Baby :Vege/fruits puree and anchovies powder

My step by step preparing vege/ fruits puree

1. Clean and cut the vege/ fruits
2. Cook it using any method that you like
3. Cool it a bit
4. Blend it using blender
5. Strain the food using strainer (if needed depends on texture and ur baby age, some food like sweet potatoes@keledek is creamy and seems xde la kasar2 texture..so you can skip)
6. Put it in the ice cube / baby cube
7. Refrigerate it (mula2 fridge, then after 1-2 hours masuk freezer)
8. Once it turns into cube you can transfer to other container/ freezer bags. Then masuk balik freezer
Tips: Lalukan air di belakang ice tray sekejap, senang sikit nk keluarkan cube.
Oh ya usually I do not mix the cube in 1 container..maksud klu buat few purees, 1 bekas hnya untk 1 jenis puree
9. Everyday I will take the selected food that I plan to give for the next day. Then put them in fridge to defrost
(mcm handle ebm jugak)

Pic here is just not in order (nak masak vss nk amik pics..mana lg penting?) So I just snapped bila teringat but hope the caption will help

carrot puree (top), sweet potatoes @ keledek puree(below)

both in ice cube

untk masuk dlm fridge pastu freezer

dah jadi cube...but this one pumpkin, prune and potatoes puree (eh 3p)..since dh lupa nk snap tuk carrot and sweet potatoes

acara transfer ke tupperware..bekas hijau tu akan disimpan di fridge (untk esok)..puri labu tu tumpang sat dlm puri kentang je..sbb nk snap gmbr dulu)

Preparing the porridge with vege/ fruits cube
(again my style...this it when he just started solid - so bubur mmg kena tapis)
1. Ambil bbrapa sudu rice powder masukkan dlm penapis teh
2. Basuh bersih2 dan masak sehingga menjadi bubur
3. Sejukkan seketika dan blend it
4. Tapis bubur yg sudah diblender
5. Campurkan vege/ fruits cube. Kacau sebati bubur dan thawed cube dgn api yg sederhana kecil
7. Masukkan dlm food thermos

Blend it!

Sesi penapisan

Sesi tambah vege/ fruits puree

Some mommies can use other steps...it depends on how you want to give it to bs/nursery. At first I also cannot make up my mind how I want to give the foods to nursery. Some said its not good to give foods yg dh simpan dlm freeze since takut kembung, ada plak kata bs x bagi mkn sbb malas nk panaskan food, and so many issues.

So after considering few thing, I have decided to mix it..bubur masak setiap hari, so it fresh. Only fruits/ vege je versi thawed-ice-cube. (I admit sometimes I cannot make it, so nestum jugak jd bekal...and the first time nk msk bubur hoho sungguhla ngantuk! but slowly I make it.

Besides I decided to invest in good food thermos since some commented that the food sejuk altho br bbrapa jam dlm food thermos (beli skali ja tuk guna sume anak). So far kakak nursery tu kata panas elok (kdg kena tggu bg sejuk esp bila mkn pg). Plus I consider at least diorg xpayah la nk panaskan food for my lil one (sudahla diorg nk handle babies2, toddlers lg, EBM lg...so masa beli food thermos pejam mata swipe credit card and just think +ve je).

Since now Afham already started with texture porridge, the steps as below plak
1. Ambil bbrapa sudu rice powder masukkan dlm penapis teh
2. Basuh bersih2 dan masak sehingga menjadi bubur
3. Bila dekat2 nk masak masukan vege/ fruits cube. Kacau rata2 seketika
4. Masukkan dlm food thermos

But, I have to make sure the rice powder btl2 halus..klu blend beras kasar2 nanti kena blend sekali lagi

Bekalan kasih sayang

Right (tahan panas 5 jam) - breakfast

Left (tahan panas 7 jam) - lunch

Bekas biru - nestum...in case ptg klu dia lapar lagi

(at least leh monitor afham mkn bnyk ke tak nestum tu)

On top of that, since salt is not permitted in baby food, we have an option to add anchovies powder..serbuk-ikan-bilis

