Similarly, the variety of food that a baby is exposed to in the first few years of life may well set the tone of his dietary preferences in later years.

A good weaning diet is one that can provide the baby with the essential nutrients as well as variety. It should be balanced and food should be offered in moderation. Baby's first foods should also be easy to digest. It is recommended that iron-fortified rice cereal as the first solid food as rice is one of the least allergenic foods.  The baby's iron stores will run out at around six months and it is therefore crucial to provide him with an adequate amount of iron to prevent iron deficiency.

Once the baby shows no adverse reaction to the rice cereal, you may proceed to feeding him other single ingredient foods such as pureed fruit, vegetables or other grains, then follow with other protein-rich foods such as meat and chicken.

Purees are a good way to start as their smooth and runny texture will give the baby a comfortable first-food experience. Breast milk or formula can be added to the puree to modify the consistency if needed, especially for babies who have just started on their first solid food adventure.

One key piece of advice about feeding: 'Do not cook too much and do not push the baby to finish the food. One or two spoonfuls may be all your baby will be able to take at the beginning.'

Most children who eat a wide variety of food will not need additional supplementation. But for fussy eaters, growing-up milks which comprise special formulas may help. These can act as a safety net which provides them with energy and nutrients needed for growth.

Tags: Baby, Weaning

Studies show that babies breastfed exclusively for the first six months are less prone to developing allergies later on in life than babies who aren't.  In fact, there is mounting evidence that the longer you breastfeed, the greater the benefits in terms of health and development.

Similarly, the variety  of food that a baby is exposed to in the first few years of life may well set the tone of his dietary preferences in later years.

One of the most common problems that mother encounter is how and when to wean.  Parents can start introducing solid foods after six months so that by 12 months, solid foods become the main part of the baby's diet, with breast milk making up the balance.  Introduction 0of solid foods must be a slow process, with care taken not to overwhelm the baby.  Don't be too excited and try to do many things at the same time like switching from breast milk to formula along with introducing new food.

A good weaning diet is one that can provide the baby with the essential nutrients as well as variety.  It should be balanced and food should be offered in moderation.  Baby's food should also be easy to digest.

Watch this Breastfeeding Video Clip

So you and your spoused have been trying to conceive a child over the last years but with no luck. So what are your options?

Although the classic definitio of infertility means not conceiving after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse, many couples begin to worry before this one year mark.  Luckily, there are many things you can do with the help of your local pharmacist and learning conceive tips to enhance your chances of conceiving.

Here are some of the reasons why couples fail to conceive a child over 85 per cent of the time:

-  Not having intercourse at the right time (knowing the fertile time of the month is important)

-  Fallopian tubes being blocked.

You can rule out some of these problems by keeping careful notes of your menstrual cycle and when you have sex.

Choose the best time to intercourse by using a method to determine when you are fertile either by tracking cervical mucus (where it would appear to be clear and elastic, like raw egg white) and basal body tenperature changes (where a small rise in body temperature of at least 0.2 degrees celsius would be detected), or by using an ovulation prediction test (using either saliva or urine).

Taking the time to relaxed, enjoyable intercourse is important as this can allow the man to make more sperm.  Also, make sure you don't kill sperm by using common personal lubricants or moisturisers.

Over 75 per cent of women who are trying to conceive report an increased in vaginal dryness from the stress of timed intercourse during their fertile period and/or from medications which stimulates ovulation, like clomiphene.

Lubricants with glycerin or propylene glycol kill sperm and should be avoided at this time.  Instead. look for a product at your local pharmacy that has been proven to not harm sperm.

Additionally, products with arabinogalactan (a plant anti-oxidant present in many traditional herbal therapies) can enhance sperm function after ejaculation.

If you still cannot conceive after implementing these changes, it is probably time to visit your physician to check out sperm counts, egg quality and fallopian tube status.
 

Tags: baby, parent, pregnant