The Mom Crowd

Over at Parent Center Kristina Sauerwein wrote an interesting blog post titled “The booby battles: Breastfeeding vs. bottle-feeding.” In the blog post she shares her own story and describes the feelings of moms on both sides of the fence. She discusses some of the judgments that are passed between moms and asks the readers for their reasons behind choosing breast or bottle.

I decided to breastfeed Ace, because I thought it would be best for her and it would save us money. I went to a breastfeeding class and learned so much that I became a breastfeeding zealot. It wasn’t easy for Ace and I to learn. I wrote about my struggle and lessons learned in this article. I have been breastfeeding for almost nine months now and love it. I hate doing dishes, so it works for me.

I am a breastfeeding mom who has struggled with passing judgment and feeling superior. I have had to make a conscious effort to realize that everyone’s situation is different. The breast or bottle decision is a family choice. I know one mom that only pumps to feed her baby. For that family, it works.

If a friend asks for my encouragement in breastfeeding, I give it honestly and freely. However, I have had to learn to keep my mouth shut if my opinion or support is not requested. Ultimately, I have come to the conclusion that no matter how a baby is fed they are healthy and going to grow into amazing kids.

I would love hear your story. Why did you decide to breast or bottle feed? Are you happy with your decision? Have you felt judged or supported with your choice?

Today was my first attempt to make my own baby food. I followed the instructions in the article McKenna wrote about how to make your own baby food in five easy steps. I also read parts of the book, “Super Baby Food” by Ruth Yaron.

I had the choice of starting Ace with avocado or sweet potato. She is half Hispanic and I craved refried beans when I was pregnant, so I went with the avocado. I tried using the food processor attachment on my blender to purify the avocado, but I had to keep stirring it to get it all mixed. I tried my mortar and pestle and that worked well. I may get something else in the future to make it easier. I added some water to the avocado puree to make the food pour from the spoon.

After pureeing the two avocados and adding water to the green goop, I poured the remainder into an ice cube tray. Tomorrow after the cubes are frozen, I will distribute two cubes per freezer bag and date each bag. Two avocados gave me seven servings of baby food.

I fed Ace some of the fresh baby food and she liked avocado! I could tell, because she would open her mouth for more. I followed the book’s instructions to feed my baby early in the day and right after partially breastfeeding her. I only gave her one side, then put her in the high chair. After she was all done with the avocado, I finished breastfeeding her on the other side. It worked. Although, I don’t want to have to partially breastfeed her before eating all the time, because it is an extra time-consuming step in the process.

I am surprised by how easy the whole process was. I know other vegetables may be more time consuming to cook, but it is not much more time than making a meal for myself. I really like knowing exactly what is in my baby’s food. It also makes me feel good that my daughter is eating fresh vegetables. What could be better than that?

Do you make your own baby food? Have you tried? What has been your experience with home made baby food?

You’re probably thinking, “who has time to make their own baby food?” I can assure you that you have time! Making your own baby food is a lot easier than you think and will save your family a lot of money. There are other benefits to making your own baby food. Gone are the days of reading labels and watching for hidden additives. Making your own baby food ensures that there are no hidden ingredients in your baby’s food that he or she may be allergic to. Serving homemade baby food to your child will make their transition to table food less stressful because they’ll be exposed to a greater variety of tastes and textures. Another benefit to home made baby food is that you can make sure that your babies food tastes yummy! Have you ever tasted jarred baby food? YUCK!

1. Prep Work

Wash, cook, and peel fruits and vegetables. The microwave is an extremely quick way to cook your vegetables! Try to always buy organic. Some great foods to start your baby on are avocados, sweet potatoes, bananas, and baby cereal.

2. Mash and Puree

Some foods, such as bananas and avocados, mash easily with a fork. Others, such as mangoes and broccoli, may require the use of a blender or food processor. I like to use my Oster Hand Blender or my Black and Decker Food Chopper to puree my baby’s food. Babies who are just starting out need very smooth foods, while older babies can have more textured foods. I haven’t had the need for a big food processor, although I imagine having one would make this process even quicker!

3. Freeze

Scoop pureed fruit or vegetables into ice cube trays. Put foil over tray and put the covered ice cube tray of pureed food in the freezer.

4. Organize

After cubes have been in the freezer overnight, or about 12 hours, pop out each individual cube, and transfer the cube to a freezer quality zip lock bag. Don’t forget to label the bags with the name of the food and the expiration date. You can store fruits and vegetables for up to three months in the freezer. Some fruits and vegetables can technically be stored in the freezer for longer, however fruits and vegetables can start to lose nutrients during the thawing process after being in the freezer for too long. It is best to serve your frozen baby food within 3 months.

5. Thaw and Serve

You can thaw frozen cubes by placing them in the refrigerator. Please use this baby food though within two days. You can also microwave the frozen cubes straight out of the freezer when your baby is ready to eat. Just make sure your baby’s food is not too hot before serving!

Resources:
For more detailed information on making your own baby food, you can purchase or check out from the library the book, “Super Baby Food” by Ruth Yaron or visit the Super Baby Food website. In the book you will find all the details of making your own baby food, including:

• what foods baby can eat at what age
• how long you can store every fruit and vegetable in the freezer
• how to easiest cook your veggies
• a really fun toddler recipe section!

Libraries, pediatricians, parent-groups, midwives, and other baby care professionals can receive a free copy of the book “Super Baby Food” by clicking here.

Helpful Tools:

Oster Hand Blender
Black and Decker Food Chopper
Nifty Frozen Cube Storage Option

What is your baby’s favorite food? Do you have any tips or tricks on making this process even more simple? What homemade baby food books do you like?

A reader asks The Mom Crowd:

I need advice from other moms on how to get my baby to take a bottle! She took a bottle as her last feeding before bed and then it came to an abrupt stop in August (short of turning 2 months). I’ve done just about everything and have researched tips online and in parenting magazines, but hoping there would be a sneaky trick a mom may be able to provide. Thanks!

I have heard that sometimes it is better if someone else gives baby the bottle. I think the baby can smell you and knows your presence. The one time Ace drank a bottle of breastmilk I was not around when my mom-in-law gave her the bottle.

Do any of you have any tips or tricks to get your baby to take a bottle after she has been breastfeeding?

These links may be helpful:

“Baby Refuses the Bottle” at Berkeley Parents Network
“A situation has come up where I need to feed my baby from a bottle. Can you help?” At the La Leche League
“Alternatives to Bottles” at AskDrSears.com
“Introducing Bottles and Pacifiers to a Breastfed Baby” at Storknet.com

I bought my nursing cover from Rosanna a few weeks ago and I love it! I have used the cover a few times in public and it works great. I am not one of those suave mothers that can whip their boob in and out before you even know what happened. I am clumsy and modest; I need security that I am not going to flash all of Ikea.

The nursing cover is large enough to conceal everything. The ring in the strap is adjustable. The best part is the wire at the top of the cover that forms an opening for me to watch Ace and for her to see me. She doesn’t seem to mind being under the cover. The material is not very heavy. There is a terry cloth corner that weighs the material down and can serve as a burp wipe. I have not tried to wash my cover yet, so I don’t know how it comes out in the wash.

Rosanna has many beautiful prints to choose from. You can’t beat the price at $25 each. She only charges $2 for shipping. Most covers I looked at were $35 plus. When you buy from Rosanna you are supporting a local mom and not a corporate chain. Rosanna was prompt to answer my emails and ordering was easy.

Next time you need a beautiful and functional nursing cover for yourself or a new mommy check out Nursing Covers by Rosanna.