We were away for a holiday recently and then the weekend after we were with my husband's parents so it all means we're very low on food in the house. I hate shopping with my son nowadays. It's not because he behaves badly, it's just because I can't concentrate and end up missing half of the things from my list. Don't get me started on internet shopping either. I tried it for a while and it was ok but the amount of times things arrived which were wrong, damaged, defrosted or just poor quality, it wasn't worth it.
So anyway, on Monday I decided to do a 10 minute shop at Aldi and to make it last the week. I mean a 10 minute shop as well, just the perishables; milk, bread, fruit, yoghurt, chorizo etc.
So, what's the plan? I had a think and a look in my cupboards and realised I had the makings of several meals despite feeling like a food shop was imminent! So this is / was the plan for this week:
Monday - Sausages (from freezer) and vegetables
Tuesday - Vegetable pasta bake using my tomato sauce recipe (a frozen batch)
Wednesday - Thai pork and vegetable stir fry using the Maesri paste I talked about here
Thursday - Chorizo rice
Friday - Vegetable lasagne
Saturday - lentil and chorizo soup with homemade bread
I also managed to rustle up several lunches, packed lunches and meals from my son including pannacotta and salmon with herb butter (not as mushed up now he's older). This has got me thinking. I spent £13 at Aldi this week and have enough meals planned to ensure we will not be hungry nor feel underfed until Saturday! I know I didn't buy nappies, wipes etc but it must be possible to cut down my food spending from the normal £70-£90 a week! Perhaps my task this week is to keep the spend to under £70 with all of the nappies and cupboard restocking. Let's see how I go.
Rabu, 15 Juni 2011
Jumat, 10 Juni 2011
My Breastfeeding Journey
Sunday the 5th June was the last time I breastfed my son. I've run the gamut of emotions since, mostly upset until I developed mastitis and just wanted it all to be over.
It got me thinking about my relationship with breastfeeding, how it's changed me and the journey I've been on.
13 months ago, I gave birth to my son in a waterpool.
I was lucky, although the early stage labour for me was a bit long and more painful than other people find it, the birth was fantastic. The pool took away much of the pain and I managed only using gas and air. I even had a natural third stage in the pool as my husband held my son.
It must have been over an hour after he was born that I first breastfed him. It was a bit longer than ideal perhaps because I fainted after the birth (I have naturally low blood pressure). Once I recovered, I remember holding him in my arms and him almost immediately finding my nipple and feeding. I fed him on the left hand side to start with but I know he fed for 45 minutes only stopping once because he lost the nipple but once he found it again it was all back to being happy.
I remember thinking "Great! This is easy!"
Then it got hard. The first night I couldn't sleep, I was high on adrenalin and the other babies in the ward were so loud. Then came the first feed trying to feed him from my right hand side. Flat refusal. If I'd not had brilliant support from my birthing centre midwives that could have been enough for me to give up. As it was, he just wanted to feed in the "rugby hold" under my arm. I stuck with feeding this way for about two weeks before he finally accepted feeding in a cradle hold on my right. The midwife explained that they get used to the feel of your body on one side of their face so feeding underarm 'tricks' them into thinking it's the same side they fed from before.
I was fortunate and unlike the rest of the UK NHS, I had a choice on whether to stay in for longer at the birth centre, so I stayed in for 4 days to ensure I had one on one breastfeeding support until my milk came in. Again, if I'd not had that help, I don't think I would have breastfed longer than those first days. My son fed constantly. Gone was his initial reluctance. He didn't sleep for longer than an hour without waking for food and often he wanted to feed for 45 minutes or more. There is a photo somewhere of the three of us on our sofa after we returned from the birth centre. I look exhausted but happy. Again though the midwives helped reassure me, told me that his constant feeding would make me unlikely to get engorged and was likely to calm down around 4-5 days when my milk came in. They did explain though how he was particularly likely to have noticeable feeding spurts when he went through growth spurts because of his early feeding habits. So with this knowledge, I knew what to expect, forewarned is forearmed eh?
