Which one is faster?

Okay mom's out there. I know we have all experienced this.

If you see this on the road






Then you see this on the road (with a screaming baby strapped into a 5 point harness carseat)....






WHICH DO YOU THINK CAN DRIVE FASTER?

{ahem, did I say this happened to me today?}

Making your own baby food.

Let me encourage you to make your own baby food! It is much easier than you think!

It takes just about 15 - 20 mins per week to make 2 or 3 varieties of food.

I learn all I know about making my own baby food from an excellent book called SUPER BABY FOOD by RUTH YARON

Here are just a few simple tips to make your own baby food.

Sweet potato:

Bake at 400 for one hour (baking maintains more nutrients than boiling or microwaving).

Let cool slightly.

Peal and puree in blender until smooth adding water until you get right consistency.

Peas:

You can use frozen peas but I have found the skins too tough to puree. I buy a bag of split peas (found in the isle with other dry beans). Cook as packaging instructs and puree!

Ta-da!

Carrots:

NOTE: Since these are made fresh the baby must be 7 months old before they can eat them. It has something to do with it being a root. Read more about it in SUPER BABY FOOD. The store bought carrot are altered to be safe for babies of any age.

Steam carrots until super soft. Drain water and set water aside. Puree carrots adding bits of water that you steamed them in until desired texture.

Using the same water adds more nutrients cause some of the nutrients go into the water when steamed.

Broccoli:

Steam until super soft. Drain, set water aside. Puree adding just enough water that has been set aside until desired texture.

See how easy it is!

I did not puree apples... I bought a large glass jar of unsweetened applesauce.

I also found that other fruits like pears when pureed is much to watery and does not produce much. You would have to buy tons of pears to make it worth your while. I bought jar baby food for most fruits....EXCEPT bananas!

Bananas:

Bananas are the easiest! No pureeing required!

Peal, fork mash, serve!

Yes you can freeze bananas. They do brown because of oxidization. All this means is they have had contact with air! Still good to eat just a little brown.

These are the main staples I kept in my freezer for my babies. It is just enough for variety and still saves the pocket book!

NOTE: when serving, if you find the pureed food is too runny, add a little rice cereal to thicken it. It does not alter the flavor at all.

Dropping Naps

This is a very helpful article on when to drop naps. It covers infants to three and four year olds.

It is helpful even for moms who have done it before. How soon we forget!

Tentative Schedule for Infants 25-52 Weeks

Preparation for Parenting
Baby Wise

Routine for Weeks 25-52


Session Time What to do
Early Morning 7-8 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid Morning 11 am-12 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Afternoon 1-2 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid-afternoon 5-6 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time. COUCH TIME!!!!!!
3. Put baby down for a cat nap if necessary
Early Evening 7-8 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby to bed for the night!
NOTE: Once baby is done feeding, burp the baby and keep baby awake at least 10-15 mins before laying baby down for the night. The reason for this is #1 to let the food settle a little before laying baby down and also so that the baby learns to fall asleep on their own. You want to avoid putting baby to bed when they are sleepy from a feeding!



Goals: 3 meals a day

Feed: 4-5 liquid feedings if nursing

Naps: 2 naps 1 ½ - 2 hrs, third nap may be dropped by this time.
Morning nap is not dropped until 16-20 months / then the afternoon nap becomes 2-3 hrs

Night Time Sleep: 10-12 hours

Tentative Scheule for Infants 14-24 Weeks

Preparation for Parenting
Baby Wise

Routine for Weeks 14-24
Moving toward 3 meals with an additional liquid feeding in early evening

Session Time What to do
Early Morning 6-8 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid Morning 11 am-12 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Afternoon 1-2 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2 Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid-afternoon 3-4 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time. COUCH TIME!!!!
3. Put baby down for a cat nap
Early Evening 7-8 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby to bed for the night!
NOTE: Once baby is done feeding, burp the baby and keep baby awake at least 10-15 mins before laying baby down for the night. The reason for this is #1 to let the food settle a little before laying baby down and also so that the baby learns to fall asleep on their own. You want to avoid putting baby to bed when they are sleepy from a feeding!

Goals: Drop the Late-Evening feeding if you haven't already dropped it.
Introduce solids between 4-6 months.
By 24 weeks their meal times should line up with the family's.

