Choosing the Right Highchair
Before diving into best practices, it's crucial to select the right highchair for your baby. Highchairs come in various styles, each with its unique features. Consider your baby's age, size, and your specific needs when choosing one. Look for safety features, ease of cleaning, and adjustability to accommodate your growing child.
Top 3 rated High Chairs from Product Review
Redsbaby Hilo
Ikea Antilop
Baccani Cibo High Chair
Setting Up the Highchair
Proper setup is the first step to ensure your baby's safety. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully when assembling the highchair, and make sure it's securely fastened to prevent any accidents. Additionally, choose a suitable location for the highchair in your home, away from hazards like cords or hot surfaces.
Safety First
Safety is paramount when using a highchair. Always use the safety straps and harnesses provided with the highchair to secure your baby in place. Regularly inspect the highchair for loose parts or any potential hazards that might arise with wear and tear.
Feeding Time
When to start introducing solid foods to your baby usually depends on their age and developmental readiness, which is typically around six months. Establish a feeding schedule that works for both you and your baby. Make mealtime enjoyable by using colourful utensils and dishes, singing songs, or engaging in conversation.
Comfort and Ergonomics
To ensure your baby's comfort during meals, adjust the highchair's height and recline settings to provide proper support. Some highchairs come with cushions or inserts for added comfort, so consider using them if available.
Also Consider using a Nibble & Rest Foot Rest to help your little one with Security & comfort
Cleaning and Maintenance
Highchair hygiene is crucial. Regularly clean all parts of the highchair, including the tray, seat, and straps. Follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions, and ensure that your baby eats in a clean environment. Proper maintenance and storage will extend the highchair's lifespan.
Help with clean up with a Luxe Mini Co High Chair Cover
Transitioning to Self-Feeding
As your baby grows, encourage self-feeding by offering appropriate utensils and dishes. Let your child explore different textures and flavours at their own pace. While messes are inevitable, they are a part of the learning process, so be patient and supportive.
Highchair Safety on the Go
For families on the move, portable highchairs are a convenient option. Ensure you choose one that meets safety standards for travel and dining out. When using highchairs in restaurants or public places, always inspect them for stability and cleanliness before placing your child in them.
Conclusion
Using a highchair for your baby under one year can be a rewarding experience when you prioritize safety and comfort. By selecting the right highchair, setting it up correctly, practicing safety, and fostering a positive mealtime environment, you can make this journey enjoyable for both you and your little one. Remember, each baby is unique, so adapt these best practices to suit your child's needs, and cherish these precious moments of mealtime bonding.
]]>@tinybeetsfoods As the price of strawberries start come back down, lets talk about strawberries #tinybeets #blw #firstfoods #5monthsold #babyfoodideas #6monthsold #snacks ♬ original sound - Anthony - Baby & Toddler Meals
Nutritional Value: Avocados are nature's treasure trove of essential nutrients. Packed with healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, they provide a solid foundation for your baby's nutritional needs. The monounsaturated fats found in avocados are particularly beneficial for brain development and overall growth in infants. These healthy fats support the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, E, and K, which are vital for your baby's overall well-being.
Creamy Texture: One of the challenges of introducing solid foods to babies is finding options with a suitable texture. Avocados come to the rescue with their smooth and creamy consistency. This natural texture makes them incredibly easy for babies to swallow and digest, especially when mashed or pureed. By offering avocados to your little one, you're providing a food that goes down smoothly, helping them transition from a solely liquid diet to one that incorporates solid foods.
Digestibility: Babies have delicate digestive systems that need to adjust to new foods gradually. Avocados are not only gentle on their tummies but also promote healthy digestion. The natural fats and fibre present in avocados help regulate digestion, supporting regular bowel movements in infants. Additionally, avocados contain enzymes that aid in the breakdown of food, making them easy for your baby's system to process.
Allergen-Friendly: Food allergies can be a concern when introducing new foods to your baby. Fortunately, avocados are considered to be a low-allergenic food, making them a safe choice for infants. They have a low incidence of causing allergies compared to some other fruits, reducing the risk of adverse reactions. However, it's always important to stay vigilant and watch for any signs of allergies or digestive issues when introducing new foods to your baby's diet.
Conclusion: When it comes to introducing solid foods to your baby, avocados are a winning choice. Packed with nutrients, boasting a creamy texture, promoting easy digestion, and being low in allergens, avocados offer numerous benefits for your little one's health and development. Whether you serve them mashed, pureed, or as a healthy addition to other dishes, avocados are a nutritional powerhouse that will support your baby's growth journey. Remember to consult your paediatrician before introducing any new foods to your baby and enjoy watching them savour this delicious and nourishing fruit!
Note: As always, consult your paediatrician before introducing new foods to your baby's diet to ensure it aligns with their individual needs and any specific dietary considerations or allergies they may have.
]]>Nutritional Powerhouse: Elevate Your Baby's Health Discover the powerhouse of vitamins B, C, and D, along with essential minerals like selenium and potassium found in mushrooms. These nutrients play a vital role in supporting your baby's healthy growth and development. By incorporating mushrooms into their meals, you can provide the necessary nutrition they need to thrive.
Immune System Support: Boost Your Baby's Defenses Unleash the immune-boosting potential of mushrooms! Scientifically proven compounds, including beta-glucans, can enhance your baby's immune system, helping them combat common illnesses. Discover how mushrooms can become a natural ally in building a robust defense system for your little one.
Promotes Digestive Health: Happy Tummy, Happy Baby Fiber is the key to a healthy digestive system, and mushrooms are an excellent source of dietary fiber. By introducing mushrooms early on, you can help establish a healthy digestive system for your baby. Explore how fiber-rich mushrooms can prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movements, ensuring a happy tummy for your little explorer.
