Tutorial: How to Make Baby Food!

Since we got such a positive response to this post last time it was up, and a couple of us on the panel are going to be entering the phase of baby food soon, we thought we would repost this great post on making your own baby food!

One of our readers sent us a complete tutorial on how to make your own baby food. This is something that I've wanted to do for a long time, but was never brave enough to figure it out on my own. Thank you so much! If you have any ideas for tutorials feel free to e-mail us at thevillageformoms@gmail.com

CHECK IT OUT!

I have loved making my own baby food for my two children. When I first thought about making my own food, I thought it would be so complicated and take so much time, but I am here to tell you how simple it really is!

First, here are the reasons I like making my own baby food:

1. The cost! I did my own cost comparison to see how much money I was really saving by making my own. Gerber baby food comes in two packs costing between $0.75 and $1.00, and each container is 2.5oz. This equals $0.15 to $0.20 per ounce. I bought 2 lbs of carrots for $1.55 which made 31 oz pureed. This equals $0.05 per ounce! The peas were also $0.05 per ounce. Green beans were $0.07 per ounce and butternut squash was $0.14 per ounce. Fruit tends to be more expensive but you may be able to find some good deals depending on the season. You can also buy the fruit on sale, puree it, and freeze it for use when your baby is ready to start solids.

2. It gives me peace of mind to know exactly what is in the food my baby eats. There are no fillers or preservatives. I know how fresh the produce is and when it was made. It smells good, and I have no problem tasting it which makes me feel better about feeding it to my baby.

3. It's really simple! I can make all the food my little girl will need pureed in one day. After she eats all the food I have pureed, she will probably be ready to start more table foods.

The Process
I put together a little tutorial so you can see step by step what to do. Hopefully if you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of making your own food, this will help ease your mind a little! Please pardon my pictures.. I am not a pro photographer :)

I first made pears. Six pears ended up making 23 oz.


1. Cut your pears in half and scoop out the core. ( I thought I could scoop out the core after I cooked them, but I later regretted it.)

2. Place them cut side down in a baking dish. Pour water into the dish to cover about 1/2 inch of the fruit.

3. Bake the pears at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender. (Your house will smell delicious!) Don't throw away any left over water just yet!


4. When they are baked the skins will be brown and wrinkly. After they cool, peel the skins off. They should come off pretty easily by pinching the skin. ( I cooked mine a little too long so the skin was very soft and harder to get off.)

5. Place your pears into a pureeing device. I use a magic bullet, but a food processor, blender, immersion blender or even a hand food mill (click to see food mill) will work. If your puree is too thick, add some of the water that you saved from baking them. Adding stock water back is good because you get some of the nutrients back that were baked out. You can also add water or thicken it with rice cereal when you want to feed it to your baby.

6. I use a freezer method, so I pour the puree into ice cube trays. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once they are frozen, you can pop them out and into a freezer bag. I find that one cube (approx. one ounce) is the perfect size to start out with. When my kids get a little older I just warm up two cubes instead of one. I had four trays laying around, but if you don't have any, I have seen packs of two at the dollar store.

Make sure to label the bag with the date and type of food.

When I want to warm up the food, I just place it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stir it, and place it in for 7 more seconds. Make sure to stir it and check that it's not too hot because microwaves can cause hot spots.

And that's it! I made 6 different purees, and it only took me half a day, not including freezing time.

FAQ's:
Should I use canned, frozen, or fresh produce?
Canned food should never be used. The biggest reason is loss of nutrients. For more information click HERE. Frozen and fresh foods are a both good option. If you use frozen, be sure to read the labels to make sure there is no added salt, sugar, or syrups.

What are different options to cook the food?
1. Baking with water, like the example of the pears. I also bake butternut squash and peaches this way.
2.Baking without water, like baking a sweet potato.
3. Steaming or boiling - this works well with many vegetables like peas, carrots, green beans.

What if I don't have enough trays?
I put the extra purees into containers in the fridge. When the first cubes froze, I popped them out and froze the purees that I had saved in the fridge. This way I could do all the cooking in one day, even though it took longer to actually freeze them.

