Questions from a First-Time Mother

Joaheyo, if that's your son in your avatar - he's adorable!

More (probably really stupid) questions:

When my baby was born, my doc told me that I shouldn't bleach her clothes for a while. Well, now she's almost 16-mos. - and walking - and getting into Everything. Including mud (loves mud!). When is it safe to start bleaching a baby's whites?

Yeah, that thing about being cold was in the NYT a bit ago, I thought of copying and pasting but going to sleep with damp hair seems a different category and I didn't want to worry you. They have at least one surface against the pillow/ mattress, and usually build up sort of a heat aura. It's different from taking them outside with a wet head (which I DO recommend avoiding -- I just bought sozlet a swimming cap for that reason, so we can still go to the pool in the winter).

Bleaching, huh, I don't remember. (Sorry I say that so often!) I think by then we were going ahead with bleach...?

Thanks, Sozobe. Yeah, you're right - going to bed with wet/damp hair is a different cup of tea. It was just interesting to see scientific validation of something my grandmother told me her grandmother told her.

So, bleach - to use or not for a 16-mos old's whites. And what about those anti-static or something (Bounce, etc.) sheets. Those were forbidden for newborn M as well... Are those generally ok by now?

Thank you

They say to worry about stuff like that because your kid's skin may be irritated by it, but once you think your child is not, to go ahead and begin.

When this poll is taken on the baby boards I go to, 80% of them say after you go through 1 bottle of baby detergent, assuming you even used that.

Other doctors have the belief that they are subjected to bleach and harsh detergents all the time because they are always in your arms when they're a newborn. So, just look at the parent. Are you or the father easily irritated by detergents? If not, they say you're probably good.

My son has been getting his whites bleached for a LONG time now and same with the Bounce sheets. I'm guessing around 4 months? Maybe later, Maybe earlier.

[quote="FreeDuck"]Right you are, this is the place to be. There are many sounding boards here for your use. Ask away.

In the absence of a specific question, I will offer just two bits of advice.

1) Children are very durable and resilient. (Read: I let mine fall down stairs)
2) Trust your instincts. (After they fall down the stairs, your motherly instincts will know if they are truly hurt)[/quote]

I love this advice!

[quote="sozobe"]I agree that talking to the doctor about these less-pressing things is nice, but it really depends on the doctor. Neither of the two pediatricians we've dealt with would've been very amused. [/quote]

That sounds absolutely awful!
Why did you not change your pediatrician?

Because it's really, really common. I "interviewed" other pediatricians and they were all about the same. They were just fine when it came to actual medical issues, but they were in a hurry. <shrug> I read a lot and asked questions of people I knew and on another board that is now defunct where I first met a lot of these people. (Noddy has been giving me good advice for a loooooooong time.)

When it comes to reading, I've recommended "The Baby Book" by William and Martha Sears a zillion times because it's SO useful for this kind of thing. Very straightforward and commonsensical.

(I like FreeDuck's general advice, too...)

A picky eater and an unimaginative cook for a mom - not the best combination.

So M just got dose 2 of her flu-shot yesterday and we did the whole weight thing again. She's growing (well & steadily according to the doc) in the 10th. percentile (just like mom at 5'2" and 100 lbs). But she's barely eaten enough to keep a bird alive these past two weeks. Again, doc says that the fact that she's steady in the 10th percentile despite poor diet for so many days is encouraging - but...but...we do need to shore up her diet, ramp up those calories.

So now. Are/were your kids picky eaters? Do you have any favorite recipes (that aren't too complicated - because I'm 'duh' in the kitchen) that you can share?

Have you heard that children should not eat mushrooms & strawberries until they're a certain age?

I'm a worrier by nature, and I'm beginning to actually feel my hair turn grey because of M's diet situation. So please, throw any recipes, tips, suggestions this way... Thanks all!

I've had picky eaters... One big hit has been the cream at the top of Brown Cow yogurt. Just get a spoonful of that into her before offering other foods and the calories start adding up.

Does she like chicken? I used to make chicken fingers, boneless chicken cut into strips and rolled in mayo or egg, then flour and seasoning. dribble a little grease of your choice on top if it and bake it in the oven until cooked. Little kids can dip them in sauces, which can be creamy calorie loaded ones, or ketchup, whatever they eat... don't forget to make some potatoes sliced into homemade fries w/that, also dippable...