Texture and Taste Exploration: An Adventure for Tiny Tastebuds As your baby embarks on their solid food journey, introducing diverse textures and flavors becomes essential in developing their palate. Unleash the unique taste and texture of mushrooms, igniting a sensory adventure for their tiny tastebuds. Discover the joys of expanding their culinary horizons while incorporating mushrooms into their meals.
Low Allergenic Potential: A Safe and Nourishing Choice Concerns about allergies when introducing new foods to your baby are common. Rest assured, mushrooms have a low allergenic potential compared to other common allergenic foods. This makes them a safe and nourishing choice to introduce to your baby's diet, providing peace of mind while broadening their culinary experiences.
Conclusion: Mushrooms offer a world of benefits for babies under one year old. From their nutritional richness to immune system support, digestive health promotion, texture exploration, and low allergenicity, mushrooms can be a valuable addition to your baby's diet. Consult with your paediatrician and embark on a delightful journey of incorporating mushrooms into your little one's meals, ensuring optimal growth and development.
Keywords: mushrooms for babies, benefits of mushrooms for babies, introducing mushrooms to baby, mushroom nutrition for infants, immune support for babies, promoting digestive health in infants, expanding baby's palate, low allergenic foods for infants
]]>Understanding Gagging and Choking: Gagging and choking are common concerns that can occur during a baby's introduction to solid foods. It's crucial to differentiate between the two to respond effectively:
Gagging: Gagging is a protective reflex that helps prevent choking. When a baby gags, it means that a piece of food or an object has triggered a reflex in the back of their throat. This reflex pushes the object forward, often resulting in coughing, spluttering, or retching. Gagging is a normal part of a baby's learning process as they explore different textures and learn to manage their food.
Choking: Choking, on the other hand, occurs when an object becomes lodged in the throat and blocks the airway. It is a serious and potentially life-threatening situation. Signs of choking include difficulty breathing, inability to cry or cough, and a change in skin colour, such as turning blue or pale. Immediate action is required to dislodge the object and restore normal breathing.
Tips for Responding to Gagging:
Stay Calm: It's natural to feel anxious when your baby gags, but remaining calm is essential. Panicking may increase your baby's distress.
Observe and Encourage: Watch your baby closely as they eat and pay attention to their cues. Encourage them to self-feed and explore different textures, as this helps them develop their gag reflex and learn how to manage food safely.
Avoid Forceful Intervention: Unless your baby is in immediate danger, it's generally best to avoid forceful intervention, such as sticking your fingers into their mouth to remove the gagged food. Let them try to manage it themselves.
Offer Support: Sit close to your baby during meals, providing supervision and support. Make sure they are sitting in an upright position and avoid distractions that may hinder their focus on eating.
Cut Food & oook into Age-Appropriate Sizes: To minimize the risk of choking, cut food into small, manageable pieces appropriate for your baby's age and chewing abilities. Unsure on if you have prepare food correctly? do the "Smush Test"(mashable between your thumb & forefinger).
Tips for Responding to Choking:
Act Immediately: If your baby is choking and unable to cough, cry, or breathe, you must act swiftly. Follow the Australian guidelines for choking first aid, which may include back blows and chest thrusts. Familiarize yourself with these techniques in advance. (St Johns Fact Sheet)
Seek Emergency Help: If your attempts to dislodge the object are unsuccessful, call emergency services immediately. It's crucial to have professional medical assistance in such situations.
Promoting Safe Mealtime Practices:
Supervise: Always supervise your baby during mealtimes, ensuring they are sitting in an upright position and paying attention to their food.
Offer Nutritious Foods: Introduce a variety of age-appropriate, nutritious foods to expand your baby's palate. Aim for a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.
Stay Informed: Keep yourself updated with the latest Australian guidelines and recommendations on infant feeding and safety practices.
Conclusion: Differentiating between gagging and choking is vital for ensuring the safety of your little one during their feeding journey. Understanding the signs and appropriate responses to each situation empowers you as a parent to create a safe environment for your baby's exploration of solid foods. By staying informed and implementing best practices, you can foster a positive mealtime experience, promoting healthy growth and development for your child.
]]>If your baby was born premature or with a low birth weight, they may need to start solids earlier to make sure they get enough iron. Check in with your doctor or child health nurse for personalized advice.
Meat:
If you're ready to introduce meat to your baby's diet, mince meat is a great place to start. Cook up some lean beef, lamb, pork, or kangaroo until it's soft and there's no pink left. Then, mash or puree it to the texture that your baby can handle.
To make it more palatable, try combining the meat with a sweet vegetable like cooked pumpkin, carrot, or sweet potato. This not only helps your baby eat the meat but also provides essential iron. Avoid adding salt or soy sauce during cooking as it can harm your baby's developing kidneys.
When selecting meat, choose lean cuts as there is no iron in the fat - it's in the lean meat itself. Soft-cooked meat strips make for great finger foods, while meatballs or mini-meatloaves are perfect for your little one to hold in their hand.
Lean Meat Options we offer
Stage 3:
Beans and legumes
Beans and legumes are an excellent source of iron, especially when combined with vitamin C-rich foods. They have a subtle flavour, making them a perfect addition to purees.
You can use canned beans like cannellini beans, white beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, or lentils, or soak and cook them yourself. Puree or mash them with your baby's vegetables, meat, or fruit.
Be cautious when choosing canned beans and make sure they don't have added salt as your baby's kidneys aren't mature enough to process it. Also, avoid adding salt during cooking.
For older babies who feed themselves, you can create ball-shaped bites resembling meatballs, using mashed beans and legumes with soft-cooked pumpkin, sweet potato, green veggies, tofu, egg, or meat. These iron-packed and tasty balls can be baked or fried in a little oil, but make sure they're cooked thoroughly if you include meat or egg.
