Tender Heart Momma

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Baby Led weaning, some advice

Image by wester via Flickr

I have been a blogging slacker so here is some simple advice that might help you with BLW.
1)Dont expect much in the beginning.
Liv didn't eat much of anything and it made me nervous so I even tried some babyfood. she hated it so I went right back to BLW. I realized that is what she wants and that she really didn't need any additional food. For the next baby I might even delay the start of solids a little longer, maybe 7 or 8 months.
2) Milk in best
Breastmilk should be your babies primary source of nutrition. Food is really just for fun the first year.
3) You can use a spoon.
Spoons are not anti-BLW, just feeding your LO is. I bought this spoon >so she can feed herself. She uses this for yogurt and applesauce
4) Go organic
Since your LO shouldn't be eating much you should try to get organic produce since its best for your baby
5)Mix it up, seasonally
Use lots of seasonal produce, babies will love it. Especially fresh fruit. That is Liv's fav.
6)Expect a mess
Self feeding is messy, period.
7)Don't force anything
Just offer healthy meals and snacks, if your LO refuses it okay, they will make it up with milk later.
8)Let her have control
That's what BLW is all about. She will be confident and want will not want to be feed, and this is okay.
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For the Green Baby: Benefits of Organic Baby Food (nutrition.suite101.com)
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Getting my house clean flylady style

Being a SAHM (stay at home mom for those not all up on internet terms) I sometimes use the internet as a source of socialization. One of the sites I use is whattoexpect.com forum boards. I am on the board of the month that my little Liv was born in.
Anyway someone on the board was complain about their stay at home husband and how he gets no cleaning done all day. Someone else suggested the flylady program. Well my house isn't horrible, but it could use some work so I decided to sign myself up and see how I do.
Right I am making sure my sink is clean when I go to bed and that I take several minutes in the morning to swish and swipe my bathroom (a quick clean of all surfaces with a rag and some vinegar water mix for me) Also I should take 15 min everyday to de-clutter something. Today I worked on my junk drawer. It looks better already.
The basic idea is that you do her quick easy 15 min ideas, and that you can do anything for 15 min, then it becomes a habit and your house will be clean before you know it.
Lets hope this work, I could use some organizing and just a cleaner house made easy. I'll keep you posted on how I do on her program.

Sample Daily Menu for 9 month old, BLW style

Image via Wikipedia

I have always had a hard time with planning Liv's meals, so if you are like me I will be occasionally posting meal plans that I have used with Liv at various ages.
Still nurse on demand, the nurse times are just suggestions of times to offer it.
Upon waking: Nurse
Breakfast: OatieOs and blueberries cut in half
Lunch: Whole wheat toast cut in squares, then spinach hummus spread on on square and make small sandwiches.
Snack: teething biscuit. I make the "Nutritious Teething Biscuits" homemade from wholesome baby food
Dinner: Whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and peas with tomato sauce (That's the only way Liv will eat peas.

Sick little baby

Image via Wikipedia

Liv has been sick for the past week. She has roseola, very common in babies.It starts with a high fever then moves onto a rash on their bodies.
She went from eating well to not eating any solids at all. She refused all solids and we are just on BM. This makes me so glad that I have not started to wean her, since I know whole milk is not enough for anyone to live off of. Liv stopped eating solids last Thursday and has started to eat some monday, but very few. The nutrients in whole milk are just not enough for a baby. This is why babies should be breastfeed into their toddler years, not just the first year of their life. Most toddler refuse foods for many reason and breastmilk makes up for all the gaps.
When she stopped eating solids I was not worried since I knew my milk was enough for her and will help her get better. My dr. was also not worried, knowing she is a BF baby.
To me this is just another reason why breast is best, and extended BF is best too. I feel weird even calling BF a toddler extended BF since to most other countries its not considered extentded, just normal.
Liv is not quite a toddler, but she is 11 months now so she is almost there.
I will be nursing my toddler.

Summer wear

I get very nervous about all the stuff in sunscreens. I blogged in an early post about the safest sunscreens avail. I would personally rather not use any and have my LO cover up.
I follow the kitchenstewardship blog and they directed me to a site called http://www.solartex.com/ . I have been looking for long sleeve lightweight clothes for Liv to wear and am very excited to have finally found some at a decent price. Might even get some stuff for myself.
Hopefully you will enjoy this shop like I did.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

kitchen stewardship give away

Kitchen stewardship is a blog I follow and they have a great give away for a e-course

http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/07/06/giveaway-natural-womens-health-ecourse-96-value/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kitchenstewardship%2FPgbo+%28Kitchen+Stewardship%29

Monday, June 7, 2010

Down to 2 naps

It took till week 41, but Liv is now down to 2 naps. The first one is around 10, the next at 2, and she is in bed by 7:15. Usually before that. She still struggles, yesterday she needed 3 naps and today she had to nap a little before 10 and 2 but it is going well.
Most babies drop the third nap around 6 months, Liv took it up and part way through her 9th month, guess she just needs a lot of sleep.