And we did it. We coped through the 2 week, 3 week, 6 week, 12 week growth spurts and then 15 weeks came. Typically he started feeding often (sometimes every hour in the day and often every 90 minutes at night) and I went with it, as you're supposed to. It didn't stop. By 17 weeks I was wondering what on earth was going on. By 19 weeks I took advice from my health visitor and tried baby rice. By 21 weeks I was trying purees. Still no joy. In the end, against what I thought I would do, I did a babywhisperer technique; pick up put down. It was needed to keep my sanity and our breastfeeding relationship. This was where I started to feel a bit upset because the 'breastfeeding community' (yes, there is one) is generally very anti any kind of sleep training technique but my husband supported me and it really helped.
The final few months were a piece of cake. In the end as I'd gradually cut out his morning feed he then became less and less interested in the night time feed. In all honesty, if he'd not pushed the issue, I'm not sure I would have stopped. I know babies don't self wean at 13 months and if I'd been offering the breast at other times he would have taken it but he wasn't seeking it out anymore.
So, now I've given up. I'm a bit sore with the mastitis. Just hand expressed a couple of ounces to ease the pressure because my boobs are just not getting the message. But all in all, I'm happy. Happy I managed to feed him for so long but, I have to admit, happy now that my husband can do the whole bedtime routine. The interesting thing is my son seems to settle better for my husband as well. Now why do I feel guilty? Perhaps just because of that breastfeeding community stuff again. Breastfeeding 3 year olds is now seen as the aim, not 6 weeks or 6 months or even a year. Anyway, I need to get over it. I did a good thing and more than most.
It's my sister's birthday tomorrow and we're going to a spa together. It's going to be great to spend the whole day out knowing my son will be ok. It's going to be my little breastfeeding 'well done me' celebration.
It got me thinking about my relationship with breastfeeding, how it's changed me and the journey I've been on.
13 months ago, I gave birth to my son in a waterpool.
I was lucky, although the early stage labour for me was a bit long and more painful than other people find it, the birth was fantastic. The pool took away much of the pain and I managed only using gas and air. I even had a natural third stage in the pool as my husband held my son.
It must have been over an hour after he was born that I first breastfed him. It was a bit longer than ideal perhaps because I fainted after the birth (I have naturally low blood pressure). Once I recovered, I remember holding him in my arms and him almost immediately finding my nipple and feeding. I fed him on the left hand side to start with but I know he fed for 45 minutes only stopping once because he lost the nipple but once he found it again it was all back to being happy.
I remember thinking "Great! This is easy!"
Then it got hard. The first night I couldn't sleep, I was high on adrenalin and the other babies in the ward were so loud. Then came the first feed trying to feed him from my right hand side. Flat refusal. If I'd not had brilliant support from my birthing centre midwives that could have been enough for me to give up. As it was, he just wanted to feed in the "rugby hold" under my arm. I stuck with feeding this way for about two weeks before he finally accepted feeding in a cradle hold on my right. The midwife explained that they get used to the feel of your body on one side of their face so feeding underarm 'tricks' them into thinking it's the same side they fed from before.
I was fortunate and unlike the rest of the UK NHS, I had a choice on whether to stay in for longer at the birth centre, so I stayed in for 4 days to ensure I had one on one breastfeeding support until my milk came in. Again, if I'd not had that help, I don't think I would have breastfed longer than those first days. My son fed constantly. Gone was his initial reluctance. He didn't sleep for longer than an hour without waking for food and often he wanted to feed for 45 minutes or more. There is a photo somewhere of the three of us on our sofa after we returned from the birth centre. I look exhausted but happy. Again though the midwives helped reassure me, told me that his constant feeding would make me unlikely to get engorged and was likely to calm down around 4-5 days when my milk came in. They did explain though how he was particularly likely to have noticeable feeding spurts when he went through growth spurts because of his early feeding habits. So with this knowledge, I knew what to expect, forewarned is forearmed eh?