An older baby may enjoy the challenge of using their pincer grip to pick up baked beans from a bowl. Baked beans can also be an excellent transition food for babies who have started with purees and are ready for lumpier textures.
Beans & Legumes we offer:
Smooth/Stage 1:
Textured/Stage 2:
Chicken & Poultry
When introducing poultry to your baby's diet, it's best to choose skinless chicken or turkey. Lean chicken breast or mince, poached or steamed, are excellent first foods. Puree or mash them to a texture your baby is comfortable with. You can also combine chicken with vegetables to make meatballs that your baby can hold in their hand and feed themselves. Be mindful not to add salt or soy sauce while cooking as your baby's kidneys can't process salt yet.
It's essential to cook chicken thoroughly and ensure there are no pink bits. Any leftovers that you're not serving to your baby should be refrigerated as soon as they stop steaming. If you won't be serving any leftovers within 24 hours, freeze them.
Chicken and turkey blend well in purees and mashes with fruits like pear, apple, and tomato or vegetables like capsicum, spinach, avocado, and button mushrooms. However, it's best to experiment with various combinations to see what works best for your baby.
Chicken & Poultry we offer:
Textured/Stage 2:
Very Textured/Stage 3:
Eggs
Eggs can be a nutritious addition to your baby's diet from the age of six months. You can mash boiled egg yolks into vegetables or cereals, or scramble them with a little milk added. Just make sure to avoid adding salt while cooking. For baby-led weaning, you can try plain omelettes or finely chopped egg with spinach, parsley, or basil.
If you want to add egg to meatballs or veggie balls, make sure the egg is well-cooked. It's important to note that raw or undercooked eggs may carry salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning.
Although some babies may be allergic to eggs, avoiding them altogether may not be necessary. Unless your baby has an egg allergy, it's recommended to introduce cooked eggs to their diet before they turn 12 months old.
Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and folate. However, it's important to note that some green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and silverbeet, contain high levels of nitrates, which can be harmful to babies under six months old. For babies between six months and one year, it's recommended to limit the intake of nitrate-rich foods, including spinach and silverbeet, to once a week. Other green leafy vegetables, such as kale and broccoli, are low in nitrates and can be given more frequently. Always consult with your paediatrician before introducing new foods to your baby's diet.
Green Leafy Vegetables We offer:
Textured/Stage 2:
Iron Stoppers
It's important to note that iron-stoppers should not be completely avoided, but rather be consumed in moderation or at a separate time from iron-rich foods. For example, it's okay for older children and adults to drink tea or consume bran, but they should not be consumed alongside iron-rich foods or supplements. The same applies to cow's milk - it's okay to use it in cooking or have a little on cereal, but it should not be consumed at the same time as iron-rich foods or supplements.
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In this blog we’ll look at how to help your little one transition during daylight savings and provide tips to help your baby sleep when the clocks turn back 1 hour.
For those worried about early rising, I want to reassure you that early rising doesn’t have to become the new ‘norm’ in your household and daylight savings transitions don’t have to impact the family long-term.
There are ways to achieve a smooth transition.
This being said, due to our body’s lower drive to sleep in the morning, early rising is one of the trickier sleep hurdles. Sometimes it simply takes time to restore the sleep pressure and shift the body’s “wake up time” to a more appropriate time (generally between 6:00-7:00am on a ‘standard’ 7:00am-7:00pm schedule.
For most parents, there will not be a ‘bonus sleep in’ come daylight savings, but this clock change doesn’t have to mean the beginning of months on end of early rising. If anything, we can take this opportunity to finally work on early rising once and for all with an extra hour to persist with re-settling – the goal isn’t necessarily returning to sleep…at least initially.
For now, the best thing you can do to ready yourself for the transition is to have a plan, either proactive or reactive (we’ll talk about this more) and as always, consistency is key to guiding your little one through this time.
The circadian rhythm is the body’s internal biological sleep clock and it is set by food, light and social interaction. These external factors are like data being provided to the body, which is sending clear messages to signal when it is awake time and when it is sleep time.
It should also be noted that serotonin (happy hormone) is produced during the day and converts to melatonin (sleepy hormone) at night.
The body clock can be shifted simply by moving, adding or omitting the elements of food, light and social interaction. This is where your little one’s routine comes into play and can be used to transition their circadian rhythm.
Which leads me to the next point
There are two common approaches to making the clock work in your favour. These approaches are called Proactive and Reactive.
This is where, in the 5-7 days prior to the time change, you progressively shift your routine by 15-20 minutes; meaning every step in your routine happens just that little bit later.
For example: if you usually run your little one’s day between the hours of 7:00am – 7:00pm, in the week leading up to daylight savings you’ll be aiming to progressively move towards an 8:00am – 8:00pm routine by the end of the week.
By progressively shifting to the 8:00am – 8:00pm routine, by the time the clocks wind back on Sunday morning you’ll have already transitioned your little one’s sleep routine and they’ll now be back on a 7:00am – 7:00pm routine.
Expert Tip: Remember everything is moving to a slightly later time. Always start at the beginning of the day and push out meals and snacks consecutively to achieve the later bedtime.
DAYS 1-2 | DAYS 3-4 | DAYS 5-6 | DAYS 7-8 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Start of the day | 7:15am | 7:30am | 7:45am | 8:00am |
All Naps | 15 minutes later | 30 minutes later | 45 minutes later | 1 hour later |
All Meals | 15 minutes later | 30 minutes later | 45 minutes later | 1 hour later |
Bedtime | 7:15pm | 7:30pm | 7:45pm | 8:00pm |
This will then “switch” you back to a 7:00am-7:00pm routine come Sunday morning. Don’t worry if you start late or only get half way by the Sunday. It’s a guideline to work towards not a deadline.
