Good parenting skills are key to avoiding things like temper tantrums, sulking, and most importantly of all, disappointed children which leads to disappointment for parents too. As a dad, good nutrition is important to me and my kids, primarily because I know how important getting the right foods helps kids stay healthy and grow strong.

On the other hand, having fun is very important to me too. And, as a fully grown adult who not only got an occasional McDonald’s meal when I was a kid, as well as one who ate there waaaayyyy to much in his twenties, I know that a Happy Meal here and there isn’t going to hurt my kids. When you way the fun of a trip to McDonald’s to get a Happy Meal against any nutritional detriments, fun comes out way ahead.

The catch to the whole thing is that the toy in a McDonald’s Happy Meal is an important part of the fun. Nothing puts disappointment on a little kid’s face like a crummy Happy Meal toy. That’s why I always like to know in advance what the current Happy Meal toy is.

Here during July, 2010, the current Happy Meal toy comes from the movie The Last Airbender. Chances are that if you have seen the reviews, then you have not seen the movie. Chances are also good that this flick will not end up on the list of good movies for kids.

However, that does not necessarily mean that the current Happy Meal toys are no good. The cat with wings doll, for example, would probably be a big hit with my daughter.

Trick To Get Better Happy Meal Toy

If you have a younger child and the McDonald’s toy sucks when you go, there is a trick you can use to get a better Happy Meal toy free and easy.

The main Happy Meal toys are almost never “suitable” for children under 3. So, if you have a kid who is under, or even near 3-years old, just ask for the “under 3 toy”. This is a special Happy Meal toy that all McDonald’s restaraunts keep on hand for parents who have young kids that don’t meet the official age requirements for the main Happy Meal toy. Don’t worry about making anyone grumpy, they have to have those toys anyway, and it is all the same to them, as long as you aren’t trying to be a weasel and get two toys out of your Happy Meal.

Have a fun day with your kids.

When they are first born, infants feed every 2 to 5 hours depending upon how big the baby is, and how much the mother’s milk has come in.  Most babies eat between 6 and 10 times per day (24 hours).  Unfortunately, it isn’t always very consistent.  It is fairly rare for a baby to eat every three hours on the nose.

As you can imagine, this schedule can be brutal on new moms.  Fortunately, once Mom and baby are comfortable breastfeeding, meaning that baby latches on and eats for a full feeding without any real trouble and without needing any real encouragement, you can start doing bottle feedings.

Many pediatricians recommend doing at least one bottle feeding per day once the infant has established good breast feeding habits.  Make the most of this feeding by taking one of baby’s usual feeding times that would give mom plenty of extra sleep.

For example, if an infant normally feeds around 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM and then again at around midnight, followed by another feeding between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM, consider doing a bottle feeding for that midnight feeding.  That way, when Mom is done feeding baby in the evening, she can go to bed.

If she gets to sleep at 10:00 PM, she would normally only get 2 hours of sleep before having to breastfeed again.  But, by having someone else (Dad, we’re looking at you) do the midnight feeding, she could sleep straight through until the 3:00 AM feeding.  On a lucky day, maybe all the way until the 4:00 AM feeding.

Now, instead of 2 hours asleep, then awake from midnight to 1:00 AM, then two more hours of sleep (adds up to 4 interrupted hours), mom could sleep from 10:00 PM until 3:00 AM, all uninterrupted.  That adds up to 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  That plus a couple of hours in the morning and a nap or two here and there, and Mom can be way less sleep deprived than she would be otherwise.

The best way to make the bottle feeding work is for baby’s mother to pump breastmilk during the day and then store that breast milk in a baby bottle in the fridge for use during the night.  Formula, of course, can be used as well, but check with your pediatrician first to make sure that switching back and forth between breastmilk and formula won’t be too much for baby.

If an infant will drink breast milk from a bottle with no issues, but won’t drink formula without a lot of assistance and encouragement, take that as a sign, that baby isn’t ready for formula yet.

The conventional wisdom used to be that baby’s should be exclusively breast fed for a certain amount of time.  Some experts said 6 months, and some said 12 months or even longer.  However, since not every mother has the ability to exclusively breastfeed, there were always alternate suggestions as well.

Over time, it turns out that there may not be a need for newborns or infants to breastfeed exclusively for any fixed period of time at all.

The main concern of lactation experts when it comes to mixing breast feeding with bottle feeding is what is termed "nipple confusion."  Nipple confusion is when the baby gets "confused" with how to feed from both bottle and breast.  It turns out, that when breastfeeding properly, this is not much of a concern at all.

Good breastfeeding is dependant upon the infant getting a proper latch.  Most hospitals have a lactation consultant that will work with new mothers on obtaining the proper latch.  There are numerous techniques and breastfeeding positions, or holds, that can be used by a mother to ensure a proper latch.