And we did it. We coped through the 2 week, 3 week, 6 week, 12 week growth spurts and then 15 weeks came. Typically he started feeding often (sometimes every hour in the day and often every 90 minutes at night) and I went with it, as you're supposed to. It didn't stop. By 17 weeks I was wondering what on earth was going on. By 19 weeks I took advice from my health visitor and tried baby rice. By 21 weeks I was trying purees. Still no joy. In the end, against what I thought I would do, I did a babywhisperer technique; pick up put down. It was needed to keep my sanity and our breastfeeding relationship. This was where I started to feel a bit upset because the 'breastfeeding community' (yes, there is one) is generally very anti any kind of sleep training technique but my husband supported me and it really helped.
The final few months were a piece of cake. In the end as I'd gradually cut out his morning feed he then became less and less interested in the night time feed. In all honesty, if he'd not pushed the issue, I'm not sure I would have stopped. I know babies don't self wean at 13 months and if I'd been offering the breast at other times he would have taken it but he wasn't seeking it out anymore.
So, now I've given up. I'm a bit sore with the mastitis. Just hand expressed a couple of ounces to ease the pressure because my boobs are just not getting the message. But all in all, I'm happy. Happy I managed to feed him for so long but, I have to admit, happy now that my husband can do the whole bedtime routine. The interesting thing is my son seems to settle better for my husband as well. Now why do I feel guilty? Perhaps just because of that breastfeeding community stuff again. Breastfeeding 3 year olds is now seen as the aim, not 6 weeks or 6 months or even a year. Anyway, I need to get over it. I did a good thing and more than most.
It's my sister's birthday tomorrow and we're going to a spa together. It's going to be great to spend the whole day out knowing my son will be ok. It's going to be my little breastfeeding 'well done me' celebration.
Senin, 06 Juni 2011
Minced Turkey Nuggets
This is based upon a chicken nuggets recipe for babies I found on a baby led weaning website. I'm not 100% convinced that all babies under 12 months would be ok with them, they did come out a little firm but I suppose traditional bought chicken nuggets are a bit firm too. I changed the bread to pitta bread and took out the mayo from the original recipe. It might be that which has made the nuggets heavier but the crumbs for the outside where good even though not toasted. They were softer inside with the breadcrumb coating but I ran out mid way which is why some were breaded and some weren't. Still tasty though and an option if you haven't got the time to bread them (it's not often I do but my son decided to have a good nap this morning!)
The original recipe claims you can also cook these from frozen for 45 minutes. I've yet to try this and to be honest I probably won't. Cooking poultry from frozen is not something I'd normally recommend. I would suggest you leave them to defrost then cook as per the normal instructions.
Minced Turkey Nuggets - for toddlers and adults, may be ok for 9 month plus baby led weaners as there's no nasty ingredients, they're just a little firm; I'll let you use your judgement. Makes approx 25.
Ingredients
Nuggets
340g minced turkey
80g grated cheddar
80g pitta bread whizzed up into breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove very finely chopped
For coating (optional)
A beaten egg
Further pitta bread crumbs - suggest another 80g, I had 40g and ran out.
Spray oil
Method
Mix all of the ingredients together for the nuggets; use your hands as then you can mash them together. Form into balls around the size of a walnut. If you're coating them, dip them into egg and then the remaining crumbs. Then put the coated or uncoated nuggets onto an oven tray lined with non stick paper (or freeze - see comments above, suggest you defrost before cooking.)
Spray the nuggets with a little spray oil. Bake the nuggets for 20 minutes at 180 degrees C.
I sliced these up for him to eat but he seemed to do fine (my son is 13 months old.) These are also tasty cold and a recipe definitely older kids and adults will like. Not bland at all.
The original recipe claims you can also cook these from frozen for 45 minutes. I've yet to try this and to be honest I probably won't. Cooking poultry from frozen is not something I'd normally recommend. I would suggest you leave them to defrost then cook as per the normal instructions.
