Food for Thought - Oh Baby!

So you had a baby, and after many a sleepless night, breast-feeding, bottle-feeding, painstakingly trying 20 different formulas to see if or which would be a good fit for you babe, you have now reached the 4-6 month mark – alas, the time has come to introduce REAL FOOD! (Deep sigh of relief and excitement!) BUT WAIT! HOLD THE PHONE! Is THIS eating thing as great as it seems??? The answer is, Yes, however, with food, comes responsibility. Some may say, GREAT responsibility – I could tie this post into many others in the food and wellness category and make a larger statement about how what we put into our bodies from the beginning, dictates how we will fill them throughout life and the good or bad eating habits we have in our lives, etc. etc., but let’s just pretend you already know all that good stuff and move on to the important things – WHAT NOW? While this whole food thing is super exciting b/c it means more sleep, better moods, less need for boobs, bottles, and formula – it is also stressful. I’m here to take some of that stress away and hopefully help you learn a little more about #foodfirsts and what you can do to save money, promote health, wellness and get through these early eating stages courageously and successfully.

Food – yummy, filling, can be healthy, fuels your body, and ‘sometimes death’! Wait, whaaaaa??? Ok, maybe that’s a little extreme, but really, taking those first few bites into the wide world of food can really freak a parent out. Things are very different now than they were when I grew up – ‘they’ (doctors), used to tell parents to stay away from certain “high allergy” foods until their children reached a certain age: eggs, honey, strawberries, pineapple, peanuts, etc. But now, it’s no-holds-barred, all in, just go forth in that huge field you see over there and hope you don’t step on any landmines. Sure, rub peanut butter on the inside of your baby’s cheek, heck, throw a few peanuts in the blender with that sweet potato and feed it to your kid whenever, #go-for-it! Yeah, so while that’s all well and good, and sure, maybe you get the scary stuff out of the way early – it’s still cause for a little anxiety. Unfortunately, there’s not much anyone can do to combat the unknown of your child’s first bites, but I can tell you, you are not alone. Although, not foolproof, here are a few ways to be prepared and go forth bravely:Step 1– have some children’s Benadryl at the ready. Yes, the box says, “Do not give to any child under the age of 2….without the direction of your doctor.” Because of that stipulation, Benadryl does not print dosage for infants on the box, however, what if your baby got attacked by fire ants at 3 months old, or got bit by something and had an allergic reaction? What would they do at the hospital? Well, you guessed it, depending on the cause, Benadryl would be in the list of ways to combat an allergic reaction. You can use the Googles to look up the dosage by weight and age and ask your pediatrician what they recommend as a safety precaution, should an allergic reaction occur. Step 2– Know that most 1stround allergic reactions are not intense or anaphylactic in nature, and for skin irritations, rashes, and hives, you can usually grab some 1% hydrocortisone and the rash will subside fairly quickly. I personally use Rodan + Fields Soothe Sensitive Skin Treatment for little rashes and it works like a charm, plus has been tested and approved for children 6 months and older. Step 3– always, always, alwayshave your pediatrician’s phone number in your favorites along with your local emergency phone numbers, just in case. Lastly, don’t forget about your family and friends! No world problem or huge challenge is best solved in a vacuum, so don’t isolate yourself, call your parents – ask what you were allergic to as a child, call all your friends with kids and ask what they did, how it was for them… Sometimes, just knowing that you’re in good company and have resources there to support you is all the comfort you need – and hey, if they’ve done it one, two or three times, chances are, they are pretty well-versed in how to handle this kind of thing.

My baby was allergic to bananas and sweet potatoes of all things! Seriously, two of the foods that are supposed to be super mild and super safe, as in, low allergy risk – booo! However, many first-time reactions aren’t long-term. It may be that your baby’s digestive system just isn’t mature enough yet – so your doctor may tell you to wait a few months and then re-introduce the food again and see how it goes. The point to the change in how we feed our children is based on research that shows we can build tolerance the earlier and more frequently we introduce foods to our systems – same concept as immune-therapy for allergies in adults.

Now for the cool stuff, the stuff we’ve been waiting for – FOOOOOD! Did you know that what we put in our bodies and their little bodies can shape the way we grow, play, and think from day-to-day? Of course you did, duh! It’s the same rule of thumb for babes as it is for adults, except maybe a tad bit more important. The first 1000 days (that’s 0 – to roughly 3 years old) is massively important to your child’s development – and this goes for ALL areas of development – we will cover cognitive and emotional developments in other posts, but for now, let’s keep it to food. Because our little one’s bodies and brains are growing at such rapid rates during their infant years, what we give them to fuel that growth makes a BIG impact on how their bodies and brains develop. Here are a few stats on those growing parts:

· Brain: Your baby’s brain is growing at an insane rate! The hardwiring of the brain starts before your baby is even born! At about 18 months, the left side, known for it’s Logic, Linguistics, and Linear (all the L’s) attributes starts to really pick up the pace and catch up with the Right side that is already there from the start. The brain will grow up to about 80% of its adult size in the first 3 years of life.

· Bones: Your child’s skeletal infrastructure, the bones, are rapidly developing at this stage. At birth, a newborn has over 300 bones – the average adult has about 206. Children don’t lose bones, however, many of the bones fuse together by about age 2.

· Muscles: Skeletal muscle is the fastest growing protein mass during the first 2.5 years. This muscle contributes to the development of vital motor skills like sitting upright, standing, crawling, and walking.

