Metro Mum - The Metro Blog

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:48:00 PDT

Chicken bolognaise

Tip: All-round great meal for getting in those vegetables your child normally won’t eat. Red capsicum is one of the best sources of vitamin C. Use the leftovers as a filling in baked potatoes or free for a convenient meal on those ‘what do I cook for dinner’ nights.

Ingredients
500g of organic chicken mince
1 diced onion
½ an eggplant peeled and diced
1 can of organic tomatoes and a bottle of tomato paste OR a jar of Sacla
bolognaise sauce or Coles Romano Pasta Sauce
½ cup of water
1 grated zucchini
1 grated carrot
¼ cup of cauliflower finely sliced into speckles
1 grated zucchini
5 chopped mushrooms
¼ cup of finely diced red capsicum
2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Spaghetti

Preparation
1. Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan.
2. Add the mince, eggplant and onion to the oil and brown gently.
3. Add the tomato and tomato paste and blend in with the water.
4. Add the vegetables and garlic.
5. Allow to cook on low for 25–45 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing with a fork until the mince becomes fine and the vegetables are soft and blended. The meat is cooked when it is fine and the vegetables are blended.
6. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add the required amount of spaghetti.
7. Cook until parboiled or just soft through.
8. Drain and serve with the bolognaise and some sprinkled cheese on top.
9. Just as a little something extra a squeeze of lemon or lime juice really makes this dish something special.

Want more recipes? This recipe has been adapted from Sneakys Recipes for Fussy Foodies at www.cadencehealth.com.au

In the Winners Circle

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:50:00 PDT

Its Time to Announce our 10 Lucky Dumbo DVD Winners Thanks To Disney

Metro Mum has proudly partnered with Disney this month to celebrate the release of the family favourite Disney Dumbo to DVD

The following 10 Lucky Competition winners will all soon be receiving this wonderful DVD to share with their family:

Emily Montgomery NSW
Nicolle Williams SA
Elizabeth Kinzett VIC
Judith Carrans NSW
Rosslyn Tadd QLD
Mary Humme VIC
Anais Devenish WA
Michelle Garcia TAS
Alana McGrath NSW
Cheryll Mellier VIC

Congratulations and thank you for entering our competition this month

WeilBaby bottles and cups hit Australia this week

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sun, 16 May 2010 21:23:00 PDT

Read WeilBaby reviewed on Babyology today below. Visit www.babyology.com.au and get the latest on baby and kids products!

Have you ever opened that drawer or cupboard where you keep your mismatched collection of bottles, sippy cups, teats, old lids and various other bits of plastic you’ve acquired over the years and wished you could just chuck the lot of it and start over? I know I have.

What’s more, if you have a toddler who likes to open drawers and deposit their contents throughout the house, you’re probably missing vital components of all your feeding systems – and nothing causes stress like a screaming child when you just can’t find the lid for that cup.

There’s an even more compelling reason to consider replacing some of the plasticware in your home – the evidence of the negative effects on your family’s health from BPA toxins in many plastic bottles and cups. Exposure to and consumption of BPA has been linked to cancers and many other developmental and health problems.

Not only are the effects of BPA toxins more extreme on children, but recent studies have found that the process of heating plastics (for example, through sterilization) allows the BPA toxins to leach out up to fifty-five times more rapidly! All this adds up to a need for bottles and cups for our kids which are BPA-free and now you can get a whole range through the US-based WeilBaby system. It’s arriving in Australia for the first time on 20 May.

You can buy bottles and cups individually or in handy starter packs for different ages and stages. Not only are the bottles BPA-free, they are heat and shatter-resistant, dishwasher safe and they look great too. There are a huge range available at Metro Mum and prices for individual cups start at $17.95. Various gift and starter packs (four bottles plus teats and accessories) are also available, beginning from $109.95.

Post on Babyology by Leah Fitzhardinge on May 17, 2010 in Feeding

One More Story Perfect Book Food for Kids!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:30:00 PDT

We are so pleased to partner with the fantastic educational resource www.onemorestory.com this month!

One More Story is an online library of the best of children's classic and contemporary literature. Through a simple point and click process, children can choose a book, see the illustrations and have the book read to them whenever they want.

The One More Story library features the highest quality children's books (including Caldecott Medal winners) from ten different publishers.

A child can easily choose a book by clicking on the green button under that book. As the narrator reads, words are individually high-lighted in the text box at the bottom of the screen. Each story is professionally narrated, and original music has been written for each book.

My son's favourite is the cheeky Pete's a Pizza book. You can experience this fantastic website and our favourite book first hand. Click for the SAMPLE BOOK here

For your chance to have access to their fabulous website which will have your children craving more storytime, simply enter our competition today. One More Story and Metro Mum are giving 3 lucky winners the chance to win an Annual Subscription this month. Enter HERE and Good Luck!

Meet Melissa Walsh Mumpreneur Behind Melobaby !

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:32:00 PDT

Its always a pleasure to meet talented mums, putting their personal joys and experiences of motherhood into creating products which other mothers can enjoy. One of the very first stylish products for mum introduced to Metro Mum were the extremely popular MELOBABY Change Wallets. Classy and clever this is one baby change wallet that you dont mind toting anytime of the day!

We wanted you to meet Melissa. We hope you enjoy reading out interview with her and seeing Melissa Mum and Mumpreneur with her gorgeous girls!