Is it necessary to strain vegetables?
I strain the vegetables that have outer skins that are harder to digest (like peas and green beans.) After I puree them, I put them into a strainer over a deep bowl and push it through with a spoon. Scrape off the back of the strainer, and all that will be left in the strainer are tiny bits of outer skin. Some people think this may not make a difference for baby, but I found that my son had a hard time digesting peas until he was over a year old.

What about meats?
A note about meats-- I thought that there was no way pureeing meats would work, but it really did! I just boiled the chicken and pureed it, adding a little liquid. See HERE for information on choosing types of meats that are good for baby. Meats were my least favorite thing about jarred food, so I was so glad that pureeing meats worked so well (and actually smelled good!) Try it!

My favorite resource on making baby food is this: wholesomebabyfood.com. It really can answer almost any question and has great ideas for making your own rice cereal, teething biscuits, and toddler food too.

Thank you very much once again. What a perfect tutorial! So......
What questions do you still have?
Have you made homemade baby food? Do you like it? Give us your success stories!
What are other pros/cons of doing homemade food?
What other advice can you offer about homemade food?

Miracle of Miracles. The Baby's Asleep.

I don't know about you, but sometimes, putting my young babies to sleep is pure torture.  What?  You too?  Ah, I'm glad I'm not alone.  For the most part, my baby is pretty good about going down for a nap.  But there are those times (you know what I'm talkin' about) when my baby girl fights going to sleep, and it's pure misery for everyone involved.

With both my kids, they took to miracle products that aren't on any baby registry to help get them to sleep.  With my first baby, it was a HAIR DRYER.  Yep, you got it.  White noise at it's finest.  Picked one up at Ross, because I didn't want to burn through my own.  The theory behind it is that when the baby's in the womb, the sounds in there are fairly loud.  Some experts believe that the mother's blood rushing and other internal happenings can make it so the baby's in a constant sea of sound about as loud as a vacuum cleaner.  I'd heard people say they turned on vacuum cleaners or hair dryers for their babies, so I gave it a try.  Miraculous.  My boy would stop crying in mid-scream and drift gently off to sleep.

Now, I know there's new-fangled thang's called white noise machines out there.  For some babies, they work wonders, but they just didn't work with my boy.  Not loud enough, I think...or maybe he knew the sounds were fake.

With my girl, the hair dryer was completely ineffective, but she does like an EXERCISE BALL.  Bouncing on it while I hold her, to be exact.  It's the only, sure fire way to get her to stop crying instantaneously.  Seriously, it's like magic.  The theory behind this one is the almost constant movement while baby's in the womb.  She's used to falling asleep with the bounce-bounce-bounce of my daily activities (mostly chasing my toddler from one end of the house to the other).

She's also a fan of a FAN.  Pun intended.  Again, the white noise machines don't work on her, but the gentle whirring of an old-school fan is just the right mix of white noise to send off of to dreamland.  Works every time, and I give prayers of thanks every time I put her down.

So, ladies...please don't tell me that my kids are the only ones with odd attachments to household items as sleep aids.  Did you have any special tricks up your sleeves to get your babies to sleep?  What worked best, and why?  I'm insanely curious.  

-Alyssa

Waste or Want #13: Video Baby Monitor

Description:

A baby monitor that includes both a camera and a video screen, allowing the parent to see the baby from another room, in addition to hearing them.

Average Cost: $90-$300+

On the one hand . . .

Every parent wants to give their children the best possible care, and sleeping time can be one of the hardest times to do that. We want to make sure our baby is safe and sound, but we don't want to disturb them so much they wake up! A video monitor allows you to actually see your child while they are sleeping without needing to physically enter the room and risk waking them up. This can bring great peace of mind when it's so easy to check on baby, especially in the early months when risk of SIDS is so much higher.

There is a lot of flexibility with video monitors, including being able to set up more than one camera (from different angles or from multiple rooms if you have more than one child) and having more than one viewing screen.

On the other hand . . .

Video monitors are expensive, at least in my realm of baby supply purchasing, especially if you start adding on any extras like multiple cameras. It can also be argued that you will know as much as you need from listening to a simpler audio monitor, without the complication of a video monitor.

and now cast your vote!

Video Baby Monitor: Waste or Want?

and don't forget to tell us why!