The alternative to a proactive approach is a reactive approach which is the same method as the proactive approach only it’s implemented after daylight savings ends i.e. after the time change.
If we use the example of having a 7:00am – 7:00pm routine, once the clocks go back this will now be a 6:00am – 6:00pm routine and the idea is to get your little one back to 7:00am – 7:00pm.
How’s it done? Over a few days you’ll move your routine 15-20 minutes later which progressively retrains your little one’s body clock to adjust to a 7:00am – 7:00pm routine on the new time.
As with the proactive approach, always start the process at the beginning of the day and push out meals, snacks and naps consecutively to progressively shuffle to a later time.
DAYS 1-2 | DAYS 3-4 | DAYS 5-6 | DAYS 7-8 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Start of the day | 6:15am | 6:30am | 6:45am | 7:00am |
All Naps | 15 minutes later | 30 minutes later | 45 minutes later | 1 hour later |
All Meals | 15 minutes later | 30 minutes later | 45 minutes later | 1 hour later |
Bedtime | 6:15pm | 6:30pm | 6:45pm | 7:00pm |
When it comes to our little one’s sleep habits consistency will always be important. The daylight savings clock change is the time to be consistent and is not the time to change your approach with settling and re-settling. During this time be especially cautious to ensure you don’t add any new sleep props that you don’t wish to retain long-term.
Expert Insight: Younger babies (4-12 months old) will be more sensitive to this change whereas with your newborn-3-month-old you can simply follow awake times and add/drop a nap to get them back on track.
Older babies/toddlers you can gently adjust by pushing towards their “regular” day to day nap schedule and bedtime and their bodies will catch up over 5-7 days.
Remember- No matter what happens, the best thing you can do is allow your bub the opportunity to transition and the above suggestions will help to do just this.
Expert Tip: Once the change happens avoid thinking “old time vs new time” and just go with the actual time, pushing forward with where you want to get to as you’ll constantly confuse yourself going back and forth. One hour is not hugely significant, especially for older children and thankfully we are not crossing significant time zones.
Any changes from daylight savings are commonly sorted within 5-7 days.
Early rising can be a kicker but don’t let it stress you out. I encourage you to view this time through the lens of opportunity and a chance to work on minimising early rising in your little one (especially if early rising was already a common occurrence). Having the extra hour to work on re-settling before starting the day is in your favour mumma.
Try to remember that as a parent, it is not our job to “force” sleep, rather offer the opportunity and if they are awake earlier than ideal, we don’t automatically need to get them up and start the day, rather try to keep them in their sleep environment (with as little interaction as possible) to “bore” them back to sleep rather than be too hands on with our approach.
Expert Tip: Early rising can take 2-3 weeks to resolve, hence the need to be patient and consistent.
Check out the early rising blog for extra hints and tips to beat the early wake up calls from your little one.
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Typically a small amount of allergens are introduced one at a time to build your baby’s tolerance. A well-cooked egg or smooth peanut butter is a great place to start, by adding ¼ teaspoon of the allergen to their usual meals and monitoring for any reactions. Then gradually increasing the amount of allergen added over time.
When introducing allergens, it's best that the parent without allergies preps and serves these meals. There may also be other members of your household or the occasional guest with food allergies. So there are a few things you can do to prevent triggering an allergic reaction in others.
Firstly, encourage them to touch their food. Squeezing, feeling and dropping food is all part of developing their fine motor skills. It’s also a great way for them to learn about the taste, texture and smell of their favourite, or not so favourite foods. Yes, it’s a messy process, but your bub will learn some very important skills and you may even get a laugh out of their self-made yoghurt face mask.
Secondly, start with solid finger foods. Finger foods are small, soft pieces of food like bananas, mango, potato and pumpkin. Start by putting just a few pieces on their plate or bowl, adding more as they smoosh or drop pieces along the way.
Thirdly, let them have a go with the spoon or fork. As your child begins to show interest in their spoon or fork, by constantly reaching for it, allow them to practice holding and moving the utensil. Most aren’t able to use a spoon or fork until they’re 18 months old, but they will usually let you know when they’re ready.
You can encourage them further by eating with them and showing them how it’s done, loading food onto their utensil and giving it to them to feed themselves and praising them when they’ve had a go with their spoon or fork.
A few tips to avoid the mess while your bub is still learning are:
- Use a bib Place a catch mat on the floor under their chair
- Cut food into small pieces and into shapes that are easier to grab
- Use a suction plate or bowl
- Set up your baby’s high chair outside if it’s safe to do so
Now it's time to give it a go with your bub and see how they progress on their journey to independent eating!
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Food Intolerance
Food intolerance means the body is having trouble digesting certain foods or the digestive system is irritated by a particular food group. A few symptoms that may indicate an intolerance are vomiting, diarrhoea, bloating, gas, cramps, belly pain, irritability and mouth ulcers. It’s important to note that symptoms are often delayed and your bub may be reacting to the food they ate hours or even days ago.
The most common food intolerances are to:
The most common diagnosis method is through an elimination diet. This means removing a number of foods that your baby may be intolerant to from their diet for a few weeks. Certain foods are then slowly re-introduced to work out what they react to.
Food Allergies
A food allergy is when the immune system sees a particular food as a threat to the body. The body then reacts by releasing histamine into the body’s tissue, which causes an allergic reaction. Some reactions are instant and whereas others are delayed by up to several hours.
Mild to moderate symptoms include swollen lips, face or eyes, hives, changes in skin colour (red, brown, purple or grey), tingling or itchy mouth, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, sneezing and a blocked nose.
Severe symptoms (anaphylaxis) include difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, difficulty talking, wheezing or coughing, persistent dizziness, fainting, paleness and severe stomach pain, vomiting or diarrhoea.