Introducing Melissa Walsh

What is your working background?

I used to work at Triple J and the ABC and moved to Independent Broadcast Production and we have produced a number of documentaries for World Health Organisation, United Nations and BBC World.

Why did you create Melobaby ?

Being always on the go and travelling regularly back and forth to London I needed something lightweight and I wanted to keep my favourite handbag and hold onto to a sense of the “me” before I became a “mum”.

I created our MELOBABY all-in-one nappy wallet + change mat because I went out with my first daughter when she was six weeks old with a nappy bag that had enough clothes and nappies to last a couple of days rather than a few hours. Realising from that one outing that all I needed was just the nappies, wipes and change mat which was a sense of relief that I didn’t have to lug around a big nappy bag that was always over packed.

What makes Melobaby different to other products on the market?

Our unique design makes MELOBABY different from all the others on the market. Amazingly, there are so many features on our simple nappy wallet.

1. The magnetic clasp to open it - means you can do it with one hand and when you have to open something over 1000 times in a year - you want it to be easy to open!

2. The wallet holds up to four nappies or three and a change clothes, creams and nappy sacks - more than any other wallet on the market.

3. There is a soft fleece mat that babies love and is detachable for washing.

4. It looks like a cute clutch and is so compact it’s deceiving how much fits in there and fits comfortably in your favourite handbag.

How were you inspired to start your business?

I started MELOBABY because I searched for a nappy wallet and couldn’t find one on the market. Ironically, just before we launched – two appeared! It’s great to have something of your own and having a business gives you a sense of purpose and a lot of fulfilment. My business doesn’t just benefit me but my two girls are inspired to be creative and not to mention our 20 year old baby sitter who also wants to start her own business.

How many children do you have?

I have two beautiful girls - almost 7 and 5.

What do you, and your children like to do together?

We love to going to the beach and also Disneyland Hong Kong is a regular spot because we have to fly back to London and it’s a great stopover.

How do you juggle your business with parenthood?

It's definitely a juggle and I hate being away from my girls for more than a few days. Owning my own business means that I can plan my business around them, I can be with them in school holidays and go and see them sing in assembly or watch them swim at their swimming carnival and I don’t have to ask anyone to go – that’s the perks...

The best piece of advice you could share with expecting mums ?

Don’t feel that you have to have everything to be a good mum... All babies and children need is to be loved! They are happy if you’re happy. Pack smart... Not big!

Melisa has recently created some new stunning mum and kid must-haves. We will be bringing them to Metro Mum shortly!

A big thank you Melissa for taking the time to share your personal details and clever creation with the Metro Mum community!

Checkout the ingenious Melobaby Change Wallet today

Mother’s Day Gifts for Metro Mums

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:20:00 PDT

We have loved opening our doors to our customers and meeting you in person at our new premises. With all our gorgeous accessories on display, there is always one product in our store which has every lady nodding in agreement and its one of my favourites.

A thoughtful practical gift, it’s not the apron itself but what it says that deserves the applause “M.U.M”, or rather the fine print that follows:
MUTLISKILLED
UNPAID
MIRACLE WORKER

We are often asked for Mother’s Day gift ideas and the MUM apron is definitely on our favourites list!

Here are some of our other favourites:

For Every Day
If you are looking for products which are practical Mums and Grandmothers our motif mugs are always a hit. Choose from fun mugs such as Super Woman, Yummy Mummy, Chocoholic, and Super Mum for $7.95.

Mum will also have fun toting these cheeky Annabel Trends aprons (our M.U.M apron included) about the house for only $24.95

But at the end of the day there is nothing better to give Mum than a warm and luxuriously soft (if only you could reach out and touch these images!) Ocho Robe

Forever
There is nothing more precious than memories of and moments with our Mum.

For Mother's Day Gift ideas which will be treasured for generations, consider the Mum Interview book. A lovely hardcover book with interview style questions, this book allows mums and grandmothers to set to paper some of those beautiful memories for everyone to enjoy. For daily inspiration, Her Life Journal will also provide an inspiring quote on every page as Mum records her thoughts

However, words at time just cannot capture the special moments and for these times we love Willow Tree. Expecting mums, new mums, grandmothers and every family member will admire Willow Tree creations

For Her
Every lady loves to be pampered and every lady loves to relax and for these moments we love Mamma Mio and the oh so luxurious Fatboy beanbag range. We can guarantee you will NOT want to get off a Fatboy original beanbag – ever! This is no ordinary beanbag, the inside filling is made of tiny EPS cylindrical pieces (Expanded Polystyrene Packaging) which keep their form and arrive ready for relaxing.

If you are looking for something that the whole family can enjoy together, you will want to cuddle up on the Fatboy Headdemock

For the First Time

If you are looking for something special for a new mum to be, her first of many Mother’s Days to come the Prego Planner an upscale, fashionably functional and one-of-a-kind pregnancy organizer and planner.

Fabulous

Finally, to ensure our Metro Mums always look fabulous. Select a stylish nappy bag from amongst our diverse range of styles, materials, colours and features. Select from designer brands Mia Bossi, Dadgear, Il Tutto, Isoki, Allerhand, Storksak and Paba. You are sure to find a delectable nappy bag to suit your needs.

