Starting solids (Stage 1 Baby Food)

MOMMYLICIOUS

Nothing excited me quite as much as introducing my son to the magical world of food. May be it is a foodie mom's dream to cook up delicious baby food concoctions. For all those 9 months of pregnancy I got to understand my son's size in terms of fruits and veggies. I could hardly wait to see how my Sweet Pea would react to sweet peas. 

When to start?

Usually babies who are formula-fed start solids by 4 months, while breastfed babies start by 6 months. Since I was exvlusively bresatfeeding I decided to introduce him to the world of solid foods at 6 months. I was in no hurry to wean him to solids because he is going to have food in this form for the rest of his life. And honsetly, breastfeeding has been the easiest way to feed; no bottles, no warming up, no cleaning and washing or sterilizing. I did not want those golden days to be over. My son was very content with nursing and I got my pediatrician's nod, so I waited till his 6th month birthday to give him the first taste of food. 

Home-made baby food
I decided to go through the traditional way of purees, gradually moving into more complex textures and flavor combinations. I am not a fan of jarred baby foods. The idea of feeding my son an apple that may be a year old and sitting in a jar for months, does not appeal to me. I know the jarred baby food is convinient and hassle-free but I am ready to go that extra mile to ensure that my baby is eating healthy. It is more like I want to be in control of what my baby is eating. In making my own baby food at home I am aware of all the ingredients in it and know that the food has not been processed in a way that compromises its nutritional value. 

Purchasing Fresh Produce
I have been buying only organic produce for my son's food as I do not want to expose him to all the pesticides and chemicals so early on in life. Regular produce works well too, but I just feel better about organic food for my baby. Some hard-shelled vegetables do not allow the pesticides to penetrate, making them safe anyway. Buying organic produce is a personal choice, really. 

Baby food-maker
I have been using the Baby Bullet for making all the baby food at home. You do not necessarily need to invest in a special baby food maker; any blender will do the job just fine. But I decided to go for a separate baby food maker simply because of the size. My regular blender requires me to make large quantities and the Baby Bullet was just convinient portion-size wise. Once I started making baby food at home, I realized how easy it all is. If you can sqeeze out an hour from your busy mommy-schedule, you can end up making a month's supple of baby food. Personally, making my son's food myself gives me a different high. Experimenting with the taste and texture of the food is just too exciting.  

Saving a pretty penny

It is actually cheaper even if you are buying organic fruits and veggies and making baby food at home than buying jarred baby food. Each baby food jar costs about a dollar to a dollar and half. Each jar provides for about two meals. And the cost just keeps adding up. On the other hand, an organic apple which might be some 60 cents can make baby food for a week. Since babies eat such tiny portions, about 2 oz per meal, a single fruit or vegetable can go a long way. You can do the math youself. 

Stage 1 foods:
The recommended Stage 1 vegetables are green peas, green beans, carrot, sweet potato, winter squash, zucchini. Stage 1 fruits are avocado, banana, apple, peach, nectarines, pears, apricots, plums, prunes, mango. Stage 1 cereals are rice, oatmeal and barley.

I was suggested by my pediatrician to start with single grain fortified cereals, then vegetables and finally fruits. Among the veggies and fruits, I was told to give the greens before the oranges/yellows (because the greens are not as sweet or as tasty). Consequently, I started giving my son Rice Cereals mixed in breastmilk. He loves it, probably because of the familiar taste of breastmilk. Although avocado is a fruit, I decided to give it to my son as his first food. Avocados are considered a superfood as they are high in unsaturated fats (the good fats), protein, folate, fibre and lots of other nutrients. Avocados also have a creamy texture making it a perfect first food. 

Making purees
Except banana and avocado, all the stage 1 fruits and veggies can be boiled or steamed before making purees. I prefer steaming because it retains the maximum nutrients in the food. With veggies like sweet potatoes, you can roast them in the oven before making purees.
If you want to break it down, it boild down to the follwing simple steps:

Wash the vegetables throughly.

Peel them, if need be.

Chop them into small cubes.

Bring water to a boil in a pot and steam the veggies in a steamer basket.

Blend the veggies in the blender using water/breastmilk to the desired consistency.

Divide the food into little storage containers for the refrigerator.

The rest of the food can be frozen into cubes in ice trays in the freezer.  

Storing baby food
Freshly made purees are good in the refrigerator for upto 3 days and in the freezer for upto 30 days. If you follow the 4 day rule, where you introduce a new food every 4 days to check for any allergies or reactions, you can keep food for the next 3 days in the refrigerator and the rest in ice trays in the freezer. The day before serving you can bring the frozen food cube to the refrigerator to thaw. 


P.S. - It is best to consult your pediatrician before introducing any food to your baby, as every baby and his needs are different.

Let me know if you want me to review the Baby Bullet. Leave a comment below if you want to know about the feeding essentials for a baby. 
Also, lets get chatty about the foods your baby loves and hates, their first reactions or any memorable feeding anecdote. 