What about chicken (or fish) with mild curry and coconut milk over rice? I usually add onions, carrots, celery, and peppers to that...

Does she like butter? I slather butter on top of anything appropriate and feed that to babies...

What about ham slices rolled around a piece of cheese?

What about eggs? Scramble the eggs and you can serve a baby the yolk. My 13 month old likes softboiled eggs, too, but mostly I give her the white part since the yolk is runny.

I just thought about this: your child might lose her appetite when she has a shot, or regress to more babyish foods, so be aware of that. Easy to digest foods are probably a good choice, so yogurts, bananas, applesauce foods (and things she could dip in applesauce,) mashed potatoes, rice, puddings, toast...

If she's eating all right, other foods to try might be potato chip type foods. Do they have root vegetable chips in your local stores? Beyond mass produced potato chips? (Or buy them from the hf store...) You can make them, if you like... Besides potatoes, try sweet potatoes, taro, parsnips, carrots, or beets. Slice them paper thin and deep fry (oil about 375*F) for 4 minutes, then drain on paper towels and spinkle them w/salt.

Macaroni and cheese variations are probably good, if she likes them... Lasagna is yummy to my baby, so perhaps your would like that, too... (But I only know how to make huge quantities of that...)

If your baby likes eggs, beyond scrambled, which I mentioned, you can do green eggs, which is a zucchini frittatta, served while you read the Dr. Seuss classic...

Do you make meatballs w/spaghetti? My kids like those, but I don't really follow any recipe... They can be dipped, or not.

My partner makes pasta carbonara, which is quite calorie laden and popular w/the high chair set...

At that age what influenced whether she would eat or not had more to do with presentation than content, I think. Big grazing age -- a bit of this, a bit of that, no way she'd eat all of any given thing, even if it was a small serving. I'd put stuff in ice cube trays and let her have at it -- cut-up fruit (mango was a big hit), cut-up veggies, crackers, pieces of hotdog, whatever. I'd do versions that kept well in the fridge and would just keep taking it out and putting it back in as she seemed hungry or as I thought she SHOULD be hungry.

Dips are major at that age too -- make a veggie dip then cut up pieces of cucumber to dip in it, that kind of thing.

What I definitely remember from that phase is that pressing the issue didn't help anything -- offering a wide variety of (healthy, nutritious) food in interesting ways and letting her choose worked best.

Duckie was/is a picky eater. I distinctly remember a phase when he was pushing two years old where, I swear, he'd eat a yogurt and two grapes for the whole day. But he drank plenty of milk and juice, and he had been a fat baby anyway. I actually think it was just the fact that he was suddenly so much more active and just didn't think about food. I'd have to sit him down long enough for him to eat something, he'd take a bite and then off he'd go. Busy busy busy. But it was just a phase.

If I recall correctly, and if it's not just my kids, fruit and dairy is well-received at this age. Keep presenting her with options, but like soz said, don't push it. She'll eat when she's hungry. And if she goes a long time without being hungry, just make sure she's not sick.

Thanks for the ideas, Princesspupule. M goes thru favorite food phases, like all kids I guess. She used to love Yobaby yogurt (full fat, & w. fruit & cereal), and yes, I used to spoon the nice thick layer of cream that would settle on top into her as well. Those were the ol' good days. These days, she emphatically turns her head away from all kinds of yogurt. I still try it every other day or so, in the hope that she'll go back to it someday.

I do give her chicken nuggets, thank God for those! On a typical day, she'll have at least 1/2 to one whole of those. Unfortunately, I'm a vegetarian, though hubby isn't. But I'm the one who cooks and I don't know much about cooking chicken. I bought some ravioli stuffed with chicken & cheese that I try every now & then as well - not much luck as yet.

Yes, butter is an important part of her diet. I give her steamed carrots & broccoli with an extra pat of butter everyday. Some days she'll have 1/2 a carrot and nibble on one floret of broccoli, on others - she won't even glance at them. Likewise with eggs - I give her one everyday, in different forms, always cooked in a little extra butter...scrambled, omlettes, french toast. I haven't tried soft-boiled - my old pediatrician had advised me against giving her soft yolks coz of salmonella poisoning dangers.... Sounds like you go ahead though?