The most common food allergies are:
Hair, Skin, Nails and Joints
Bone broth contains Gelatin and Hyaluronic Acid, which are great for a number of reasons. Gelatin helps to nourish your baby’s hair and nails, while also supporting healthy digestion. Hyaluronic Acid helps to form collagen cushioning in our joints, as well as promotes hydration throughout the body.
Easy Absorbtion
Due to how well it is broken down throughout the cooking process, it’s much easier to absorb. This puts reduced strain on bub's digestive system, which helps to keep their little tummy happy. It also coats the gut lining which helps to mature the stomach.
Amino Acids
Bone broth is loaded with Amino Acids, which are great for brain function, immune system function, and reducing inflammation. As well as all over nourishment for the body. The follow-on effects of this are assistance with infections and better sleep for bub.
Loaded With Minerals
Lastly, it promotes healthy bone growth and formation from its variety of highly beneficial minerals. More specifically, it contains magnesium, silicon, calcium, phosphorous and sulphur.
Bone Broth In Babies Diet
Now that you know just how much bone broth is beneficial for babies, how do you incorporate it into their diet?
Bone broth can be added to most recipes to add flavour. Think soups, puree’s, sauces, bolognaise, risotto and much more. It can also be consumed on its own as a drink, just put it into bub’s favourite bottle or cup for them to sip on.
Buy Tinybeets Foods Chicken Bone Broth
]]>But all's not lost.
Here are some tips for stretching that precious time in the high chair.
A child is sent to the emergency room every 43 minutes due to toppling furniture. To keep your baby from sliding down the seat or getting poked by sharp edges and brims, it is important to strap them in securely. Ensure the crotch strap is secured to keep the baby snug and comfy. And give them a footrest if possible.
Most parents use high chairs for children's playtime. While this is not a bad practice, it is important to have a schedule so your baby knows when it is playtime and when it's time for dinner. This is important, so your kid does not end up flinging food around the house.
Most parents keep the high chair close to the table or countertops. This can be dangerous. Your child might have the strength to kick back and topple over the high chair. Try keeping the high chair away from countertops or tables to protect your baby from mishaps. Instead, keep them close to you so they can be a part of the conversation and feel included enough to stop crying.
Babies are copycats. So when you bring a dinner party vibe to the table, they are likely to mimic. Look at the baby, laugh, make merry, or at least talk about the weather – whatever you do, keep the ambience light and fun. That's one way to ensure that your baby joins in and lasts the entire meal in the high chair.
When babies are forced to stay in the high chair longer than they want, they associate it negatively with pain and discomfort.
So manage your expectations and let them lead the high chair time; remove them (even if for a few minutes) if they start fussing. This is important if you don't want them to start crying the second they lay eyes on a high chair.
While high chairs can be a handy piece of furniture, it is important to know how to use them properly. Whether you want your child to play in one place or get them to have dinner at the table, a high chair is perfect for you.
Follow our tips and avoid any accidents within the house. High chairs do not have to be risky if you take care of how you use them.
]]>Children often reject new food as they are growing up. You cannot expect your child to keep having milk and instant cereal. There will come a time when you would want to introduce them to fruits, vegetables, and other food items. This article explores why children reject food and how you can help them accept new flavours.
You must have seen your child taste things that are not meant to be eaten, such as their crayons, sticks, and all sorts of things that they shouldn't be consuming. This is not because they are hungry but has more to do with their intense interest at their early ages. This phase lasts from 12 to 18 months.
After this, they enter a new phase of food neophobia, i.e., the fear of new foods.
Scientists believe that neophobia is built into DNA. It is embedded in us to prevent humans from ingesting poisonous items. This response is natural, but toddlers can be trained to ignore it. It is advised not to give your child substitutes if they refuse a new food. This can result in your child growing up to be a picky eater.
Toddlers will eventually start trying new foods, but parents need to maintain a calm mind and patience and help them through this growth phase.
We must understand that they are children, after all. Several tactics can be employed to help your toddler try new foods. Some of these tips include:
Children can often make dinner time challenging, but this is not their fault. Parents must stay patient and help them try new foods, introducing them to new flavours. It's important to understand your child's core reservations and not force them to eat foods they feel an aversion to.
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What to do when your little one wont touch food
There are many reasons why your little one may not be interested in eating, but what can you do when littles ones aren't interested in touching their food?
Why? Lets find out
If a little one is not eating, they are trying to tell us something. For some Babies, they simply might not be interested, have the skill, or desire to eat at that moment. For others, it may be more complicated given their history (negative associations such as reflux, bad gag, highchair, etc). Its imperative to listen to little ones cues in any of theses situations while guiding them to learn.
The important thing you can do is bring a calm confidence to the table and believe that little ones can learn the skills for eating.
In other words, stay calm and don't give up!
If your Little one is 6 months old or older
You've done all the reading about starting solids, You have the highchair, bib, and you know what food you want to introduce first. Then in a blink of a camera, at the height of your anticipation, your bubble bursts. Your little one doesn't bring a single thing to their mouth.
At 6 months of age or younger, little ones are often just not ready. Evaluate whether your little one is truly ready for solids and make sure your little one is meeting all the developmental signs before starting solids.
Consider waiting a week or two:
Your little one might be showing all the signs of readiness, but isn't engaging with food offered, try to not worry to much. Many little ones at this age are just not cognitively ready to start feeding, even if they showing the motor milestones for readiness. This is normal.
Let them watch you:
Even before your start solids, bring your little one to the table. Pull up the high chair so they can watch you eat or sit them on your lap. Channel a dinner party vibe - Laugh, smile and enjoy your meal so they can see your having fun with eating. Little ones learn to eat from us, so getting them involved from before they start solids will help in reaching the goals of mastering solids.