Don’t forget there are only 10 days to go before the end of April and the end of our FREE Gift Voucher. Orders over $100 receive a $20 Gift Voucher. Orders over $200receive a $50 Gift Voucher (not valid in conjunction with any other discount on nappy bags).

Happy Mother’s Day Shopping!

Free Gift Voucher with Nappy Bag Purchase

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:02:00 PDT

Have you ever had a fashion addiction? The Metro Mum team are self-confessed bag-a-holics, we can never say no to delicious nappy bags.

Our collection includes Il Tutto, Mia Bossi, Allerhand, Isoki, Dadgear, Storksak, Paba and more. These brands provide a diverse range of styles, materials, colours and features to ensure that there will be a bag to delight every mum and dad of course!

This month with Mothers Day around the corner its all about mum. Give a Metro Mum (or yourself!) a gorgeous new bag and receive a FREE Gift Voucher with your purchase.

Spend over $100 and receive a $20 Gift Voucher or spend over $200 and receive a $50 Gift Voucher with your order.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MARCH WINNER

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:28:00 PDT

Congratulations to Emma Maxwell!!

Emma has won the Metro Mum March Competition and gets to show of this gorgeous Busy Bee luggage set

EASTER WISH LIST SPECIAL

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:41:00 PST

We take down our Christmas trees only to be given 4 days grace before shopping malls try and shove caramel crème eggs and chocolate bunnies of all shapes and sizes down our throats and into our shopping trolleys. It’s not just my eternal New Year’s Resolution of “Thou shalt loose weight” holding me back, but year after year I see children collect impressive amounts of poor quality chocolate that they do not appreciate or even eat.

Look no further than Metromum for Easter gift ideas that will last longer than an hour! Here’s what’s in my shopping cart so far to get the little people in my life suited and booted for the Easter break.

"Quackie" Duck luggage set by BusyBee Friends.
This adorable collection is perfect for little jetsetters; stylish, practical, durable and fun. BusyBee have “quacked” the market with a travel set for children that is fun without compromising on important internal features. The set includes a lunch bag, backpack, day bag and trundle bag that can be purchased separately or you can save by opting for the value set!

Just hatched?
Shopping for brand new bubs can be difficult during a season rife with more of the same. Lilibird have some adorable pieces that make perfect Easter gifts for junior. Choose the Egg design for a classic Easter gift or my all time favourite... the Ruffle Bottom! No ugly ducklings in this nest!

Timeless Toys
Trends come and go, but classic old-school toys are precious. The only toys my mother kept for my sister and I were our cloth rag dolls – there is something nostalgic that comes hand in hand with these timeless keepsakes. Alimrose has released a beautiful collection of soft rattles, dolls, bunnies and mobiles that would be treasured in the years to come as a fond childhood memory for both boys and girls.

What about Mother Duck?
Willow continue to take my breath away with their emotionally charged carved wooden pieces. The Tree Figurine is a must-see and essential for your shopping list this Easter. Perfect for girls and boys of all vintages... even yourself!

Receive 10% off when you purchase anything mentioned in this blog!!

Nursery Inspiration: A few of my favourite things!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:31:00 PST

Metromum has all the gear, now you need a bright idea!These are a few of my favourite things

Adding some texture to a neutral room, changes the mood dramatically. We love Tokujin yoshioka's Bouquet Swivel Chair.

Dark tones and pale shades are classic, but a splash of green brings a space to life. Subtle circular wall features and various textures would be the perfect canvas for your pistachio-pillowed "Nathi" change table in this amazing nursery.

I've spent a lot of time finding inspirtion for the perfect setting to house my Bloom furniture pieces. Share your own DIY nuresry projects with Metromum!l

Vintage Glam

Urban Chic

MiniMi’s All ‘Round

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:27:00 PST

I love,love,love the new MiniMi's! Capture the date the world became richer with the birth of your precious little one, or someone else’s!
MiniMi make a gorgeous addition to any nursery, bedroom or playroom, personalising these special spaces as features.
Versatile and transferable, MiniMis make great personalised gifts for your baby and friends, as funky keepsakes.

Changing Wall Art

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:24:00 PST

As with most things Swiss, “Nathi” is a stunner. An innovative wall mounted timber change table that free up floor space without excluding this nursery essential. For years we’ve struggled to find a change table that is practical, stylish and comfortable for baby and not a spatial eye-sore.

The Nathi is a perfect match to the Leander Bed or Cradle – same curves, same colours (whitewash, white or walnut). Weighing in at just 6kgs, Nathi can hold 50kg so you can use it for as long as you need to. In fact, it made an excellent perch for a much needed, eye-level “chat” with my 3 year old little miss recently.

It gets better… there are 2 handy shelves inside to hold your nappy-changing toolkit and hide those creams and wipes after use as you close the unit. No mess exposed. Rumour has it that a matching nappy holder will be available later in the year, so watch this space!

BLOOMing Marvellous!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:09:00 PST

No Tools? No Space? No lace? No problem! Bloom baby furniture is leaving the Metromum warehouse faster than it arrives. Gone are the days of compromising the urban style of your home to accommodate a new addition to your family. The minimalist outlook & sophisticated lines of the beautifully designed Bloom range make them the perfect pieces for a contemporary styled nursery. I think about these Bloom bits take urban nursery chic to a new level with a design that is practical, functional and avant-garde.