1. bersihkan ikan bilis anngaran tuk guna seminggu dua stok
2. rendam ikan bilis selama 15-20 minit; tujuan untk hilangkan garam...so klu rasa nk lagi lama terpulang
3. goreng ikan bilis tanpa minyak sehingga masak
4. blend sehingga halus
5. taburkan di atas bubur baby

kerjakan bilis2 itu

rendamkan bilis2 itu

gorengkan bilis2 itu

kisarkan bilis2 itu

Ok till then ...bnyk sgt no plak dlm entri ini =p

Updated :

1. Ice cube dgn penutup itu sy beli di Giant. In case u have more budget can opt for baby cubes. Baby cubes if not mistaken leh dpt kt fabulousmom etc

2. For prune, I use Sunsweet...klu anda lebih rajin leh guna plum..since prune are just really plums that have been "dried"..or maybe klu jumpa option lebih baik silakan...(I saw from bloggers moomies using sunsweet prune, and since sy xsuka shopping lelama...so I just opt this...so its ur choice)

Baby food note

Cooking baby food is enjoyable!

Cook the food, let it cool a bit, toss it into blender and puree away.

Lets read some useful info taken from wholesomebabyfood.com and homemade-baby-food-recipes.com

1. Four basic cooking methods -

• steaming
• boiling
• baking
• microwaving

These are then followed by pureeing or mashing, depending on the type of food and your baby's age.

2. Steaming is the best way of retaining the foods' nutrients. Steaming as a cooking method helps foods retain their levels of water soluble vitamins too. Vitamin C is an important water soluble vitamin that helps aid in the absorption of iron. Steaming allows the foods to be surrounded by steam rather than soaked in water.

3. If you choose to boil the food instead, then use very little water and keep any water remaining once the food has cooked. You can then use it to thin purees - that way, if any nutrients were lost into the water in the boiling process, you can incorporate them back into your baby's food.

4. The longer any type of food is exposed to high temperatures and immersed in water, the higher the nutrient loss.

5. You can freeze foods containing breast milk, but you should never freeze any foods containing previously frozen breast milk, as this may be hazardous for your baby

6. Refrigerate freshly cooked baby food within 2 hours. Bacteria can grow at room temperature after this time. If the room temperature is above 90 F, refrigerate perishable foods within one hour

7. Some say that immediately transferring HOT foods to the freezer is NOT good because that hot food will affect the temperature of the foods around it and quite possibly the temperature of the whole freezer.

8. It is recommend transferring the food you have cooked to the fridge and then to package for freezer storage within 2-3 hours.

9. Salt and sugar are never needed when making baby food. Omit these items, preferably at ALL times, in your baby's meals. Other spices such as cinnamon, garlic powder, pepper etc. may be introduced as early as 7 months (some said 8 months and above)

Healthy recipe for your baby

About a week ago, I have tried new recipe for my lil one and also for us. And today I will share it with you 2 recipe for baby

Colourful yet nutritious

Potato salad

Ingredients
White potato

Carrot

Green peas (couldn't find the fresh one, so I'm using frozen peas)

Unsalted butter

Steps
1. Clean, cut and wash the ingredients

2. Steam it

3. Mix it in a bowl
4. Add unsalted butter

5. Cool it a bit. Blend it..done...

6. For leftover, I make it as stock for a week

There is no specific amount....sume agak2. Unsalted butter is for to taste (lgpun KK sibuk kata puan masak untk anak jgn lupa buh sikit minyak, nanti takut baby xgemuk..so baby needs some fat in their diet!)

It is recommended to choose the best ingredients, for carrot you might consider organic carrot. For peas choose the fresh one, but frozen is also the second best option.For potatoes consider Russet (reason: if guna this kind klu baked it will turn nicely and when mashed, do not turn to paste as quickly as other types of white potatoes). Oh ya I found that if you cannot find Russet potatoes, look for US potatoes..sbbnya nmpk dlm phamplet Giant..it same...

I put extra green peas as my plan for potato salad and green peas puree

After blend it...top-potato salad, below-green peas..

looks yummy-yummy

Baked apple and raisin in a bag

Ingredients

Apple

Raisins

Steps
1. Clean and cut apple
2. Put apple and raisins in the aluminium pocket
3. Cook it about 10-15minutes. Masak atas dapur...if you have microwave boleh la guna microwave so jadilah baked apple and raisin, tp klu baked xsilapnya seelok2nya kulit epal tu xpayah buang
4. Cool it a bit. Blend it..done...