Talk to your little one and describe the food:
"This is delicious Pumpkin Dahl inspired from a indian curry!"
Be the mouth model you always wanted to be!
Throw out all those manners our parents taught us and chew with your mouth open so your little one can see what you are doing. When you swallow, point to your stomach and say "the puree went all the way to my belly!". you might feel a bit silly but your model game is a huge deal for many little ones.
If your Little one is 9 months old or older
If your little one is just starting to self-feed, they might not know what to do with the food in front of them. Remember, they've been learning and practicing a different way of eating(spoon fed) they need to learn a new way to eat
Model your daily eating routine:
This is super important if you are transitioning from spoon fed to self feeding/baby-led weaning. Remember, everything your little one one is doing is a new skill and they need to see how its done to understand better.
Bring your little ones attention to the food:
Tap the high chair near there food to make sure they are visually attending to it, call their name and say "look!". Sometimes a simple cue like this is all a little one needs to acknowledge and touch food on there highchair.
Offer food from your own mouth:
Put your manners aside for and try this well tested feeding therapy method: Hold the food between your teeth, lean towards the baby and let them take the food out of your month with their hands.
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It can be quite a daunting experience and many parents end up putting the introduction of the top 8 allergens off until their little one is well onto solids.
However - According to paediatricians the earlier little ones can start being introduced to allergens, the better
But what are the top 8 allergens?
so, how can you start to induce theses allergens to little ones?
1. start small
Start with a very small amount of the allergen food. If there's is no reaction you can slowly start increasing the amount over time
2. introduce early in the day
allays introducing in the morning or early afternoon, while most allergic reactions occur within 2 hours this allows you to have the rest of the day to observe for allergic reactions.
3. one at a time
Introduce allergens one at a time. this will allow you to know exactly what allergens cause a reaction.
4. regular exposure
one your little on has been introduced to a allergen, keep it in the weekly rotation at a minimum.
**Things to keep in mind: Be more cautious if your little one has conditions such as eczema, asthma, hay fever or a family history of highly sensitive allergies. These symptoms are signs of higher risk for allergy in babies.
Please remember that all babies are different and may not have a reaction at first exposure. Keep an eye open for any reactions over time.
As always, consult with your little one's GP if you have any questions or have a family history of strong allergies.
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When water is introduced,, it should only be offered in a open cup or straw cup(similar to b.box sippy cup) but not in a standard milk bottle. Have a water bottle yourself? it'd fine to offer baby sips from time to time. just keep tabs on how much your little one is consuming before 12 months of age, when water intake needs to be more carefully watched.
Water may be introduced in small amounts after 6 months of age. With Better Health Victoria suggesting that little ones can have up to 0.6 litres as fluids up until the age for 12 months. But that number should start lower and slowly growing over time. Water is optional before 12 months of age if still on formula or breast milk.
Offer water in a open cup or straw cup(similar to b.box sippy cup) to help baby develop cup drinking skills.
Believe it or not, water is actually one of the hardest liquids to learn how to drink. Water is thin and flows quickly, which requires the tongue and swallow muscles to work very fast. Don't be worried if your little one coughs when first learning to drink water. The oral skills required to drink from a cup or straw are very different than the movements required for a bottle or breast feeding.
Often, a little one coughs and sputters when the liquid is not well-contained in the mouth. As little ones skills improve with cup or straw drinking, this coughing and sputtering should subside. If your little one continues to cough with water drinking after ample practice time(a few months), speak with your doctor.
]]>We’ve put together a list of the top 5 reasons why you should
choose First Senses as your messy play experts.
1. *Enhance children’s learning and development *
All our activities during our sessions are planned in line with children’s developmental milestones and learning in mind. With over 12 years experience of working with children Emma is qualified to ensure our activities aid their learning. Sarah is also a qualified Early Years Educator with over 8 years of working in the sector *(check out our About Me for more information)*.
2. *Sociable*
All our sessions encourage families and children to be social. Our sessions provide a fun, laid back atmosphere to allow children to learn and develop in a unstructured way. They are allowed to explore the materials through their own investigations. You can bring your friends, spend time with your family and meet other new families.
3. *Professional*
Did we mention our Emma holds a BA in Early Years as
well as other relevant Early Childhood qualifications. Emma has held many positions in her career starting in childcare, kindergartens and heading into working with vulnerable families and children. Our sessions ensure
children’s learning is nurtured in their own way.
4. *Affordable *
We aren’t just about making money. Our sessions were developed to be affordable to all families whilst offering high quality learning opportunities.
5. *You don’t have to clean up any of the mess at the end of the
session! *
That’s right you just leave that clean up to us!
1. Build Snow People
Grab some playdough, buttons, googly eyes, sticks and some grapat orange cones and create some snow people ⛄️❄️
2. Create Loose Parts Patterns
Use some coloured tape, your loose parts and create a line design, shape design, letter design, or picture design. Get the kids to line up your grapat mandala pieces or coloured loose parts along the lines.
3. Do some gardening
This helps children understand more about where food comes from and how to care for vegetables / herbs / flowers and our environment 👨🏽🌾 Grab a little beginners gardening kit if that helps.
4. Paint Rocks
Grab some paint and rocks and get your creativity going. Paint words of kindness, your favourite animal, a symbol or even a picture. Then once finished, you can place the rocks around the house and play hide and seek to find them, or simply place the painted rocks in the garden.
5. Do some Colour Sorting
You can use some magnetic tiles - create colour coded cubes and grab some loose parts (image above displays Grapat Lola being used). Have your child colour sort the loose parts into the coloured cubes. If you do not have magnetic tiles, you can simply use small cardboard boxes (paint or colour them accordingly).
