Baby Feeding Issues and Challenges

One of the biggest challenges of feeding a baby under a year old is to know when he or she is actually ready for solid food.

If you feed a baby solid food too early there is a risk that he or she will develop a food allergy or be unable to digest the food. The result can be stomach and bowel disorders that last for life.

This is why it is so important to err on the side of caution and make sure the baby is ready to eat solid food. If you are really unsure then ask the advice of your doctor.

While still breastfeeding it is also very important for a mother to avoid spicy foods as this can pass through the breast milk and cause vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. If you do not want a gassy baby then stay away from broccoli and cabbage.

Another issue is of whether or not you should serve your child commercially bought baby food. After all it is fast and convenient. However commercial baby food may not be as fresh or nutritious (or cheap) as baby food that you make yourself in a blender or a Baby Bullit.

Avoid giving your baby the foods that are choking hazards —
• Large chunks of cut up fruits
• Round fruits like grapes, cherry tomatoes and melon balls
• Soft sticky foods like marshmallows, peanut belly or gummy candies that can get lodged in the throat.
Remember that an infant under one year just simply does not have the glottis or esophagus or throat muscles needed to process these foods!
It is also very important for you to check the ingredients on any commercial food and make sure that they do not contain any of the following additives.

If you buy baby food with additives in it you may be addicting your baby to fat sugar, preservatives and all kinds of bad things for life. This is because the additives put in these foods do make them look and taste better.

If you give baby a savory or sugary food that is brightly colored it is not going to learn to eat the foods that are good for them – at any age.

The side effects of eating foods that are bad for them include food allergies, increased waistlines, an inability to absorb minerals and vitamins, a fatty liver, childhood obesity, learning and behavioral disabilities and many different childhood cancers and diseases.

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Making Baby Food From Peas

Making baby food from peas is easy peasy. The good news is that one cup contains more protein than a tablespoon of peanut butter. They also contain calcium, vitamin A and C and Iron. They also contain potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.

The best time to introduce peas into a baby's diet is after the baby has turned six months old. One of the nice things about peas is that they are not a toxic food that is treated with loads of pesticides. Look for ones with a bright green color and that look fresh. Buy medium sized pods because if they are too large it means that the peas are too mature.

To make the fresh peas extra tasty cook them in homemade vegetable, chicken or beef stock. You can also use frozen peas but fresh ones just taste better.

A very tasty recipe for making a big batch of Creamed Pea Baby Food and Meat involves combining the following ingredients –0
• 4 cups peas
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt pepper
• An ounce of chicken stock or beef stock
• Bite sized pieces of chicken, pork or beef
Melt the butter in a saucepan and whish in flour. Slowly add milk while whisking to prevent lumps and then add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the mixture thickens and add meat. You can serve this warm alone or with rice.

Another nice version of this combines scallions, chicken broth and instant brown rice along with chopped fresh mint into a sauce pan. You can puree this mixture after cooking or if the baby is older than 18 months, serve it to them as a rice and pea mixture.
Other foods that mix or puree great with peas are apples, carrots, green beans, white potatoes, sweet potato, squash, lentils, mushrooms and tofu.

Some babies really love it when you mix a can of tuna with peas and then add a little grated cheese and warm it up. Another variation of this is to cook up some Kraft Dinner, add tuna and peas and then puree it in a Baby Bullit or a blender to make a spectacular babyfood mix.

Here is a final helpful tip. After cooking the peas you will achieve a smoother texture after pureeing them if you plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water afterwards.

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