About Baby Care

Posts Tagged ‘baby feeding’

Banana is an amazing and fabulous fruit: it satisfies your hunger, supplies the body with energy and useful substances. It has a convenient natural packaging. Even babies are not allergic to bananas. That’s why banana is often included in baby food. Adults also eat them with pleasure – with the exception of those who have diabetes. Energy value of bananas is 90 kilocalories per 100 grams. Fibers they contain facilitate intestinal transit and contribute to good digestion of sugar and fat. Bananas have balanced vitamins. They contain lots of vitamins E and C, and vitamin B6.

Banana is also a source of trace elements: 100 grams contains 42 mg of magnesium and 348 mg of potassium, the content of the last is comparable only with dried apricots. In addition, tropical fruits are a source of calcium, iron and phosphorus.

Once there were only green bananas, and they slowly turn yellow in our house. Today bananas reach the desired condition in special places filled with ethylene gas at high humidity and temperature around 13 oC. Here they stay from 4 to 8 days – depending on the established regime, according to the fruit and market needs. Fast mode allows bananas ripen for 4 days, but they are delicious when they are kept for eight days.

Ethylene is not accidentally chosen for ripening of bananas – during the maturation in natural conditions bananas themselves emit this gas.

Buying bananas, we first assess their appearance: color, presence or absence of black spots, the size of the fruit andtheir degree of maturity. It is known that a good banana is yellow, juicy, with shiny and sleek surface and do not have too ribbed form. The black dots on the surface are a sign that the fruit contains maximum sugar. But if the entire surface of the banana is black it’s a bust, indicating that the firm-supplier could not keep their products properly. However, such fruit is harmless and completely edible.

Meanwhile, according to an existing document, bananas are divided into three classes. Best – “extra” should be a minimum length of 20 cm, volume of 3-4 cm. Sometimes they can have the same thickness but be a couple of centimeters shorter. Requirements for the second class: length -14 cm, volume – 2, 7-4, 1 cm, however, usually fruit of all varieties: thick and thin, long and short – are sold at one price.

The basis of the export products is bananas which are used in culinary. Best-known varieties are Cavendish, Gro Michel, Lakatan. Export class bananas must endure all the difficulties of transportation.

Bananas which are used in culinary, are dessert and vegetables bananas. Today small dessert bananas can be found in our own sales network. Their value is considerably less than the traditional: 8-12 cm, thin skin, with the taste of honey, sweet and delicious. For the price they are twice expensive.

All the remaining bananas for us are exotics. There are a variety of bananas with a taste of an apple. There are red bananas, with red-brown, red and burgundy skin and pink core. Vegetable bananas can be boiled, fried, dried, put in the soup instead of potatoes. They are used in chips and even beer production. These fruit contains a lot of starch and is not sweet.

There are a few things you should look out for if you are wondering when to introduce foods to babies. The average age for a baby to start eating solids is between four to six months. If you notice your baby is able to hold his/her head up well and can sit with a little support at this age, he/she might be ready for solid foods. Another sign to look for is if your baby is reaching for your cutlery when you are eating and mimicking your mouth opening. Consult with your doctor before starting your baby on solid food.

When it comes to the choice in food, opt for an organic food. These will be free from pesticides that are harmful to developing brains and growing bodies. Good choices to start with are mashed banana or iron-fortified rice cereal. Only ever add cereal to your baby’s bottle if instructed to do so by your GP. Adding cereal to his/her bottle does not teach him/her to eat solids, it will only cause your baby to become overweight.

Sit your baby in a high chair propped up with pillows or comfortably sitting upright on your lap. Start with a small amount of food on a baby’s spoon. Hold the spoon a good distance away from your baby and wait for him/her to open his/her mouth before feeding. Your baby might only manage one or two spoonfuls in the first feeding. Listen to your baby by watching his/her body language. If he/she is pushing the spoon away then they have had enough. If your baby has not had any, he/she might not be ready. Do not force them. Wait a few weeks and try again. Some babies like to grab the spoon that you are using to feed them. If this is the case with your baby, give him/her another spoon to hold to keep him/her happy.

