Going Organic

Picture from www.happyhourmom.com

Is it really worth the extra money to buy organic fruits and veggies?  I'm still learning about organic produce, so please feel free to do your own research, but from what I have done, it is worth the extra price to go organic.  

I have always sort of known that it is healthier and wiser to use organic fruits and vegetables but I didn't really think about it too much.  A few days ago, my dear friend reminded me the importance of organic.  After our discussion, Tom and I made a point to do more research on the subject.  Since I'm making Tommy's food, I want to make sure he is getting the healthiest food possible.  

Organic fruits and vegetables are considered organic by the process in which the farmers grow and process them (MayoClinic, 2010).  This includes the way farmers fertilize, prevent pests, and manage weeds.  Organic farmers use natural methods, such as manure and compost, insects and birds, traps, weeding, tilling and rotating crops (2010).  

So, why is this important? Non organic produce has been sprayed with pesticides, which can stay on even after washing.  No one wants to eat pesticides and there are many side effects.  Five side effects that consuming pesticides can have on humans are:

                1.) Birth defects and/or low birth weight

                2.) Neurological problems

                3.) Cause interference in child development

                4.) Cause cancers, such as leukemia, brain cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and kidney cancer

                5.) Interfere with hormone function (Grinning Planet, 2010).  

These side effects have a bigger impact on babies and children because their systems are still developing and it is harder for them to detoxify.  

Now, that we have a basic understanding that organic is much better than non, what do you do when you can't go to the local farmers market every weekend or find a natural grocery store? Many grocery stores have a small selection of organic produce. In order for a single ingredient product to have the USDA Organic seal it must 100% organic.  Tom found a chart that can be very helpful when purchasing organic produce.  It breaks down fruits and veggies that contain the most and least residual pesticide.  Some of the fruits and veggies that contain the least amount are bananas, avocados, and onions.  Peaches, apples and carrots contain the most residual pesticides.  Here is a copy of the wallet size chart provided by Grinning Planet (http://www.grinningplanet.com/2006/update-2005-05-24/most-least-chart-2006.pdf). 

THE RED ZONE . . . AVOID UNLESS ORGANIC! Peaches Apples Sweet Bell Peppers Celery Nectarines Strawberries Cherries Carrots Pears Frozen Winter Squash

SO-SO LEVELS . . . SO USE CAUTION! Spinach Grapes Lettuce Potatoes Green Beans Hot Peppers Cucumbers Mushrooms Cantaloupe Oranges Fresh Winter Squash

BETTER . . . BUT NOT PERFECT! Apple Sauce Raspberries Plums Grapefruit Tangerine Apple Juice Honeydew Melon Tomatoes Sweet Potatoes Watermelon Cauliflower

AHH . . . BEST OF THE BUNCH Broccoli Orange Juice Blueberries Papaya Cabbage Bananas Kiwi Canned Tomatoes Sweet Peas Asparagus Mango Canned Pears Pineapple Sweet Corn Avocado Onions

I know that I will be using this information the next time I go shopping, especially for Monkey Food!

Green Beans Are Officially A No Go!

After having the green bean experience, we decided to take a little break from the veggie.  About a week ago, I decided I would try a recipe I found in my Babycook cook book, which includes green beans.  Surely, Tommy will like green beans mixed with other vegetables.  

As soon as I got done cooking the new recipe, I decided I would try to feed it to Tommy.  The first couple bites, Monkey wasn't sure about it.  I was excited because I thought we might have found a way to make Tommy eat green beans.  Boy was I wrong.  Again, he started to gag when he took a bite.  Since green beans are high in Calcium, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C, I didn't want to give up so quickly.  The only problem I ran into was the fact that I felt so bad every time he gagged or made a face.  Tom says he loves to feed him because all the crazy faces Monkey makes, but he still finds it frustrating when the boy won't open his mouth after the first bite. 

A good friend of mine, Sheena, recently went to a class which said that you should introduce a food 20 times before you count it out of a baby's diet.  This fact made me feel a lot better.  Though, I still hate seeing Tommy not like eating green beans.  

Today, Tom tried feeding Monkey the Green Bean and Tomato soup.  Again, he really did not like it.  Tom even told me that he didn't want to feed Tommy green beans ever again.  We started talking about all the times we tried to feed him green beans and realized that we have tried green beans at least 20 times.  Needless to say, Monkey does not like green beans.  

I guess, we will have to try green beans again in a few months. Hopefully, his taste buds will change.  

Here is the recipe for Tomato and Green Bean soup by Beaba Babycook

Ingredients:

1/2 small tomato

1 small potato

1/4 cup green beans

Steam Veggies together and then puree in their cooking liquid. (I used breast-milk instead)

I hope your little one likes it better than Monkey!

