BLW

We've been taking a "Baby Led Weaning" approach to solid foods for Marissa.  Up until she recently got sick, she was doing great on solid foods.  Basically, we cut up soft, gummable foods in bite sized pieces and let her decide what she wants to eat.  She is normally very good at eating her food, feeding herself and exploring new tastes and textures.  She got sick last week and it has been a struggle to get her to eat any solids.  I don't know if it's just a phase or if it's because she isn't feeling well.  Hopefully she will be back on track soon!

I know that several of my readers have shown interest in making their own baby food and BLW is a great option.  There are many misconceptions about BLW.  A lot of people think that it's a choking hazard to give a baby bite sized pieces when they don't have any teeth, but it's actually a very safe option for getting your child to eat solids, obviously under close watch.  It teaches them how to move food around in their mouth, chew and to swallow.  We kind of went with a modified BLW approach and started with home made purees first, but many other parents go straight to finger foods. 

This site has some helpful information about BLW as well as recipes, first foods, what to avoid, etc.  Check it out! 

Crunchy, what?

I’m Crunchy! There, I said it. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I mean I'm a hippie, eco friendly, saving one tree at a time, etc.  I have become so conservative since becoming a mom. I cloth diaper, make my own baby food and I’ve kept up with my New Year’s resolution to recycle.


Lately, I’m finding myself wanting to convert every new mom to cloth diapering and baby food making. I know it’s not for everyone, but I’ve had so much fun exploring new things that I just want to share the wealth of information.

Everyone thinks that cloth diapering is hard, gross or just not for them. I never would have considered cloth diapers before, because I didn’t know anything about them. The more I researched and read about them though, the more interested and intrigued I became. Six months later, I’m addicted (seriously, ADDICTED, I say!) to cloth diapering. I can’t get over how cute they are, how easy it is and it makes me feel like I’m really doing my part to provide a better environment for Marissa.

You probably have questions like "don't you get tired of doing laundry?" and "will I have poop in my washer?"  I will say, I do 2 extra loads of laundry a week, that's it!  If she were in disposables, we would be doing twice the amount of laundry for "poo-splosions" (trust me, we had to use disposables for a trip and I couldn't wait to get back to my cloth).  And your washer comes out clean, just as if you were to wash muddy clothes in your washer, everything comes out fine.
Though I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again…just in case someone stumbles upon my little blog and says “hey, that sounds interesting!”

Here’s a few helpful links if you are interested in cloth diapering:

http://www.theecofriendlyfamily.com/

http://littlebitofme22.blogspot.com/search/label/Cloth%20Diapers


Baby Food Making 101

 Also, making your own baby food doesn’t have to be tedious or hard. It’s a great way to save a little money (who doesn’t want to do that?) and you know exactly what you are giving your baby! I start off by steaming vegetables so they are soft. Then I pop them in the food processor to give them a smooth consistency, such as a puree. For hardier vegetables, like butternut squash or sweet potatoes, I thin the puree with breast milk or a little bit of water.

Next, I put the puree in cheap ice cube trays (you know, the old school ones that you have to fill with water, ahh…the days of ice makers have changed the world as we know it). Place the ice cube trays in the freezer until they are solid. Once they have solidified, place the cubes in Ziploc bags, or if you want to be extra environmentally savvy, you can buy reusable Tupperware containers to store the cubes in. I like using Gladware containers, because they stack nicely in the freezer. I can also label them as “fruits”, “veggies” or narrow them down to peas, carrots, squash, etc.

So far we have tried avocado, peas, carrots, banana, butternut squash and sweet potato. Banana and avocados tend to change colors quickly, so I’ve found that it’s best to get them in the freezer as soon as possible. The color changes do not affect the fruits at all, so don’t worry about that.

When I’m ready to feed Marissa I pop a cube out of the freezer and warm it up in the microwave. Each cube is approximately one ounce so it’s a perfect serving when you are just starting out with solids. It’s easy to add another cube and you never feel like food is being wasted! I do recommend making small portions before you crazy with the food processor. You don’t want to make a ton of food to find out that your little one despises peas!

You might be thinking, how do you find the time to make baby food?  Honestly, I spend about an hour to an hour and a half once every two weeks or so. I make enough food to last about 2 weeks at a time (sometimes longer) and the food can stay in the freezer for upwards of a month. I set aside a little bit of time while she is napping or after she has gone to bed, so no time is spent away from Marissa. Trust me, being a full time working mom, I cherish the time we get together.

This website has a plethora of great information for baby food making, check it out!

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/



And can I just leave you all with this:

Yep, that's Marissa's latest diaper print!  TOOO CUTE (if I must say so myself)! :-P

Questions?  Feel free to comment!