Infants and Iron/Vitamin D

I have been making my own food for my infant daughter and since I haven't been giving her iron fortified cereal and I have been exclusively breastfeeding I was concerned she wasn't getting enough iron. I talked to my lactation consultant and she said that around 6 months infants go through all the iron stored in their body. I could either give her foods fortified with iron or I could talk to my pediatrician about giving her an iron supplement. I spoke with my pediatrician at my daughter's 6 month checkup and she recommended I give her Enfamil® Poly-Vi-Sol® with Iron Drops.

 

    Enfamil® Poly-Vi-Sol® with Iron Drops

You can find it anywhere they carry baby products such as Target and Walgreens. It is just one dropper full a day and a box costs around $10. It doesn't taste very good, my daughter hated it at first, but you can add it to your child's food to make easier.  Another important vitamin that infants bodies need is Vitamin D. Our bodies produce Vitamin D with sun exposure. Babies need 2 hrs a week or 17 minutes a day (face only exposed) or 30 minutes a week or 4 minutes a day (stripped down to diaper) for the body to produce the right amount of Vitamin D. Severe Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets. If you know your child isn't getting enough Vitamin D you can buy a supplement for them. The Enfamil PolyViSol already has Vitamin D in it, along with some other vitamins, so you only have to buy one supplement to get everything your child needs.

Tip of the Day

If you have been following my blog then you know I am always looking for easy & wholesome recipes to make for my family. I don't have very much time, as I know most mothers don't, to cook in the evenings and I don't want to have to buy 30 ingredients to make just one meal. I came across Weelicious.com on a friend's recommendation and I love this site. They have lots of great recipes for the whole family, even for my infant daughter, and best of all this site really strives to make wholesome food. My husband and I use to eat out a lot since neither of us had time to cook but all that changed when my daughter was born. I want her eating healthy foods made at home, just like I use to have. Weelicious is just another great resource I can use to help me feed my family.

Infant Sun Care

Now that the weather is getting warmer my family and I are planning some great outdoor activities. I thought it would be important to discuss some tips for the warmer weather. If you are going to be outdoors for longer than 15 minutes then you need to apply sunscreen for your infant and yourself. Use at least SPF 15 sunblock. I use the Aveeno Baby Sunblock with SPF 55 on my daughter. I use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunblock on my skin. Now I know a lot of people don't bother putting sunscreen on but this is very important. Sun damage can lead to skin cancer as well as wrinkles, sun spots, etc. Also make sure to protect your eyes and wear sun glasses that block out the uva rays. I know we really don't think about protecting our eyes when it comes to the sun but it is very important. Prolonged exposure to the sun actually causes damage to your eyes so always remember to bring your sunglasses! They have great infant sunglasses, the ones with wrap around bands, that you can use to protect your children's eyes. Hats are also another great way to protect yourself and your family from the sun. Try and get hats that are made from thicker material because the thicker the material the more sun that gets blocked out. A denim shirt has an SPF of 1700, but a cotton T-shirt has an SPF of just 8. A useful rule of thumb is to hold the material up to a strong light source such as a light bulb. If you can see images through it, it probably has an SPF value less than 15. If light gets through, but you can't really see through it, it probably has a SPF value somewhere between 15 and 50. If it completely blocks all light, it probably has an SPF value greater than 50. Finally don't forget the water! It is very important to stay hydrated, for you and your children so always pack some water for everyone!

Tips for taking your infant on trips

I know how stressful it can be when planning a trip with an infant. What should I pack? How much should I take? Did I forget anything? are always questions that come to mind. I have come up with some tips from my own experiences that might be helpful.

If possible it's always a good idea to take a short "practice" trip before the big vacation. If you will be driving then take a short road trip or if flying take a short flight before the big day. You can see how your child will react and you can get better prepared.  If your taking breastmilk/formula with you on a flight make sure you know the FAA rules ahead of time. It's also a good idea to print them out and take them with you in case anyone at the airport gives you a hard time. Don't forget to take snacks/food for the baby and some for you as well. I know we all want to keep our child entertained on trips but try to take as few toys as possible. On that same note don't forget to pack some toys or activities that will entertain your child on the trip. Remember to pack only what is needed. Sometimes we think we might need an item and we pack it just in case and we never end up using it. It's best to take only what is needed. Make sure you know ahead of time where the nearest baby needs store is by your hotel just in case you need to purchase anything you forgot. To make packing easier purchase travel size items for all of your medicines and toiletries.This will save space and you should be able to take these items with you on the plane. Make a list of the items you need to pack ahead of time. That way you can add items as you remember them so you will be less likely to forget things. Check the weather report ahead of time so you know what type of clothes to pack. Think of what you do throughout a normal day and make sure you pack all of the items you use. If possible plan on leaving close to your child's bed time so they can sleep for as long as possible on the trip. Plan your vacation itinerary around your baby's naps and feedings. It's best to plan some time each day back at the hotel so everyone can rest.

Most importantly stay positive you are going on a vacation after all!

Cloth Diaper Review - AppleCheeks Pocket Diapers

I came across the AppleCheeks pocket diapers when they were listed on Baby Half Off and I decided to give them a try.

 

Based on the description this is a pocket diaper, they call it an envelope diaper on their site, that comes in two sizes. The diaper is suppose to unstuff itself in the washing machine. Since size 2 fits children up to 40 lbs I bought two diapers in this size. I was very surprised at how trim they are. They are very simple diapers a PUL outerlayer and a fleece inner layer. The fleece used in this diaper is very soft! With my other pocket diapers the opening is so small it's hard to get an insert in but these diapers have a large opening and since its in the middle of the diaper it is very easy to use. I have my own inserts, both prefolds and Flip inserts, so I didn't buy the inserts AppleCheeks sells I just used what I already had. The only problem with using your own inserts is that the diapers won't unstuff themselves in the washing machine. I was a little concerned with the elastic on the waist but the elastic is very stretchy and soft so it doesn't hurt my daughter's skin. I don't see how this diaper fits children up to 40lbs. My daughter only weighs 15lbs and she was already on the second to last column of snaps. They do sell waist extenders so that might be why the company advertises it fits up to 40lb children. The best part was that my daughter's skin was dry even after a heavy wetting. I am so happy with this product. I wish I had purchased more!