Sozobe, Freeduck - thanks for the responses. You're absolutely right about not pushing the food....besides, you just can't with M...she cannot say the word 'no' yet - but she sure knows how to get it across....by shaking her head from side to side so hard I'm afraid she'll get whiplash, clamping her mouth shut, just plain throwing the food off her tray. I've never tried to force feed, though I do offer her a spoonful a couple times more after her first gentle 'no.'

Yes, too, fruit & dairy go down well....in fact, her milk intake went up (to about 8 oz) lately, and the doc thought could be a reason why she wasn't eating much solid stuff. Thank heaven she likes fruit...today she had 1 1/2 pears and 1/2 banana (and 2.5 chicken nuggets, and 1/2 a bowl of pasta with tomato/basil/artichoke sauce & cheese, and ~5 oz of strawberry-flavored Pediasure [a very good food day - relatively speaking]).

I should also mention that M, at 16-mos, has only her four front teeth (cute as a button bunny teeth ) - she's in the process of sprouting her pre-molars and doc says her diet should improve once they're out....1) coz the pain of teething them will subside and 2) she'll have a better set of functional teeth.

Well, I'll keep you folks posted. Thanks for the responses - I always feel better after hearing from you folks.

Considering her age, it sounds like today really was a good food day. Keep it up. As I recall from past advice from others, it's better to look at a baby's intake over a week's time. So, if she had 4 really good days and 3 iffy days, that's probably ok. Same with the balance of the diet. If she's eating nothing but bread today, nothing but yogurt yesterday, fruit the day before, etc... that's ok as long as it balances over a week or so.

Hope that helps. I had forgotten that she was only 16 months old. My hunch is that she'll be fine if you keep doing what you're doing. They go through phases.

Whenever my son doesn't seem to like something, I give it to him again in a few days mixed into something. So far, that's always worked! The mixing it in some baby mac&cheese is a great idea! That's what I do. Or if it has cheese on it, ...lil J will consume it!!

right now mommy's broccoli, cheese & rice casserole is his favorite!

Freeduck, thanks for the reminder that it's the week I should be looking at, not the day. I keep forgetting that! I'm dying for her to like yogurt again, there's absolutely nothing better for an iffy tummy and a toughly solid poop. (Sorry! I'm just as obsessed with her 'output' as her 'input'. As a beloved cousin once bracingly articulated: it's my only window into her tummy.)

Joahaeyo - the broccoli, cheese & rice casserole sounds delish. Got a recipe?

Sure, it's SUPER easy and quick to make esp. if you make the rice ahead of time.

The recipe I use:

2 packages frozen chopped broccoli (16 oz)
1/2 C chopped onion
2T butter
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 C milk
1lb Velveeta cheese - chopped
1 1/2 - 2 C of cooked rice (I like 1.5) ..tastes better if you can use sticky rice


Cook broccoli according to package. Actually only cook for a FEW minutes after the water boils. Drain REAL well.

Saute onion in butter in skillet.

Add soup, rice, milk, cheese. Mix Well.

Simmer for several min. - stirring (don't let it stick to your pan).

Bake at 350 for 45 min.



The leftovers are great several days later

On the tough solid poop -- it makes sense that if she's a little constipated she won't have a strong appetite. My little duckie went through a phase of seemingly constant constipation where he'd poop, eat really well for a day or two, be constipated, not eat well, poop, eat well, etc... Just make sure she's getting fiber and water and wait her out. That casserole recipe looks yummy.

Thanks for the recipe, Joahaeyo. I'm going to try a variation of it (since I don't know how to bake much). [Baking is generally not a huge part of Indian cooking, and ovens are a little alien & intimidating for me.] But, it's a great recipe, and I can tweak it a little to make it on the stovetop.

Freeduck, am trying new ways of getting liquids into this kid of mine, since she will not drink water. Likes lemonade though....and today gave her some warm lemonade in her sippy cup (she has a cough/cold). Went down very well - drank almost all of it. Am much encouraged in the fluids department. On to more food....

Lemonade (including any softdrink) is BAD for babies/toddlers especially in a sippy cup or bottle. Rots teeth before they even erupt. Limit to special occasions.
Just keep offering water.