Have you already tried changing your diet while breastfeeding or switched formulas and your baby still has gas? Their little bellies are growing at such a rapid rate! In order to make them as comfortable as possible there are a few products that are over the counter that can help:

Gripe water: A natural herbal remedy, consisting of ginger and fennel.

Mylicon or Little Tummies which is Simethicone. This is baby gas X it is the same ingredient in adult gas x just a tiny amount.

Windi: you insert this up the baby's bottom and it immediately releases the gas.

Baby Probiotic: probiotics just like we take in the correct dosage for a baby. BioGaia (now Gerber Soothe) is an over the counter brand to look for.

Happy Tummi: this is a band with lavender, chamomile and lemongrass that acts as aromatherapy. You wrap this around the belly and it calms them.

In addition to these you can do bicycles with their legs, belly time, and a small soft belly massage.

Happy Mommying!

As a mom we will begin to focus on our little ones every little move, sound and yes their poop! This is one of the main ways we can tell our little one is getting enough of the right food and they are healthy.

Meconium: In the first few days your baby will have a tar-like look to it, it is called meconium. It is this color because the baby is expelling amniotic fluid since that is all they have been eating for the past 9 months.

Grainy green or yellowish brown:  This is the transitional poop from meconium to either breast/formula milk fed baby.

Mustard yellow seedy: This is normal breast milk poop.

A brighter green frothy: This usually means the baby is getting too much foremilk and not enough hind milk, so try to empty one breast fully in a feeding before moving to the next.

Soft brownish or dark green: Normal formula poop.

Very frequent watery greener than usual: Diarrhea. This can be a sign of infection or allergy so contact your pediatrician to discuss this with them.

Very dark green blackish: This is an iron-fortified baby.

Brownish Mushy: When you little on starts solids, what comes in must come out and therefore the look, smell and color changes.  When you give finger foods you may even notice some food still solid in the poop, this is also normal. Sometimes our little ones just don’t chew it enough. For example, raisins will show up whole.

Hard, pellit-like: This means your little one is constipated. It may even have some mucous or blood streaks in it from the straining. Try giving them prune juice if they aren’t on solids or if they are on solids prunes for breakfast.

Greenish with mucous streaks: This can mean your little one has a cold or has an excess of mucous (i.e. teething). In some cases this can also be an allergy so if it occurs more than 2 days call your pediatrician to discuss with them.

Bloody: Normal color with blood in it is normally a sign there is a milk allergy.  If your child has been constipated the blood can be hemorrhoids or rectal fissures. Either one you should call your pediatrician.

Blood is poop but blackish: This means your child digested this blood and if they are breastfed they most likely got this from your breast from bleeding nipples.

POOPS YOU MUST CALL PEDIATRICIAN RIGHT AWAY: 1) Thick black poop made up mostly of digested blood (called melena). It's dark and tarry like meconium but a bit firmer and less sticky. 2) Poop consisting almost entirely of red blood, this can be severe intestinal problems. 3) Whitish color, can signal liver or gallbladder failure.  With any of these your baby will be unhappy as well, call the doctor a.s.a.p.

Their poop really does say it all! It can tell us whether our little one is healthy or sick, so pay attention to the look and color everyday. Welcome to motherhood! J

You just made your little one dinner and right after you give them the dinner they put it on the floor! As a mom the first thing you think is “what the hell is up with that, why wouldn’t they want to eat!” Babies and Toddlers love to throw their food on the floor and this has been happening since the beginning of time.

The main reason they first start doing it is it is fun! Yep that is right, around 8 or 9 months they start to see what will happen when they do it. If mommy will always pick it up, it is a game to them, and kids love games! Simple tip moms; don’t keep on picking it up, otherwise you set yourself up for a lot of picking up! Try this: Pick it up twice and after that, dinnertime is all done! Take their food away and move on with the day's activities. After doing this a few times, they'll start to learn how your game works. The simple proposition in a calm voice of; "We don't drop food on the floor. If we do, dinner time is all done" gets results quickly!

Another reason is they just may not like what you are feeding them, or maybe just not like one item that is on the plate. Once your baby becomes more verbal they will be able to communicate this and when you put the broccoli next to the chicken they can so “no broccoli I don’t like it,” and you can just remove it off and offer another vegetable.