Deciding to Pump

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump

Breastfeeding is very important to me.  I decided when I was pregnant that I was going to breastfeed, and gosh darn it, I was going to stick with it.  Fortunately, Tommy and I had no problems connecting.  He had a wonderful latch and seemed to figure things out pretty easily.  The only issues we had were the nurses giving their advice.  Everyone had their two cents to give and no one thought the other person's opinions were correct.  Needless to say, I had to wait to feed Tommy after the nurses left the room. 

I started to use my breast pump the day we got home from the hospital.  I was so engorged that I was crying.  Half of the nurses told me to wait and the other half said it would be fine to start pumping early.  It's amazing how no one seems to agree when it comes to raising a baby.  After making a decision with Tom, we decided it couldn't hurt to start pumping immediately.

My first breast pump, yes I said first, was the Lansinoh Double Electric Pump.  I used this particular pump for about 5 months.  I really liked it and it did the job.  After about a month I had enough milk frozen to last a couple days! I was so proud.  Actually, when Tommy was a little over 3 months old, Tom and I went on a small vacation while Tommy stayed with Memaw.  I was so proud because I didn't have to supplement with formula.  

At 4 months, Tommy figured out that he can "chew."  It got so bad that I dreaded nursing Tommy.  I was so disappointed in myself.  It broke my heart.  After doing my research, imagine that ;), I decided that I could strictly pump and feed Monkey breast-milk from bottles.  The problem that I ran into was that it took 20 minutes to feed Tommy and then 20 minutes to pump using my Lansinoh pump.  I spoke with my pediatrician and looked up tons of reviews and decided to purchase the Medela Freestyle Breast Pump.  This pump allows me to pump and feed Tommy at the same time.  Since the Freestyle pump is hands-free, I can do other minor tasks while pumping.  I would highly recommend it.  

I have been pumping and bottle feeding for about a month now and it has been working great.  I haven't noticed any decrease in my milk supply.  After pumping every 3 hours, I have been able to express about 36 oz a day.  And once or twice a day, I drink a tea designed for breastfeeding mothers, in order to keep my supply up. 

 

When you set your mind to something, you can do it.  In most cases, no matter what the circumstance there is a way to feed your baby breast-milk.  I want to thank my family for being such a wonderful support, especially my husband.  He has purchased products when I need them and always provides the support that I need. I love you!

The Green Bean Experience

Well, Monkey does NOT like green beans! After going to the farmer's market, I decided the next food we would introduce to Tommy would be green beans.  We bought a ton of green beans and I couldn't wait to make "Monkey Food."  

As I have mentioned before, it is best to introduce new veggies one at a time; therefore, I steamed a handful of green beans.  I like to take taste Monkey's food once I get done cooking and pureeing it.  The green beans tasted normal.  Since it was still early in the day, I decided we would feed Tommy green beans for lunch.  

When we put Tommy in his high chair he gets super excited.  As soon as he was in his chair he opened his mouth really wide.  The first bite was small and he made a really funny face.  He always makes faces when we introduce new food so we didn't think anything about it.  Tommy did really good and opened his mouth again for a second bite.  The second bite was bad.  He looked like he was about to throw-up and then he started gagging.  Like most new parents would do, we panicked just a little.  Once we realized Tommy was okay, he decided we needed to give him some MORE green beans.  After about 5 bites and him gagging after swallowing, we realized he did not like green beans.  

A few days later, we thought we would give green beans another try.  Needless to say, we had the same experience.  :( Green beans are a no go for Monkey!

Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Southern California has an abundance of Farmer's Markets.  I'm pretty sure that I could go to one everyday of the week and only have to drive 30 minutes.  I LOVE going to the Farmer's Market, so there are never too many.  On Sunday, Tom, Tommy and I decided we would go and grab a small amount of fruit and veggies for Tommy's food.  Wow, a small amount can turn into several bags really fast.  Tommy loved all of the people. He smiled at all the men and flirted with all the women. Gotta love that boy!

I wanted to make sure that we got all sorts of fruits and veggies.  It is so important to teach your baby healthy eating habits now. According to Dr. Roberts, via "Baby Love", teaching healthy eating habits now have a permanent effect on you baby.  This effect is through metabolic programming, which effects growth, immune system, intelligence and strength.  (O'Donnell & Tracy, 2010).  

I want to share some of the nutrient facts that I have found.  These are the fruits and veggies that we started Tommy on. 

Sweet Potatoes: 

      * One of the best vegetables you can eat
      * Loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. 

