Baby's Nutrition

The first time I saw him, looked into his eyes at our newborn baby boy, I felt a dramatic change in my life.  Experiencing a life-changing event that I will never forget.  The love for our first son overflowed.  So many roller coasting emotions falling over us, love, protection, tears of joy, fear; so many questions and endless happiness. 

Leaving the hospital and returning home as a new mother I pledged and put forth my complete devotion, love and dedication to doing the best I can for our new bundle of joy, but, the questions were; what is the best? How do I know what is best? Where can I find the best? What if I choose wrong? Yes, fear was setting in.  Immediately, I started digging into books, talking with friends, family, doctors and got in touch with my nutritional consultant to find these answers.  Why? Because knowledge is power, being able to make the best decisions starts with the source.  I chose not to listen to gossip, here say, advertisements and negative response and, to not only rely on the medical field.  I broadened my perspectives and opened my mind. 

Providing awareness; what you may or may not know!


Breast milk is best.  Cow's milk is for baby cows.  Breast milk boosts your baby's immune system.  Formula can cause your baby to have allergies to food.

An article found in "Wise Traditions, in food, farming and the healing arts" a publication of The Weston A. Price Foundation.

"I was brainwashed (in a good way, mostly) by multiple sources.  I was so adamant that I would not use formula-until little Zachary at two months old was not thriving and almost admitted to the hospital because I did not have enough milk to feed him.  A friend ordered the ingredients for homemade formula for me.  I started slowly, gradually increasing the ratio of homemade formula and eliminating the commercial one.  It took about 2 months.  Just on the homemade formula and an occasional raw egg yolk he reached 23lbs. at one year!  When my other children got sick, he did not.  If he did it was almost not noticeable.

So maybe breast milk is best, but when it is not possible cow's milk can be for babies if you apply it to the homemade formula using raw milk.  This formula did boost my baby's immune system and so far he has no allergies to any food.  The formula came from Radiant Life, I recommend this formula to anyone and for any baby.  It is amazing.


Is raw milk safe?  It is not recommended using any kind of milk from cows kept in confinement, especially when the diet is based on grain and includes such additives as citrus peel, cake and bakery waste.

Farmers also need to be careful when talking with the public, but if basic sanitation measures are followed, raw milk is completely safe, in fact, safer than pasteurized milk.  Raw milk contains many bio active components that get rid of bad bacteria.  When bad bacteria such as E. coli are added to raw milk, these components get rid of them.

Basic sanitation measures for cow's milk include testing of the cow's to make sure they are disease free; washing the teats with iodine solution before milking; using a milking machine; and storing the milk in a stainless steel bulk tank, glass bottles or hard plastic bottles at a cool temperature.  Most importantly the cow's should be on pasture as much as possible, and, in the winter, in a well ventilated barn and fed mostly hay.

• Another option for milk is goats milk.
• Avoid homogenized milk

Homogenization:
Homogenization is another process which denatures the natural fat in milk. This is done purely for aesthetic reasons. The industry felt no one really likes to have milk which "separates". Fresh raw milk separates. The fat rises to the top. Homogenization forces the milk, by extreme pressure, through tiny holes which breaks up the normally large fat molecules into tiny ones, which in this denatured state, stay suspended in the milk. Unfortunately, this unnatural fat is easily absorbed into the blood stream, carrying with it the xanthine oxidase.   NOT GOOD! Leading to heart disease is a major reason to stay away.  In un-homogenized milk the xanthine oxidase and large fat molecules are normally passed through the digestive track, unabsorbed. 


Vaccinations are a parents' informed choice

Misinformation surrounds vaccinations, many parents don't even question whether or not they should vaccinate their child.  Since medical authorities say vaccination is safe, most simply go ahead with it, completely unaware of the potential dangers and unable to recognize a serious reaction when it does occur.

Parents are faced with tremendous pressure from doctors, the media, schools, government health departments and even other parents.  This was one of the hardest decisions that I faced and, had pressure from each of the above.

Most people assume that vaccines have been subjected to thorough trials and studies proving that they are safe and effective.  We have been told that mass vaccination campaigns ended historical epidemics around the world, that side-effects are rare and will pass quickly if there are any.  Parents who take the time to dig deeper into this subject, will find that there is a lack of solid scientific backing.  Furthermore, there is overwhelming evidence that vaccines can be extremely harmful, permanently disabling and even deadly to our children.

Most parents believe they are legally required to vaccinate their child.  However, you are free to decline vaccination entirely, or do a partial vaccination schedule.  Even to allow your child to go to school without immunization is legal.  You can speak to your public health department to obtain the documents and information on this matter.

