Babies

Breakfasts you can make for Baby

Although it seems like there aren’t enough hours in a day to make food from scratch for baby, all you need is just 30 free minutes and a blender, and then you can make a week’s supply of breakfasts.
There’s nothing better than the feeling of knowing you’re supplying your baby with the nutrients they need, when they move from the breast or bottle onto solid food.
For first stage weaning, fruit is your friend, and trying some more exotic flavours will encourage baby to taste a variety of different foods, leading to an easier time as they grow into a toddler. For substance and full bellies, all purees can have some baby rice and formula or breast milk added.
Avocado seems to be the most popular choice amongst babies. Just a tiny touch of lemon juice will ensure it doesn’t brown when pureed and this can be kept in the freezer for a week.
Other favourites that need no cooking before mashing are
• Mango
• Banana
• Melon (although this will freeze like a granite, great for teething babies)
• Pear (ripe pear)
• Kiwi
All can be added to baby porridge too taking the humdrum out of the morning feeding routine.
Of course weaning is a messy affair, and this is where baby bibs are handy. Baby bibs come in a variety of different styles, adding that touch of glamour to breakfast time.
The baby bib will catch what baby doesn’t like, as manners are not a priority at this time in their little lives. They will spit out unwelcome foods leaving the baby bib covered, and possibly the high chair tray too.
It may take a little time for you little one to become used to a baby bib, as they’ll find it quite alien at first and want to pull it off, however with the delights you’re creating they’ll soon forget all about it and continue to chomp their way through the fruit bowl.
Making rice pudding or porridge for breakfast is simple, and making your own you can be safe in the knowledge that baby is not receiving the additives found in jars. Simply mix baby rice or finely ground oats with baby milk and add a little fruit for sweetening.
It’s not advisable to add honey, as boffins are still unsure of the natural antibiotics found in the sticky substance, and as it is an acquired taste for many you may find it all over the baby bib!
 
How to get your money’s worth from baby clothes
Buying baby clothes has to rank highly with designer handbags and kitten heels when it comes to cost. Not for the price of each individual outfit, but for the speed at which the baby uses them.
Not only do they grow out of them so fast it seems as if they only wear an outfit once before it’s passed on, they also develop stains easily especially when weaning time arrives.
Stained baby clothes are no good to any parent or baby, however using a funky bib to match the outfit, you can ensure that clothes stay dirt free (the top half at least) and you can then use them again or make some money back.
There are a number of ways to recycle your baby clothes
Putting them in the Loft
This is a great idea if you plan on a second baby, no matter what the sex of the next baby is, there will no doubt be unisex sleep suits, and baby girls really don’t mind sleeping in a blue baby grow.
Even during the day a baby girl can wear boy’s baby clothes, and with a funky bib you can jazz it up and add that feminine touch. Funky bibs come in all different patterns and designs, for girls boys or unisex, they ensure your little one’s clothes stay food free giving you one less thing to worry about at weaning time.
Giving away to Friends
Any expectant parent will love the gift of baby clothes, there seems so much to buy when a little one is expected, that even the most posh of people will love this extra gift. You could also ass a brand new funky bib to your gift, letting them in on the secret of how you kept the clothes so sparkly clean.
Selling on EBay
Bundles of baby clothes are popular on eBay and buyers will love being able to buy a bundle of outfits for their new arrival, some like to buy all clothes for the entire first 6 months giving them less to worry about. Second hand clothes are also popular as parents understand the stains that can taint the clothes from weaning foods such as carrot and mango! To avoid negative feedback ensure all clothes are in a good clean condition, your funky bib will do this for you!
 
Weaning Baby from Bottle to Cup
Sometimes weaning a baby can feel like banging your head against a brick wall. You try so hard, but still those little lips stay pursed and suspicious of anything that comes their way. However there are ways you can encourage a baby to move from a bottle or breast to a cup, the secret is to not expect it all to be done in one single day.
Start Slowly
Anything new introduced will meet with resistance for a baby that has been used to the bottle or breast for a long time. The first time to introduce a cup is at solid meal times, instead of suddenly replacing the bottle with a beaker full of milk, try water; little sips between mouthfuls will be appreciated, try using a more grown up bib too like a bandana bib so they really understand the change and growing up phase.
Use their Independence
Little ones love to feed themselves, as any parent will know when the baby has tried to clutch the food at weaning. Making sure they are well covered with the bandana bib introduce a cup with handles. Let the baby lift the cup to their mouth and although the bandana bib will probably catch most of the water, at least they won’t associate drinking from a cup with a cold wet chest!
Transform the Bottle
You can trick little babies into thinking they are still drinking from a bottle. Most brands now have handles that can be slotted on underneath the screw top. Changing the teat for a soft cup like teat that encourages drinking rather than sucking will be messy at first, (bandana bib again) but soon they will learn that sucking produces a lot of liquid and will adapt their drinking habits accordingly.
Praise Them
It may seem silly with a baby that cannot talk, but even dogs respond well to praise. We’re not comparing your baby to a dog here, far from it, we are suggesting that your baby is more intelligent than may be first realised. Even the smallest of babies will look for a parent’s approval and if they receive clapping or happy sounds when they drink from a cup they’ll associate their actions with smiling faces.
 
