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How to Make & Store Baby Food at Home
Every parent wants their child to grow up healthy and strong, a large part of that growth is dependent on their nutrition. Baby foods on the market today are full of preservatives, they reduce the taste and decrease the nutritional value. They are not as nutritious as the food you can prepare for your baby at home. Homemade baby food is not only extremely nutritious but if made correctly it can aid in the right development.
What Equipment Do You Need for Making Baby Food?
The right equipment can make the experience of making food for your baby a non-cumbersome affair. The equipment you choose should have the ability to breakdown regular food into puree form for easy consumption. Some of the equipment will already be available in your kitchen.
Baby Food Maker
This is specifically designed to make baby food. It steams food and purees it too. A wide range of food types can be prepared in this including fruits, vegetables and even meat.
Food Blender
The regular blender can be used to puree food that has been steamed beforehand. Just add a bit of water to get the right consistency.
Hand Blender
You can use this equipment specifically for making baby food. Since the amount of food you will be preparing will be small, this gadget will be handy as it requires minimal cleaning.
Food Mill
This equipment is portable and non-electric and can be used on the go. It comes with different blades that allow for different textures. Most parents swear by this gadget.
Baby Food Grinder
Much like a food mill, the baby food grinder is also portable and non-electric. However, it does not give you a choice in textures. Do your due diligence and buy one that comes well recommended by other parents.
Fork
The ever reliable fork can be used to mash pre-steamed food like sweet potatoes.
How to choose best fruits and vegetables?
Choosing the best fruits and vegetables is as crucial as any aspect of infant food preparation. Here are some tips to choose the best fruits and vegetables:
Buy fresh – Fresh vegetables and fruits contain the most nutrients. Try preparing all the vegetables and fruits within the first couple of days after buying them.
Buy organic – Buy vegetables and fruits that are grown organically, they contain no chemicals and are healthy. Organic food may be more expensive but it is far healthier for your child.
Frozen organic alternatives – If fresh organic vegetables aren’t around, buy frozen organic ones. Fruits and vegetables that are organic are only slightly less healthy when frozen.
Consider your baby’s anatomy – Before buying any vegetables and fruits consider if your baby has a digestive system that can handle it. Children who are below 4-months-old cannot process root vegetables due to the nitrates within them, while children above a year require certain minerals and vitamins to help their development. Before buying, ensure their nutritional requirements are known.
Do You Need to be Concerned About Nitrates?
Nitrates are chemicals found in the soil, water and certain foods like spinach, beets, and carrots. These food items must not be given to babies under the age of three months. However, since it is not recommended that babies be given any solid foods until they are 4 to 6 months of age, there is no need to worry about nitrates. Once they are old enough to eat solid foods, the digestive system is developed enough to handle the nitrates present in the nutrient packed food.
Tips For Making Baby Food
Making a transition into homemade baby food can be hard without the proper knowledge of how to prepare baby food. Here are ten tips to help you prepare and cook baby food.
1. Steam
Steaming baby food is a great way to get rid of bad bacteria, keep most of the nutrients and keep the natural flavour of the fruits and vegetables intact. Be cautious about overcooking the food by steaming it though as it can become very unpleasant to consume.
If you need moisture while pureeing the baby food try using the same cooking water used for steaming. Water infuses with the nutrients of vegetables and fruits while steaming, and using this water to balance the puree can help enrich the food even more.
2. Baking
Baking is another great way to get rid of bad bacteria while ensuring that there is no loss of nutrients. It is recommended that you try using dry baking techniques. These techniques do not use oil, help regulate nutrition requirements and cook the food completely. Take precautions about overcooking the food as it can render the essential nutrients useless.
3. Microwaving
Microwaves can be ideal for cooking small amounts of food. However, the gadget tends to cook the food unevenly, so ensure that all the food is cooked.
4. Keep It Plain
Do not worry about adding any flavouring agents to the food such as salt, sugar, or other masalas. Babies love the natural taste of food and will eat most food.
5. No Stale Ingredients
The best fruits and vegetables are the freshest. Buy your produce on a daily basis. Stale ingredients have fewer essential nutrients and have increased growth of bad bacteria which can make your baby fall sick.
6. No Leftovers
Do not keep leftover food from your baby’s meal. It is best to dispose of it to avoid any bacterial growth.
7. Use Ice Cube Trays
Using the ice cube trays to store the baby food is a great way to ensure that you do not waste the food you’ve prepared. When it is time for your baby’s meal, thaw out the number of cubes your baby usually eats.