6. Letter Formation Practice
With many children now remote learning for school, practicing letter formation is an important part of the cirriculum. Along with maths activites. Here we have an activity practicing the letter "L" and associating it to a word "Leaves", then we have picked some leaves and have numbered them. A great activity that emcompasses language, maths and getting outside to collect some leaves!
7. Create Cardboard Monsters
Draw out some monsters on some cardboard and decorate them using some googly eyes, paper squares, and various craft items. Create scary monsters, or friendly ones, funny looking ones, silly ones. Have fun!
8. Create an Arctic Play Activity
Using some wooden blocks/boulders, penguins, ice cubes, waterbeads, nature rocks and some ice packs! Small world play is creating a life scene for a child to play with.
Hi, I am Niki, the proud founder and owner of Nesk Kids!
When creating Nesk Kids, I really wanted to focus on bringing loose parts play into children’s lives. With so much screen time these days, it felt like children were losing the opportunity to be creative and imaginative (especially in the physical world). With my love for open-ended play, I was on a mission to create a unique product and platform where loose parts, education and creativity were at the forefront. Play and sensory learning are so important in a child’s development, and the opportunities are endless in a child's imagination - so why not nurture it and let them explore it (that is what Nesk Kids is all about).
]]>Your little one’s sleep will go through many stages of development, especially in the first 12 months of life. Did you know that there are 5 known stages of sleep regression, or really progressions as they advancements in new skill development! This can include physical development, cognitive development and emotional development.
The second sleep regression that your little one will experience is the 9 month sleep regression. Different from the 4 month sleep regression, in that it is short-term and passes in 2-4 weeks. This is compared to the 4 month sleep regression which involves a permanent neurological change in our little one’s sleeping patterns which is why even at 9 months you nay still be feeling some of the aftermath if your little one doesn’t have a strong foundation for sleep.
This can also be referred as the 8-10 month regression or separation anxiety. Don't stress, it doesn't last 2 months, more commonly 2-4 weeks as mentioned above, but it does depend on your babies previous sleeping patterns.
Expert tip: The stronger your sleep foundations, the less likely you will feel these regressions throughout the early years. This may mean only a few days or you may notice some different behaviours by day, but little or no impact at night.
Every baby is different.
They are commonly characterised by:
It is also linked to their first wave of object permanence AKA separation anxiety. This is when your little one learns that you are actually two separate people and that objects/people can still exist when outside of their direct line of sight. This can be really unsettling initially for your little one. Peek a boo games are great to learn the concept of something gone is not gone forever!
Check out my Top 5 Tips for handling this regression like a boss to remain cool, calm and confident in your approach and return to great sleep in the shortest space of time.
Tops 5 tips to handle the 9 month sleep regression
I also recommend continuous white noise to buffer external household noises, especially if you have noisy sibling! This is safe to play around 50-60 decibels long-term and can be weaned off at any stage by simply turning it down and off over a one week period.
You can download my nap routines via link (insert link - Calendar Thanks (babysleepfoundations.com)) for guidance from 6 weeks to 4 years with month my month guidance of sleep requirements, milk/solids intake and so much more.
I want to always encourage you to respond to your little one and provide extra support as you feel they need, just remember to have an exit strategy to leave the room again over this timeframe as children learn through patterns of repetition of events and wont necessarily give you an “out” to leave the room again once the regression has passed.
Remember not to panic about them "refusing" to sit/lay down. They can do it, but it will require you to be patient and not "rescue" them every 2 minutes which can turn it into a game/battlefield and take much longer.
Just like going on a diet for 5 hours and not losing 5 kgs, so you eat a block of chocolate it is ineffective and you wont get the result you are after long-term.
This is same principal when it comes to choosing a settling technique, trying it for 5-10 minutes, thinking “it’s not working” each time and then trying something different the next time. It’s confusing and gives our little one inconsistent reinforcement.
To minimise the tears for everyone, we need to pick a method we are comfortable with and be patient to see it through for this settle and the next and the next to build a sense of normal and safe for our little one.
My name is Anthony and I am the person behind Tinybeets Foods. I have been a chef for the past 16 years and when covid happened I had to change industry’s and found myself working as a chef at the day-care centre where my daughter goes too.
After talking with some parents from the day-care(and past experience from when my daughter started her food journey) I learnt there were no locally made baby foods, only what you could find in the supermarket. This is how Tinybeets Foods was created.
Our specialty is creating baby and toddler food free from all the nasties and preservatives that you would find in store bought food. We proudly buy Adelaide ingredients where possible making the most of our local fruit and vegetables markets and using local suppliers for the rest.
Thank you for everyone that has supported us so far and into the future, we can’t wait to be apart of little humans food journey.
Questions
Meal Prep For adults: I already do, but i don't sell it. Its something that I'm looking at doing later down the line but not currently.
Iron Rich Foods: My food that's iron rich is Pumpkin Dahl, which is full of Australian Red Lentils, Butternut Pumpkin, Zucchini and carrots. The other options are Kale, Quinoa & Sweet Potato and Coconut Chia Pudding.
Baby Led Weaning: You can cook up a lamb lollipop, chicken drumstick with no skin, cartilage and the little bone taken out. Steamed Veggies or spiral pasta.
We also have Veggie Chicken Pops, Greek Style Meatballs, Savoury Minestrone, Veggie Beef Bolognese With Pasta and Custom Orders.
Subscription Delivery: Well its something I'm currently working on, but I have hit a road block as the website provider has changed there checkout procedures and what i was planning on doing isn't available to do anymore and I've had to change my plan. Hopefully will be live later this year,
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A couple of reasons why you should add some potatoes into your little human's diet!
1. Good for your Baby's gastrointestinal health
Potatoes assist in the growth of friendly bacteria. The substantial amounts of alkaline sugars in potatoes keep the acid levels down in your baby’s body and thus keep acidity at bay.