If you are interested in Baby Food Haul, check this out. 

Confessions of a New Mom

MOMMYLICIOUS

Nothing can prepare you for motherhood like the birth of your child. I read whatever maternity literature I could lay my hands on. I subscribed to some parents' magazines, downloaded several apps and joined numerous online communities just so I could have a heads up on life-with-a-newborn. 

All I got to know was that my life would change, my body would change etc etc. But how? I did not have a very clear idea about the 'how' part. 

Here is a list of things I found out only after I gave birth and learnt the hard way:

Stretchmarks:

The possibility of having stretchmarks is said to be genetic and nothing can stop it. It is so true. I had covered myself with bottles of oils and lotions right from my first trimester and I was happy that I escaped the deadly hands of stretchmarks because I did not get any. Till my last week of pregnancy, week 39. I gave birth a day before my due date. And in that last week my hips were filled with reddish purple stretchmarks. They just multiplied overnight. A week post-partum my lower abdomen too started developing stretchmarks (thankfully not red, but silvery white). Now I am 6 months post-partum and the stretchmarks are getting lighter in color. 

Whatever your genes may determine, I still believe that anti-stretchmarks oils and lotions won't hurt. So, keep on using them pre and post pregnancy. 

Uterus:

After giving birth to my son, when I came home from the hospital, I still looked very much pregnant! Yes, the uterus takes about 6 weeks to get back to its pre-pregnancy size. And in those 6 weeks you end up looking the way you looked in your second trimester. A week after delivery you will lose much of the fluid and a lot of weight. From there on the weight loss will be gradual and the uterus will take its own sweet time to deflate. If you are breastfeeding this process will get expedited. But you will not end up looking like the Hollywood Moms on the red carpet a week after giving birth. 

Hips:

Your hips will get broader post-pregnancy and no matter how much weight you lose post-partum, your pre-pregnancy jeans will never fit or look the same on you again. 

Hairfall:

I was so happy with the improved quality of my hair during pregnancy. But after I gave birth, I was in for a rude shock when I started losing hair. Taking a shower was a nightmare with the crazy amount of hair falling off. When I asked my doctor, she said nothing can really help because it is natural after giving birth due to hormonal imbalance. Apparently, you have less hairfall if you are not breastfeeding. And I was exclusively breastfeeding. So you can imagine!

Pee, poop and puke:

What no one told me is I will get pee-ed, pooped and puked on several times a week with a newborn. You not only have to change your baby but also change your own clothes several times a day. If you have a baby boy like I do, chances are you will get pee-ed on more, compared to girls. But what amazes me is how much I love this little human being who pees, poops and pukes on me and pulls my hair. 

Sleep:

People just told me that you will have sleepless nights with a newborn. Thankfully my son has never put me through that. But what I discovered in the process is that the quality of sleep suffers. Firstly, you will forget what it is like to sleep uninterrupted through the night, what with night-time feedings every 2 hours! And then you will learn to sleep in a way you are fully alert of any sound coming from your baby. That's when you know you are a mom. 

The diaper bag:

Although there are so many fancy diaper bags in the market and so many videos telling you what to put in the diaper bags, you will figure out what you need for your baby only after you have been out with him/her a few times. No amount of videos will prepare you to pack your diaper bag. Each baby is different as are his needs. As a mom you will know what your baby needs when on-the-go. The number of extra diapers, the lotions, the binky, the blankets - all differ depending on the need on the baby. 

Baby clothes:

I do not understand why baby clothes are so freakishly expensive when they use such little fabric! It does not make sense spending a fortune on baby clothes when they are actually worn for only a couple of months. But with the amount of cute baby clothes in the stores, it is hard to resist. And when you have your first baby, the urge to spend on baby clothes is a little overwhelming. One thing I have learnt is that never buy clothes that are the current size for your baby. For instance, if your baby is 2 months old, do not buy clothes that say 0-3 months. Instead get 3-6 months. Because the size of clothes vary from band to brand. And most importantly, you don't know how quickly babies grow and outgrow clothes their size. So, getting a size bigger not only allows space for the baby to grow and makes it more comfortable, but is also used for a longer time. Personally, I find it heartbreaking to put aside clothes that my son has outgrown. I mean, I do feel happy that he is growing alright, but the little clothes bring memories of when he was little. 

As my son turns 6 months today, may be I will no longer categorize as a 'new mom'. It feels sad because you don't realize how time just flies. It feels like the other day that I was on my way to the hospital after my water broke and in the blink of an eye my son is having solids and celebrating 6 months. 

Most people will tell you about the hardships of life with a newborn but the truth is you won't feel any of it because you will not have the time to. By the time you will get some time to sit and think about your experience as a new mom, your baby will probably be all grown up, sleeping through the night, weaned to solids, rolling over, sitting up and laughing when spoken to. Those little newborn hands and toes grow bigger in a jiffy. The baby smell does not linger too long. Savor each moment because it will never come back. The sleep, the hair and the pre-pregnancy body will be back, but your newborn will not. Before you know it he will be asking for your car keys. Cuddle and kiss your newborn as much as your want and keep him close to your chest, soak in the moment and inhale the baby smell as deeply as you can, 'cause it ain't coming back. You will know why babies are called bundle of joy once your bundle arrives. 

