Baby food facts are different based on every book or article you read.
Your babies first food should be rice cereal. Rice cereal is the McDonald's of baby food. Start with vegetables. Start with fruits. What the heck am I supposed to feed my kid?!?!
How is a new mom supposed to know what the right answer is regarding
feeding a baby their first solids??? Everything you read contradicts
what you read the day before! Honestly, I'm doing a combination of
listening to my pediatrician, skimming articles online, talking to
friends and going with my gut! There's so much information out there and
it all overlaps, undermines and confuses the heck out of us new moms.
The only consistent fact I have found is this: When introducing a new food, give that same food for three (3) consecutive days before starting another new food. I guess that must really be a tried and true test if all the books, doctors, websites and real people agree on it!
Onto our next week of veggiedom - green veggies and introducing combos!
This week's menu:
Spinach
Spinach and Rice combo
White potatoes
Sweet Potato and Potato combo
**Update**
Something happened to the spinach and rice cubes when I thawed them out, so we skipped those and started peas instead. Peas are definitely not Alexa's favorite veggie, but she tolerates them. Tonight I'm giving her the first combo - peas and carrots!
Showing posts with label doctor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctor. Show all posts
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Starting Solids
While we were in the U.S., I started Alexa on Organic Rice Cereal by Earth's Best. I've been giving it to her once a day in the evening around dinner time. I think that it has been helping to fill her up a bit more than what my breast milk alone was doing.
At her four month check up, the doctor was a little angry with me for starting her on cereal before she was actually four months old. What surprised me was that the doctor seemed more upset with me for feeding Alexa cereal on a spoon rather than giving it to her in a bottle! This was totally shocking. I told her I plan on continuing the cereal until we start her on fruits or vegetables and what would be her preference.
She told me to start her on veggies first, carrots to be specific, but not until she is exactly four months old. We'll be starting veggies on Sunday...her 4 month birthday :)
She also said that we could introduce a new vegetable every three days as long as she doesn't have any adverse reactions to anything we give her. Then, after four weeks of veggies to start her on meat (!) and also to add another meal. Four weeks later, add fruits and another meal. So, within two months my little bean sprout will be getting breakfast, lunch and dinner!!! Ahhhh where has the time gone?
As far as introducing new foods, I am a little nervous about giving her carrots. I have read quite a number of articles and blog posts about making your own baby food and what foods to start with and what foods to avoid. Surprisingly, carrots were on the foods to avoid list due to their high nitrate content. I am still going to do a bit more investigating into the whole carrot conundrum, but I am curious to know what other parents fed their babies first. Fruits or veggies? Which veggie did you give first? Any parents out there who make their own baby food...what did you serve first? Also, please feel free to send along any recipes that your baby really enjoyed!
At her four month check up, the doctor was a little angry with me for starting her on cereal before she was actually four months old. What surprised me was that the doctor seemed more upset with me for feeding Alexa cereal on a spoon rather than giving it to her in a bottle! This was totally shocking. I told her I plan on continuing the cereal until we start her on fruits or vegetables and what would be her preference.
She told me to start her on veggies first, carrots to be specific, but not until she is exactly four months old. We'll be starting veggies on Sunday...her 4 month birthday :)
She also said that we could introduce a new vegetable every three days as long as she doesn't have any adverse reactions to anything we give her. Then, after four weeks of veggies to start her on meat (!) and also to add another meal. Four weeks later, add fruits and another meal. So, within two months my little bean sprout will be getting breakfast, lunch and dinner!!! Ahhhh where has the time gone?
As far as introducing new foods, I am a little nervous about giving her carrots. I have read quite a number of articles and blog posts about making your own baby food and what foods to start with and what foods to avoid. Surprisingly, carrots were on the foods to avoid list due to their high nitrate content. I am still going to do a bit more investigating into the whole carrot conundrum, but I am curious to know what other parents fed their babies first. Fruits or veggies? Which veggie did you give first? Any parents out there who make their own baby food...what did you serve first? Also, please feel free to send along any recipes that your baby really enjoyed!
Saturday, May 18, 2013
To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate
There is so much controversy surrounding vaccinations for infants and young children. Whether to vaccinate your child is a very important decision that every parent is faced with. How many vaccines do you allow at one time? Should you follow the CDC's Recommended Immunization Schedule or in my case the Recommended Immunization Schedule from Austria or do you delay or spread out the vaccines? What benefits come from either choice? What negative aspects exist? The CDC recommends following their guideline for immunizing your children from birth through age 6 in order to prevent putting your child at "...risk of becoming ill with vaccine-preventable diseases." The CDC's Recommended Immunization Schedule includes the same vaccinations as the Austrian Immunization Schedule, with the exception of Varicella, however, the Austrian schedule is much lighter. Immunizations, in the first year, are given at 7 weeks, 3, 5 and 12 months of age and are generally only given one at a time.
For my husband and I, vaccinating was an easy choice. We have both been vaccinated against all childhood diseases without a problem, so it was not a question as to whether or not our daughter would also receive the same vaccinations. What we did discuss with our doctor was the immunization schedule and how not to overload her system all at once. Luckily, we found that the suggested vaccination schedule here in Austria fit with what we were looking for...an evenly spread out schedule of vaccines. The Vaccination Debate is one that has been going on for centuries and still people: doctors, parents, governments remain at a stand still. Vaccines must be given or consequences are faced; such as not being allowed to register your child for school. We have been very lucky. I wish all parents felt as involved in the decision of how many, what, and when to vaccinate their children and were not forced by a government mandate to vaccinate such young children so heavily.