      * Vitamins (1 medium baked/steamed sweet potato)

             - Vitamin A - 24,877 mg

             - Vitamin C - 28.0 mg

             - Pantothenic Acid - 0.74 mg

             - Niacin - 0.69 mg

             - Folate - 26.2 mg

       * Minerals

             - Potassium 273 mg

             - Phosphorus - 29.5 mg

             - Magnesium - 13.5 mg

             - Calcium - 6.2 mg

             - Sodium 11.0 mg

             - Iron - 0.55 mg

             - Manganese - 0.6 mg

             - Zinc - 0.3 mg

Carrots:

        * Packed with Vitamin A

        * Terrific for skin and night vision

        * Vitamins (1/2 cup steamed carrots)

              - Vitamin A 19,152 IU

              - Vitamin C - 1.8 mg

              - Niacin - 0.4 mg

              - Folate - 11 mcg

              - Pantothenic Acid - 0.2mg

              - Vitamin B6 - 0.2mg

         * Minerals:

              - Potassium 177 mg

              - Sodium - 51.5 mg

              - Calcium - 24 mg

              - Phosphorus 23.4 mg

              - Magnesium - 10 mg

              - Iron - 0.48 mg

Peas: 

         * Good source of Vitamin K

              - Maintains bone health

         * Contains folic acid and Vitamin B6

               - Heart Health

         * Vitamins

                - Vitamin A - 955.2 iu

                - Vitamin C - 22.72 mg

                - Niacin 3.23 mg

                - Folate 100.8 mcg

                - Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.41 mg

                - Vitamin B6 - 0.35 mg

          * Minerals

                - Potassium - 433.6 mg

                - Phosphorus - 187.2 mg

                - Magnesium - 62.4 mg

                - Calcium - 43.2 mg

                - Sodium - 4.8 mg

                - Selenium - 3.0 mg

                - Iron - 2.5 mg

                - Zinc - 1.9 mg

                - Manganese - 0.8 mg

Butternut Squash

         * Packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber

         * 1 cup cooked

                - Calories 79.95

                - Protein - 1.82 g

                - Carbohydrates - 17.94 g

                - Dietary Fiber - 5.74 g

                - Calcium - 28.7 mg

                - Iron - 0.67 mg

                - Potassium 895.85 mg

                - Folate - 57.40 mcg

                - Vitamin A - 7,291.85 mg

Apples

         * An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

         * Excellent source of fiber

         * Helps prevent heart disease and many cancers

         * Vitamins (1 medium apple)

               - Vitamin A - 73 IU

               - Vitamin C - 9 mg 

               - Folate - 4 mcg

               - Vitamin E - 0.66 IU

         * Minerals

               - Potassium - 158 mg

               - Calcium - 9.5 mg

               - Phosphorus - 9.5 mg 

               - Magnesium - 7 mg

Peaches 

         * Packed with potassium, antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and beta-carotene

         * Vitamins (1 medium with skin)

               - Vitamin A - 524 IU

               - Vitamin C - 12 mg

               - Folate - 5.5 mcg

               - Niacin - 0.97 mg

          * Minerals

               - Potassium - 193 mg

               - Phosphorus - 12 mg

               - Magnesium - 6.9 mg

               - Calcium - 5 mg

Bananas

          * Rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, and potassium

          * Help with both constipation and loose stool

          * Vitamins 

               - Vitamin A - 95 IU

               - Vitamin C - 11 mg

               - Folate - 22.5 mcg

               - Vitamin B6 - 0.7 mcg

               - Niacin - 0.6 mg

               - Pantothenic Acid - 0.31 mg

               - Vitamin E - 0.67 IU

           * Minerals

               - Potassium - 467 mg

               - Magnesium - 43 mg

               - Phosphorus - 27 mg

               - Calcium - 7 mg

               - Iron - 0.4 mg 

Now, that I have let my nerd side shine through, I should probably not bore you anymore with nutritional information.  Though, I don't know that it will be the last time I put nutritional info on here. I want to make sure everyone is informed! 

Stay tuned for the Green Bean Experience!

                

Myths about Breastfeeding

Shh, Mommy!!

So, I might be getting on a soap box here but I want everyone to be educated and know that if they want to nurse their baby, they can! 


Yesterday, I was at a Beth Moore Woman's Conference and was able to speak to a lady that really inspired me.  The conference was about 8 hours long and since I'm still nursing Tommy I had to bring my pump.  When I first brought all of my stuff into the fellowship hall, I apologized for the 3 bags I was carrying. Lisa was very understanding and told me a story about breastfeeding her son.  