Baby Must-Haves 0 to 6 months

MOMMYLICIOUS

I am the kind of person who likes to research everything before taking a leap. Ever since I was blessed with motherhood, I dived head-on into everything 'baby'. From nursery decor ideas to mommy and baby must-haves to baby products etc. I found lots of lists but not all the items on the list were actually helpful in life with a newborn. Here is a list of things (in random order) that made my life so much easier in the first 6 months with my son:

The Boppy Pillow:

I had exclusively breastfed my son for 6 months and plan on continuing for at least another 6 months. My one best friend since day 1 has been the Boppy Pillow. It made breastfeeding so much easier. I believe you should feel comfortable while breastfeeding, and the Boppy Pillow did just that. The more stress-free you are the more milk you will produce. Any nursing pillow of your choice is an absolute necessity. 

The Changing Station:

When you have a newborn who poops and spits up several times a day, a changing table with a changing pad is what you need. A newborn needs to be changed so many times that the changing station is totally going to be worth it. Yes, 10 diaper changes, spit ups, blow-outs will keep you on your toes. My son loved the changing station. It made him happy all the time. I actually used the top of a small dresser as my changing table so that I don't have to deal with a useless piece of furniture once my son grows up (frugal me!). I had the easy-to-clean Summer Infant Changing Pad and plush cover. 

A Baby Bathtub:

Just as you get your newborn home, sponge baths will be a part of your daily activities. Gradually you will move on to real baths. And none of it is possible without a baby bathtub. Bathtime is something I look forward to everyday; it's so much fun. My son loves bathtime too. My advice is to get a bathtub that will grow with your baby and he can use it when he is a toddler. I have the Fisher-Price Whale bathtub. 

A Swing:

The swing is a life-saver. It was the only place I could strap my son in and take a shower. Yes, taking a shower is a task you have to think about once you have a baby! And you have to think of safe places where you can put your baby when you need to shower. Also, my son loves napping in the swing, giving me a lot of time to finish work around the house. He is 6 months old now and still loves being on the swing. We have the Fisher-Price SnugABear Swing. 

A Wubbanub:

The pacifier was introduced to my son on the second night at the hospital when he was fussing a lot. Since then, the Phillips Soothie is the only pacifier that he takes. I got a bunch of other pacifiers but he liked none. The Wubbanub with the Soothie attached has been my son's favorite lovey from the newborn stage. He chews on it now as he is teething, so I had to stop giving it to him. Thankfully enough, he is not addicted to pacifiers and I don't have to conjure stories of Binky fairies. 

The Carseat Canopy:

Sunny Southern California makes it impossible to be out and about with your baby and not have a carseat canopy. It helped me keep the sun out in summer and the chilly wind in winter. We travelled with him a lot from the time he was 10 days old. The canopy also came in handy for peaceful naps in the car. I have a canopy from the Carseat Canopy Company. 

The Diaper Pail:

Before I had my son I thought that the Diaper Pail was nice-to-have but not a must-have. 1 week into life with a newborn and I realized just how important the diaper pail is. With about 10 diapers a day, a diaper pail became real useful. It kept away the odor and it is a nice disposal system in the nursery. I have the Diaper Champ, which uses regular kitchen bags instead of special refills (again, frugal me!). It has cut the cost of maintenance to zero, yet does the work perfectly. 

A Wipes Warmer:

Since my son was born in the fall, and had to experience winter very early on in life, the wipes warmer became an important addition to the nursery. Cold baby wipes can be really annoying for a baby in winters. And when you have to use wipes on your baby so often, why not make the experience a little comfortable. I have the Prince Lionheat Diaper Caddy with the Wipes Warmer and I absolutely love it. 

The Baby Carrier:

This has been so handy for short grocery trips or running little errands. My son loved it in the newborn stage as he would be cozying up to me in it. As he kept growing up he loved the carrier more than the stroller. I have the Infantino Fusion Baby Carrier and it actually allows 4 carrying positions making it grow with the baby. 

Saline Drops:

you may be thinking, what? Saline Drops? But Saline Drops have saved my life. Cleaning my son's nose with a nasal aspirator would not have been possible had saline drops not saved the day. Cleaning boogers became a cake walk! (Yes, when you are a Mom, you have to discuss boogers and poop.) Although my son did not have a stuffy nose, saline drops has been a part of my daily grooming routing with my son. I use the Little Remedies Saline Drops. 

Every baby and his needs are different. These are the things that helped me as a new mom. Let me know if you agree with any of the products listed above and the things that you found absolutely necessary. If you want a detailed review of any of the products, just let me know.