Bubs to Tots (0-2 years)
Meet Alma, a beautifully designed folding dark wooden crib, with stainless steel detailing without a hint of pastel, lace or such other repeat offenders. Designed for urban spaces, elevated living an alternative sleeping arrangements, Alma's unique and simple patented fold makes for easy storage for portable, functional style with two mattress heights combining the benefits of a newborn bassinet or cradle with a cot/crib.

Bubs to Kindy (0-6 years)
The Luxo sleep baby bed is more like a cocoon, intelligently designed with health and safety as paramount. Gently curved ends promote air flow which is extremely important for sleeping safety while a body-fit spring mattress has dual side progressive firmness to accommodate baby’s increasing weight. Patented adjustable side rail allows easy access to baby, protecting the backs of mum’s and dad’s… and, as I’ve learned, make for an excellent obstacle for little ones amidst escape attempts.

A little something on the side…
An elegant companion to Bloom’s bedding solutions, the Luxo dresser is a sleek choice as a stand-alone dresser/changing station for a more unique nursery space. Boasting four drawers of storage capacity the dresser converts to a changing station when used with the Bloom universal change tray.

It get’s better...
The incentives to add some Bloom to your shopping trolley continue. You (and the environment) will be pleased to know that Bloom wooden products originate from certified sustainable beech and birch wood forests. Free of wood PCP and other toxic wood preservatives, Bloom bits are as kind to baby’s health as they are to the ecosystem.

And finally... my personal favourite, these gems are “no-tools-required hassle-free assembly” D.I.Y projects, complemented by lockable castor-wheels for effortless mobility and the signature stow-away fold. Blooming marvellous, I say!

Storytelling Exercises for the Family

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:18:00 PST

Encouraging storytelling is something we’ve spent a good deal of time talking about here at Classic Play. There are so many reasons to encourage your child’s love of storytelling as well as flex your own literary prowess. Not only will you stimulate the right section of your brain, your children will learn a little something about you and in turn you’ll learn more about them. Creativity, empathy, ability to convey ideas to others—these are a just a few of the qualities of a great storyteller.

So tonight as you’re gathered around the dinner table or tucking the kids in for bed, try one of these exercises. You may find you have your very own Mark Twain living in your house:

Story Improv: assigned each family member a section of story (beginning, middle, end). The first person starts the story and passes it to the next. That person gives it to the next person and so on until the last person is reached and needs to wrap up the tale.

Character/Setting/Problem/Solution: Each person is assigned to come up with one of the follow: character(s), setting, problem or solution. The list is compiled and one or more family members craft a story incorporating all of the elements generated. You use this one as a frame work for the story improv exercise above.

What Happens Next: This is one in which you choose a common story (e.g. Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks, etc) and you ask what happens next? Each person gets a turn to tell what they think happens after the original story ends. Another option is to have everyone come up with new endings for a chosen story.

Mad Libs: For those of you looking for more direction here’s a link for free printable Spring themed Mad Libs. It’s a great tool for learning about parts of speech. Plus you don’t have to face the scary thought of starting a story from scratch. While I personally find that part rather thrilling, I understand the need to wade before going all in.

A Few Notes:
-If the kids get stuck, ask them a few questions to get them started again.
-Have a signal for when a story should start wrapping up. I find that sometimes one can get so engrossed that they forget to keep the story on track for an ending.
-Don’t be afraid to be silly!

I’ve shared a few of the things our family does for storytime. Now it’s your turn. What are some of your favorite storytelling activities?

by Jennifer Cooper, posted on March 9th, 2010 in Ideas and Inspiration

Ellie Bellie Kids Storybook Crown for Stories on Your Mind

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:01:00 PST

The very talented artist and illustrator Linda Olliver has produced a completely unique take on playwear. This iconic Storybook Crown features classic illustrations, elements of a story printed right there on the Crown. All that's missing to complete the tale is your child's imagination.

There is nothing I love more than to hear my child's imagination go wild. Im often treated to stories of his pirate and dinosaur adventures and love hearing every detail of what he wore and found.

With the newest addition to the Ellie Bellie Kids family—The Storybook Crown- his stories have become even more detailed. They have also become more structured as he works his way through the illustrations on the crown. This simple and thoughtful toy has delighted our entire family almost every evening. We not only have fantastic storytelling adventures we get to spend quality time with each other.

The Ellie Bellie Kids soft crown is made from cotton twill and features a velcro closure that adjusts to fit the little king or queen in your life. It also has its own cotton bag with drawstring closure to keep your liege's crown clean and tidy when not adorning their royal noggin.

We implore you to consider this gift for a special child in your life. The storybook crown creates lasting memories for the whole family.

Available in black or white.

Congratulations Mojo Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:59:00 PST

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MINI MOJO WINNERS!

Carla Jablonski

Rachel Petersson

Justine Richardson

Thanks to everyone who entered our competition.

A Lilbird told me!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:41:00 PST

Every now and then a product comes along that is so gorgeously packaged we’re tempted to buy it for that reason alone! The Lilbird clothing range of way-too-cute bub clothes arrives in its own little papier-mâché egg, making them an irresistible gift.

Each piece is lovingly made by hand which means no two pieces are exactly the same. Crafted with vintage ribbon, embroidery and trim the Lilbird range is absolutely gorgeous.