Baby Sling or Wrap

 OR

I'm in the market for a baby sling or wrap.  I've read a lot of different things on baby slings, but don't know too much about wraps and I can't decide what one to buy.  I also remember a lot of things from last year about newborns suffocating in baby slings and it kind of makes me nervous to take the plunge.  So, I'm asking you smart moms about slings or wraps that you own!

What sling/wrap do you own?
Where did you get your sling/wrap from and, if you don't mind saying, how much did you pay for it?
Why did you choose the sling or wrap that you did?


Thanks for the advice!

Megan

Also, please take a look at the poll on the right side about the recipe blog!

Just take a nap....

Getting a baby to sleep is always on the minds of moms with newborns. I know that with all my children I had different problems that I've needed to solve in the sleep department.

Although she sleeps well at night (only waking once - usually after a 5 or 6 hour stretch) the newest addition to our family has a bit of a problem taking a nap. This can be quite difficult if you are trying to take care of a 4 year old and a 2 year old at the same time as well.



When she first came home from the hospital, she took naps just fine. She slept most of the time with a bit of wakefulness after a feeding. She would even just fall asleep randomly on her own and didn't require rocking - it was great.

When she turned about 1 month old she became more alert and started having issues. We would get her to the point where we thought she was asleep and then put her in bed and 5 minutes later she would wake up. We'd spend nearly 1 1/2 hours or more trying to get her to stay down in her bed. For quite a while the only places she would take naps were in her car seat, in a moby wrap, or cuddled/held by someone.

She is 2 1/2 months old now and has improved somewhat - she will now sleep on her own in her bouncer chair or crib for about 45 minutes before she wakes up. This is better, but still not great since she is usually grumpy when she wakes up - simply because she needs about twice that amount of sleep to be well rested - so I usually "make" her go back to sleep.

I love her SO MUCH and she is the sweetest happiest little when she has slept and been fed, but those in-between times when she won't sleep and I can't get anything done or pay attention to my other children are rough. I have to hold her sometimes when I'd rather be doing something else (I'm quite adept at typing one handed now), and she's almost always in the moby wrap while I cook dinner.

I didn't used to believe people when they said their baby "wouldn't take a nap." Now I regret that thought. :) We all learn our lessons the hard way sometimes.

So give me some advice...

Have you ever had this problem with a newborn?
What are some tricks for getting your baby to nap longer on his/her own?
When did your baby outgrow this?
Did using CIO when they were older help?
Do you think it's okay to let her sleep in a moby wrap or is that compounding the problem?
Any tips you can give me would be extremely valuable.

~Tannie

Sleep, Baby, Sleep

Getting very small children to sleep can be one of the toughest parts of early parenting. Today, we're discussing options of sleeping arrangements with infants specifically.


There are many different places you may choose to put your baby down to sleep at night or during naps. Most families will go through several different arrangements during the first few months of baby's life.

Co-sleeping

For: One choice is to share your own bed with your baby. This has benefits for the parents in not having to get up every time baby cries. Feeding (particularly nursing) can be done easily while still in bed, and baby is often more likely to go back to sleep if they are quickly comforted by the presence of Mom and Dad, even if they are still asleep.

Against: No matter where your baby sleeps, you are going to be woken up during the night. If you have your own bed to yourself, you may be able to sleep better in the times you do have in bed. If the baby is bottle-feeding, it can be more disruptive to get up and leave your baby in the bed alone when you make the bottle. Both parents are more affected when baby is in the bed, as opposed to only one parent getting up at a time, as well as affecting one-on-one time parents have together.

In the parents' bedroom

For: You may choose to set up a bassinet or crib in your bedroom for your baby to sleep in. This can be convenient as you do not have far to go to get to baby when they wake up at night. You can also respond faster before baby gets too upset, being close on hand and better able to monitor baby's sleep patterns. If you have other children in the house, it can help to have baby in a separate room, at least in the beginning, to keep from disturbing the other children as much.

Against: Again, it can interrupt what precious sleep time you do have in your room if you are listening to the baby sleeping. In some homes, it can be difficult to arrange furniture in such a way to have enough space both for baby's bed and Mom and Dad's bed and other furniture.