Second plan of the day-baked apple& raisin and steamed pears

(on the same day I manage to prepare 4 types of foods for two weeks stock..

erk ibu-nk-jimat-masa)

Campur2 letak atas aluminium foil..dan lipat

Renjis sikit air sbb takut xmasak

Tgh masak

Dah masak

Both recipes you can add to the porridge.

I would like to remind that it is advisable for you to try the ingredient it before for 4 days..maksudnya baby anda sudah try makan puree carrot 4 days, green peas 4 hari and so on. The reason is if you just simply give this recipe without trying it before, you might dont have idea in case ur baby allergic. Secara logik klu la allergik xboleh nk teka alah potato ke alah green peas ataupun alah pada carrot! kan susah...(if you asked me whether I follow strictly 4 days rule, the answer not really..I mean depends..some smpi lebih 4 hari makan benda sama, some 3 hari..but at least 3 days)

After finished all the things, my kitchen look really mess! Masa steam potato, carrot, green peas mcm kelam kabut..but manage to organise it..nasib dah beli 3 layer steamer..so below layer water, second layer put potatoes, upper layer green peas. Dapur lagi satu I just use periuk isi air and put cake tin with carrot (nasib baik juga cake tin tu muat2 ngan periuk)...so just be creative to prepare the food!

Oh ya, since the potato salad looks colourful I took a little bit to make it potato-salad-untuk-ibu-ayah. Except I add mayonis and a lil bit of olive oil bagi menggantikan unsalted butter.

Adult-version-potato-salad

The adult version of potato salad perfectly matched with Fish & Co. I admit it is really hard for me to cook western style. If even masak spagheti usually chefnya ialah encik suami.

Since in the freezer, I have fish fillet and hash brown, I decided to prepare Fish & Co (I dont call it fish & chips since no chips, instead hash brown.

Its just simple step. Cover the fillet with seasoned flour (flour, salt and pepper). Dip the flour coated fillet into a beaten egg (white). Coat it with breadcrumbs and finally fry it.

I noticed that it is really saving up the cost. The fish fillet is dory which I bought at Tesco for RM4.99..and I just use half of it...Plus all the other ingredients, it cost maybe RM7-10..or even less...Hmm makan kat kedai untk 2 org sudah almost 30ringgit!

Fish & co

Fish & hash brown served with potato salad and black pepper dip

Encik suami smpt kata dh boleh bukak kedai ni....

(pls ignore the decoration...i failed)

So hope it can give some ideas for mommies out there. (klu xmasak skrg, copy-paste recipe and try it later)

Have a great weekend!

Baby : Ready for solid?

When your baby started to solid means it something new for him (not only him, but also the mother ~ sibuk pk nk bg makan pe, cukup ke, brapa kali sehari and so on)

So after almost 2 months sesi-suap-Afham..let me put some notes on this.

Signs of Readiness for Solid Foods
He is at least 4 months old.
He weighs twice as much as her birth weight.
He can sit with support, allowing her to lean forward when He wants another spoonful and backward to refuse.
He has control over her head and neck muscles and can turn her head to refuse food.
He has stopped exhibiting the extrusion reflex when you put a spoon in her mouth.
He is drinking at least 32-40 ounces of formula per 24-hours and still wants more.
He is breast feeding at least 8-10 times per 24-hours (after the first few weeks), empties both breasts at each feeding, and still wants more.
The time between feedings becomes shorter and shorter over a period of several days.
He can bring an object in her hand directly to her mouth.
He shows interest in others eating around her.
He becomes fussy in the middle of the night, whereas before he slept through with no problem. Or her sleep periods are becoming shorter instead of longer.

Don't Wait Longer than 8 Months
After six months, your baby begins to need solid foods for some nutrients, such as iron, vitamin C, protein, carbohydrates, zinc, water, and calories, and delaying food may cause delayed growth. It is crucial that your baby start developing eating and chewing skills between the ages of 7 to 9 months. And if you delay the introduction of solid foods past 8 or 9 months, your baby may refuse textured foods when you finally do offer them to her.