Particularly popular are the Lilbird Ruffle Bottom Onesie and Signature Lilbird Onesie, hand stitched and simply adorable! And little boys look delicious in the Vintage Car and Football tees. Available in onesie, t-shirt and singlet style .

Lilbird clothing arrive in complimentary little papier-mâché egg, making them a really gorgeous gift for (just hatched) new bubs and mums to be.

The Lilbird range is made in L.A. and San Francisco and is exclusive to www.metromum.com.au. Check out the whole adorable range today.

Introducing Solids To Baby, Tips from Leading Nutrionist Leanne Cooper

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:19:00 PST

Starting baby on solids sounds easy but there is alot to take into consideration. When it comes time to start feeding baby mums often have lots of questions and from personal experience they will find practical and thoughtful answers in the fabulous book ‘What Do I Feed My Baby?’ by Leanne Cooper.Available from www.metromum.com.au

Leanne Cooper is a nutritionist, leading childhood nutrition expert and author of infant and childhood nutrition books, including ‘What Do I Feed My Baby?’. Leanne’s nutritional support and advice is featured on Huggies websites worldwide, she is on numerous Expert Panels, and consults on nutrition to a number of parenting organisations and magazines.

And we are very fortunate to be allowed to share Leanne's tips with you in our Metro Blog. We hope you find this as helpful as we did.

INTRODUCING SOLIDS

When should solids be introduced?
Between 4 and 6 months, although most commonly closer to 6 months. Up to the first 4 to 6 months of an infant’s life, breast milk or formula will provide all their nutritional requirements for growth. At around 6 months, the iron stores that baby gained in utero begin to run low, which is one of the reasons we start solids around this time.

Don’t be tempted to start too early
Introducing solids too early can be a burden to an underdeveloped digestive system (most babies’ digestive systems remain inadequate up to about 6 months of age), as well as impairing maternal milk supply. Other concerns include increasing the risk of food allergies and exposure to bugs that may lead to diarrhoea and other gastric problems.

Most parents soon realise how convenient milk feeding is (especially if it is your second time around). The tendency to want to delay introducing solids creeps into the minds of many of us, however…

Don’t wait too long
According to research, your baby will not benefit from having solids before 6 months. However, if you leave the introduction of solids too late, you risk undermining your baby’s nutritional status. Iron and zinc levels, in particular, decrease in breast milk as your baby’s demand increases. Other problems include immune challenges and reduced motor development, for example, the skill of chewing.

So how much will baby eat at first?
 It generally takes about a month from the time of the first introduced food for babies to work up to taking more than 10 ml a day (just over 2 teaspoons), and a month and half to be able to consume more than 100 ml a day.
 Babies who were started on solids at a younger age seem to take longer to get to these amounts; hence introducing solids at 6 months appears to shorten the time.

Tips on starting foods
 Foods should be a fine, runny puree and smooth in consistency.
 Introduce foods one at a time, and ensure they don’t include salt, sugar or flavourings of any sort. Maintaining baby’s milk source helps to ensure that any reactions can be attributed to the single food. [is this what you mean here Leanne; that breastfeeding should continue while foods are introduced one at a time?]
 Rotate foods so that you give the same one only once in a 3-5 day period. There’s nothing worse than eating the same thing over and over again. This will also help reduce the risk of food reaction or allergy, and in the unlikely event of a reaction, it may become evident before the end of the day.
 Once a variety of foods has been introduced successfully, make sure you vary them frequently so that baby gains a balanced diet. Variety at this early stage may also help you get through that fussy stage in the toddler years.
 Be persistent. Many studies show that it may take up to 10 opportunities to try a new food before baby accepts it.

Avocado (mmmm) was my favourite starter because in its fatty acid makeup, it is similar to breast milk. Once you’ve diluted it (watered it down) into a runny paste with breast milk or formula it can be an option that baby will enjoy early on.

Food suggestions for bubs starting out
Given the amount that is likely to go in and stay in, baby’s first foods will not provide significant nutrients. Infants of less than 6 months will still rely primarily on breast milk or formula for all their nutritional requirements. The point of introducing solids around this time is to prepare baby for new tastes, textures and modes of feeding.
 Start with an iron-enriched infant cereal. While many of these are high glycaemic foods, infants who are just starting out find them easy to digest and swallow. Use breast milk or formula to mix into a smooth paste.
 Cooked and pureed vegetables such as sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, choko, parsnip, broccoli, peas, potato, zucchini, cauliflower.
 Once you have introduced a few vegetables you can start to mix them and create interesting combinations.
 Mashed/cooked/pureed fruits such as avocado, apple, banana, pear, choko, strawberry etc. can also be introduced, although fruit is often best left till after a wide array of vegetables have been introduced to avoid an over fondness for sweet foods.
 If a fruit or vegetable is too runny, use baby’s rice cereal as a thickener.
 By six months, baby should be consuming iron-fortified baby foods such as rice cereal (as per dietary guidelines for children).

The timing of food groups differs from one culture to the next and as yet there are no hard-and-fast rules. The following is a guide only.

