Baby Feeding is a staggered process. Recently, dietitians have revised the official guidelines for switching from breast feeding to starting up on solids. This has lead to some confusion amongst parents who aren’t sure whether this means other monthly baby feeding strategies have also changed. Rather than provide a strict month-by-month guide for baby feeding, we prefer to list recommendations for each period of baby feeding.

Breast Milk & Bottle Schedule

It’s certain that in the first few months your newborn must stick to milk or formula only – their digestive system is still developing and won’t be able to manage any solids. For some mothers in particular circumstances, breast feedings aren’t a possibility; this is where infant formula, a synthetic milk-based substitute, is best employed. Formula is packed with a variety of key vitamins and nutrients, including the all-important folic acid and calcium, to help with the baby’s early growth.

Early Feeding Stages

Knowing when to switch the feeding is a little bit more difficult, as you need to look for the telltale sign that you baby is ready to eat when sat in the highchair. It’s been the general consensus that feeding should start at 4 months old, but recent studies have suggested this is too early, and feeding should start at 6 months. In order to make the right decision, try and study your baby’s habits when they’re hungry – if they’re generally more attentive, hold their head up or showing signs of interest in food, then it’s time to gradually introduce them to small solids – typically rice-based mixtures with a steady diet of milk is recommended, along with small amounts of bread, pasta and cereal.

Solid Food Schedule

Once your baby is accepting the small doses of solids, you may want to experiment with fruit and vegetables as part of their weaning towards natural solids. At first, it’s recommended to start of with a paste, either mashed down or given a quick spin in the blender. Try the vegetables first, as fruits have higher sugar content, and to that end avoid adding sweeteners to the mix to encourage the child to eat. You’ll then be able to develop further foods as the time comes.

Baby feeding & Organic Food

The incredible boom in the organic food market also had the detractors out in foce. Many have made their mind up about what organic can do for us, and the long and short if it seems to run simply that it’s better for you, but you’ll be paying more at the checkout.

Organic food seems to flit between the former and the latter – of course you want the best for your child, but is it an excessive luxury? Well, some stone cold truths – organic food is enriched with vitamin C, phosphorus and iron – all vital for baby growth. On the other hand, these can all be found in foods away from the ultra-healthy aisle of the supermarket, provided you give careful consideration and take the time to read the labels. It’s really in your own hands – it is possible to mix and match on organic and shelf foods, perhaps with some trial and error to see what your child takes to as their preferred foods, especially with fruit and vegetables, so you can make your Baby feeding better and your bank balance better off at the same time.

With all the fuss made about kids’ toys these days, how does a parent decide whether the rattle her child is cooing to is safe, or whether it’s hindering her development in any way? The truth is that there’s no need to be paranoid where toys for your kids are concerned. If all the controversy about the lead painted toxic toys has gotten you worried, consider wooden baby toys.

Made from sustainable sources of wood, these are 100 percent safe, and contain no toxic substances in their paint. You don’t have to panic every time baby takes one of these in her mouth (which will likely be every 2 seconds) because these toys are made through environmentally sound processes using the most natural materials.

Educational baby toys are also widely popular. The purpose of these is to encourage cognitive sills and mental abilities in an infant. Many of these toys are brightly colored. Many involve the use of sound to evoke some sort of reaction from the baby. Soft blocks and activity mats are just a few examples of such educational baby toys that enrich his mental processes as they entertain and keep him occupied.

Developmental baby toys are those that help your baby develop his motor skills help him hone his skills of recognition, and boost his creative skills. A playhouse is an excellent example of a developmental toy that enhances your baby’s creative skills. Left in the tent, even smaller babies who are in the crawling stage can enjoy games of peek-a-boo from inside the tent. Make sure you don’t leave all alone in the room though.

Toy phones are also great developmental toys because babies learn to mimic your phone behavior. They familiarize themselves with the various electronics and appliances around the house and what they are used for. The toy phone is a prime example of how your baby can broaden the scope of his world through a troy.

Creating a closet full of great toys for your kids doesn’t have to be expensive. Remember to pick a couple of pieces of each kind of toy depending on your baby’s age and motor skills, and mix them up with regular inexpensive toys and you have a perfect mix!