Eat With Your Family Day 2012

Centre for Fathering’s

Eat With Your Family Day (EWYFD) is geared to encourage families to have meals together. It acts as a starting point for families to commit to have a meal together on a regular if not daily basis. Through this, we want to make the Asian tradition of family meals the avenue to build family unity and cohesion. We encourage Schools and Organisations to participate by ending all operations at 5pm, allowing their staff to leave work to have dinner with their families.

http://www.fatheringmatters.com/sg/EWYFD2012

Baby Brain Food

Baby Brain Food

During the first year of life, your child's brain grows rapidly.
The brain and nervous system continue to develop until about the age of three - and it's important to make sure your baby gets the nourishment he needs to develop to his fullest potential.

What your baby eats has a very profound impact in his brain development - and it is important that you, as a parent, are vigilant in ensuring that he gets enough of certain critical nutrients during his early years.

Breast milk really is best for your baby.

Breast milk has all the nutrients your baby needs - in just the right amounts. Other doctors go so far as to proclaim it as the ultimate brain food, citing studies that that show children who are breast-fed have as much as an 8-point IQ advantage compared to kids who are formula-fed. In addition to being a great resource of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and essential fats, breast milk also supplies your child with growth factors necessary for proper development.
It also has antibodies from your body which will help your baby's natural defenses against certain types of illnesses. A baby who is sick less often is better able to learn. Breast milk provides everything most babies need to build a healthy brain and grow properly for the first six to twelve months of life.

Give your child the smart kinds of fat.

Researchers found that higher levels of the fatty acids DHA and ARA help the development of the visual system in babies. These fatty acids also speed up transmission in the neurons, making for a faster brain. DHA is an omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that makes up fully 25 percent of the total fat found in the brain. It's not produced by the body in significant amounts, but it can be obtained through food or supplements. Another important fatty acid for brain development is ARA (arachidonic acid.) ARA is the principal omega-6 fatty acid in the brain. Like DHA, ARA is essential for brain development and vision. It also plays an important role in immune function, blood clotting, and other important functions. Nursing mothers should take a supplement to make sure DHA and ARA levels are high, and once you introduce whole foods into your child's diet, encourage them to eat ARA and DHA-fortified food such as whole-grain products, eggs and cereal.

Your baby's food should be pumping iron.

Iron is essential for babies to produce hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying part of red blood cells). Too little can cause anemia, which can cause tiredness and lack of energy. Without adequate supplies of iron, your baby will form fewer neural connections, resulting in both mental and motor impairments. Deficiencies in this mineral also affect learning, memory and attention.
Be extra-vigilant about making sure that your baby's diet includes enough iron-rich food, along with the vitamin C to absorb them. After six months, a breast-fed baby should be given iron supplements in the form of ferrous sulfate or infant vitamin drops with iron. If your baby is around 4-6 months, you can add iron-enriched cereal to your baby's diet.

Iodine isn't only for cuts and grazes.

Iodine is a crucial nutrient in the synthesis of certain hormones which regulate metabolism, growth and brain development, and nursing mothers should especially be aware of their iodine intake. It's quite difficult to get enough iodine from food alone, so it's recommended that you take a daily supplement and enhance your diet with iodine-enriched food such as sea vegetables.

Going Beyond Breast Milk; Introducing Solids

Month-by-Month Recommendations:

Age(Month): After 6
Cereals: Iron fortified rice cereal
Proteins: Pureed meats
Fruits: When your baby is tolerating cereal and meat, add softly cooked apples, pears, mashed bananas
Veggies: When your baby is tolerating cereal and meat, add softly cooked sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, pumpkin and green leafy vegetables
Dairy*: Follow-on formula

Age(Month): 6-8
Cereals: Rice, oat, barley
Proteins: Chicken, turkey, tofu
Fruits: Add: peaches, plums, papaya, pumpkin
Veggies: Add: carrots, peas, pumpkin
Dairy*: Yogurt (not fresh milk)

Age(Month): 8-10
Cereals: Add: wheat and wheat germ, multi-grain crackers (no salt or low salt) pasta, bread
Proteins: Add: egg yolk, beans, legumes (split peas, lentils), lean beef
Fruits: Add: melon, cherries, blueberries, and kiwi
Veggies: Add: broccoli, white potatoes, cauliflower

Age(Month): 10-12
Cereals: Noodles, pastas, bagels, wheat cereals
Proteins: Add: fish (white), whole egg (at 12 months)
Fruits: Add: berries, grapes, citrus
Veggies: Add: corn, spinach
Dairy*: Add: follow-on milk (at 12 months) other cheese: gouda, provolone, muenster


*Do not introduce fresh milk until your baby has reached 12 months of

The Goodness of Pumpkin

A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family (Cucurbitacae). This family also includes squash, cucumbers, gherkins, and melons. Pumpkins are actually fruits.

Pumpkins contain some of the best nutritional compounds ever. They are highly loaded with Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta Carotene is one of the plant carotenoids that when eaten and digested, turns into Vitamin A in the human body. Beta Carotene may reduce the risk of cancer as well as heart disease. It also may be responsible for combating or putting off the degenerative effects of ageing. Beta Carotene is also responsible for "Orange Babies".

Pumpkins are also good sources of potassium, protein, and iron. Pumpkin seeds also contain a good amount of protein and iron so eating the seeds does provide some nutritive value. We don't recommend that you offer your baby or toddler pumpkin seeds however. Pumpkins are wonderfully low in fat, low in calories but high in fiber.