In baby's own room

For: It can be beneficial to put your child in their own bed, in their own room from the very beginning. They can sleep undisturbed by other family members' noises and movements. It can also be helpful to have a well-established sleeping place and routine that will not be changed as much as baby gets older.

Against: It can be harder to monitor your child's sleep and well-being if the baby is in a separate room. Parents have to go farther to take care of the baby during the night, causing for more time awake during late hours. In some homes, it may not be possible to put baby in their own room because there simply aren't enough extra rooms in the house.

So...

Where do you put your infant down to sleep?

Have you used different arrangements for naps versus night sleeping?

How have your sleeping arrangements changed as your baby gets older?

~Laura

Request from Our Readers Week 31

This post we're discussing starting solids. Here's what our reader had to say:

"My little boy is 5 months old and I'm wanting to get him started on solids sometime soon. He nurses 5 times a day, 4 hrs apart. Once I started thinking about the logistics I realized that I had no idea what I was doing. I've looked at a lot of websites and can't really find what I'm looking for. So, here are my questions. How do you incorporate solids in with your nursing schedule? How many times a day? What time of day? How much food? Before or after you nurse? How much time do you wait before or after the nursing? When do you start having solids replace nursings? Any advice on this topic would be greatly appreciated!!"

Help her out!

Carrying the Load....

I love to carry my newborn around in a front pack. It's so convenient when they are little to just whip out the front pack and carry the baby while shopping, or taking a walk, or even around the house when I need my hands free. However... my back doesn't like my front pack so much. After my baby gets to be about 10 lbs it starts to be unbearable to wear.

Luckily I get to have a BRAND new front pack courtesy of my mother-in-law (a birthday present for me). She's willing to spend $100 dollars on it if need be. So I can have a NICE front pack.

What I need is advice... the front pack I have now is the $25 variety and is NOT comfortable at all. I NEED something that will offer comfort, especially since I'll have 3 children to chase. I'm not afraid of something pricey.

So... what can you tell me? Do YOU have a wonderful front pack that you like? OR, do you have a wrap or sling that you like? I'd also like safety precautions too, since I hear alarming rumors of newborns suffocating in wraps. Please, share your knowledge with me!!

Request from Our Readers Week 28

This week we are talking about cribs and mattresses. Here's what our reader said:

I need to buy a crib & mattress for my baby that's coming soon. Seems simple enough, right? Well, I once heard something to do about mattresses and risk of SIDS, so I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any type of mattress that may pose a problem or one that is especially good (but reasonably priced). Or, can I just dismiss the concern altogether and buy the least expensive mattress out there? Just wondering what you other moms have heard/may know. Also, does anyone have a crib that you just love and would recommend? The one I used with my first had a way you could adjust the height of the mattress, so when he was newborn and there was no risk of him getting out, I could leave it high so I didn't have to bend so far over the railing to lay him down. Then we just lowered it as he got older. I really liked that feature, but have not really noticed it on newer models.

So help her out . . .

What have you heard about SIDS and crib mattresses?
What crib do you use and what do you like about it/dislike about it?

Thanks for the reader request. If you have a topic or question you want discussed, email us at thevillageformoms@gmail.com!

Requests from Our Readers Week 27

This week we are talking about sibling LOVE. :) Check out what our reader said....



"My son is 20 months old and my daughter is 5 months old. They get along well, but sometimes my toddler loves my baby a little too much. Any tips on keeping the baby from being attacked with affection?"

So help her out!
How do you keep that over enthusiastic toddler away from their sibling yet give them the chance to show affection?
How much do you let your toddler help out with the baby?

Thanks for the reader request. Keep them coming!!

To Drink or Not to Drink

My daughter will be turning one next week. Yay! Anyway, she has been primarily bottle-fed for the last 8 months. She never liked baby food of any kind, but she does enjoy most table foods.

My question of the day is weaning her off the bottle. She still drinks regularly sometimes, but other times she just plays with the bottle and would rather eat table food. She's inconsistent, so I can't tell if she's ready to quit formula altogether or if it needs to be a more gradual process.

So...

How do you know when your child is ready to wean?

When do you start serving only table foods?

How do you make sure your toddler is getting all the necessary nutrition from table food only?

Thanks ladies!