Some general rule

1. Apply the four day rule as you introduce each new food to your baby, in order to identify any potential allergies or digestive problems.

2. Try introducing new foods in the morning or at lunch time. If your baby suffers a severe allergic reaction, it will be easier to get medical help then, rather than later in the day.

3. As a general rule, though, it's a good idea to introduce some texture into your baby's food once he has been enjoying pureed foods for around 3 weeks - this will usually be at around 7 months of age.

Eg. Stage bubur baby mcm kt bwh ni
bubur nasi yang ditapis -> bubur nasi blended ->bubur nasi lecek -> nasi lembik ->nasi lembut -> nasi biasa

4. Start out slowly, preparing a tablespoon sized portion of whatever food you have chosen to begin with. You will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids.

5. It is not a must for your baby to finish a meal. For a good part of the first year, the purpose of giving solid foods is mainly to introduce your baby to new tastes and textures and to help him master the techniques needed to eat solid food, in preparation for the full transition from his "liquid diet"!

6. When your baby has had enough to eat, he will usually let you know, by...
- refusing to open his mouth
- turning away from the spoon/pushing the spoon away
- becoming restless in his highchair
- leaning back in his highchair

Like my lil one, dia akan ketap mulut rapat2 so faham2 jelah dia dh nk stop...or sometimes dia buat muka mcm nk nangis (haha maybe dh penat bukak mulut makan kot!)

7. Last but not least as with most aspects of solid feeding, there is NO HARD AND FAST RULE here. Instead, it's useful to trust your instincts and watch your baby for signs of readiness ... with a little guidance, of course!

Afham started solid as he 5 and a half months (at first nk tggu gak 6 mths exactly tp semua tnda begitu nyata)..if not mistaken on 23.08.2010 exactly. I just send Nestum (since that time tu kc baru siap..), then on Nuzul Quran I gave him kurma puree.. Before that there's one time nursery gave Nestum, since he seems hungry and don't want milk (tapi sekali tu jelah)

Slowly manage to send everyday to nursery, homemade baby food (but top up also mestum and baby bites in case he still hungry...hehe dia suka makan, kakak nursery kata everytime sape2 makan pun dia nk makan jugak!). Erm even dia pernah mkn keropok putih-bulat! Since masa tu budak2 nursery mkn (someone bg dia), and the moment dia mkn keropok tu I just in front of the door, terus terpa dia..korup sekali

For new mothers enjoy the early moments of solid food!

..because you are so dear

This catchy-cutie song will always be my fav. Hope that my lil one also will song with me one fine day!

You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum

Pumpy-umpy-umpkin,

You're my Sweetie Pie

You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop

Snoogums-Boogums,

You're the Apple of my Eye

And I love you so and I want you to knowT

hat I'll always be right here

And I love to sing sweet songs to you

Because you are so dear

Start from now I will have new tag "Song for ur baby" which I will try my best to post nursery rhymes at least twice a month and surely on Friday. Plus with latest pic of my lil one!

Baby : Babywearing

Afham love babywearing..ni ngan ibu sementara

(Ibu kata dia jeles sbb dh 6 bulan dia babywearing Afham, xpenah pun amik gmbr cmni)

Remember this post?

Ya..I never though I survive till today without stroller (hehe btl2 bina badan...). We planned to buy stroller but it keep on delayed. Masuk jusco tgk, belek2, kira lps tolak voucher, lps tu kata xpayahla...haha and it was repeated several times.

Until today I use to carry him front carry. Back carry..later not now

My personal experience, I always noticed that someone will stare when it comes to acara-sesi-pakai-carrier...Maybe they are single, (not to mention..sometimes new mother also stare at me)..I only think that maybe they never realised besides stroller they have other options to bring their baby...

Let look into babywearing info below (I also notice some new things! esp on carrier - no wonder just few outings rasa dh xselesa dgn carrier..rupanya mcm tulis kt bwh ni la..)

Types of Babywearing (source here)

Ring Sling

Ring sling (RS)..klu terror mcm2 gaya blh buat!

A ring sling consists of a length of fabric with two rings at one end. The fabric is threaded through the rings to create a loop, and then placed over the wears head and one arm, so that it sits across the body from shoulder to opposite hip. The size of the sling can be adjusted to make a perfect fit for both carrier and baby, giving excellent support and comfort.