What is a a proper breastfeeding latch?

Basically, it is when the baby has the proper hold on the nipple with its mouth.  The key thing to a good breast feeding latch is that more than just the tip of the nipple is in the baby’s mouth.  If the baby takes just the center part of the nipple that extends out from the mother’s breast, they won’t get a good latch and may release too soon.  Additionally, such a latch tends to cause painful breastfeeding and sore nipples.

A good breast feeding latch is when the baby has all of the center nipple AND some of the surrounding breast tissue in their mouth.  This is not easy to accomplish at first, and even if the baby gets it right one time, the next time, they may not. 

It is thought that introducing a bottle at this stage may make it harder for the baby to learn the proper technique.  Considering what is known about baby’s memory (they don’t have very much of one) and the fact that any infant kept in a hospital nursery during feeding time, or any baby that isn’t getting enough hydration or nutrition will end up getting at least a few bottle feedings and then go on to breast feed for months or more without additional difficulty, the conclusion that bottle nipples will interfere with proper breastfeeding might not have much merit.

Once an infant develops a good breastfeeding technique and uses is consistently, it is committed into the only functioning memory a young infant has, muscle memory.  Every time a baby is presented with the same approximate situation as before they will use their muscles in approximately the same way.  This is how a baby learns to breastfeed.

After the baby and mother have both grown comfortable with breast feeding and can do it pretty much every time, it is now thought that introducing a bottle at this stage is not only not detrimental, but perhaps beneficial.

Our pediatrician (from a very respected practice) recommended at our baby’s one-month checkup that we introduce a once a day bottle feeding.  Whether that bottle is full of breast milk or formula is a personal decision for the parents to make.

There are several benefits to introducing a bottle feeding for infants, not the least of which is allowing someone else, like dad, to feed the baby.  Timing the bottle feeding right can give Mom several more hours of uninterrupted sleep and lead to a happier, better rested, more healthy mother and baby.  Don’t forget that the same rules for baby formula apply.

Check with your pediatrician to see if introducing a bottle feeding is the right move for your infant.  Keep in mind that just a few years ago, the advice of doctors and professionals was different, so it is important to get new, up to date advice. 

Also, make sure an ask your pediatrician specifically about breast feeding and bottle feeding, especially if it isn’t your first baby.  Many doctors, nurses, and other experts will assume that as an "experienced" parent they don’t need to talk to you about such things.  For them, they’ve been giving the same advice for a couple of years now, and may not remember that they told you something different when your 3 year old was born.

Transitioning baby to solid foods from breast feeding or bottle feeding usually takes place via baby food, liquefied versions of fruits and vegetables.  Whether you use jars of baby food or make your own baby food, the route to strained carrots and peas is a time tested one.  What comes next is almost as universal.

It seems that all babies and toddlers eat Cheerios as one of their first truly solid foods (the name being used somewhat inaccurately for jars of baby food which are not so much solid, as non-liquid.)  Go to just about any day care, playground, or other place where there are groups of children, and you are likely to see Cheerios in the hands of more than one youngster.

What Makes Cheerios a Great Food

What makes Cheerios such a great food for toddlers and babies is that it comes already pre-made without triggering any of the usual parenting concerns.  They are too small to be choked on by any child old enough to actually be eating non-strained foods, and even if they did manage to get lodged sideways in a child’s throat, there is always the whole in the middle.

Cheerios also taste good to children who are naturally inclined toward that “cereal” flavor, not just in Cheerios, but also in the form of rice cereal which is often a starter food for babies moving to solids as well.

Additionally, Cheerios are not sticky, don’t have to be cut or peeled, don’t spoil if not refrigerated, don’t make a mess (unless stepped on), can be carried around in just about anything, and can be grasped by little fingers just starting to develop the fine motor skills that will soon develop into the ability to use a spoon and fork.

Finally, while Cheerios are not free of any sugars or artificial flavors, most parents are less worried about that by this stage of development.  And, whatever it does have in the way of those things is still rather low compared to other foods that meet the size and flavor criteria.  As an added bonus, Cheerios come fortified with vitamins, so it is a little bit like giving a multivitamin to children who are too young to have actual vitamins, which is always a nice plus for parents who worry about whether or not the array of foods their youngster is willing and able to eat provide enough all around nutrition for a growing baby.

In the end, it seems that Cheerios are just an easy way to make sure that baby is getting at least a little nutrition, even when snacking.  So, when you are wondering if your kid should get Cheerios too, the answer is, “Why not?”

Does your little one love Mac & Cheese?  Mine does, and it is so easy to make, especially when meal time comes and catches you a little bit off guard, or what you thought was going to be for lunch falls through (moldy bread!).  But, Macaroni and Cheese doesn’t exactly conjure up images of super healthy lunchtimes.