8. Taste It
Before you freeze your baby’s food, make sure that you taste it.
9. Don’t Overdo It
If you are planning on freezing the baby food, then make sure that you do not prepare for more than a month. The food could spoil.
10. Start With Avocados
Since it does not require any cooking and can be stored easily, we recommend that you start with this one to help you get used to preparing food for your baby. It is also great tasting and will be a hit with your baby.
Storage Methods
When preparing and storing your baby’s food in advance, it is imperative that your storing methods be proper. Here are a few tips to follow when storing your baby’s food.
Make sure that all work surfaces are properly cleaned.
Ensure that while preparing the food, your hands are clean.
Having the right storage units can go a long way in helping you portion out the food.
When defrosting the food, place the portion meant for your baby in the fridge the previous night.
Do not store food for more than a month.
Do not store leftover food. It can contaminate the other food in the freezer as well.
In a world filled with mass consumerism, we cannot guarantee the baby food you buy at stores can provide the nutritional value your baby requires, it could in fact be worse due to the immense amount of preservatives used by companies to ensure shelf life. Your baby deserves the best and healthiest nutrition, this is why nothing compares to making your own baby food at home. It is fresh, nutritious and healthy.
Also Read:
Are Avocados Good for Babies
10 Healthy and Nutritious Foods for Babies
Is Your Baby Ready for Salt and Sugar Read more
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Drowning in Children - Prevention, Management and Safety Tips
Little children love to play in the water. Every time they find a puddle of water they run to it, splash water on each other and go crazy. It is so good to see your little one enjoy the little things in life, but sometimes these little things can be quite scary. Water bodies bring along the fear of drowning.
Common Causes of Children Drowning
Some of the common reasons for kids drowning are no adult supervision, pools that are open, children not knowing how to swim etc. Drowning is a serious concern, and it is important for children to be safe around water bodies. By taking all the precautionary methods, you can ma sure that these dangers don’t happen.
How to Prevent a Child from Drowning?
There are a few ways you can do to make sure your child is safe. These precautionary methods are highly important and are the best ways to make sure your child is safe around water.
1. Fencing
Swimming pools that have fencing are always safe as they don’t allow children to get inside without adult supervision. Fencing might not be extremely affordable, but by building a fence between your house and the pool, you are surely going to protect your baby from the risk of drowning.
2. Supervision
When there are water bodies around, it’s most important that your child is accompanied by an adult.
3. Teach children to swim
One of the best ways to keep children safe is to teach them how to swim. This is something that they will totally enjoy and at the same time they will be able to protect themselves from drowning.
4. Keep toys away from the pool
Toys will attract little children towards the pool. So keep them away from the pool so as to not lure your child to the pool.
5. Set alarms
At times it can get difficult for parents to supervise their little children every minute. This can be remedied by installing alarms. These pool alarms are located in near proximity of the pool and act as warning systems, letting you know that your kids are at risk of drowning. Each alarm system works differently; while some use wireless contact sensors, other can sense water displacement and get activated.
Warning Signs that a Child is Drowning
Here are few sings that you need to watch out for as they are signs of a drowning child:
The child is trying to climb up something like a ladder as they struggle to come up.
You can notice the child trying to roll over.
The child is trying to swim in one direction without making headway.
The child is finding it difficult to see things and is struggling to open his eyes.
The child is trying to tilt his head back with the mouth open.
The arms of the child seem to be flailing about uncontrollably.
When a person is drowning, they will not be able to rub their hair off their face, and so hair falling on someone’s forehead or face is an important sign that will help you identify someone who is drowning.
Gasping is an important sign that will help you identify a drowning child.
Glassy eyes are also a sign of distress and will help you identify that someone is drowning
What to Do in Case of a Drowning-Emergency
The first step should be to remove the child from the water. Check if he is still breathing; if not, it is best to do CPR. Also, ask someone to get medical help as soon as possible while you give CPR for the child. First aid for drowning child is something you should be aware of at all times.
How to Perform CPR on a Drowning Child?
When you have rescued a child from drowning, and you realize that he is not breathing or is gasping for air, you need to perform CPR.
Place the child on the ground or a table on his back.
Take off his clothes; press their chest with two fingers.
You have to press the chest up to one and a half inches, about 30 times.
The rate is 100 times a minute.
Next, you tilt the head of the baby back and put your mouth over the mouth over the baby and breath in twice, and then you go back to compressing the chest 30 times.
Water Safety Tips
It is important to be aware of a few ways to keep your child safe when there are water bodies around. Here are a few tips.