What foods at what age?
According to the literature, there are no firm rules for introducing foods. The best we can do is be guided by our baby, and our knowledge of their physical development and digestive system.
1. We know that babies can digest some sugars but find starches more challenging until around 9–10 months.
2. Fat can also be difficult as their livers are still developing.
3. Protein in most cases is fine, although in some it can cause certain allergies, for example cow’s milk protein allergy.
4. Babies seem incapable of digesting foods rich in protein (such as meat) until around 9 months.

The World Health Organisation defines four phases in the introduction of ‘complimentary foods’, determined by baby’s motor development:
1. Stage one is getting baby used to eating from a spoon, using pureed foods, once or twice a day.
2. Stage two is becoming accustomed to texture because of improved motor skills.
3. Stage three is the introduction of lumpy texture and thick consistencies, and again improved motor skills by allowing finger foods.
4. Stage four is self-feeding and nearing family meals.

Some tips before starting out
 Remember that all babies are different. They eat different amounts, have different taste and texture preferences, and progress at different rates. (See Figure 1 for general guidelines.)
 When starting out, offer breast milk or formula first so bub gets all his or her nutrients each day.
 Avoid upset tummies by not pushing bub to eat too much initially. He or she will quickly learn to show you they are ready for more.
 Introduce new foods only once every 3–5 days and always check for reactions.
 The top foods for allergic reaction include egg, milk, seafood, nuts, soy and wheat (not in any order).
 Make your purees for storage thicker than you need so you can thin them down and warm them up after being refrigerated with boiling water, breast milk or formula.
 When preparing purees for bub to eat straight away, don’t make them too thick; they should be soupy to start with until your little one is drinking water. This can help to reduce the likelihood of constipation.
 In the early days, use ice-cube trays to store cooked pureed vegetables. They are a handy size, just pop out, and are easy to thaw. Ensure they are covered and name and date the pack. Some kitchen storage companies make sealed ice-cube containers which can be very useful.
 Cook up to three or four vegies (in separate pots) and puree or mash them. Using 250 ml air-tight containers, fill only a third of the container, label, date and freeze. You can take out three at a time to make mixed vegies. This gives you the freedom to make different mixes as often as you choose and helps to ensure a varied diet.
 It is always handy to have some ice-cubes of clean boiled water in the freezer. If the pureed food is too hot, just pop in an ice-cube to cool and thin it down ready for use.
 Chop woodier vegies like parsnips into smaller pieces to cook faster and make pureeing or mashing easier.
 Buy bibs of different colours. Why? Well, use a bib the same colour as the food you are serving to bub, for example a red bib for beetroot days, a green one for pea days and so on.

Keep in mind that
 When baby starts teething, this may affect their appetite so don’t be put off if he or she seems to have lost interest at this point. It is likely to just be temporary.
 It can take up to 10 or more exposures for a baby to take to something new, perseverance is important! Don’t confuse rejection with permanent dislike.
 Avoid imposing adult meal and food preferences onto your baby; they don’t need specific ‘breakfast-type’ foods such as sweet foods. There is plenty of time for that beyond 12 months.
 When bub starts to become mobile they sometimes temporarily lose interest in food as this new-found movement is more interesting to them. They will be fine and it will pass.

Cleanliness and safety
Without doubt, cleanliness is crucial to avoiding food contamination. Most of us are very careful with hygiene; however, when dealing with food, it’s worth remembering the following:
 Wash fruit and scrub vegetables before use or before refrigerating.
 Use hot soapy water to wash your hands.
 Use appropriate cutting boards. Wooden boards have been shown to yield the lowest bacterial covering after use and washing.
 Take care when heating food in a microwave as the food can be hotter in certain areas than others.
 Do not cross-contaminate foods, for example raw meats, poultry or eggs should not be placed together.
 Avoid using your fingers to handle food.
 Keep hair away from food.
 Reduce the food’s exposure to anyone who may be unwell.
 Wash sponges in the machine or place in the microwave for two minutes and replace regularly.
 Clean up food spills with paper towels and dispose immediately.
 If in doubt, discard food that is suspicious.

Food and safe eating
A recent study of food-related choking in America found that 90% occurred in infants and children under the age of 5 years and 65% in children under 2. Of the 103 foods studied, round-shaped foods were found to be the most common offenders. The study found the following foods to be most risky (in order):
1. Hot dogs and sweets
2. Nuts
3. Grapes

To further avoid choking, ensure your baby eats only while sitting. NEVER leave infants or young children to eat alone. Avoid hard and round small foods; instead chop food into irregular small pieces and quarter grapes. Some reports suggest avoiding sticky foods such as melted cheeses and peanut butter; however, there is a low incidence of asphyxiation with these foods.

Quick tip: Baby-feeding meshes are a recent product on the market. They are plastic holders with a mesh bag to hold food that baby can then chew on. Fantastic for teething and safely introducing finger foods, for example a wide range of fruit, vegies and other foods. These replace the home-made version using muslin. A great invention.

What should infants drink?
Babies need more water than adults to digest their food. Why? Because babies’ kidneys are not fully developed and therefore not as adept at handling the waste products from the digestion and metabolism of food. Infants’ kidneys use more water than adults to dilute and remove waste products from the body. As solids are increasing in volume in the diet, it becomes more important to monitor the amount of water a child is drinking, particularly in the case where milk feeds are being replaced by solid foods.

Water is much better than other fluids, particularly juices and cordials. Ensure that drink bottles and cups are placed in easy-to-see and reachable positions and check the levels throughout the day.