Lisa, a lady with two kids, said that she breastfed her son for over a year.  In these days, that is amazing! She also told me that her son would not take anything but the breast until after 9 months.  Since "most" babies are suppose to start accepting food between 4 and 6 months, she had to take him to occupational therapy.  Lisa continued to nurse her son every 2 hours while he was in occupational therapy.  I want to thank God for putting Lisa next to me today. She was a great inspiration!


A few nights ago, I was on Facebook and an ad appeared.  I never click on the side adds but this particular one caught my attention.  The ad was on the top 5 myths about breastfeeding.  When I read through the list, it amazed me how each and every one was brought up while I was still pregnant.  


A lot of people believe that they can't breastfeed for some odd reason.  Though, it is true there are people that can't because of medical reasons, it is less likely that someone can't breastfeed because of a lack of milk.  When a mother decides to nurse, they must be 100% sure and have support from everyone.  Feeding your baby formula is easier and when you are exhausted from the birthing process, you mind find yourself thinking about using formula. One thing that I did when I went to the hospital with Tommy was make a birth plan.    In my plan, I made it clear that I did not want to supplement with formula, period.  Having written it down, it made me try so much harder to make sure Tommy was getting enough to eat. 


The Facebook ad that I read matched up with the research that Tom and I did when we decided to breastfeed Tommy.  I thought I would share the 5 myths that have been noted to be false. I got these from cafemom.com


1.) Since my baby was a preemie, I had to supplement with a special formula for the 6 weeks he could get phosphates he missed in the utero. 
           -- False, your body will adapt your milk supply to match your baby. What an amazing God we have!!
2.) No matter how long I waited in between feedings, my breast didn't fill up.
           -- Your breast do not have to be engorged to be producing milk. Consider yourself lucky if you do  not get engorged breasts.
3.) Unless you eat really healthy, breast milk is no better than formula.
           -- False. Again, what a wonderful God we have because our diets effect us and not the baby. Our bodies will use our stored nutrients for baby. 
4.) My baby is allergic to my breast-milk.
           -- Negative! Your baby can't be allergic to your breast-milk.  He might be allergic to something that you eat.  It can be as easy as switching from cow's milk to soy milk. I will blog about our decision to drink soy milk later. 
5.) I had to supplement until my supply came in since it took 5 days.
           -- False. Your body will provide the amount of milk that your baby needs!


For more on the 5 myths you can see this link: http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/108659/5_breastfeeding_myths_you_probably?utm_medium=om&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=CPC&utm_content=thestir_breastfeedingmyths 
Also, I would be more than happy to answer any question you may have. 


Sorry that I went off on my soap box. Tomorrow I will blog about Tommy again. We are going to the Farmer's Market to get fresh fruits and veggies!


Love, 
T

The World of Puree

Tommy's first rice cereal feeding

Several weeks ago, I made the first batch of "Monkey Food."  After talking to our pediatrician, we decided that we would start with yellow veggies, and then slowly introduce green veggies and fruits.  Our pediatrician told us that it is smarter to introduce vegetables before fruits because babies, like most adults, prefer the sweet taste of fruits; therefore, will refuse the veggies after having fruit.  I did a little research on my own and found that no matter what order you introduce fruits and vegetables, a baby is going to favor the fruit.  


My wonderful Grandma, Lorna Nobles, sent me a book called "Baby Love."  This book has been amazing at teaching me about making baby food for Tommy.  "Baby Love" says that it is important to teach your baby healthy eating habits now.  The younger you can "train" a baby to prefer fruits and veggies to junk food and sweet the better.  And that is what Tom and I are trying to do with Tommy. 


The first food that we introduced to Tommy was rice cereal.  There are many recipes that explain how to make single grain rice cereal but I decided that the Gerber Organic Brown Rice was the best for Tommy. After a very messy first attempt, Tommy has decided he LOVES to eat rice cereal.  We also introduced single grain oatmeal, which he still does not care much for. 


Carrots were the first veggie that we introduced to Tommy.  The carrots were cooked (steamed) and pureed in the Beaba Babycook baby food maker.  Instead of mixing the carrots with water to smooth out the puree, I mixed a little expressed breast-milk.  Putting breast-milk (or formula, if that is your preference) in your baby's food early on helps teach the baby that the stuff you are putting in his mouth will fill him up.  


Making Puree "Monkey Food" is super simple.  Using the Babycook has been fantastic.  When I cook I only make one dirty dish; therefore, clean up is really, really easy.


As of now, Tommy loves sweet potatoes and green peas. He hates avocados, aka baby guacamole. He gags every time we feed them to him; at least he does very good and doesn't spit them out.  I'm getting very excited to start mixing the veggies and fruits.