1. Stay close.
You have to be at an arm’s distance from your child when you are teaching or allowing your child to play in the pool.
2. Learn CPR.
Knowing how to do CPR can come to your aid if/when an emergency arises.
3. Make one person in charge.
If you are at a party and there’re children playing near the pool, one parent can take responsibility for being close to the children.
4. Keep children together.
When there are older children, keep them together as they can help each other or call out for help when someone is drowning.
5. Install fences and barriers.
if you have a pool at home which is easily accessible, fencing is very important.
6. Use life jackets.
If you are going for a boat ride or any other adventure water games, make sure to get a life jacket for your child.
7. Set-up emergency drills.
Make sure to teach everyone in the family or friend-circle the drill when someone is in trouble. When the situation arises, everyone will know what to do if they have been trained earlier.
8. Enjoy with your child.
One thing we miss to do when we are scared is forgotten to have fun. Children love water games so make sure not to miss out on the fun.
At times parents could get caught up in something, thus forgetting to keep an eye out for your child. This is extremely dangerous. Hence, it is important to take all the precautionary methods while you are near a water body. This way you will keep safe and enjoy as well.
Also Read: Best Water Games and Activities For Kids Read more
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11 Health Secrets Paediatrician Parents Want You to Know
When it comes to your child's health and fitness, no one gives better advice than their paediatrician. Their opinion is one you can completely trust. And when their paediatrician is also a parent, that's really all that you need. We have collected for you the top health secrets shared by paediatrician parents. When applied in daily life, together with your mommy instinct, these secrets will help your little one stay perfectly healthy, energetic and fit!
1. Never miss your child's vaccination schedule
If this strikes you as an odd thing to say – of course you wouldn't, right – there are people who think vaccines should be avoided as they are not safe. Way back in 1988, there was a physician called Andrew Wakefield who published a research paper in which he linked the MMR vaccine to autism. But not only was the paper proved to be false, but he was also barred from practicing!
The truth is, vaccines are completely safe and necessary to protect your child from typical childhood diseases like polio, chicken pox, diphtheria and tetanus – a fact supported by the World Health Organization. Make it a point to vaccinate your children as and when recommended by your paediatrician. Read more about why vaccination is important for your child.
2. Google is your friend, not your doctor
Would you ask any random person to diagnose your child's medical problems? No, right? But a lot of parents expect Google to play doctor. Google is good for a lot of things, but not for treating your medical problems. Although there is a lot of medical information available online, much of it is inaccurate and unverified. Trying to self-diagnose medical symptoms will only result in unnecessary fear, anxiety and stress.
If you are concerned about a health condition, make sure you talk to your paediatrician first. Remember, your doctor can help you only if you see him or her at the right time, not after the condition has worsened.
3. Understand when an injury may need to be stitched
While seeing a cut on your child's forearm can unnerve any parent, you may not always need to rush to an emergency room. Paediatricians suggest the "three-minute test" to judge the severity of the wound. If your child just had a fall or got wounded, do this: wrap ice in a towel and apply it to the cut for three minutes. The pressure and ice should stop the bleeding if the wound isn’t too severe. If your child is still bleeding, she may need a stitch.
4. Teach them the importance of hand-washing
Children often face the greatest risk of infection from dirty hands. There's a lot they do all day – playing in the mud and pooping included. Show them how to wash their hands with soap and water after they go to the bathroom, return from playing outside and before they eat. Paediatricians swear this is the easiest way to keep illness away. If you are looking for ways to teach this to your child, try our these creative hand-washing ideas. Psst, you can initially interest your child in handwashing by using scented handwash with yummy, fruity smells.
5. Choose whole fruit over fruit juice
Freshly squeezed juice seems healthy, but in reality it is only healthier than the boxed version. A whole fruit contains essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. The juice extracted from it loses a lot of these nutrients and all of the fibre. In fact, consuming such fruit juice can increase blood sugar levels quickly. According to a study by Harvard School of Public Health, eating whole fruits such as apples, blueberries and grapes significantly lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. So whether they like it or not, make sure your child consumes fruits on a daily basis.
6. Cuddle your baby while feeding them
Do you cuddle your baby while you feed him or her? This one is a secret that many moms can vouch by! Cuddling babies makes them feel loved and secure, and helps them bond with you. Paediatricians believe that babies who are attached to their parents grow up to have a good self-esteem and strong coping skills. With benefits like these, make sure you cuddle as much as you can!