Dietary guidelines recommend that children:
 Are not given any fruit juice before 6 months of age.
 Are not given juice in bottles or other vessels that pour easily allowing a child to drink juice over the day.
 Are not given juice at bedtime.

It is generally agreed that young children should not be given fruit juice and that water is the most preferable fluid.

Created by Leanne Cooper, nutritionist mother of two and director Sneakys; adapted from What do I Feed my Baby? A step-by-step guide to starting solids, by Leanne Cooper 2008

This fact sheet may be reproduced in whole or in part for education and non-profit purposes with acknowledgement of the source. It may not be reproduced for commercial use or sale. The information provided is not meant to replace medical advice.

Figure 1 Quick reference guide to introducing foods

Age Suitable foods Consistency Milk feeds
Around 6 months Note:
Leaving sweeter foods such as fruit till after the introduction of vegetables can improve acceptance of foods that are not sweet
 Gluten free iron-fortified cereal i.e. rice
 Vegetables such as sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, avocado, choko, parsnip, broccoli, peas, potato, zucchini, cauliflower, beans.
 Avocado
 Cooked/mashed fruit such as apple, pear, banana, paw paw, rockmelon.
 Teething rusks

Pureed into a smooth paste with breastmilk or formula.

Still relies primarily on breastmilk or formula.
7ish months
Working up to 3 meals a day and adding of texture
 Iron-enriched rice cereal should be used by 6 months.
 Baby yoghurts or plain natural acidophilus yoghurts which are often more nutritious and have less additives
 Increasing variety of vegetables first, then fruit (not citrus fruits or tomato), corn, beetroot, peas, capsicum, turnip, parsnip
 Increasing variety of fruit – strawberries, mango, blueberries, watermelon, plum, star fruit and custard apples
 Brown and white rice cooked till soft
 Use of feeding cups over bottles
 Offer water regularly over the day
Mashed into a soft and lumpy consistency, similar to the texture of cottage cheese.3-5 milk feeds per day.

8ish months
Babies develop a swallowing reflex for coarser foods.
 Fish
 A teaspoon of almond, linseed, sunflower or hazelnut meal (powder) added to mashed foods for protein and essential fats.
 Thoroughly cooked brown and white rice.
 Vegetarian proteins such as tofu and lentils
 Cheese (cheddar has low amount of lactose)
 White meat such as fine pieces of chicken or turkey
 Lumpy food Introduce lumpy foods. 3-4 milk feeds per day.

Around 9 months
Baby starts chewing and moving food around their mouth
 Start with gluten-free cereals such as corn, millet, rice, buckwheat, tapioca and quinoa – try buckwheat and rice noodles before pasta
 Nut spreads (caution with allergies)
 Expand on cheeses (cottage etc.)
 Red meat such as lamb mince
 Finger foods – grated cheese, vegetables fruit
 Vegetables, thin slices, grated
 Peeled and seeded fruit
 Beans
 Cereals, couscous, semolina, tapioca, pasta, noodles etc. ‘Finger foods’, grated cheese, finely chopped meat. 3 milk feeds per day.

10 months
 Eggs (cooked egg yolk, offer whole egg after 12 months)
 Well-cooked red meats
 Small amounts of milk, soy milk, nut milk, oat milk
 Stews, rissoles, casseroles, sandwiches, etc Scrambled egg yolk.
Finely chopped or minced meat. 3 milk feeds per day.

11-12 months
 Other legumes (kidney beans, butter beans, cooked legumes, soy beans, tofu)
 Pasteurised milk and milk alternatives from 12 months Weaning from breast or bottle if wished at 12 months.

12 months+
 Most foods the family eats. Whole foods except nuts. Water is best fluid.

The above is only a guide some foods are introduced at different times in some families

For further helpful information refer to ‘What Do I Feed My Baby?’ book

Meander with your Leander

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:06:00 PST

Thanks to Metromum, you can now meander through your home with your very own Leander cradle.

The Leander Cradle is the product of human-centred design, created to anticipate your needs without compromising the look and feel of your home. Timeless elegance, innocence with sophisticated modern lines combine to deliver a stylish, practical addition to the home environment.

You can now cater to your baby's needs, with the flexibility to set up a resting zone external to the nursery. As a designer and mother, I need to work in a creative space within my home. Unfortunately, the concentration I required meant this space was in a quiet area, at the back of our home. The Leander Crandle has transformed the way I work and enabled me to manage the challenge of my dual role more easy. The rhythmical movements made my son's movement contributes to promoting a tranquil environment. It almost puts me to sleep!

From a design perspective, The Leander Cradle has it all covered. It can be suspended from a hook in the ceiling or in a tripod (available separately) which allows you to move it around the house. The tripod as well as the fabric canopy are accessories. When unclipped, the Cradle can be used as a mobile bed. My other half has seen the benefits to being about being able to fulfil his childminding duties without missing a football game, or falling being with work. He has pretty much put a hook in every room!!

Our Leander Cradle does have a "home"... in the nursery. It has inspired me for future nursery design. Imagine including the neutral tones of the canopy-style cradle in a vintage, French style nursery?

Hard Decision..NEW Il Tutto Layla or Limited Edition Chiara?