Feed: 4-6 liquid feedings/day > 4 feedings at 24 weeks

Wake Time: You should have 2-3 hours total wake time

Naps: 3 naps 1 ½ - 2 hrs, third nap may be 30-45 minutes and may be dropped around the sixth month.

Night Time Sleep: 9-10 hours for breast-fed babies, 11 hours for bottle-fed babies

Growth Spurts: 6 months

Additional Notes: After 20 weeks read "Toddler Wise" By Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo.

Tentative Routine for Infants 9-13 Weeks

Preparation for Parenting
Baby Wise

Routine for Weeks 9-13
3 ½ -4 hour routine

Session Time What to do
Early Morning 6 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid Morning 9:30 - 10 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Afternoon 1-2 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid-afternoon 4:30 - X pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time. COUCH TIME!!!!!
3. Put baby down for a nap
Late-afternoon X-6 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Early Evening 8 - X pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby to bed
NOTE: Once baby is done feeding, burp the baby and keep baby awake at least 10-15 mins before laying baby down for the night. The reason for this is #1 to let the food settle a little before laying baby down and also so that the baby learns to fall asleep on their own. You want to avoid putting baby to bed when they are sleepy from a feeding!

___________________________________________
dropped by the end of this phase
Late Evening 10:00 pm-11:30 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby to bed for the night.

Goals: If necessary to drop the middle of the night feeding (the feeding after the late evening).Toward the END of this phase (end of the 12th week – beginning of the 13th week) if you are still waking your baby for the late evening feeding you may be ready to drop it. DO NOT LENGTHEN THE TIME BETWEEN FEEDINGS UNTIL YOUR BABY IS SLEEPING AT LEAST 9-10 HRS AT NIGHT (refer to page181)

Feed: 6 feedings/day on a 3 ½ hr routine and 5 feedings/day on a 4 hour routine

Wake Time: How is Pac-n-play time going?
You should have 1 hour total wake time
1 – 1 ½ by 10 – 12 weeks

Naps: 1 ½ - 2 ½ hrs

Night Time Sleep: 9-10 hours for breast-fed babies, 11 hours for bottle-fed babies

Growth Spurts: 3 months

Additional Notes:
§ Breast tissue softens between 3-4 months
§ When dropping a feeding back it up 15 minutes until the feeding is within 2 hours of the last feeding and then drop it altogether. For example: 11:30 becomes 11:15>11>10:45>10:30>10>gone. Try to adjust every 2-3 days so the transition is less disruptive for the baby.

Tentative Schedule for Infants 5-8 Weeks

Preparation for Parenting
Baby Wise
Routine for Weeks 5-8
3- 3 ½ hour routine

Session Time What to do
Early Morning 6 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid Morning 9 – 9:30 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Afternoon 12-1 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid-afternoon 3-X pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time. COUCH TIME!!!!
3. Put baby down for a nap
Late-afternoon X-6 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Early Evening 8 - 9 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby to bed
NOTE: Once baby is done feeding, burp the baby and keep baby awake at least 10-15 mins before laying baby down for the night. The reason for this is to let the food settle a little before laying baby down and also so that the baby learns to fall asleep on their own. You want to avoid putting baby to bed when they are sleepy from a feeding!
Late Evening 11:30 pm-12 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby back to bed.
NOTE: For many babies, this feeding is the last scheduled feeding of the day. If this is the case with you your baby, do not wake him for his next feeding. Let him wake naturally. If he or she wakes, wait to see of they will resettle. Through the eighth week you must feed them.
Middle of the night (anytime after 3 am)
You will no longer schedule this feeding but if your baby wakes, you will feed and put the baby back to bed.
Toward the "END" of this phase you have more options during the night:
1. Wait to see if the baby will resettle on his own (wait at least 5- 15 mins).
2. Pat baby on back without picking baby up.
3. Offer pacifier.
4. Reposition baby (turn to side, back)
5. Feed baby (snack). Be sure to wake baby at regular time in the morning.

Goals: Drop the middle of the night feeding; 7-9 weeks sleeping 7-8 hours transitioning from a 3-3 ½ hour routine.

Feed: 6-8 feedings/day depending on length of time between feedings

Wake Time: Pac-n-play time …… 30 mins at 6 weeks; 45 mins at 8 weeks

Naps: 1 ½ - 2 ½ hrs

Night Time Sleep: If you consistently have trouble waking your baby for the middle of the night feeding, it may be dropped. Under normal circumstances, after three consecutive nights of sleeping X amount of hours then you can hold the baby to it because you know they are capable of doing it.
6-6 ½ hours of continuous sleep possible.