When starting your baby on foods, begin with only one food. If you choose pureed apple, make sure it is just apple and not apple and pear for example. It is easier for your baby when there is only one flavour. Another reason for this is that trying
one food at a time can help you identify if your baby is allergic to any food. Keep a food diary and list any reactions your baby might have. Signs of allergies can include vomiting, diarrhoea, a runny nose, bad stomach ache, a rash on the face or anus and gas. If you suspect your baby may be allergic to a food, seek medical advice.

During the months that your baby is moving on to solids, you should still be providing the usual feedings of formula or breast milk to satisfy your baby’s nutritional needs. There are certain foods that should only be introduced when your baby is at least one year old. These include eggs, honey, cow’s milk, citrus fruits and juices. The reason to wait until your baby is older for the citrus products is because they are very acidic and can cause a painful nappy rash. Cow’s milk does not provide sufficient nutrients for an infant. Honey can contain spores that are harmless to adults but might affect your baby. Eggs can cause a allergic reaction if given to young.

There are also certain foods that should only be given to your baby when he/she is two or three years old. These include any seafood or any nut products. If a family member has any allergies, your child is at higher risk of having an allergy, so take this in to consideration.

At this time you should try introducing your baby to a cup. Look for one with big handles and a lid. Give your baby water when he/she is getting used to the cup. This will avoid a sticky clean up if he/she messes. You can then move on to juices, but these must be 100% fruit juice. You might want to dilute these juices with water. Make sure your baby has less than 120ml of juice a day. The reason for this is that the extra calories do not give the same nutrition as breast milk, but they do have calories and can cause diarrhoea and contribute to your baby becoming overweight. When your baby is about nine months old, he/she will probably be ready to move away from the pureed foods and move on to chunkier textured foods.

Getting ready for your baby’s arrival is an exciting time and there are enough preparations to make to confuse even the person not suffering from pregnancy-induced mindlessness. The joy of setting up a bassinette or putting everything in its place can make having your baby feel closer.

We have tried to compile a comprehensive checklist with many items you might need. But not every item is necessary and there may be things that we have missed, so use this checklist as a reference only. Make sure to have at least a few basic items on hand, so you can focus on caring for and loving your baby, not shopping.

With a seemingly endless amount of products to choose from, in a wide range of colors, styles, quality and price range, it is often difficult to resist buying “everything”. But if you have budget constraints it is important to work out what you really need or can afford and sort out the items that would be nice to have, but not really necessary.

Baby’s Nursery

• Crib sets
• Crib mattresses
• Bassinets
• Cradles
• Bumpers
• Sleepers
• Nursery decor
• Changing tables
• Dressers
• Small lamp or Nightlight
• Rockers

Baby Bedding

• Crib bedding
• Crib sheets
• Receiving blankets
• Mattress pads
• Waterproof liners
• Baby blankets

Clothing

• One-piece outfits
• One-piece pajamas
• Sock and booties
• Mittens
• Fleece outfits
• Sweater or Jacket (for winter)
• Bonnet or Cap (for summer)

Diapering

• Cloth diapers
• Disposable diapers
• Wipes
• Washcloth’s
• Diaper powder
• Sealable trash can

Feeding

• Baby bottles
• Nipples
• Bottle liners
• Bottle brush
• Bottle rack
• Baby bibs
• Teethers
• Breast pump
• Breast milk storage bags
• Breast pads
• Pacifiers
• Highchair
• Cream for nipples
• Nursing pillow
• Nursing bras

Baby Bathing and Health

• Soaps & Lotions
• No-Tears shampoo
• Newborn tub
• Baby oil
• Hooded towels
• Ointment
• Thermometer
• Petroleum jelly
• Sterile cotton balls
• Baby powder
• Washcloths
• Baby nail scissors
• Baby nail clippers
• Liquid aspirin
• Baby brush
• Nasal aspirator

Miscellaneous

• Car seat
• Stroller
• Baby monitor
• Smoke alarm
• Toys
• Dreft laundry soap
• Books on parenting
• Flowers from dad