Now onto a toddler, they communicate and they still do it….it is time to make them clean it up too! That’s right, hand them a wipe and have them clean it up. They will learn a valuable lesson and they will stop doing it so much because they have to clean it up! In fact you should involve your toddler in all you household duties. It will show them how to be tidy and teach them great values in life.

Happy Feeding Mommies!

Grazing is a concept we are all well acquainted with as mothers. Our kids always want something to eat or drink and love snacking, but is this a good way to feed your child? As adults we are taught the healthiest thing for us is to graze to keep out energy all day and eat small meals, but as a child this is not the best route to go. 

Giving your child meals with mealtime establishes good table manner and allows everyone to have “family dinner”. As your kids grow older this will be the social time they chat with their friends at lunch time and when they come home and have dinner with you, they can tell you all about their day. It is valuable family time that will be special for everyone in the family.

Grazing can also interfere with your nutrition and teeth. Snacks will not provide the nutrition that your child needs. I’m not saying don’t have snacks, in fact, snacks are a critical part of a well balanced diet. The ideal is to offer them a few snacks in the day and three nutritious meals. This will be the best way to get the best possible food in your little ones belly! Grazing can also contribute to tooth decay. Continual snacking can promote cavity-causing bacteria in their little mouth as it doesn’t give them the opportunity for their mouths to be cleaned of these bacteria.

Lastly, continual grazing can disturb your child’s play time! That’s right, the fun and exciting time in their day could be limited by the amount of play and type of play they are doing. If your child is running around with food in their hand or mouth it cannot only be dangerous, but will distract and limit your child as the food becomes the priority as opposed to being free to play with their friends or even their imagination.

So give your child structure with food and meals. Offer them healthy meals and not too many snacks in a day to not interfere with their meals and everything else in their day!

Happy Mealing Mommies!

1. Avocado and Egg yolk
2.  Peas and Pears
3. Apples and Carrots
4. Sweet Potatoes and Peas
5. Black beans and Mango
6. Black Beans and Carrots
7. Bell Pepper and Corn
8. Bell Pepper and Lentils
9. Broccoli and Peas
10. Eggplant and Bell Peppers
11. Lentils, Carrots and Celery
12. Black Beans and Banana
13. Butternut Squash and Peas
14.  Banana and Avocado
15. Carrots and Sweet Potato

 

Happy Feeding!

I get asked a lot how often and how much we should feed out little ones a bottle or breast.

How often: Most babies need to feed every 3 hours during the day when they are very young. Most breastfed babies even need every 2 hours in the early weeks. At night they may stretch longer but not in the early weeks. Your little one will eventually stretch out to feed every four hours or even longer with months as they get older. Especially with good habits established early on.

How much: If you are breastfeeding your little one will regulate how much they eat on their own. Breastfeeding babies are very good at this, just make sure they empty one full breast so they get the hind milk then top it off with the second breast. With age they will become more efficient and nurse for shorter periods. If you formula feed your baby can eat half their body weight in ounces. So if they weigh 8lbs they can eat up to 4 ounces. Will they at first? Probably not, but you can work up to it. The ounces will increase each month, and then they will decrease as solids are introduced and they get older.

Happy Feeding!

I’m often asked how often and how much should we feed our little ones a bottle or breast.

How often: Most babies need to feed every 3 hours during the day when they are very young. Most breastfed babies even need every 2 hours in the early weeks. At night they may stretch longer but not in the early weeks. Your little one will eventually stretch out to feed every 4 hours or even longer as they get older. Especially with good habits established early on.

How much:

Breastfeeding: If you are breastfeeding, your little one will regulate how much they eat on their own. Breastfeeding babies are very good at this, just make sure they empty one full breast so they get the hind milk then top it off with the second breast. With age they will become more efficient and nurse for shorter periods.

Formula Feeding: If you formula feed your baby, they can eat half their body weight in ounces. So if they weigh 8lbs they can eat up to 4 ounces. Will they at first? Probably not, but you can work up to it. The ounces will increase each month, and then they will decrease as solids are introduced and they get older.

