From birth to six months both Health Canada and The World Health Organization agree that exclusively breastfeeding your baby is optimum.  Breast milk is nutrient dense and will provide everything your baby needs for growth, development, health and wellness.  If you have chosen to formula feed, your baby should only be feed formula during the first six months.  At six months you can begin to introduce your baby to the wonderful world of food.  This is a very exciting time but it is also a time filled with questions, concerns and lots of conflicting advice.  So before your begin tickling those tiny taste buds let me help you decipher all the information you have read and heard and make the process a little less overwhelming.

What Foods First?

There are many schools of thought on which foods to begin introducing your baby too, I believe the best first foods are real foods, foods that have not been processed, foods that have not been packaged – food that your grandmother would recognize and food that helps support the growth, development, health and well being of your baby. This real food is of course fruits and vegetables!
Fruits and vegetables offer your baby a wide variety of nutrients including minerals, vitamins, fibre, carbohydrates, fats, protein and phytochemicals to support the amazing amounts of growth occurring at this time, and to support the overall health and well being of your baby.

Here are the foods I considered to be great first foods:

Bananas (easy to digest and sweet like breast milk – tastes particularly wonderful roasted then pureed)
Pears (choose organic, pesticide residues are extremely high)
Apples (choose organic, pesticide residues are extremely high)
Butternut squash
Sweet potatoes
Avocado (no need to cook first, just peel and mash well)
Apricots (choose sulfite free dried fruits)
Prunes (choose sulfite free dried fruits)
Figs (choose sulfite free dried fruits)
Raisins (choose sulfite free dried fruits)
Blueberries (organic best, pesticide residues are extremely high)
Carrots
Yams
Parsnips
Green peas
Broccoli (organic best, pesticide residues are extremely high)
Cauliflower (organic best, pesticide residues are extremely high)
Turnip
Green beans
Beets

All of the above foods should be washed well, peeled, cored and steam or roasted until fork tender and then pureed to desired consistency for your baby. At first the consistency should be very runny, but as your baby gets used to the food you can begin to thicken it up.

Introduce one food at a time waiting 3 to 4 days before adding another food.  This will allow you to see if there are any sensitivities or allergies to the food being introduced.  It can take up to 72 hours for a reaction to a food to show up. The most common signs are rashes, changes in bowel movement, increased gas and spitting up.  If you suspect a problem with a food wait a few weeks and try introducing it again.  If you experience a negative reaction again, wait three months before reintroducing.

Once you know that a food is okay, you can begin to use that food to create wonderful combinations of food. For example if you have introduce apples and all is okay, when it comes time to introduce beets you can create a tasty apple and beet puree; or if raisins were a big hit with your little one how about a carrot and raisin puree, and pear and parsnip works well too! This makes introducing foods with a stronger taste a little easier and also opens your baby’s taste buds to many different tastes.

Keep in mind food introduction is not meant to meet your baby’s nutritional demands – breast milk or formula will do this until your baby’s first birthday. Food introduction at this time is a chance for your baby to get used to eating, to develop a taste for different foods and to gain acceptance of different textures. This is not the time to force feed your baby, follow your baby’s lead, when they have had enough stop. Don’t stress or panic if they don’t want to eat, it just might not be a good day, put it away and try again later or tomorrow.

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Kim Corrigan-Oliver is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner and a Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner.  Her practice Your Green Baby specializes in nutrition for mom, baby and toddler – preconception to preschool.  For more information please check out her website at www.yourgreenbaby.ca

Whether you are running errands, still juggling a demanding work schedule or chasing your other 3 children, pregnancy is not a time to skip meals or grab fast food on the go. A good rule is to choose snacks you can pack in your bag for convenience but that also last a few days or longer so that you don’t have to think each time you go out the door — it’s there when you need it AND nutritious.

Here are 5 healthy choices for moms-on-the-go:

1. The easiest choice.A granola bar like Kashi has whole grains, protein, fiber and nutrients that cereal bars don’t. Belly Bars are made specifically for pregnancy and will provide key nutrients a mom-to-be needs. With so many flavors it’s easy to indulge in a pregnancy chocolate craving without any guilt. Either of these are a great choice and you should always have one in your purse “in case of emergency.”

2. Carry water with  you.  Sometimes you aren’t actually hungry, you’re thirsty. Drinking your 8 glasses a day in can be a challenge when your bladder seems to be the size of a pea but it is extremely important. A great addition to liven up your water and make it more nutritious is Be Nice Prenatal Vitamin Drink Mix. You can add these flavorful packets to your water giving it a burst of flavor and nutrients designed especially for pregnant women.

3. An apple a day… On your way out the door toss an apple or orange into your purse. Fruit is convenient, healthy and tasty — a perfect snack on the go. You can also pack dried fruits like cranberries, apples or banana chips. The advantage of dried fruit is that it can be in your purse for a couple of days and there when you need it.

4. Fill a small resealable bag with your favorite snack. At the beginning of the week make up a bunch of snack bags that are sealed and that you can easily grab on your way out the door. Pretzels, crackers, a few nuts and raisins all hit the spot and fill you up.  This also works well for your children to grab and go or pack in lunches making it easy for them to eat healthy too.

5. Individually wrapped cheese.There are many varieties of string cheeses that give you protein and calcium without too many calories. You could include cheese with any of the snacks listed above just be sure that you don’t leave these in your purse too long. This is recommended when you are rushing out the door and know you will be eating on the way to your destination. 

