After eating rice cereal for a few days, JonDavid was ready to start trying some vegetables. I have started all 3 of my kids on carrots. Remember to introduce one food at a time, and feed that item for 3 to 4 days before starting something new. This method will allow you to easily identify any allergies or negative reactions to a food.

When making baby food, it is recommended that you steam, bake, or microwave vegetables. These cooking methods result in less nutrient breakdown than boiling. To prepare pureed carrots, you should peel them, cut them into thick slices, and place the slices in a steamer for about 30 minutes. If you do not have a steamer, I would suggest putting sliced carrots with a little water in a bowl and microwaving them. The carrots should be tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, but not overcooked.

When the carrots are done, let them cool for a few minutes. Then place them into a blender with the water that collected in the steamer tray. Puree the carrots, adding more water as needed to get a smooth consistency. If you prefer, you can add expressed breastmilk or formula instead of water. The first time I made baby food, I bought a jar of carrots as a guide to get the right consistency.

Here is a serving of the finished product:

You can store your homemade baby food in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Freeze the rest for later use. One method I have used is freezing the baby food in ice cube trays. Simply fill each section of an ice tray with food, cover with foil, and freeze. When the food cubes are solid, pop them out and place into a freezer bag or other freezer container. Then you can just take out the number of cubes you want for each meal, thaw in the microwave, and serve. As you make more batches of baby food, you will eventually have entire menus of pureed goodness for your little one ready to go in your freezer! Remember that when you heat baby food in the microwave you should stir it well to avoid hot spots, and test the temperature before feeding it to your baby.

So, for a $0.78 bag of carrots, I have many meals for my 6-month old, and it’s as simple as that!

We’re making baby food! Homemade baby food is not hard to make, and it is much more frugal than buying the ready made baby food. I can get a whole pound of carrots or green beans for the price of one serving of Gerber baby food! Before I show you how we make baby food, I want to make a couple of points.

First, I do not think that you are a bad mommy if you do not make your own baby food. This is a choice you make, like cloth or disposable diapers…you do what works for you. Your baby will not be sickly or malnourished because you buy Gerber or Beech-Nut. The baby food companies use healthy cooking methods and no added salt, so I see no reason that the jarred foods are not just as nutritious as homemade baby food. There are even organic varieties for those who prefer to use only organic foods. The main reason that I make baby food is so that I do not spend as much money on it.

Second, I do not think that you and I are supermommies if we do make our own baby food. Your baby will not be Superman or live to be 150 because you feed him homemade baby food. And by making homemade baby food, we are only doing what millions of moms before us have done. I mean, moms figured out how to feed babies long before there was Gerber, or even blenders. Besides that, making baby food is not exactly gourmet cooking. Being able to steam carrots and put them into the blender does not make me a better mommy. It does, however, seem natural to me. I cook vegetables and meat for the rest of my family, so it makes sense (and cents ) to cook for my baby, too.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, and no one feels guilty or elitist, my next post will show you how we do up some pureed carrots!

The ladies at 5 Minutes for Mom are giving away some Magic Bullets! Just leave a comment on their post to be entered to win one! I’ve never tried one of these, but it looks great for making baby food .

As JonDavid approaches 6 months of age, he is achieving big things! He has now rolled over from back to front, and he is mastering the sippy cup and the spoon. I started giving him a sippy cup last week, using a new soft spout cup that I had bought for him. At first he just chewed on the spout, and did not seem to realize that he should drink from it. I pushed down on top of the spout so that some of the drink went into his mouth, and he started drinking from the cup right away! We fed him his first cereal on Wednesday. He made a face at first like he did not like it, but then he reached for more. He ate it all, and did really well with the spoon. It’s almost time to get the blender out…this boy is ready for some real food!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms! I had a very nice Mother’s Day, and hope you all did, too.

I heard a sad story on the local news this evening about a baby who drowned in the bathtub. I have heard similar stories before, and they just break my heart. Bathtub drowning occurs too often, and is preventable. We need to be reminded of how serious the danger of water is to children.

Leaving babies and small children unsupervised in a bathtub is an absolute no-no, even if the baby is in a kids’ tub or bath seat. Many people who would never leave their babies sitting alone beside a lake will leave them alone in the bathtub. We tend to underestimate how quickly a child can drown, and how much water it takes. It can happen in a small amount of water and in a short amount of time. If you are bathing an infant or baby, stay within arm’s reach at all times. Watch smaller children who want to play in the tub, and do not leave the room. If the phone rings in another room, don’t go to answer it; it can wait. Make sure you have everything you need before you start the bath so that you do not have to leave your child. Do not leave another child to supervise a baby. A two-year old is not capable of recognizing the danger of drowning or of knowing what to do if a baby slips under the water. Don’t give your child that kind of responsibility. It is so important to pay attention to your kids in the bathtub.

As summer approaches, remember that the same rules apply to the wading pool you might have in your backyard. You should also remember that babies and toddlers can drown in any standing water, such as in buckets or holes. If your child is going to be bathed by a babysitter or someone else, remind them not to leave the bathroom while bathing your child. If you have the opportunity to help some new parents, make sure they know about home water safety. Simple supervision can prevent a tragedy from occurring in your family. Take the time to keep your kids safe.

The AAP has an article called Home Water Hazards for Young Children.