That’s where Annie’s Mac & Cheese comes in.  Annie’s is a food company that creates healthy kid friendly products.  Some of it is organic, and some is just a healthier creation than the cheapest possible manufacturing method and ingredients possible.  They make a variety of frozen and regular dishes, including a box of macaroni and cheese (both “natural” and organic, either one is fine).  Unlike the Kraft version which has more chemical than you’ll find in a high school text book, Annie’s has just whole grain pasta (better than regular) and cheese plus sodium phosphate which is essentially salt.  It’s hard to feel bad about that, especially if you throw in some fruit or veggies on the side.

Another option if you prefer the frozen to microwave route is Amy’s Macaroni and Cheese which is also very good and healthier than the standard box of Mac & Cheese.  My advice is to get the regular one instead of the “kid’s meal” version.  It’s just as kid friendly and it’s cheaper.

If you go shopping and see the regular price, don’t freak out.  They both seem to go on sale with regularity at my grocery stores. Stock up then and look for coupons, and they really don’t cost much more.  Sure, they’ll never be a quarter a box, but I can usually get Annie’s for $1.50 or lower, and since my toddler only eats half at a time, I figure 75 cents per meal isn’t likely to turn into a financial crisis anytime soon.

It turns out that the secret to baby and toddler nutrition is apple juice.  Can’t get your young one to drink enough water?  Offer them apple juice.  Can’t get your toddler to eat oatmeal?  Make it with apple juice instead of water. 

100% Pure Apple Juice

Let’s start at the beginning.  You want 100% apple juice.  Not apple juice drink, not apple juice beverage, 100% apple juice only.  Juice manufacturers are sneaky and are constantly trying to fool parents (and others) into thinking that they are getting good high quality juice when they are not.  So, the only way to be sure is to check the ingredients list.  It should say Apple Juice, and nothing else.  If it says grape juice, or sugar, or heaven forbid, high fructose corn syrup, put it back on the shelf and buy something else, no matter what the price difference is.  Otherwise, you are buying apple flavored sugar water, and the only thing that does is start your baby on the road to fatty town.

Once you have the right juice (remember Apple Juice as the only ingredient), you are ready to implement the Apple Juice Contingency.  The apple juice contingency works by using apple juice to provide a sweet and pleasant flavor for your baby in a way that does no harm to them.  In the oatmeal example above, the apple juice gives the oatmeal a sweet flavor without using sugar.  As for getting baby to drink, apple juice is a desired drink for most young ones.  Worried about giving them too much juice?  No problem.  Dilute the apple juice.  A 50/50 apple juice water mix will still be just fine for most young ones.  Many will be happy with even weaker blends.  30/70 isn’t uncommon to be fully accepted as “juice”.  The good news is that your toddler is getting plenty of water along with that juice, and at that rate of consumption you have nothing to worry about calories and sugar wise as long as we aren’t talking about 8 cups a day.

The only caution required is getting your son or daughter used to drinking only juice.  You know they are getting plenty of water, but they don’t.  You don’t want them getting it in their minds that they only like juice, so be sure to offer plenty of milk and water as well.  In fact, insist that they drink milk and water on a regular basis.

Other Juices

This technique can be used with other juices, but apple juice is what is considered a “clear liquid".  In other words, there isn’t really anything in apple juice to interfere with absorption of other food stuffs, and it won’t really fill up your baby making them full instead of eating.  You know this from your own experience.  If you just came in from a long bike ride on a hot day and there was no water only apple juice or orange juice, which would you choose to help your thirst?  The apple juice because it is lighter and closer to water.  Same thing for baby.

So, our pediatrician has posted a warning on the main page of their website regarding certain plastics and their potentially dangerous nature (for all of us, not just children).  It seems that certain plastics can release cancer causing chemicals, especially when microwaved. So, they are recommending that everyone avoid type 3, 6, and 7 plastics.  To find out what kind of plastic something is, look on the bottom (usually) and find the recycling code.  It is the number in the middle of the 3 arrows around in a circle (the standard recycle symbol).  If that number is 3, 6, or 7, no one in should be using it for food or drinks, especially your children.  That goes double for heating anything in 3, 6, or 7 plastic.  You shouldn’t be using them either, but you aren’t a defenseless baby, so make your own decision.

Actually, you should probably get used to never microwaving food in plastic at all.  Apparently, microwaves release potentially toxic and cancer causing chemicals from ALL plastic, but just in amounts that are deemed “too small” to worry about.  That doesn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy, I don’t know about you.  It isn’t that much trouble to transfer stuff to a glass or ceramic bowl or plate before throwing it in the microwave.