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:43:00 PST

I have to admit I have a serious obsession with bags. I can never have enough bags, but Il Tutto doesn’t help! They have just released their latest design, the exquisite Il Tutto Layla, and of course I want one. AND ..... They have also just released 2 Limited Edition Il Tutto Chiara Nappy Bags (Chocolate and Red) AND.... a striking NEW Nico Navy Blue. I honestly can’t decide which one is my favourite, but Im more than happy to have so many gorgeous bags to choose from.

The NEW Layla bag is a gorgeous full nappa leather zip top tote, complete with funky Il Tutto Monster Teddy. Its large back and front full size external compartments and added smaller front pockets makes storage and organisation a breeze.

If the Layla design wasn’t gorgeous enough, to entice me even further they have combined my two favourite colours the Cream and the delicious Tan (which has only been used on their Limited Edition Mia which literally flew out our door last year!!). It does come in black and tan if you prefer.

The Il Tutto Layla has it all
• Side stroller straps to securely attach bag to any stroller
• Zip out printed lining for washing
• Insulated bottle holder
• Waterproof changing mat with easy velcro closure
• Clear plastic zip pocket case for wet items
• Il Tutto leather monster teddy
• Multiple external compartments / pockets
• Large back and front full size external compartments
• Hidden front pocket (behind metal part of the handle)

But if it’s something unique that you are looking for, then you may prefer the award winning ‘Chiara’ tote. Now available in two limited edition colours, Chocolate and Red. Be sure to be quick, as there are only 50 units in each colour available in Australia!

I think I may have to toss a coin to choose between them. As I like them all equally .....

Facebook Winners of our Pixifoto Voucher

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:15:00 PST

We love reading our Facebook Friend's posts on our wall. For the chance to win other fabulous Facebook Freebies simply become our friend on Facebook today!

Thanks to the following friends for posting on our wall and winning a $123 Pixifoto Portrait Voucher. Hope you all have fun posing for your family portraits.

If your name appears below, simply email us at contact@metromum.com.au with your postal address to receive your prize.

Shan Hawkins
Rosie N Andrew Corney
Fiona Chard- Dixon
Donna 'Scanlan' Seymour
Stephanie Davey Stewart
Kalynda Madge
Dione Angelos
Rebecca Lee
Joanne Smith
Graeme D'Arcy Ryan
Jenny Hassam
Kate Hearps
Michelle Jilbert
Sarah Pfeiffer
Michelle Steiner
Karina Pineda
Mel Crick
Cindy Collier
Sandra Pape
Allie Van Ramselaar

Story time with guaranteed MONSTER laughs!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:12:00 PST

Story time with children can be magical and the memories created treasured for life! Magic ingredients for story time? Laughter, Joy and Tickling. The recipe easily found within the covers of this gorgeous children’s book, Tickle Monster.

Author Jossie Bisset (whom you may know as Jane from TV show Melrose Place) has penned an inspiring and beautifully illustrated storybook for kids. The Tickle Monster, who comes from Planet Tickle, has one mission: to bring joy and laughter to planet Earth.

Jossie Bissett has created a wonderfully zany monster character with her fun, interactive and rhyming story. Bissett has built in the natural anticipation of a tickling affair that truly heightens this perfect playful experience. The cheerful artwork by Kevin Atteberry adds to the comical and frisky nature of this super friendly monster.

Tickle Monster possesses the power of laughter. There is no laughing on the inside when it comes to tickling, especially when the Tickle Monster is involved -- we're talking side-splitting, tear-jerking, stomach-hurting, joyful laughter!

The Tickle Monster book also has the ultimate accessory Tickle Monster mitts with poke-through finger holes which make it easy to turn pages and tickle!! The book and mitts guarantee laughs and bring the monster to life.

This will be the story time book of choice with kids.

Features:
• By Josie Bissett and Kevan J. Atteberry
• Hardcover Book on high quality art paper
• 260mm X 270mm

Expecting mums love Milleey maternity tees

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:50:00 PST

Milley Maternity Tees were created for the sassy and sexy pregnant Mum!

No need to hide your bump with these stylish tees. Choose from the following fun motifs:

Procreate

Let the love grow

The birds and the bees

The power of love

One love one life

and my favourite..... Oops..we did it again!

These fun tee are made to hug your beautiful bump.

Get Your Mojo Back! Mini Mojo Beanbags Now in Stock

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:07:00 PST

Finally after 2 months Mini Mojos are back in stock.

To celebrate we are giving away 1 of 3 Mini Mojo beanbags this month!

Enter now!

Cubeo – The Ultimate School Bag Organiser!

noreply@blogger.com (MetroMum.com.au?) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:26:00 PST

The CubeoTM is a revolution in organisation! Attaching easily to backpacks, the compact colourful CubeoTM helps children remember what they need to bring to school each day of the week. A saviour for mum’s sanity.

CubeoTM encourages independence and makes getting ready for school a breeze, displaying items needed every day. The clever drop-down cards ensure that children remember the things they need on specific days of the week.

It's fun and simple to use. CubeoTM comes with over 80 re-useable stickers featuring common schoolbag items for all school grades and extracurricular activities. CubeoTM makes remembering what to pack, and bring home, enjoyable and easy.

Children can add this funky accessory to their bag and ensure they never forget important items at home. Developed by Australian mums, the Cubeo is available in pink, blue, yellow and green.
Available from http://www.metromum.com.au/ for $19.95