Happy Feeding!

Wow we thought we had enough diapers to change and we didn't even realize as moms the amount of outfit changes we have to do from spit up. Spit up is a very common in babies. As long as your baby is "happy" after spitting up, gaining well, developing well, sleeping well, and is not in discomfort from spitting up then this is a laundry problem not a medical problem. If you extra concerns always talk to your pediatrician.

So why does our baby spit up so much?  When they are first born their digestion systems have not yet fully matured. The muscles at the bottom os the esophagus is not fully strong yet and therefore can not keep it down in their little bellies. They could be eating too fast or your let down could be too fast allowing them to eat quickly and get too much air in. If your baby is 3 months or older and newly easily distracted while eating, when they go off and on the boob or the bottle they also could be allowing them to swallow air. Spitting up usually peaks around 4 months and lightens up at 6 months. Babies over 6 months can spit up if they have started solids, started crawling, or are teething. As long as they are "happy spitter uppers" don't worry too much, your washing machine will just be getting its exercise :). 

Whatever the reason may be there are a few things that you can do to help them spit up less: Elevate them while eating, burp after each feeding, keep the environment calm and less detracting while they are eating, make sure their diaper isn't to tight around their bellies, keep them elevated after they eat, stay away from movement such as car rides after feeding, watch your diet if you are breastfeeding, or if they are formula fed make sure they are on the correct one. 

Babies poop, they eat, they sleep and yes they spit up! Make sure you have lots of laundry detergent, and get washing! 

Dreamfeeding is a great way to get your baby to stay asleep and fuller longer, but I get asked very often, what is this and how do you do it? Dreamfeeding is in fact feeding your baby while they are fully asleep. It sounds like a weird concept, but it works! Babies become in such a relaxed state while they are sleeping they just open and feed, it is amazing!

How and when should you dreamfeed?  You can dreamfeed with your newborn baby right from start. A dreamfeed usually takes place between 10pm-11:30pm. You take them swaddled in the environment they are sleeping in; pick them up and bottle or breast-feed them. Burp them after well and lay them back down.

What will this do? This will help your baby stay asleep longer and help them increase their ability to sleep longer.  It is basically a top-up before you go to bed for the night. If you are already asleep try setting an alarm to wake and do the dreamfeed. Helping them elongate their sleep will be very beneficial. Additionally, Mommy gets more uninterrupted shuteye!

Should you do it at the same time every night? I usually recommend doing the dreamfeed within the same time range (10pm-11:30pm) but not at the same time every night. Now why is this? Because this way your baby is not regulated to an exact time and therefore when you choose to drop the feeding, they will not be in shock making it much easier for both of you.

Remember not every baby is the same. Some babies love the dreamfeed and some babies don’t. Some baby’s sleep longer and better, others actually wake and get disturbed with dreamfeeds. Just try it and take note of how your baby sleeps with the dreamfeed, is it the same? Or is it better? This way you can see if your baby does well with it and whether you should continue it. Most babies love it and sleep longer and better. Around 3 months you can wean off the dreamfeed and just let your little one sleep. Enjoy the extra shuteye!

Happy Dreamfeeding Mommies!

If your baby has no problem breastfeeding but doesn’t like to drink your stored milk, it may be the taste. Does it always have a strange sour smell and your baby is turned off by it? Even if you pump fresh milk and use it a few hours later, this sour smell seems to appear you may have a high count of lipase in your breast milk. Lipase is the enzyme that aids in the digestion of fats and when it is stored it begins to breakdown.  Some babies just don’t mind the taste and it is completely safe to give your baby if they are ok with the taste. So if there is no rejection, then don’t worry about it at all J! If they are refusing it and do not like the taste you may want to try scalding the breast milk before freezing it for storage. Scalding it is the heating up the milk before you store it to stop the process of fat digestion. Scalding it immediately is the best plan of action. Make sure when you scald or heat it up you just see little bubbles start to form and are not boiling it completely. This may lower some of the nutrients in the milk but will still be plentiful healthy for your little one. So next time you are having bottle feeding problems and you have tried everything, maybe it’s the milk not the bottle or your baby being pickyJ!