2. Great for the skin
Potatoes have starch, vitamin C, and various enzymes that can protect and nourish the skin
But why add the peas?
Peas are an amazing source of vitamin C, K, Folate and fibre, Peas pack a nutritious punch and offer your little human number of health benefits.
The help to maintain brain, bone and eye health.
I see mint but I don't understand why?
Well, it does a couple of things, It starts to introduce tastes of grown-up foods, but also helps with the taste and it's also nutritious and medicinal.
It can help to alleviate tummy troubles, and its oils help relieve symptoms of nausea, stomach cramping and indigestion.
Let us do the hard work for you and take care of the cooking,
Grab yours Here!
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Today I’m going to talk to you about our Yellow Peach & Pear Puree.
We use South Aussie ingredients as much as we can and this puree is 100% South Aussie! The peaches we use are from Riverlands which is about 2 hours northeast from Adelaide. The pears and apples we use are from the Adelaide Hills which is approx 1 hour from where we do our cooking.
We get our fruits in as quickly as we can from the farms and get our cook on so they keep as much of there freshness as possible.
Check out some fun facts about peaches
Peaches are roughly 8000 years old and are believed to originated in China, The first records of peaches coming to south Australia are back in 1836 which is almost 200 years ago, so we might have a few trees that are that old.
Packed full of antioxidants and nutrients for your growing baby!
Based on 150gm or roughly a medium-sized peach there is
It may aid with digestion.
If your little one is having issues with doing number 2, this might help with the fibre that peaches have it could help loosen the stool slightly and hopefully stop some constipation.
It may help protect your skin.
It helps protect against UV damage skin and helps keep the skin moist. Although your little one shouldn’t be spending to much time in the sun directly this can help slightly
The Aus Gov does recommend using sunscreen on your little ones when outdoors. It is up to you if you choose to use it or not.
It may help reduce allergy symptoms
When your body is exposed to an allergen(such as soy, wheat, gluten, etc), it releases histamines, or chemicals made by your immune system to help rid your body of the allergen.
Research shows that peaches may help reduce allergy symptoms by preventing the release of histamines in the blood.
May boost immunity
Peaches are rich in immune-boosting nutrients and antioxidants
May Reduce blood sugar levels
Studies have shown that compounds in peaches may help prevent high blood sugar levels.
Though it is recommended that you should only have about 40grams of fruit a day, 3 or 4 times a week (source)
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The lead up to the arrival of your little one can be amazing but you have the influences of your life coming to you going this is how I did it or you should do it this way. So before life even begins there’s a huge expectation that you have to be "perfect" from day 1. Let be real, that’s not going to happen.
Your jumping into a world where you have no real idea of what you’re doing until your doing it and you are going to make mistakes. It’s OK TO MAKE MISTAKES! you will learn from them and only get better.
but after a while sometimes 6 months or a year sometimes a few years if your super lucky, you will have to go back to work. With what you thought was normal and starting to get a hang of things everything changes and you’re stuck at the same point of where you were at the beginning relearning how to do everything.
Sarah ended up having 11 months off work and started back at 4 days a week(Tuesday to Friday 9-5) while I was at the time finishing up at a cafe I was working at doing 7 am till 3-6 pm Wednesday to Sunday. We also do cloth nappies(yep there fun....) so just that little change of Sarah going back to work we had to learn to juggle.
I was going through a bad round of depression, Sarah was just getting into the swing of working again and Quinn learning daycare routine.
ended up getting through the first 4 months alright, few hiccups but pretty much smooth sailing until the cafe I was working at closed down unexpectedly and I was jobless.
Lucky I had a friend looking for a sous chef for the summer season down at henley beach. which to this day has been one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.
But the hours changed and I when from the 7-3 to 930am till 11 pm with an hour break(on a good day) I was back in real chef hours. That’s when I notice everything we had going on stopped and Sarah was starting to struggle with getting everything done.
Sarah when from being in a relationship to a single mum pretty much overnight, and that’s hard on any person.
I helped where I could but it was hard when I was pretty much home to eat, shower and sleep. But I did notice Sarah was changing trying to still do everything she had been told by all those influences, to keep everyone happy and try and keep her mind calm.
We got through the next 6 months of me working those stupid hours for covid-19 to hit and hospo to shut down completely but I already had a job line up cooking at a daycare working normal hours with normal breaks and no crazy service stress.
Covid-19 hit everyone pretty hard and eventually, Sarah got stood down then later made redundant and going from her 4 days a week to nothing then getting a job again but working full time now instead of her 4 day week.
This is where I realised even more that the 40-hour workweek isn’t designed for both parents to be working, when it first started it was designed for 1 parent to stay at home to cook, clean, laundry, do everything the house needed. Well, that’s just not doable with 2 parents working full time.
That’s where those influences(especially social media ones) get you into a false sense of hopelessness where you are doing a bad job because you have polished the floors, cooked a feast for 10 people each night and washed the laundry every 5 seconds.
Then you start taking short cuts and usually the first thing that gets shorted is your own family meals because your just so tired you start buying crap for your self and your little one.
That tray frozen meal at the supermarket makes life easier short term but is it really doing you any good?
Same with the pouches for the little one you can buy, what’s actually in them?
A lot, not all of the "ready to eat" meals are but how many for the adults and little humans have a lot of nasties in them and you are just taking in crap that makes it taste nice now but what is it doing long term?
That’s what I started to realise when we were walking down the aisle of the supermarket. From when I started at the daycare I made it my mission to work towards creating better for the little ones and the parents don’t have to worry about all the nasties that come with supermarket brands.
Feel Free to check us out at www.tinybeetsfoods.com.au