If You Must Vaccinate

• Wait until the child is at least 2 years old.
• Do not give more than one vaccination at a time.
• Never vaccinate when your child is sick.
• Be sure the vaccines are thimerosal-free.
• Supplement the child as directed by a health care practitioner before each shot.
• Obtain a medical exemption if the child has had any bad reaction to a vaccination.
• Above all, remember that no authority has the right to vaccinate your child without permission!

Fevers in Children

When a child encounters an impediment, say a foreign protein, the child goes into "remodeling mode".  The remodeling is done by tearing down the old and rebuilding a more suitable "house or body" to inhabit.  That is exactly what is done through illness.

If parents have a deep belief that their child is strong enough and that the illness, if doesn't become too severe, will serve the child in their future development, their attitude of resolve and confidence will translate into an environment of peacefulness and effectiveness that allows the child to rest and to comfortably go through the process.

• A child with a fever must stay in bed or in a comfortable, relaxed place. 
• To encourage elimination through the kidneys, the child should take warm liquids as often as possible. 
• The child should be kept warm as the fever needs to do its job and be allowed to "burn out or break".  Let the fever run its course.
• The bowels should be kept open if needed with a gentle natural laxative such as herbal teas, to encourage bowel movements.
• A sick child can listen to stories read out loud, but otherwise should be resting.  The less mental stimulation in the form of TV and computers the better.
• Echinacea is an immune enhancer that helps our white blood cells recognize and move to the site of infection.  It should be used in almost all infections at any site.
• The diet for sick children should contain warm foods and liquids, protein content should be reduced because the waste we are eliminating from our diet comes from protein in our diets.
• Fats encourage the healthy production of needed warmth during sickness.  Fats transport Vitamin A, the main nutrient that helps our immune system.
• Healthy fats and soup should be the mainstays of our "sick" diet.

Baby's Diet

• Breastfeeding ideally should be maintained for a year (with a goal of six months for a working mother.)
• Avoid processed and refined foods as much as possible, including many brands of baby food; they are usually devoid of nutrients and vitamins and contain additives.
• It is best to make your own baby food from organic whole foods.
• Introduce foods slowly and one at a time, every baby will have an individual response to different foods.
• When new food is introduced, continue to feed that same food for at least four days to rule out the possibility of a negative reaction.
• Foods like cereals, grains and breads are very challenging for little ones to digest so, these foods should be the last to be introduced.  28 months, is around the time the big-gum-carbohydrate molar teeth are fully developed.
• 6 months is the typical age when solids should be introduced. Such as proteins, vegetables and a variety of fruits.
• 6-8 months vegetables may be introduced.
• Early introduction to different tastes is always a good plan to prevent finickiness.  Yogurt and kefir for example will help familiarize the sour taste.
• 8 months, baby can now consume creamed vegetable soups, homemade stews and dairy foods such as cottage cheese, mild harder raw cheese.
• 1 Year, grains nuts and seeds should be last.  Hardest to digest.  It is best to soak grains in water and a little yogurt for up to 24 hours and cooked thoroughly.  Easiest grains to digest are gluten-free like brown rice.
• After 1 year, baby can be given nut butters, cooked leafy green vegetables, raw salads, citrus fruits and whole egg.
• Calcium and phosphorous are important for developing healthy bones.  Foods abundant in calcium include skim and whole milk; plain yogurt and cottage cheese; blackstrap molasses, dried beans; dark green vegetables.  Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption.
• Almost all drugs enter a nursing mother's milk. Caffeine is considered the same class as tobacco, alcohol medicines and drugs.  Some of the possible side effects of caffeine on nursing babies are a rapid heart rate, restlessness, irritability, crying and poor sleep.

The Sun is important too!
Nursing mothers should make sure that their baby receives at least two hours total per week of indirect sunlight.  A deficiency in Vitamin D can lead to rickets in babies, which causes soft, improperly mineralized bones.

Juice
Consuming excessive amounts of fruit juice (more than 8 ounces daily) can cause health problems for young children.  High levels of sugars in juices, especially fructose and sorbitol can cause diarrhea, digestive problems, chronic congestion, obesity, lowered immunity and tooth decay. 


Many occasions, I listen to parents talk about what they do for their children in certain circumstances and I always seem to hear the same answers with unfounded results, or a new symptom occurs because the underlying cause was not addressed. 

What I have come to learn as a new mother in my experiences and results, I wish to only share with others who ask the same questions I had, and through the education of individuals in the principles of holistic health care and the principles of natural nutrition, we can further the well-being of our families and friends.