Happy Feeding Mommies!

As your baby gets older, they develop new skills that you clap and cheer about because you are so proud of them. When they roll or sit up for the first time it brings a huge smile to your face. With these skills, other interesting skills come along like biting while breastfeeding and all we can say is, “ouch!”

Babies bite while breastfeeding for a few reasons; most commonly because they are finished nursing, teething, or simply want your attention. Whatever reason, biting should not happen while breastfeeding even when your little one has a full set of teeth. If they latch correctly it is impossible to nurse and bite at the same time. The most common cause of biting is teething. If your baby is teething, chances are their gums are painful and they tend to go on “nursing strikes” and bite everything in sight, including your breast. Here are a couple of suggestions to stop this unpleasant habit from recurring. Firstly, unlatch your baby from your breast and hand them a teething toy or cold washcloth to teeth on. Say, “we don’t bite mommy but you can bite this for your teeth.” Then after they are done teething on that toy, let them re-latch and simply breastfeed. When they do not bite, simply say, “Yay! That was excellent! No biting, that makes mommy happy!” If they are biting because they are finished nursing then use positive praising and reinforcement for when they don’t bite. Always hand them something and say, “you can’t bite me but you can bite Sophie the Giraffe.”

Now what happens if your baby keeps on biting and does not unlatch when you try to unlatch them and they bite harder? …Push their face into your breast for just a second. Their instinct to breathe will make them unlatch themselves. If they are biting for attention then give them the extra attention they need. Sometimes they just want mommy to know they are there and want some extra love J.

Whether your baby is teething or just wants mommy’s attention, biting does not feel good and it’s important to let your baby know that. Teach them from a young age that biting is not allowed. Stay consistent with teaching them and they will learn. Good luck!

Happy Feeding!

You have made it through the first year of life; give your self a big pat on the back! Around a year is when we are able to begin to offer whole milk. And eventually after this our next step is take away the bottle. But what if our kid will not drink as much milk out of a cup as a bottle? What should we do? First let me say, do not stress this is common and just comes with switch. I know as a mother, I am still always shocked how much the decrease was when we switched at 14 months with my first child, but remind myself it is ok J. A child needs 20-24 ounces of dairy a day, not just milk. So your child can have cheese, yoghurt, smoothies, cottage cheese etc. to give them the amount needed for their growth. Above all after a year, a healthy balanced diet is the most important. There are many children out there that don’t eat dairy at all or aren’t able to digest whole milk and they grow up just fine! So don’t stress too much, it’s not about the milk it is about the well balanced diet your child is eating, “the whole picture”. Your little baby is growing up and with this comes changes with their nonstop growth. Enjoy the never-ending moments of joy and changes that come along with it and don’t stress too muchJ!

Happy Mothering!

We all want to get more veggies into our child’s body, but how? Many moms have recently asked me for some “Ferman Family” favorites that are a hit with all the kids that live here and visit here!

Pasta Pesto: If your kids love pasta, try this one. Whip up or buy a pesto sauce whatever you choose. Then take the following cooked veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and some tofu and puree it. Mix it into the pesto pasta until there is plenty in there but the pesto still covers up the taste. In addition the green from the pesto covers up the veggie look! Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top and voila! Great for kids and adults. J

Beans and Rice: If you haven’t tried black beans with your kids yet, please do. They are a great food that is so healthy. Take a pack of black beans and soak them over night. The next morning strain them and rinse them. Put them into a pot with the water about an inch above the beans. Next add pureed onions, garlic and broccoli or you could do spinach (choose a veggieJ). Pour in some brown rice, a few dried bay leaves and cover it and let it cook on low for an hour or so. The pureed veggies absorb into the rice and beans and are covered up by the black bean color. Cook until soft. After it’s cooked put some in a bowl and add in some shredded cheese while its hot (mix of cheddar and mozzarella). You can sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top for a little extra yumminess! When you want to be adventurous you can do white beans added in and sub the rice with quinoa. Enjoy! J

Try these mommies! Add some fish on the side for some extra protein. EnjoyJ!

Happy Eating!