7. Understand the real risk factors for your child
Is your child eating food off the floor, playing on a swing, or throwing a violent tantrum? Well, the fact is that these things are not really as dangerous as some other things. Doctors advise you to be more careful about risks like sharp furniture, open windows and swimming pools. Baby-proofing is certainly one thing you should never take lightly!
8. No need to freak out about colds and fevers
Colds make kids cranky and uncomfortable for 7 to 10 days, but they aren't usually anything out of the ordinary. And as for fevers, even temperatures between 100 and 104° F may not be dangerous. In fact, they help the body to fight infection as they turn on the immune system. However, if your newborn baby (0 to 3 months) gets fever above 100.4 ° F, visit your paediatrician immediately. If you are not sure whether your reaction to your child's illness is accurate, take this quiz to find out.
9. Start hygiene training early
It's never too early to introduce your kids to hygiene. Paediatric parents try and set hygiene standards at home as early as they can - and this includes changing your baby's diaper without delay, bathing, brushing teeth twice a day, and wearing clean clothes. This makes it evident to your kids that cleanliness is not an option but a necessity.
10. Cut down on the baby talk
Do you talk to your baby in a made-up language commonly known as baby talk? If you think it's cute to say “wuv” instead of love, know that you are delaying their speech and language development by teaching them the wrong way to speak.
Paediatricians recommend speaking in Parentese instead. Not only do babies respond to it better, it also helps them learn to speak faster.
11. Don't rush to the doctor or the medicine bottle
Parenting is tough, but that doesn't mean you have to worry about your kids all the time. They will inevitably fall sick, hurt themselves and give you a hard time in general. Learn to let go and take it all in your stride – just like paediatrician parents do. Getting overly anxious or depending too much on medication is always a bad idea. Remember - this too shall pass.
Oh, before we close, there is yet another important secret that we would like to share. Your child's paediatrician is certain to agree with this. Mom, please take care of yourself!
Only if the parents are healthy, live a quality life and have a positive frame of mind can the children learn to follow in their footsteps. So, eat fresh, exercise, and stay happy. Read more
Suggested for you
TriColour Pasta
Make snack time fun-time for kids with this tricoloured pasta recipe. The colourful spiral pasta makes all the difference. You can even add in colourful veggies like carrots and broccoli to make it more interesting for kids.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
2 People
15 Minutes
20 Minutes
Ingredients
1/2 lb Colavita tri colour pasta
2 hard boiled eggs
1 bell pepper each (green & orange)
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp (teapsoon) Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1 tbsp (tablespoon) soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsps Colavita olive oil
Salt as needed
Method
Step 1
Take adequate amount of water in large vessel to avoid sticking. Wait for water to boil than add pasta.
Step 2
To keep pasta from sticking stir it gently. Add a pinch of salt to add flavour and it also avoids sticking.
Step 3
Cut whites of the hard boiled eggs into slices. Avoid using the yellow.
Step 4
Cut the green and orange bell peppers into thin strips. You can use yellow or red coloured bell peppers too!
Step 5
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan or wok.
Step 6
Add the minced garlic and onion slices. Stir fry for a minute.
Step 7
Add the bell peppers and fry for another minute.
Step 8
Next add the Italian seasoning, pepper powder, red pepper flakes and the egg white slices. Toss together.
Step 9
Add the soy sauce, lemon juice and little salt (if needed).
Step 10
Immediately add the cooked pasta and stir fry till everything is mixed well.
Step 11
Serve as a pasta salad or as a meal.
Step 12
Enjoy your delicious Colavita Tricolour Pasta cuisine with your family or friends.
Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1 serving = 120 gm
Calories
326
Calories from fat
49
Total Fat
5.4 g
8 %
Saturated Fat
0.8 g
4 %
Trans Fat
0 mg
0 %
Cholesterol
31 mg
10 %
Sodium
33 mg
1 %
Potassium
833 mg
24 %
Total Carbohydrate
53.6 g
18 %
Dietary Fiber
9.4g
38 %
Sugars
3.4 g
Protein
16.7 g
Vitamin A
9 %
Vitamin C
7 %
Calcium
6 %
Iron
28 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Read more
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DIY Falling Rainbow
Rainbows make everyone happy when they show up on a cloudy day. They are bright, beautiful and give off a feeling of hope. With this simple DIY you can have a rainbow in your home everyday!
Rainbows are full of colour and magic and are great when it comes to stimulating your little one’s imagination! Bring the rainbow and the magic of rains right to your home with the help of this Falling Rainbow craft that will keep your child engaged and excited!
