Baby Talk: Dinner Time!

Figuring out when to switch your baby from milk or formula and puréed baby food to table foods can be a tricky thing. With the right information and tools you can make the transition easily and keep your baby happy and healthy.

If you were to ask your pediatrician, she or he would probably recommend that you begin to transition your baby from jarred (or homemade) baby food to table foods around 9 months of age. The goal is to have your baby mostly eating table foods rather than formula and baby foods by the time they hit their first birthday. Of course, every child is different, some get their teeth sooner or later than others do, and some children are more food-motivated than their peers. The idea isn’t to force your baby into something they aren’t ready for – the goal is a healthy baby who is happy to eat a variety of foods.

 

The transition from baby food to table food can be a bit of an adjustment for some children and their parents. Some babies are happy to eat the jarred baby food, and some (like my daughter!) just couldn’t wait to eat table foods and would grab at just about anything on a plate that she could get her sticky little hands on. A fear that many parents have is the fear of their child choking. It instills a bit of terror in the hearts of many Moms and Dads everywhere. Here is a list of foods that can help ease the transition and help keep everyone happy.

1- Fresh fruit. Peeled and cut up into small pieces fresh fruit makes a great first table food. Apples and pears are great hand foods for your child to handle as long as they are cut up into small pieces. These are delicious and totally healthy, too.

2- Vegetables. Steamed and cut up into small pieces vegetables are a big hit with a lot of kids. Some other veggies to try are mashed regular or sweet potatoes, sweet potato french fries  baked in the oven, steamed broccoli or green beans, and just about every kid loves peas, fresh or even frozen.

3- Carbs. Toast, waffles, pancakes, bagels, pasta… All tasty, and just about all kids love them. These will probably be big hits at first as the flavors won’t be too over powering.

4- Breakfast foods. In addition to the carbs mentioned above, other breakfast foods such as cereal (dry or wet), scrambled eggs, and even tiny pieces of bacon can be a tasty treat for your little one.

If you’re still a bit wary of making a plate of table food for your baby and turning them loose, there are some different products made to make the transition easier for you and your little one. Here are some of the most popular options:

Baby Food Grinder: You can grind softer foods like bananas, pasta, steamed veggies, avocado.  Put a small amount of anything that you are eating into the grinder and  turn the arm and it is ground up and ready for your little one to eat.  Because it  grinds the foods into such small particles there is little worry of your little one choking.

Mash and Serve Bowl: You can mash foods like potatoes, beans, steamed veggies, fruits, eggs. You mash the food and serve your child right from the bowl, eliminating dirtying up and extra dish.

Fresh Food Feeder: You can put just about anything from fresh fruits to meat into the mesh bag and let your child feed themselves. This is also great when they are teething, you can put frozen fruit into it to help with teething pains.

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of when and how to switch your baby over to table foods. If you are in need of anything for your baby, including kitchen items check out DealDash. Try the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to see what awesome baby products they have coming up. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

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Baby Talk: Let’s Talk Strollers!

How do you know what type of stroller to buy? Well, it depends what you need it for, of course! There are many different types of strollers depending on your needs and budget. Let’s talk strollers!

In this article we will go over some of the most popular types of strollers and when and where you would use them.  Included in this article is the Full Size Stroller Travel System, the Jogging Stroller, and the Lightweight Foldable Stroller. All of these strollers can be very useful, and serve specific purposes.Safety 1st SleekRide™Premier Travel System, Sail Away

The first type of stroller we will talk about is the Travel System, which includes a Full Size stroller. The travel system consists of a Full Size stroller, a “baby bucket” baby carrying system which doubles as a car seat, and a car seat base. The Full Size stroller usually has more “options” than any of the other strollers that we are going to talk about. These strollers almost always have at the bare minimum dual cup holders, place for your keys/wallet, and a large travel basket underneath. The Full Size stroller also usually has front and rear brakes. In addition to the Full Size stroller the Travel System also includes the baby bucket, which is a portable car seat with a handle you can use to carry the baby or transfer it from stroller to car. The Travel System also includes a car seat base, which attaches into your car and your baby bucket snaps into it easily. These sets are typically more expensive than just a stroller because of the multiple pieces.

Schwinn Turismo Double Jogging Stroller, Gray & Blue

Another very popular stroller is the jogging stroller. They are built on a sturdy base and have 3 wheels in a triangular pattern. They typically are more rugged and can stand more abuse than a regular stroller. They are used for jogging, walking, hiking, and other athletic pursuits. Jogging strollers usually have a place to put your water bottle, keys, etc.  The Jogging Stroller has a much better turning radius and you can use it to go in and out of crowds without accidentally running over anyone’s feet. Jogging Strollers have been picking up in popularity lately, everyone wants to be healthy!

The Lightweight Foldable Stroller is a great stroller to have. I have gotten more use of out this particular stroller than all of my other ones combined. They are so easy to just fold up and carry with you, stick them in a trunk, or some of them even have a strap so you can wear it on your back when you aren’t using it. Some of the nicer ones even have baskets underneath and cup holders.

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what type of stroller that would be best for your child and family. All of these strollers have their own specific uses, and I myself own all of them, and use them in different situations. Good luck in finding your ideal stroller! How about starting your stroller search on DealDash? They have all types of strollers there, check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section and see when the next stroller auction is coming up. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

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