Every mother has then never-ending fear of taking away the bottles of milk. It is a point in every mothers life where we just say, “next week” then the next week say… “next week”. Yes it is a hard move to do for each and every one of us. Why is it so hard for us as mothers to make this jump? The #1 reason is we all correlate milk with giving our child a better nights sleep and no one wants to mess up good sleep for mommy or baby! Guess what, your child will sleep just fine with out a bottle of milk. In actuality I think it is harder for us as mothers because that is one step closer from your baby being a baby to being a toddler and growing up and that is just hard for each and every one of us. So how should you take it away?

There are two options to take away the bottle: slowly transitioning it with one feeding at a time going into a cup or just cold turkey! Personally with both my kids I did cold turkey around a year for each of them. The reason I chose to stay close to a year, Jordana was 14 months and Ariella just recently at about a year, is because the earlier you take it away the easier it is for the child to adjust. The longer they have it the more the attachment will grow, which makes it harder on everyone. So if you want to do cold turkey just wake up one day and say “no more bottles!” If you would like to transition, drop one feeding at a time to a straw cup each week. There is no right way so whichever way you choose; they both have the same outcome.  Just remember and know like anything else change takes time so give your child at least a week to get use to the new change in the repertoire.

The hardest one for every mom to drop is that nighttime bottle. So just try inching it up by 10 minutes each week until you have it around an hour before bed. This way there will be a gap between the milk and nighttime sleep to make it even easier to take away the bottle.

So good luck mommies and remember just stay strong and consistent!

Happy Mommying!

Motherhood has many struggles and if you are a breastfeeding mom, trying to get your baby to take a bottle could be one of your many challenges.  Some babies take to the bottle with no problem and others tend to give mommy some extra fussing and this can be very frustrating. The first thing to know is,you are not alone. Not every baby takes the bottle right away so while this can be frustrating, here are a few things that can help. Most of all: Remember to keep on trying and don’t give up.

1. Nipple flow: If the nipple flow is too slow your baby could be getting frustrated and equally,  if the nipple flow is too fast your baby can choke easily. Either way, the correct nipple flow can help things run smoother! General rule of thumb is, if it is taking longer than 15 minutes for baby to finish a bottle, it's time to 'upgrade' the nipple flow to a faster one.
2. Temperature: Breast milk is actually rather warm and not just room temperature. So if you have to use defrosted milk make sure it is a suitable temperature,  preferably on the warmer side.
3. Pump: The best breast milk to give is your fresh breast milk, so pump and give it to baby fresh for it to be the perfect temperature AND taste.
4. Bottle: Babies do have a preference of bottle early on. Find the one that works for them. Maybe they like a wide nipple bottle or maybe they take to a standard nipple better?
5. Nipple: You can try to warm or cool the nipple to the bottle.
6. Nipple Shield: If you are having extreme trouble and you want to try something new, we suggest using a nipple shield for a day or two then try a bottle. Your baby will get used to the “plastic feel” of the shield this way and it can be used as a stepping-stone.
7. Trick your baby: Yes just trick them, pretend as if you are going to breastfeed and quickly slip the bottle nipple in their mouth instead.
8. Breast milk on the nipple: Try putting some breast milk on the outside of the nipple, just like you do with your breast to let your baby know there is food in there.
9. Timing: Make sure you are catching your baby when they are hungry enough to eat. This is usually every 3 hours in the first 3 months of a baby’s life.
10. Not Mommy: Try having a grandmother, daddy, or caregiver give the bottle. There will be a higher chance your baby will take the bottle from someone that doesn’t already smell like mommy who is full of yummy milk!

So if you are having some issues giving your baby a bottle, try some of these helpful tips to Make Your Baby SmileJ!

Happy Mommying!

As a mother we have this over shadowing guilt of breastfeeding. When we are pregnant we say, “ that is it, I am breastfeeding!” Yes, I am all for breastfeeding. As we know it is the best thing for our children hands down, and I breastfed both my children. I didn’t do the full year but I did what I could do and felt was good for me. In society today we have this guilt that overshadows on every mother and every person judges us on our choices. It is unbelievable because as a mother we already have so many hard choices in life. When a baby is fed all that matters is that they are fed. And whatever makes you the best mother should be the route that you go. Don’t let anyone ever judge and don’t judge yourself more importantly.