How to Keep the Bib On
Of course it may seem ideal, a bib that catches everything and stops baby’s clothes from becoming stained seems the ideal solution to those messy mealtimes and worrisome weaning events. However, what first time parents don’t anticipate is the resistance they face when trying to put on a bib come mealtime.
Baby’s will pull, tug, let it flap in their face, stuff their mouth with it, suck on it, try to rip it and generally use it as another weapon for the fight against solid food. Although there are some tips you can use to make sure it becomes a favourite piece of baby’s clothing.
Pick a theme
Most babies have a themed bedroom, of course it’s more the mother’s taste than the baby’s but an animal usually features strongly. For this instance let’s use the giraffe. As the motif for Toys R Us the giraffe is a favourite amongst babies and children alike with its doe eyes and long eyelashes.
Use the theme
As baby will be used to seeing the animal everywhere use this to your advantage. Pick a giraffe bib that closely resembles the biggest icon in the room. They will see the giraffe bib as a welcome addition to their wardrobe rather than a preamble to the fight against solid food.
Start Early
If your baby wears their giraffe bib even before the beginning of weaning, they will get used to it, much the same they are used to wearing a hat (they pull them off too I hear you shout!) or a sleep suit. A softer bib will encourage comfort, whilst Velcro ones will take the hassle out of tying the giraffe bib on.
Use Nappy pins
Although very few people need nappy pins anymore, these are still useful with babies for a myriad of other uses. Carefully pin the giraffe bib to the clothes at the bottom of the bib so baby can’t pull it up into their face. Nappies pins are designed with safety in mind, so unless you have a budding Houdini on your hands, they’re highly unlikely to be able to undo the pin and harm themselves.
Have two, three or four
Having a multitude of the same giraffe bib with the same design will take confusion away. Although it can be delightful to have a range of bibs, using the same design is more popular with the baby. Babies famously hate change, so once they are familiar with one, they will accept it as part of their feeding routine. Introduce another bib and you may just start the battle all over again!
 
What to Expect when Baby Teethes
Anyone who has ever experienced toothache understands how a baby feels when teething. Although it is a normal part of baby’s development as a first time parent we feel powerless and want to take all the teething pain away.
We wish that this had been over and done with in the womb, however, your baby will be proud, and so will you as soon as that first tooshy peg shows.
It won’t happen overnight
It seems that as soon as baby begins to whinge a little or wake during the night, parents are keen to put it down to the first tooth. However, most babies don’t receive their first tooth until at least seven months, which means that the wakefulness maybe something else. Babies can wake in the night as they are either ready for weaning, or have a cold. It’s estimated that in their first year babies have at least six colds which makes for one every couple of months. Make sure baby has a dribble bib during the day to catch any fluid so they stay as comfortable as possible.
Yet when the first tooth does start making an appearance, unfortunately it doesn’t happen overnight. Babies can experience teething pain for a few days with no signs of the tooth at all, only to start the process all over again. The first tooth is the most difficult to cut, and parents have been known to beg to see it emerge, as for some it can seem like an incredibly cruel waiting game.
Signs of teething
There are many signs of teething that can be confused with a cold, however to tell the two apart there are a couple of signs to look out for. Babies will want to bite down, a dribble bib or just a finger near their mouth will encourage a chomping rather than the gentle sucking we’ve become used to. Babies will also probably have one red cheek. Whereas a fever with a cold can produce two rosy cheeks, teething is known for having a single one.
Babies may also have a runny nose, be irritable and wake during the night however these symptoms are related to a cold or virus too, so cannot be relied upon. If you think your baby has a temperature be sure to check with the health visitor or doctor and don’t just put it down to teething
How to tell
A good way to tell if baby is teething is to quite simply rub some gel or liquid on the gums. A teething baby will settle quite quickly with this, giving you the reassurance you need. However find other ways to make them comfortable too such as a dribble bib to catch saliva, as a fever, runny nose and blocked sinuses are nobody’s idea of a restful time!