· Eyes: Improved color vision and depth perception is developed in the first days and months of life. Your baby’s eyes will be capable of working together to form a three-dimensional view of the world.

· Digestion: The developing gastrointestinal tract and microbiota that is received at birth start to colonize. Proper nutrition can help these microbiota develop, which aids in digestion and reduces the risk of gastrointestinal disorders later in life.

With even one of these stats in mind, we should all be ready to feed our babes with the most nutritious, brain and body healthy foods we can! That being said, here is where I may lose some of you – but give me a chance as I give you some food for thought… Store-bought vs. homemade baby food – go #homemade if at all possible. My husband and I chose this route, not just because my husband is a chef, but also, because it’s a) healthier and b) cheaper – WAY cheaper. And before you all start thinking, “oh her husband is a chef, so of course they make their own food…” Nope, I make ALL of it. The thing about Chefs that most people forget as they are telling me just how lucky I am to have married a Chef, is that Chefs work long days and every night – so I do most of my own cooking and definitely the cooking for our child. The reason we were so adamant is because we wanted to be sure the food was as fresh and as free from chemicals, unnecessary salt, and sugar, as possible. The added bonus is that it costs way less to make your own food – ONE Butternut Squash costs about 85 cents at the grocery store or farmer’s market – and that yields 6 4oz. jars of baby food – you tell me where you can find a jar of baby food for 14 cents and I’ll tell you where that leprechaun has hidden the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The thing is, it’s really easy to make your baby’s food. It takes very little additional effort than buying all those jars, opening them, and heating them does. You can make a month or 3 month’s worth of baby food at one time, in the span of about 2 hours, if you wanted and stick it all in your freezer.

#NoSugar, #NoSalt, and lots of variety! #Babies do NOT need salt (additional salt, that is), in fact, that and sugar that isn’t naturally in food, is bad for your baby and can be a culprit in developing things like diabetes and high cholesterol in children, and affect all sorts of the functions within the body for the rest of their lives – so let’s not for as long as we can. Now onto variety – variety is the spice of life! When initially introducing foods to your infant – slow and steady wins the race – single purees first to test for allergies, a new one every 3 days, and then once cleared, feel free to start mixing. If single ingredient purees bore your palette like they do mine, you are welcome to use aromatic spices and herbs in your baby’s food. The aromatic (smell good) ones to try are:

· vanilla *

· pepper

· garlic – minced or powdered

· basil

· rosemary

· tarragon

· dill

· oregano

· lemon zest

· ginger

· cinnamon

· mint

· nutmeg

· anise

· allspice

· clove

These herbs and spices not compliment the puree, they actually help in brining out the natural flavor of each food, allowing your baby to take their taste buds for a test-drive. Spices like cinnamon, and ginger, lemon, dill and garlic all help with your little one’s digestion and metabolism. Don’t be afraid of spices and herbal additions – just be sure to stay away from the hot spices like chili or pepper based spices in the early stages – lest you want to have an unhappy babe on your hands.

For a quick guide to which foods enhance and encourage what growth, I have listed a few of my favorite blends here for you… And remember, it’s never too late to start making your food, no matter where you started – fresh and farm to table is best. I realize this post may be met with some frustrated and time-compressed parents, however, I invite everyone to try something new – it’s about time management, priorities, and wanting our children to be as healthy as possible, and that is something I’m certain every parent in this world wants for their children. Nevertheless, if you find you have absolutely zero time to make your child’s food and you don’t mind the additional expense of store-bought, then there are some great options for baby food services that will prepare and deliver fresh, organic food to your door for the same investment you’d spend at the grocery store, those include: Little Spoon, Fresh Bellies, Nurture Life, Pure Spoon, and Little Foodie Club. These services focus on fresh, organic, and adventurous food that encourages healthy growth and development based on your child’s age and stage.

• Carrots – Eye-enhancing and immunity super food!

• Blends & Combos: carrot & cashew milk with cinnamon; carrot w/ cinnamon & ginger; carrot & sweet potato with cinnamon and nutmeg

• Apples – Immunity, Eyes, and Digestion Powers

• Apple cinnamon; apple carrot; apple allspice, clove, ginger, nutmeg; apple-pear cinnamon; really, apples are just awesome with almost everything!

• Kale, Spinach, Spirulina & Avocado – Brains and Braun (that’s bone!) The good fats (avocado) are essential to keeping your synapses in your brain, nice and slick so the neurons can fire with speed and agility.

• Sweet Potato – Brain & Immunity

• Sweet potato-carrot; sweet potato, cream and nutmeg; sweet potato and hazelnut milk with cinnamon - *pro-tip: using nut milks can allow you to tip toe into the nut allergy realm with added safeguarding. Chances are, if the nut milk doesn’t bother your baby, the nut itself may not either (maybe)

• Broccoli, Banana, Pineapple – Muscle & Brain

• Butternut Squash, Kale, and Apple – Bones & Eyes

• Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Onion

For more blends and recipes, feel free to send me an email or leave a comment and I’ll send you some adventurous recipes. All you need is a blender or food processor and a passion for your child’s health – the rest is just food!

Here’s to happy spoons, happy bellies, and healthy babies!

xxx, Chloe Jasmine

#Foodforthought #ohbaby #healthy #foodforlife #chloejasmineliving #eathealthy #babyfood #homemade