PUMPKIN: (one cup - cooked)
VITAMINS: Vitamin A - 12230 IU Vitamin C - 11.5 mg Vitamin K - 2.0 Folate (important during pregnancy) - 22 mcg Niacin - 1.01 mg	MINERALS: Potassium - 364 mg Phosphorus - 74 mg Magnesium - 22 mg Calcium - 37 mg Sodium - 2 mg Iron - 1.40 mg Also contains trace amounts of zinc, manganese and copper.

When can my Baby eat Baby Food Recipes with Pumpkin?

Babies may begin to eat Pumpkins from 6 months old. You may feed your baby plain pumpkin in pureed form or mixed into homemade cereals, yogurts, and even in meats such as chicken. Adding a dash of cinnamon to pumpkin gives baby a first exposure to the wonder of spices.

You may also bake pumpkin as you would a butternut or acorn squash and serve the baked pumpkin in small dices as Baby Finger Foods. Rub a wee bit of butter and a bit of cinnamon on the inside of the pumpkin prior to baking for a tasty nutritious treat.

Read more on this article @ http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/pumpkin-babyfood-recipes.htm

Baby J has tried avocado, carrots, sweet potatoes, rice cereals... she loves it most when she is eating real food, finishing half a bowl of food in less than 15 minutes (wow!)... going to try pumpkin next, and after that, I will introduce potatoes to her before moving on to apples, pears and bananas. What a good start thus far.

INTRODUCING SOLIDS TO BABIES

SUGGESTED FOODS TO TRY FIRST:

• rice cereal • potato/sweet potato • carrot • pumpkin • avocado

THEN INTRODUCE:

• apple • pear • banana • peaches • yoghurt


AND THEN MEATS:

• meat • chicken • fish

I've started introducing avocado to baby J. I must say I am happy to see that baby J shows keen interest in it. She's also able to use her tongue to bring the mashed avocado into her mouth, followed by smooth swallowing reflexes. Well done baby J. No constipation, no allergy. Yey! Next food to be introduced would be carrots, after giving her avocado for 4-5 days.

Starting Solids With Your Infant

Signs of Developmental Readiness to Start Solids as per La Leche League:

• Usually middle of first year
• Your baby has at least doubled his/her birth weight or weighs at least 14 pounds
• Your baby can sit up with support
• Your baby has control of his/her head and neck
• Your baby has the ability to transfer food from the front of the mouth to the back of the mouth (tongue-thrust reflex has disappeared)
• Your baby may have a tooth or two
• Your baby is capable of refusing food
• Your baby likes to imitate people and showing distinct interest in food, not just the silverware
• Your baby can reach and handle food, toys, objects
• Your baby has increased saliva production necessary for digestion
• Your baby is not ill and has no rashes

WHAT FIRST FOODS SHOULD I FEED MY INFANT?

• Different cultures start with different first foods – you may want to think specifically about foods that provide decent mineral quality for supplemental foods.
• La Leche League typically says to start with banana, pears, applesauce (make your own), cooked carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash, avocados. Some cultures start with meat as a first food!
• Use your own clean finger as the first spoon
• Offer new foods in the morning in case of allergic reaction

One book you may consider on this topic is the classic “Feeding the Whole Family: Recipes for Babies, Young Children, and Their Parents” by Cynthia Lair. It takes recipes the whole family can eat, and suggests how to take all or parts of the recipe to make food your infant can eat as well. All recipes are centered on fresh, whole foods ingredients.

Food Allergies per La Leche League:

Top foods to cause allergic reactions: beans, berries, cabbage, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus fruits and juices, coconut, corn, cow’s milk, eggs, nuts (especially peanuts – and peanut allergy is a type of allergy that children do NOT outgrow as they age), onions, pork, shellfish, tomatoes, wheat.

Typically tolerated foods include:

Fruit – apples, apricots, bananas, peaches, pears, plums

Vegetable – asparagus, beets, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes

Rice and grains such as oats, barley, millet

Common Signs of Food Allergies: (Dr. Sears)

Skin – Hives, Red Sandpaper-Like Facial Rash, Dry/Itchy/Scaly Skin on face, Swelling in Hands and Feet, Puffy Eyelids, Dark Circles Under Eyes, Lip Swelling, Tongue Soreness and Cracks

Respiratory – Sneezing, Runny Nose, Stuffy Nose, Wheezing, Watery Eyes, Rattling Chest, Persistent Cough, Congestion, Bronchitis, Recurring Ear Infections

Intestines- Burnlike Rash Around Anus, Abdominal Discomfort, Mucusy Diarrhea, Constipation, Intestinal Bleeding, Poor Weight Gain, Bloating/Gassiness, Excessive Spitting Up, Vomiting

Behavior – Fatigue, Migraine Headaches, Hyperactivity, Crying, Irritability, Night Waking, Anxiety, Crankiness, Sore Muscles and Joints

The scoop on juice: (La Leche League)

For ages six to twelve months, no more than four ounces of juice a day (That’s half a cup!)

Snipets taken from http://theparentingpassageway.com/2009/03/11/starting-solids-with-your-infant-and-picky-toddler-eating/

The Goodness of Avocado

Avocado makes a great first food for baby due to its texture and creaminess as well as its high nutrient content.

Avocados are often called one of nature's perfect foods because they are said to contain everything a person needs to survive.

A wonderful "good fat" food for baby's brain and physical development, try an avocado as baby's first food instead of refined cereals.

"Sodium- and cholesterol- free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including 8% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for folate; 4% DV for fiber and potassium, 4% DV for vitamin E; and 2% DV for iron. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain."http://www.avocado.org/healthy_living/nutrition.php

To find out more, visit http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html