Ok, for years you have been just fine with the Smell-It test. You know, you smell whatever it is you are thinking of eating and if it doesn’t smell funny then you eat it. As a secondary indicator, you generally don’t eat anything that visibly has mold either (I hope). Anyway, the Smell-It test isn’t good enough for baby. Your stomach and intestines have had years to develop defenses against millions of bacteria, viruses, and poorly made cocktails served via funnel and plastic tubing. Your baby has no such defenses, so you’ll have to be a little stronger at the gate.

For stuff that has a date on it, follow it. Don’t fudge it or decide that one day over is fine. These dates are not exactly setup for maximum freshness, they are set up for safety, so never cross the date with baby’s food. The no good dates for most food is way shorter than you think it is, so make sure and plan ahead.

For stuff without dates follow these guidelines:

Baby’s Food – Fresh

If it’s fresh (deli counter, eggs, etc…)

• Poultry = Expired 1 to 2 days after purchase
• Beef, Pork, Lamb = Expired 3 to 5 days after purchase
• Ground Meat (All including Poultry and Beef) = 1 or 2 days after purchase
• Ham (the kind that isn’t pre-cooked) = 5 to 7 days after purchase
• Sausage (Pork, Beef, Turkey) = 1 or 2 days after purchase
• Eggs = 3 to 5 weeks after purchase.

Keep in mind these times are much longer if the package is sealed at the factory.

Baby’s Food Leftovers

• Cooked Poultry = 3 to 4 days
• Cooked Sausage = 3 to 4 days
• Hot Dogs = DON’T FEED YOUR BABY HOT DOGS! CHOKING HAZARD! For toddlers over 24 months = 1 week
• Lunch Meat = 3 to 5 days after opening

Want to see it from the government? http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Shell_Eggs/index.asp

Baby Formula Has Rules

A lot of parenting comes with rules that are really more “best practices” than anything else. But, when it comes to baby formula, there are some real rules that have to be followed.

First, baby formula bottles cannot be re-used no matter how little the baby drinks. Bacteria from the baby’s mouth gets into the formula and it THRIVES there. A bottle that has been in the baby’s mouth for even one second is done for withing an hour. That’s the other rule. 1 hour shelf life once a drink has been taken, so if it is taking a long time to feed Junior after one hour a new bottle has to be made.

Do Not Microwave Baby Bottles

Rule number 2 is just as important. Never, ever, ever microwave baby formula inside a baby bottle. One reason is that it can get too hot and even with shaking one part might be hot enough to burn the baby’s mouth. Even worse is that baby bottles are routinely made from plastic using a compound that has been shown to cause cancer in over 100 studies. However, the FDA chose not to regulate this process because 2 studies said it didn’t. Guess who paid for the two studies? Hello, Plastics Industry. Yet again, goverment cares more about dollars. So our kids get cancer, at least no one has to worry about getting their campaign contributions next year. Microwaving any foodstuffs in plastics is a bad idea, but especially the formula that your super-sensative baby will be drinking. Heat the bottle another way, or if you want to microwave, make sure you do it outside of the bottle and then pour it in after.

We read, and our pediatrician confirmed, that there is no need to “sanitize” your bottles or nipples by boiling them or using some sort of specially purchased steaming contraption.  Your dishwasher gets hot enough, plus the soap does what it is supposed to do.  Our doc said that unless you can keep them sealed inside the steamer, they won’t stay sanitized anyway once they are exposed to the air.  He says that way more parent introduce bacteria into their baby’s system by re-using an unfinished bottle of formula than ever will by not sanitizing a nipple.

Now, you don’t want your bottle nipples flying around the inside of your dishwasher, so what do you do?

First, get yourself one of these dishwasher baskets.  Pop the rubber part of the nipple out of the plastic ring.  The rubber part goes on the top part of the basket through the holes.  If you pull them upward a little they should sort of “set” in the hole.  Then, through the plastic rings in the bottom part.  Don’t overload or they’ll block the water.  I’m a little paranoid, so I give them a under the faucet rinse when I take them out.

Second, get one of these.  Actually, get two of these.  It will be about four days after you bring your baby home when you realize that you are washing bottles and nipples all the time (unless you are exclusively breastfeeding), and you really don’t have any place to put them to dry.  Frankly, you really don’t need to bother putting them away considering how fast you go through them.  This thing is your answer.  This is what I give everyone for their baby shower.  I always get the “Gee, thanks,” when they open it.   A week after they bring home the baby, they’ll tell me it’s the best gift they got (besides the big stuff).

These two things will set you up for cleaning and storing your baby’s bottles.  Take back all the sanatizers and other fancy stuff.  Go ahead and get store credit.  You’ll end up needing so much stuff that you’ll blow through it in no time.