby anyway! Nor is it even necessary. All you have to do is remove a little of the food before adding salt or other ingredients that baby may not be eating yet. Simple.

The first section of the book provides an overview of what whole foods eating means, suggestions for alternative ingredients (such as healthier fats and sweeteners) and other tips for pregnant and nursing moms who may have questions about their diet. It gives instructions on how to prepare whole grains including some that may be unknown to someone new to whole foods eating.

This cookbook would be an excellent choice as a gift for a friend who is transitioning to a healthier diet or on any mom’s shelf who has already made a commitment to feeding her family well with a minimum of fuss.

By: Carrie Lauth

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Bell peppers make a tasty addition to your baby’s diet and — despite their misleading name — they are not “hot”! They can be found in a variety of colours, including red, green, yellow, orange and purple. Their bright colours are a good indication of their excellent nutritional value — bell peppers are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin A (from beta-carotene). They also contain folic acid.

Red peppers in particular contain lycopene, a valuable carotenoid which, in adulthood, helps protect against heart disease and cancer. Bell peppers are also believed to protect against such conditions as rheumatoid arthiritis and the development of cataracts in later life.

With such an impressive list of health benefits, it’s clearly a good idea to encourage your little one to enjoy bell peppers from an early age — thereby establishing a healthy start that should continue into adulthood.

When you are buying bell peppers to cook for your baby, look for ones that are deeply and brightly coloured, with taut skin free from blemishes. Check the stems, which should appear fresh and green. Some bell peppers can be very oddly shaped, but this does not reflect on their taste or quality. Many babies prefer red, yellow or orange peppers to green ones, as they are sweeter.

Bell Pepper Baby Food Ideas

You can include bell peppers in your recipes for babies from 6 months of age. Make sure that you introduce bell peppers to your baby alone at first, or with another food he is already safely enjoying. This is to help you identify and prevent potential food allergies or digestive problems.

Cut sweet red pepper into slices and serve as a finger food to an older baby, accompanied by a cream cheese dip. Stir chopped bell peppers into your baby’s favourite casserole or stew. To create a truly delicious red pepper puree for your baby, place a whole pepper under a hot grill/broiler. Blacken the skin on all sides, then place the pepper into a sandwich bag. Leave for 10 mins. On your return, the skin will slip easily from the pepper. Remove the seeds and puree. You can mix red pepper puree with other foods — try combining it in a blender with sauteed onion and courgette (zucchini). This will produce a tasty soup that you can serve to your baby either hot or cold. Or use the puree as a tasty spread on lightly toasted bagels. Try serving your baby a stuffed bell pepper — simply blanch a de-seeded pepper in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain and stuff it with your choice of any of the following: cooked rice a little sauteed onion and garlic chopped mushroom chopped cherry tomatoes a little oregano. Bake at 350 deg F for 30 mins, for a simple and delicious meal for your baby.

By: Christine Albury

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Fruit salad is very delicious when prepared the right way. Apricot salad, artichoke salad and autumn fruit salad recipes make some great fruit salads.

I’ve listed the recipes below for you to try out:

1. Apricot Salad

Ingredients:

Step 1:

- 2 small or 1 large box of apricot jello
- 1 large jar apricot baby food (8-10 oz)
- 1 can crushed pineapple – (16 oz) drained (retain juice!)

Step 2:

- 1 pkg cream cheese – (8 oz)
- 1 pkg dream whip (1 envelope)

Step 3:

- 3/4 c sugar
- 1 Tbsp flour (heaping)
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 c pineapple juice (add water to juice retained to make a full cup)

Directions:

Step 1: Mix jello with only 3 1/2 cups of water. Add baby food and pineapple. Chill until FIRM in an 11×14 inch pan.

Step 2: Prepare dream whip as directed. Beat in cream cheese. Spread on jello and chill until FIRM.

Step 3: Combine and cook until thick. Cool. Spread on top and chill. Pineapple in own juice works the best!

2. Artichoke Salad

Ingredients:

- 4 Each Fresh artichoke hearts
- 1 Tablespoon Wine vinegar
- 2 Cups Artichoke hearts, quartered
- 1 Teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
- 1 Each small garlic clove
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Lea & Perrins
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

Directions:

- In a wooden salad bowl, mash garlic and salt with a strong fork.
- Add fresh artichoke hearts, and mash with the garlic and salt.
- Add olive oil, stir, add lemon juice, stir, add wine vinegar, stir, stir, add hot sauce, stir, add Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, Mix well.
- Put canned artichoke hearts in dressing and let marinate for 1 hour, then eat as is or serve on a bed of greens.

3. Autumn Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

- 2 red delicious apples
- 1 sliced bananas
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 2 Bartlett pears
- 1/2 pound red grapes
- 1/2 cup almond slivers – toasted
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon apple cider

Directions:

- Wash and core apples and pears, peeling if desired.
- Cut into one inch chunks.
- Slice bananas 1/2″ thick.
- Wash grapes and cut in half.
- Combine fruits and almonds in salad bowl.
- Mix yogurt with spices and cider.
- Pour over fruit salad and stir to coat fruits evenly.

Chill.

By: Lucille Green

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