Growth Spurts: 6-8 weeks

Additional Notes: Non-nutrative sucking: Remove baby from breast when baby is still sucking yet you no longer hear baby swallowing. Use a pacifier to sooth the natural sucking reflex. This teaches baby that the breast if for feeding only not as a sleep prop.

Sleep props are no-no’s: they are anything that "helps" put baby to sleep. Ex. Intentionally nursing to sleep, rocking baby to sleep, sleeping with baby, mobile on in order to fall asleep, etc.

Tentative Schedule for Infants 0-4 Weeks

0-4 Weeks
Preparation for Parenting
Baby Wise

Routine for Weeks 0-4
If breast-feeding: 2- 3 hour routine for birth to end of fourth week
If bottle-feeding: every 3 hours (pg 81 in Prep for Parenting) 1 ½ oz – 3 oz bottle for first several weeks.

Decide when you want to start your day. Somewhere between 6-7 am. Wake baby each day at this time. If the day starts earlier than ½ hr – 1 hr before the time you decided adjust accordingly. If baby wakes earlier than 1 hour before the time decided, attend to baby and put back in bed.

Decide when you want the day to end. Baby should be in bed within ½ hr of this time each night.

Session Time What to do
Early Morning 6 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid Morning 9 am 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Afternoon 12 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Mid-afternoon 3 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time. COUCH TIME!!!!
3. Put baby down for a nap
Late-afternoon 6 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time
3. Put baby down for a nap
Early Evening 9 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Possible wake time
3. Put baby to bed and go to bed yourself! Set and alarm clock for the next feeding.
Late Evening 12 pm 1. Feeding and diaper change
2. Put baby back to bed. NOTE: If you are breast- feeding, we do not recommend that you let your baby go longer than 5 hours at night for the first 4 -5 weeks. Therefore we schedule the middle of the night feeding through the end of this phase.
Middle of the night 3 am 1. Feeding
2. Put baby back to bed.

Goals: Establish milk supply, teach baby to nurse, give full feedings (both sides), baby to gain weight (use healthy baby growth chart in back of book!)
Feed: 8 feedings/day
Wake Time: Wake time is limited at first due to baby's need for sleep. 10-15 minutes for first 2 weeks…. Begin pac-n-play time when baby has wake period of 15 mins. 30 mins for weeks 3-6.
Wake time ideas: Rock & sing to baby, watch mobile, go for a walk, run errands, visit friends and family, bathe baby, place in infant seat near window.
Naps: 1-1 ½ hrs
Growth Spurts: 2-3 weeks
Additional Notes: * First feeding is 15 mins per side if comfortable.
* Milk comes in approx 3-5 days after birth.
* First week aim for 15-20 mins per side for a total of 30-40 mins
* Limited soap on nipples due to drying affect.
* You may introduce bottle or pacifier at 2-4 weeks of age, 1 or 2 times a week.
* Be aware of the checklist on page 28-30, reread chapters 4-6 before birth if you have any questions.
Do your best to wake sleepy babies:
* Make sure you wake them up the same time every morning (within a ½ hr) (see pgs 107-108)
* Wet wash cloth on forehead or feet
* Strip down to diaper and rub feet
* Feed one side (or half bottle), change diaper, feed other side (rest of bottle)
* If baby is asleep at the breast, gently tap under baby's chin to encourage them to continue eating.
* 10-10-5-5 works well (feed 10 mins on each side, then go back to first side and do a second round (dessert) this time for only 5 mins each side)

Controled Hands

I am about to share an amazing tool that parents can use anytime to bring obedience and control to any particular situation. It is the simple act of having your child learn to fold their hands.

When my children were as young as one year old we began to teach them to fold their hands. Now when they seem to be bouncing off the walls or even if they are in the car and are too loud I simply tell them to fold their hands and all of a sudden that simple act brings quiet and control.
We have used it when a child is squirming all over the place during a diaper change, during dinner when I am trying to spoon feed and they refuse to open their mouth, when tensions are high between siblings at the toy box, or even when reading stories.

Even if their hands are not doing anything to cause a problem somehow folded hands brings the whole body under a little more control and a step closer to obedience.

I would love to hear how it works for you!