The Homemade Baby Food Recipes Blog

We read an interesting article from the BBC yesterday that we thought you might find useful.

Apparently, the risk of ear infections in young children is greatly increased by the use of pacifiers (also known as dummies).

Nearly 500 Dutch children were studied for five years and those who used a pacifier had almost twice the risk of recurrent ear infection. Researchers believe that using a dummy might make it easier for bacteria to travel from secretions in the nose to the middle ear.

Of course, getting your little one to give up a pacifier is a painful task in itself - but Dr Maroeska Rovers, who led the research - suggests that it is worth the effort for children diagnosed with acute otitis media as it may prevent the misery of an ear infection from returning.

Coconut - it’s not the first thing you think of when creating recipes for your little one, is it?

For one thing, coconut is too hard for your baby to chew or gum… and surely it should be avoided like other ‘nuts’, because of the risk of allergic reaction?

Well, there’s a lot more to coconut than meets the eye, not least the fact that it is NOT related to tree nuts or peanuts and is not considered a highly allergenic food!

Find out more about the many healthy properties of coconut - along with ways in which you can introduce this tropical treat into your baby’s diet - on our brand new page…

When can babies eat coconut?

Tags: coconut, recipes

Another recall involving SMA has been announced (a batch of SMA Gold Ready To Use Liquid Infant Milk was recalled on the 12th) - and this time it’s two batches of Follow-On Milk Powder (900g).

The company has received reports that some of this powder contains compacted lumps and - as a precaution - is withdrawing the affected batch AND the one before it.

The following products are being recalled - NO other SMA Nutrition products are believed to be affected.

SMA Progress Follow-on Milk Powder
Pack size: 900g cans
Best before: 9 October 2009
Batch number: Q8E103R26

SMA Progress Follow-on Milk Powder
Pack size: 900g cans
Best before: 10 October 2009
Batch number: Q8E113R26

If you have any cans from the affected batches, then please call SMA on 0800 089 0075.

Source: www.food.gov.uk

Tags: recalls

None of our babies liked plain old mashed potato! They would gag and look most offended whenever we tried to include a little mashed potato in the feeding bowl… so we had to get creative!

Today’s recipe is for a truly yummy garlicky mashed potato that everyone in the family will really enjoy! Our little ones were tucking into garlic-based recipes from 6 months of age, but if you prefer to serve your baby’s meals a little plainer to begin with, then you can wait until later in his first year to introduce this recipe… or simply omit the garlic altogether!

Read more about introducing garlic, herbs and spices to your baby here

Here’s what you’ll need to make magnificent mash…

1 small bulb of garlic
olive oil
1 lb baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 tbsp butter
4oz (1/2 cup) cottage cheese
1 fl oz (1/8 cup) breast milk, formula or whole milk
little pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.
Cut cross-ways across the top of the garlic bulb (exposing the tops of the cloves inside).
Drizzle some olive oil over the exposed garlic, then wrap the whole bulb in foil and place in the oven.
Cook for one hour, then set aside to cool.
In the meantime, boil your potatoes as usual until fork tender.
Drain and place into a bowl with the butter, milk and the cottage cheese.
Squeeze as much of the garlic (now soft) into the potato as your baby will enjoy.
Mash everything together, adding the black pepper, then serve!

Have you found an interesting way of making your baby’s mashed potato more inviting? Please share your suggestions below!

Tags: potato, recipes

Tesco is recalling its Toddler Swing & Slide Sets because a design fault means that the toys are not as safe as they should be.

The set, which costs £49.97, has been on sale since March 2008. It has a Barcode number of 5 051622 488108.

If you have one of these sets for your child, please stop them from using it and return it to the Tesco store you bought it from for a full refund. If you bought it from Tesco Direct, then please call 0845 600 4411.

If you have any questions, please contact FREEPHONE 0800 50 55 55.

Source: www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

Tags: recalls

We hope that all you Daddies out there have a wonderful Father’s Day today!

To celebrate this special day, we have a wonderful poem for you courtesy of http://www.funmunch.com that we think sums up perfectly the importance of Daddy to his little one(s)…

Walk a little slower

 

Walk a little slower, Daddy,
Said a little child so small.
I’m following in your footsteps
And I don’t want to fall.

 

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they are hard to see;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

 

Someday when I’m all grown up,
You’re what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who’ll want to follow me.

 

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you.

When your little one has a cold, you often find yourself in one of those ‘catch 22′ situations - you want to ensure that your baby receives all the nutrients he needs to get rid of the cold as quickly as possible, yet he may well refuse to eat altogether! This is invariably because the typical symptoms of a cold - such as a stuffy nose and a sore throat - may make swallowing difficult or painful.

Keeping your baby properly hydrated is crucial and it’s important to offer him lots of fluids.

But did you know that there’s actually a wonderful way of giving him lots of useful vitamins and minerals in a soothing liquid form… and that’s by making him a nutrient-packed chicken broth.

Before you dismiss the idea as an old wives’ tale, it’s worth knowing that the idea of offering chicken broth to anyone who’s a little ‘under the weather’ actually has sound medical reasoning behind it.

Find out just WHY chicken broth can help get your baby on the road to recovery as speedily as possible - and how to prepare a nutritious chicken broth - in our page all about…

Feeding A Baby With A Cold

Tags: recipes

Playsafe Spinning Quad Merry-Go-Rounds, sold exclusively at Toys R Us, are being recalled because children riding on the toy could fall off. This is due to a faulty inner bearing on the merry-go-round, which could cause the seat to suddenly drop to the ground.

As shown in the photograph, the toy consists of four yellow plastic seats with black and silver metal bars. It was sold for between $80 and $100 from January 2008 through March 2008.

If you have one of these at home, please stop using it and either return it to Toys R Us for a full refund, or request a free retrofit kit from Pacific Cycle. You can contact them toll free at (877) 564-2261 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday - or click here to visit their website.

Source: www.cpsc.gov

Tags: recalls

Infant and Toddler Shortalls are being recalled by Sara Lynn Togs because the buttons on the shoulder straps may come off, posing a choking hazard to children.

The items involved are Infant and Toddler Gingham and Flannel Shortalls (overalls with short pant legs), with embroidery or collegiate appliqué on the front. The recalled sizes are 6/9 month, 12 month, 18 month, 2T, 3T, & 4T.

These shortalls were sold from March 2007 through February 2008 for around $35 (for the Gingham Shortall) and around $24 (for the Flannel Shortall). They were available at College bookstores, fan stores, children’s boutiques, and gift shops nationwide.

If you have any of these items, please return them to Sara Lynn Togs for a full refund.

If you have any questions, you can contact Sara Lynn Togs at (800) 426-9377 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit their website.

Source: www.cpsc.gov

Tags: recalls

A batch of SMA Gold Ready To Use Liquid Infant Milk is being recalled because the company has received reports of some milk from this batch appearing curdled and separated.

The product affected comes in 1 Litre Cartons, with a Best Before Date of 12 MAR 09 and a batch number of 06033G. You can find the batch number printed on the top of the carton.

No other SMA products (either powder or liquid) or batches are affected

If you have any of this milk at home, please contact the SMA CARELINE freephone number 0800 089 0075, and the company will arrange to replace it.

Source: www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

Tags: recalls