In addition we walk into breastfeeding wanting to do a natural thing that doesn’t come so naturally to all. The constant questioning of oneself and stress that goes along with it. “Is my baby getting enough? Am I producing enough?” Not to mention the things no one told you about such as mastitis or the way when you baby is older they will go off and on your boob like nothing stretching your nipple in ways you didn’t think was possible. Or maybe just someone would have mentioned the engorgement in the beginning and limitations of diet. And wow no more fashion tops for a while, whether its extra breast milk leaked out, squirted out or just the fact that you need to access your boobs always, fashion is just not the same. Now don’t think bottle-feeding is a walk in the park either, each way has it is challenges but there is no underlying social pressure to bottle feed out there.

So to sum it all up, I am pro-breastfeeding yes but I am more pro-mommy! I think a mother should make the choice of which way they want to feed their child. We can’t look at each other and judge because what may have been easy for me could have been so hard for you and vice versa. So lets all just give a pat on the back for being a mom. Being a person that unconditionally loves another human being we carried for 9 months. Whatever choices you make down the road, they are your choices and you have no one else to answer to.

Happy Choices & Happy Mommying!

You started it our right, giving your baby veggies instead of fruits first, encouraged them to eat all the colors of the rainbow from bananas to spinach and your baby would happily eat it all without much of a problem.

Then all of a sudden, one day your child began to reject things she once loved. The good news is, it really is probably a stage and the length of time the picky phase persists depends on how you respond to it.

They fuss for various reasons and here's what it boils down to:

1. Independence: Your toddler is suddenly much more opinionated about everything, rejecting food is a way for them to assert independence. So give them a simple choice to encourage the independence. Avocado or hummus?
2.  Peer Pressure: They pay attention to what their friends eat & it doesn't help when their friend, who only eats pizza also comments on your kids healthy choices by calling them "yucky" - try pulling on more positive influences who can help to reinforce healthy choices.
3. Power Toddlers now know they can have impact in situations & want to test you whenever they can, they might be looking for reactions from you. When your child rejects a food one of the worst things you can do is act upset or annoyed instead nonchalantly say "oh well, maybe you'll be hungry at snack time"
4. Junk food wonderland: Almost all children are born with a taste preference for sweet foods and as your toddler is growing up, so are they eating more treats with birthday parities & play dates even kids meals at restaurants. It helps to introduce the concept of "sometimes or fun or special foods” to ensure your toddler realizes you have nothing against these foods but in order to grow healthy and strong he/she needs to eat what you serve at home.
5. Role Model: Your child sees what you eat and wants to be like mommy and daddy, so eat right in front of them and they will mimic what you eat eventually!

Making food look creatively fun is also a great tactic for encouraging good appetites!

Finally it is thought that around age 2 toddlers are genetically programmed to be picky, the only way to help override this is to know they will outgrow this phase and it really is ok for them to skip a meal here and there remembering that they need less food than us & a few bites here and there can add up to a balanced meal.

Happy Eating!!

Your child is becoming more independent moving into finger foods and no longer wants you to feed them. In fact, if you try to feed them they groan with frustration because you are getting in their way. We all have been there, wanting to spoon feed our child yoghurt because it’s so messy. Then the second it is in their hands and they are doing it themselves its everywhere, and by everywhere we do mean everywhere. In their hair, hands, eyes, seat and some ended up in their mouth. Yep it is a mess and we have to clean it up, but that is all part of parenthood. But did you know that allowing your child to explore the food texture, taste and even throwing it sometimes builds their IQ? Yes when a baby sees something is soft and they learn this is a soft food and just like when you tell them it’s orange they learn its orange, so touching and playing with it helps advance not only their sensory skills but their verbal skills as well.  Letting them explore their food will even lead to less plates thrown on the floor because your child will know what they like and what they don’t like by exploring it. So even though we dread the mess, just remember its best for your child. Let them be a kid and have fun, even with their food. The more chances you give them to learn and absorb it all, they more they will. So the next time your 12 month old wants to take the yoghurt and feed themselves, let them and let them enjoy it too! You only get to be a kid once J.

Happy Exploring!