Laura

Waste or Want #2: Boppy Pillows

Featured Product: Boppy Pillows


Description:

The Boppy pillow is designed to function as a nursing support pillow. The pillow wraps around the mother's waist to support the infant's body while nursing or bottle feeding. The pillow can also serve as a way to cradle an infant for either sitting time or tummy time.

Average Cost: $30-35 for pillow, $5-10 for additional slipcovers

On the one hand...

The Boppy frees the parent's hands while baby is eating. Mom or Dad can possibly do other things, such as reading, while baby eats. Having the extra support from the pillow can let Mom relax her arms and back while nursing, helping with the success of breastfeeding.

Tummy time is essential for muscle development. Using the Boppy lets the baby get tummy time without having their face quite so close to the floor, allowing both for better air circulation and more scenes in the baby's view to watch. The semi-circle design of the pillow encloses the baby to prevent falls. The same can be said for sitting up.

On the other hand...

Nursing can be done easily using pillows or the armrests on couches or chairs. Propping baby up on top of a pillow may increase the chances of falls and/or injury to the baby, so tummy time would be better flat on the floor.

And now, Cast Your Vote!

Boppy Nursing Pillow: Waste or Want?

and don't forget to tell us why!

Requests From Our Readers: Week 24

This week we are talking about how to get your baby to sleep when not at home. Check out what our reader said.....

"Okay, so this is going to be a major headache. Here's the facts:

1) The trip will be 10 days long.

2) My son will be 19 months old at the time of travel.

3) The trip will be in Japan (so expect super not-awesome jet-lag)

4) The son (described in item 1) DOES NOT fall asleep in the presence of adults. He HAS to be in his crib and he HAS to be alone...otherwise he'll just play.

5) Japanese, in general, don't use cribs, so none will be available to me.

WHAT DO I DO!?!?! How do I train my son to fall asleep without his crib? I've thought about switching him to a twin, or just put his crib mattress on the floor, but just the thought of that makes me shudder. No more peace! No more naps! Ah! Please help! I'm desperate!

P.S. The trip's happening in about a month, so I would appreciate feedback asap. :)"

So help her out! Give her some good tips on how to get her little one to sleep well in another place (let alone another country) and without his home comforts! What have you tried that's worked? Also - please address her specific concerns as best as you can.

Below are links two posts we've done in the past about traveling with kids. These might spark some ideas as well.

The Terminal Battle
Reader Request Week 5

Thanks for reading!!

Also - be sure to check out the post right below this one - about leaving kids overnight. We've all been there with axiety about leaving our little ones. PLEASE give some feedback on that post as well.

Requests From Our Readers: Week 23

This week we are talking about development with babies. Check out what our reader said....


"What activities can I do with my 3 month old to help him develop properly?"

What a great topic! Thanks for the request reader.

So help her out...
What do you do to help your baby develop properly without pushing him/her too hard?
What are some fun games/activities you can use to help your baby develop?
How do you gauge how your child is doing without freaking out?

Requests From Our Readers: Week 17

We have our first Reader Request for the new year!! Thank you so much for contributing. This week we are talking about baby bottles. Check out what our reader said.....



"What are your favorite bottles to use with infants? I used Avent bottles with my first child. I loved the bottles with one exception, THEY ALWAYS LEAKED!!!! It was so annoying to have milk leak all over the place. What bottles have you used? Which did you like the best?"

So help her out:

Tell us your favorite types of bottles and why.
Tell us what you've tried that works and what you've tried that doesn't work.
What other tips can you give us about bottles?

Just shoot us an e-mail if you have a question that you'd like discussed! Thank you for reading and commenting.

Separation Anxiety

For as much as I have worried about this, my son is not bad at all compared to some other children I know about me leaving him somewhere. However, lately it seems like he is suffering a little from separation anxiety. It only happens once in a while and I've been told doesn't last long; but I have family members who struggle with this a lot. I have been very lucky in this area as my son is with somebody other than me from 9 am until at least 12:30 pm M-F while I am at school. But, my question is how to make sure it doesn't escalate to the point of being a big issue.

Have you dealt with separation anxiety with your children?
How have you handled separation anxiety?
Do you have any advice on how to make a child feel secure where ever they are?