Minced Turkey Nuggets - for toddlers and adults, may be ok for 9 month plus baby led weaners as there's no nasty ingredients, they're just a little firm; I'll let you use your judgement. Makes approx 25.
Ingredients
Nuggets
340g minced turkey
80g grated cheddar
80g pitta bread whizzed up into breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove very finely chopped
For coating (optional)
A beaten egg
Further pitta bread crumbs - suggest another 80g, I had 40g and ran out.
Spray oil
Method
Mix all of the ingredients together for the nuggets; use your hands as then you can mash them together. Form into balls around the size of a walnut. If you're coating them, dip them into egg and then the remaining crumbs. Then put the coated or uncoated nuggets onto an oven tray lined with non stick paper (or freeze - see comments above, suggest you defrost before cooking.)
Spray the nuggets with a little spray oil. Bake the nuggets for 20 minutes at 180 degrees C.
I sliced these up for him to eat but he seemed to do fine (my son is 13 months old.) These are also tasty cold and a recipe definitely older kids and adults will like. Not bland at all.
Sabtu, 04 Juni 2011
Travelling with a baby or young toddler
Apologies about the lack of posts, we've been away for a week in the UK. It got me thinking on the way back and I thought I'd share some tips about long car journeys I've learned so far.
5 currant buns in a baker’s shop
Most UK service stations have microwave points for baby food. Some even have free jar food for kids but I wouldn't rely on it; in one place I saw the option was a jar of porridge. Hmm. Still, you can easily pack up some home made frozen food portions in a cool bag. So great, you've heated up your food. Now what? I find that most meals take about 15 mins to cool down to a reasonable temperature. Well that's ok if you want a long break but not all babies are happy for 15 mins and to be honest you probably want to get back on the road. This is where you sneak a plate from the food service and spread the food out on it to maximise the surface area to volume ratio. Magic! Food cooled down in less than 5 mins.
Next is the inevitable change. This goes for all public changing rooms. Let's face it, there is no way to ensure the hygiene of changing areas and you can guarantee that any public changing mat has had poo on it fairly recently. Would you sit somewhere you knew had recently had another person's poo? Nope? Thought not. My suggestion is you use the travel changing mat on top of whatever mat is there. That way you get the cushioning from the mat but without sharing the bacteria. My next tip (and I'm going to sound like a hygiene freak here) is once you have changed your baby, even with the best of intentions washing your hands is difficult and often rushed so put a bottle of alcohol sanitiser or antibacterial hand wipes in your change bag (not antibacterial surface wipes, they're different) and use them afterwards. Still wash your hands with soap and water, the antibacterial wipes and gel don't work on all bacteria but it's better than an inefficient handwash on its own.
Next is obviously back to the car, I've found that when I'm travelling with my husband, I sit in the back with my son. It's so hard, even now he's front facing (but more so when he was rear facing) to ensure he's ok. At least in the back you can have a selection of toys set up to pass to your child and see more clearly whether they're cold, tired, hungry etc. We managed to have drinks of water and snacks of some raisins which I would never have managed from the front seat. My last tip is when your child has decided to throw all of the toys down the side of his chair out of reach from you, the last option is to think "what else do I have that he could play with" and think laterally. Obviously there are options like singing, ones with actions seem to go down well when my little one is cooped up in his chair (see below for some suggestions), but what about peekaboo? Even my 12 month old still enjoys this, although he plays it himself (throw a muslin over his head and he then will go for a full 10 mins or so), an interesting textured blanket can amuse for a while, but my best discovery was he is obsessed with zips at the moment so his coat kept him amused for ages.
Anyway here are some song suggestions:
Pat-a-cake
5 little men in a flying saucer
Open shut them
5 little ducks
Twinkle twinkle little star
Wind the bobbin up
Teddy jumps
I'm sure I'll add to these. Drop in a comment if you need any words.
I've linked this up to an "oldies but goodies" post on 3 children and it!
I've linked this up to an "oldies but goodies" post on 3 children and it!
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