Ring slings can be used to carry baby lying down, as in a hammock, sitting facing in or out (in a “froggy” position, with legs crossed inside the fabric of the sling), or on the carrier’s hip. They are suitable from birth, and will usually last until baby is too heavy for your comfort. As they are a one-shouldered carrier, they can cause some discomfort when used with older, heavier babies or toddlers, or for prolonged periods.

Pouch Sling

Same as puch klu dh terror mcm2 gaya..

This is very similar to the ring sling, but the pouch sling is a fixed size, and it is very important to take accurate measurements prior to ordering a pouch sling so as to ensure a perfect fit (not usually a sling that mummy and daddy can share). Baby can be worn in the same positions as in a ring sling – lying down, on the hip or upright. There are no buckles or rings to fasten – it’s a case of pop it on and off you go! They are very convenient and usually fold up very small, so are fabulous for taking with you on shopping trips

Mei Tai or Soft Structured Carrier

Mei Tai (MT) front carry

Soft Structured Carrier (SSC) back carry

A mei tai is made from a square panel of fabric with straps are the top and bottom. The bottom straps go around the wearer’s waist and the top ones go over the shoulders, crossing on the back and being tied around the waist (either front, or crossing over again and going back round to the back). With a mei tai, the weight is taken through the hips, and distributed over both shoulders, so it tends to be more comfortable for older or heavier babies and toddlers. They can be used to carry babies on the front, back or hip, and due to the long straps, and lack of buckles, one size fits most. As with wraps and slings, mei tais carry baby in a natural seated position, which is best for their delicate spine and hip development, and also for their comfort.

If the tying sounds a bit fiddly for you, there are now some hybrid slings, known as Soft Structured Carriers, which are like mei tais but with buckles instead of long straps. These are a little easier to put on for a novice, but have the disadvantage of needing to be adjusted for different people. They are often not quite as supportive, or comfortable as some of the mei tais, so are less suitable for younger babies.

Wrap
Wrap-around slings come in two varieties – stretchy and woven. They are both the same design, which is basically a long length of fabric. This is used to wrap around both you and baby, so as to fasten you together. The simplicity means that they can be used in a great many positions, with one size fitting all. It is generally accepted that woven are longer lasting, and the stretchy wraps can sag once baby becomes heavier.

However, woven wraps can take a little more practice to perfect the tying, and stretchy wraps are considered a better option for novice wearers. They both work in a similar way to the mei tai, distributing the baby’s weight through the wearer’s hips and back, with the shoulders being used for support. They can look very daunting to the first time user, as the fabric is so long, but after a little practice they are very easy to use.



Baby Carrier

The structured carrier is probably what most new mums automatically think of when they think of a baby carrier. They are more structured than the other types, and therefore les flexible. They fasten using buckles, so need to be adjusted if you intend to share the babywearing, and can be a little fiddly to put on, particularly if they incorporate a harness which the baby sits in. Some of the newer styles can be worn in multiple positions, but most tend to be front-carry only, although baby can be carried facing outwards when they are a little older.


This type of carrier tends not to be as comfortable as other types, either for the wearer or the baby, due to the positioning of the baby – the baby can have a tendency to be supported through the spine, rather than the legs, putting undue pressure on the spine. In addition, many parents find this type becomes uncomfortable once their baby becomes slightly heavier, and puts strain on the wearer’s back, due to the way the weight is distributed.



Why u must love babywearing?

Because Shrek also love babywearing!just kidding

Gwen also love it! (ehem..ehem.. but she use Chanel)

Benci mau bilang...

...that I am busy! No time to update blog

Raya dh kira habis, but citer raya hnya citer kena gigit lipan. Entri raya patut ada sbb ada gmbr Afham pakai baju raya!

Isk2..kerja bertimbun..tu xkira ad hoc assignment jarak-jauh-kes-boss-mmg-di-China (You know that China have a week public holiday due to National Day! – kan bagus Malaysia pun ada cmnih hihihi)

Nevermind later I have time do all the entri-qada-backdated (I hate to say citer basi!..time2 ni la klu la blh masa sehari ada extra2)

OKla time to pen off..