Requests From Our Readers: Week 16

This week we are talking about babies standing in cribs. Check out what our reader said.



"My 9 month old, who has more often than not been good to go down for naps & bedtime, has recently figured out how to stand & jump in his crib and it has changed life! It seems that no matter how tired he is when I lay him down, before long he'll be standing up and then crying. I'm not sure if the crying is because he's super tired, doesn't know how to get down, is afraid to fall, or probably is just too tired to think! I've heard that you can just go in and help them lay down without any fanfare and this seems to work at first, but pretty soon he's back up again and crying almost the moment he stands up! His pediatrician suggested just leaving him alone and that eventually he would learn to go to sleep and that he'd be okay even if he fell. I really want to try this, but because he's been sick & teething lately I keep wondering if he really does needs me. On the other hand, I'm starting to believe that I'm just reinforcing him & he knows if he cries long enough I'll come in. It probably seems worse than it is because I've been sick lately & want to sleep too, but still, I would love some ideas. Thanks!"

So help her out:

What do you do when your baby stands in his/her crib and won't go to sleep?
Do you let your baby cry and just sit down on his/her own? How has this worked
What else have you tried?
What age did your baby stop doing this?
What other tips can you give for babies who won't go to sleep in their crib?

This is our last reader request until someone sends us another one! Thanks for reading.

Requests From Our Readers: Week 11

This week we are talking about sleeping arrangements with children. Check out what our reader said:



"My second baby is due in about three months, and I have a bunch of questions related to having two kids.

Sleeping arrangements: The baby will most likely sleep in my bedroom with my husband and I for the first little while, but I am wondering about later on when she moves into the other bedroom with my older daughter (she'll be 2 by then). Any suggestions on a toddler and an infant sharing a room?"

This is an excellent question! So help her out:

Does your baby share a room with your toddler?
If not, what are the sleeping arrangements in your house?
Do you put your kids (that share a room) to bed at the same time or at different times?
Do your children keep each other awake or wake each other in the morning?
How do you combat common sleeping problems with children sharing a room?
How do you deal with nursing in the night if your baby is in with another child?
Give us some general tips on kids sleeping in the same room.

Look for more awesome questions about having more than one child (these will be coming in the weeks ahead). This question came from a reader named Laura Wampler who will be joining the panel. Thank you Laura for your awesome questions and for being willing to jump into the authorship of The Village.

Request From Our Readers: Week 10

This week we are talking about babies and solids! Here is what our reader had to say:

I had a question for you all! I started giving my baby rice cereal and then added oatmeal once a day about three weeks ago. Now all the sudden she refuses to eat either. Does this mean I should start offering different foods? Or that she just wasn't ready to start solids, and I should wait a week and start again? I would really love some advice!

Let's help her our:

At what age did you start your child/children on solids?
Did your child prefer one cereal over another?
Did they prefer fruit purees or vegetable purees?
What did you do to help your child start solids?

Also, if you haven't already, check out the tutorial for making your own baby food under the health and nutrition label!

Requests From Our Readers: Week 6

WHEW! Sorry we have been MIA with reader requests. We weren't getting many requests in and now suddenly we have a HUGE influx (which is AWESOME - thank you so much for giving us ideas). Just know that if you've sent a request in the last two weeks we WILL get to it - it might just take a few days or a week or so. Thanks again and keep those ideas coming.



This week we are talking about bumper pads!!! And oh boy, I for one am quite excited that this topic came up. Check out what our reader said:

"Recently my husband went to check on our 7 month old son before we went to bed. He notice that our son and rolled onto his side and was VERY close to the crib bumpers. When he came and told me about it I jumped out of bed right then and we went in to take the crib bumpers out. It made me really nervous that if we had not checked on him that he possibly could have suffocated. I had never even thought of that being a possibility before.

So I was wondering, what are your thoughts on crib bumpers?
Do you use them? And if so, how do you try to make sure your child doesn't roll into them?
And, what types of things do you have in the crib?
Do you just wrap up your baby and put him/her in there?
Or do you use a blanket to just lay on top of him/her?"

So help her out!! Give us your thoughts and stories, and keep it all coming! Thanks for reading and making this blog great.