Note: Some bars or snacks may have all the daily nutrients you need in one serving so eating too many through out the day is not recommended. These are great, nutritious options and a healthy alternative to pregnancy cravings but remember that you can have “too much of a good thing.” Drinks and meal replacements, even if made specifically for pregnancy, are not meant to be consumed several times a day.

How are these choices also better for the environment?

By choosing products that are natural, reduce environmental impact and specific to pregnancy, you can make better choices today for yourself and your and baby but also have an impact on the world the baby will grow up in. We support these companies and hope you will to.

- Be Nice is committed to the health of babies, moms, and the planet. Their packaging is made from recycled paper and created in a factory that uses 100% wind energy.

- NutraBella’s all-natural food products promote good nutrition – the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle. Bellybar provides an easy, food-based source for necessary supplemental nutrients in an all-natural snack designed to match the pace of women’s “real world” lives.

- If you are using plastic bags, a better option is to switch to resusable containers or try making a small step by using Ziploc® evolve™ Bags which are better for the environment with 25% less plastic and manufactured using wind power.

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There is a growing demand for organic and natural products, foods, clothing and toys as people become more aware of the impact their choices have on the earth. Consumers tend to think a lot about what food goes into their body or into the landfill but tend to not think as much about the products that are used on their bodies. We routinely use products on our babies and children (and ourselves even during pregnancy) and don’t think too much about the ingredients.

Just today an email arrived from the Environmental Working Group stating:  “In 2009 alone, we discovered that dozens of top baby products contain formaldehyde, that three out of five brand-name sunscreens either don’t protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both…”

Consumer trust with brand names is high but some of the most trusted companies produce some of the most toxic baby care products. Baby wash that we soak our babies in and shampoos and lotions that are slathered all over them can be really unhealthy for them. The bubble bath may smell good but it could actually be harming them – causing biochemical or cellular level changes, cancer, neurotoxicity and organ system toxicity.

To learn more we contacted Tina Evans, Founder of Squeaky Clean Tot to provide the information and resources to help moms make better choices for their families. Below are some question we hope will help you next time you purchase baby care products.

HBN (HealthyBabyNetwork.com): “Natural” on a label doesn’t always mean healthy or natural. Can you explain?

Tina Evans: Sadly, the term “natural” has no regulation in the cosmetics industry. A baby shampoo could contain a very small amount of plant-based ingredients (coconut, olive, grape seed oils, glycerin, calendula, chamomile), followed by a long list of chemicals. The best advice I can give is to read the ingredients and look for safer products on Cosmetics Database or Squeaky Clean Tot.

HBN: What has been the biggest surprise in your research?

Tina Evans: When I was first considering building this site, a good friend turned me on to the Cosmetics Database. This is where I get the information on most of the body care products in our database. It is a wonderful resource if you want to find out more about a cosmetics company or if you want information on specific ingredients. They use a rating system where 0-2 is considered a low hazard, 3-6 is a moderate hazard, and 7-10 is high hazard. (I only post products that have a score of 0-2.) I think the biggest shock was when I realized Johnson & Johnson has no baby products with a score less than 3. Most of their products rate 5 or higher, and some are as high as 9. This is a company that has been around for a very long time and has a loyal following. I’m not sure if they would be selling as many products if all parents were aware of what is being put into a bottle of baby wash.

HBN: Are there common ingredients we should be concerned about and look for before a purchase?

Tina Evans: I have a page called The Nasty Stuff (www.squeakycleantot.com/the-nasty-stuff/) on the website that lists ingredients that consumers should avoid. With the flu season in full swing, many parents are using antibacterial soap. Many contain Triclosan, which may disrupt growth hormones from the thyroid. A good alternative is a company called Clean Well. They make antibacterial soap and hand spray without Triclosan and alcohol.
I also try to avoid: sodium laureth sulfate, parabens, phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA)

All of this information can be overwhelming, but even replacing two or three baby products, can make a huge difference. If consumers demand safer products, these companies will have no choice but to listen and change their formulas.

HBN: What inspired you to launch www.SqueakyCleanTot.com?

Tina Evans: My daughter was diagnosed with eczema in April of 2008. The doctor gave us a whole list of things it could be from laundry detergent to the tags in her clothes. My gut feeling was that it was something we were putting on her skin. The first thing I stopped using was her bubble bath. It cleared within a week and I believe it was the fragrance that was causing the reaction. This whole experience really worried me because the product we were using is from a company I believed to be safer because it didn’t have some of the red flag ingredients we’ve all heard about, like Sodium Laureth Sulfate. The bottle even says it is “96.08% natural”. I started doing some research and realized consumers are being misled by companies claiming their products are “natural” and safe for “sensitive” skin.

HBN: Why did you choose Mom-to-Mom reviews?

Tina Evans: When I purchase important products, I always look for consumer reviews because I want honest opinions. I think moms are great at being straight-forward and sincere, especially when talking about their children. I have written many reviews of products in our database, but I am only one voice. I am excited to build a community where parents can be heard. I also want our website to be a source of information for new parents so we can help them make informed choices from the beginning.

Please help other moms make better choices and comment on the products you have used and what you liked or disliked. Please visit http://www.SqueakyCleanTot.com to add your review or learn more about the products you purchase.

If you are looking for some great products consider some of these companies. They may be available in your local grocery store, health food specialty stores, Whole Foods Markets or online. Check with individual websites for purchasing.

Sweetsation Therapy
Kiss My Face
Earth Mama Angel Baby
Nature’s Baby Organics
Mambino Organics
Aura Cacia Baby
California Baby
Mashala Baby Organics