Alexa received her first round of what I call "heavy duty" vaccines and she has been sad, sleepy and feverish all afternoon and evening. It's heart breaking to see her so unhappy and feeling so bad, but the alternative is unimaginable. I, personally, think that vaccinating is the right choice for our family, but if we were living in the US then I would most definitely spread out the vaccination schedule. I think little immune systems work hard enough fighting off simple germs in the environment and to overload them with so many other germs is just asking for trouble. I know many people in the US who have followed the recommended schedule without a problem, but I think it would make it easier for me to sleep at night knowing I had spread those immunizations out a little bit.
I'm hoping my little nugget is feeling better in the morning. I prefer to see her smiling and not crying.
Alexa received her first round of what I call "heavy duty" vaccines and she has been sad, sleepy and feverish all afternoon and evening. It's heart breaking to see her so unhappy and feeling so bad, but the alternative is unimaginable. I, personally, think that vaccinating is the right choice for our family, but if we were living in the US then I would most definitely spread out the vaccination schedule. I think little immune systems work hard enough fighting off simple germs in the environment and to overload them with so many other germs is just asking for trouble. I know many people in the US who have followed the recommended schedule without a problem, but I think it would make it easier for me to sleep at night knowing I had spread those immunizations out a little bit.
I'm hoping my little nugget is feeling better in the morning. I prefer to see her smiling and not crying.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Baby Birth Control
Who needs birth control when you have a newborn? No one, that's who. You barely get any sleep at night so you are exhausted beyond belief. Any and all energy goes into caring for your little coffee bean or trying to take a shower or brush your teeth. The house is a mess, there's dirty laundry everywhere and for god's sake can someone please vacuum??
Even though sex was the last thing on my mind for the first few weeks after Alexa's birth, those thoughts do start creeping in again. And if your husband is anything like mine, they get a voice too. A loud voice.
Now for those of you moms out there, you know that you can't have sex for 6-8 weeks after the birth of your little bean, or until your doctor gives you the thumbs up. I could still barely walk 6 weeks after Alexa's birth, so sex was not even on the table. For those of you who didn't know that, it's true, write it down and then add a few weeks because that will be when you might be ready for sex again. Maybe.
I finally had my "Post birth" checkup at 7 1/2 weeks postpartum and was given the all clear from my doctor. I wanted to be informed, so we discussed the different birth control options I had. I was, however, shocked and stunned by what my doctor said. I was told, "Well, if you're breastfeeding..." We do not live in a third world country, we live in Austria. Apparently, a place with sometimes ridiculous beliefs in old wives tales! My gynecologist literally told me that I wouldn't get knocked up again as long as I was breastfeeding. I also thought I wouldn't get my period as long as I was breastfeeding, but that turned out to be a big fat lie! Anyhow, we've opted for condoms. Wrap it up or get out!
The first time having sex after having a baby is worse than the first time having sex EVER. Between the fear, anxiety and the pain...it's a freaking wonder that people have more than one kid! I hope I haven't traumatized too many of you, it's not bad every time, but that first time is a doozy!
I'm so glad we've opted to use condoms as our birth control and not something more expensive like an IUD or the pill because honestly at least condoms don't have to be taken every day and can just be pulled out when needed. Although finding the time and energy to have sex seems to be somewhat of a problem. When we do have the time and the energy the baby inevitably wakes up, cries, spits out her binky...anything to keep us from actually having sex! It's like she's trying to make sure that she's an only child for a while!
So don't you worry new moms, not only will you probably not enjoy sex for a good while after giving birth, but on the off chance that you would like to engage in some kind of sexual sport with your spouse, partner, or whomever, you won't be able to because baby birth control will stop you every single time.
Even though sex was the last thing on my mind for the first few weeks after Alexa's birth, those thoughts do start creeping in again. And if your husband is anything like mine, they get a voice too. A loud voice.
Now for those of you moms out there, you know that you can't have sex for 6-8 weeks after the birth of your little bean, or until your doctor gives you the thumbs up. I could still barely walk 6 weeks after Alexa's birth, so sex was not even on the table. For those of you who didn't know that, it's true, write it down and then add a few weeks because that will be when you might be ready for sex again. Maybe.
I finally had my "Post birth" checkup at 7 1/2 weeks postpartum and was given the all clear from my doctor. I wanted to be informed, so we discussed the different birth control options I had. I was, however, shocked and stunned by what my doctor said. I was told, "Well, if you're breastfeeding..." We do not live in a third world country, we live in Austria. Apparently, a place with sometimes ridiculous beliefs in old wives tales! My gynecologist literally told me that I wouldn't get knocked up again as long as I was breastfeeding. I also thought I wouldn't get my period as long as I was breastfeeding, but that turned out to be a big fat lie! Anyhow, we've opted for condoms. Wrap it up or get out!
The first time having sex after having a baby is worse than the first time having sex EVER. Between the fear, anxiety and the pain...it's a freaking wonder that people have more than one kid! I hope I haven't traumatized too many of you, it's not bad every time, but that first time is a doozy!
I'm so glad we've opted to use condoms as our birth control and not something more expensive like an IUD or the pill because honestly at least condoms don't have to be taken every day and can just be pulled out when needed. Although finding the time and energy to have sex seems to be somewhat of a problem. When we do have the time and the energy the baby inevitably wakes up, cries, spits out her binky...anything to keep us from actually having sex! It's like she's trying to make sure that she's an only child for a while!
So don't you worry new moms, not only will you probably not enjoy sex for a good while after giving birth, but on the off chance that you would like to engage in some kind of sexual sport with your spouse, partner, or whomever, you won't be able to because baby birth control will stop you every single time.
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