What You Need
7 Streamers - in colours of the rainbow
Cotton Balls
Paper Plates
String
Scissors
Adhesive tape
Glue
Step-By-Step Instructions
Cut the paper plate in half
2. Cut long strips from the streamers - as long as you want your rainbow
3. In the correct order of colours (Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red) stick the strips to the front of the plate
4. Flip the plate and apply glue liberally on the backside
5. Stick pieces of cotton on the back of the plate to create the clouds
6. Punch a hole on the top of the plate and put a string through the hole. This is so that you can hang your rainbow streamers
Your Falling Rainbow is ready!
Level of difficulty
Low
Parental involvement
Low
Skills enhanced
Imagination, creatively manipulates objects, colour identification and information on rainbow colours, understanding texture (cotton balls)
You Will Observe Your Child Doing...
Learning the colours of the rainbow!
As your little one works on his falling rainbow, he’ll be sure to take an interest in the wonders of nature and the beauty of colours. The finished product will add a delight to your little one’s face like no other. Read more
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Abstract of My Life from the Positive Pink Lines to the Stretch Lines!!
For my story to be comprehensible, you need to know me first. I am a 4 ft 10-inch girl and I've always had a weight below 50 kg. Folks have predicted my delivery to be a C-section even during my first trimester concerning my height. I was only 50 kg during my last scan time so their opinion cannot be blamed. But the trust and support that I got from my family was monumental. Finally the day everyone used to scare me about came. It was on September 4, 2018. My labour decision was kept on the two sides of weighing machine. Truthfully speaking, none of the doctors and nurses spoke about any complications in my case which gave me the greatest confidence, lying on the hospital bed. The care and support they showered was inexpressible. I was sure that I was going to have a normal delivery. The pain was unendurable. I couldn't control myself that I yelled at the nurses to operate me and take out the baby. The nurses started laughing at me saying there is no need for an operation for me as the baby was coming down very naturally promoting for a normal delivery. Their laugh at that time made me angry. But the benefit of that was known later only. As they said, everything went normal, and I held my boy in my arms. A perfectly healthy baby.
Postnatal care was also tremendous, that I forgot the pain very easily. Everything was at ease very soon. I can't thank each and everyone enough who aided me throughout my labour and delivery.
What a girl requires in the labour room is nothing but a belief in herself that she can do this. Only the light on our face can boost the doctors' confidence. Height, weight they are all just numbers. You are what you want to be.
Now I am a proud mommy of my prince charming Armaan Adam. Alhamdulillah (Thank God).
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
Sunita Mahato has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. sir job vacancy are avalable
Sunita Mahato
Mom of 3 children
1 hour ago
A. not the platform fr this question
take care...
Sunita Mahato has added a new answer
Mom of a 1 m old child
1 hour ago
Q. #asktheexperts why my 1 month old baby latch every every 10 15 mins in the afternoon
Sunita Mahato
Mom of 3 children
1 hour ago
A. every 10 to 15 mins baby wants attention and all the time to be in lap so
dnt develop that habit...
maintain a feeding gap of 2 hrs...
always burp after feed..
take care
Rashmi has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. Hello doctors.. I am 32 weeks pregnant... I am getting vibration feeling near right upper abdomen... mostly when I lying on left side it's getting vibration feeling... it's normal?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
36 mins ago
A. Different women have different feeling during the time of pregnancy so it would be normal but if it is happening constantly with you then it would be good for you to get it checked with your doctor whatever is required doctor advise you after examining
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
59 mins ago
Q. I want something very good products to my coming baby
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
41 mins ago
A. Hello dear! Try Babyhug skin care and clothing products for the baby. There are safe and effective for almost every skin type. Consult your doctor for further assistance in this regard. Good luck and take care
Dr. Minal Acharya has added a new answer
Mom of a Newborn child
18 mins ago
Q. Hello Mylo family
Can someone help me to select the baby girl's name. We would like to choose our baby girl a beautiful name which starts from G, Also it would be a great help if it is created from the parents name.
Mom's name - Harshitha
Dad's name - Karthik
Thanks in advance 😀
Read moreDr. Minal Acharya
Nutritionist
4 mins ago
A. dear mum, the name of a baby girl starting with the letter G can be Gayatri, for example. you can do a Google search and browse the internet for all the options.
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
17 mins ago
Q. can we get all item in one parcel which I orderd
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
7 mins ago
A. This is a place which is associated with parenting if you have any questions associated with parenting I can help you with that but if you have any associated with your orders kindly check with the concerned department that they can give clarity about these things
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