Joomla! site syndication http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk 2008-07-04T09:18:09+01:00 http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png text/html 2004-07-07T11:54:06+01:00 http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk/content/view/6/2/ AMA campaign to stop parents smoking near babies and childrenThe AMA will give away a bib saying If You Smoke, I Smoke to every baby born in WA hospitals during June.The bib giveaway, launched at King Edward Memorial Hospital today, is the centrepiece of a campaign to encourage parents not to smoke near their baby or children. Everyone knows the dangers of passive smoking and we want parents to think twice before lighting up near their kids, AMA (WA) President Dr Brent Donovan said. There are many links between smoking and childhood illnesses including cot deaths and childhood asthma and our bib campaign will help remind parents of these dangers. A recent AMA study at a suburban hotel demonstrated just how serious passive smoking can be for adults and this would be many times more damaging for young children, Dr Donovan said.Paediatric respiratory physician Dr Stephen Stick said a reduction in smoking near children would result in a dramatic drop in childhood respiratory problems. About 40% of children are still exposed to passive smoke and I see kids on a daily basis who would be far better off if their parents stopped smoking, Dr Stick said. Kids exposed to smoking are more likely to develop a range of respiratory illnesses including croup, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia compared to children living in smoke-free environments. Exposure to tobacco smoke during the first 18 months of life may increase this risk by up to 60% and children exposed to cigarette smoke are more susceptible to coughs, colds and middle ear infections. They are also at an increased risk of becoming asthmatic with ongoing asthma attacks, he said.Dr Donovan said he thanked hospitals across the state for agreeing to hand out the bibs to new parents and especially to King Edward Memorial Hospital for supporting the launch. text/html 2004-05-12T11:54:06+01:00 http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk/content/view/11/9/ Try Avocado as Baby’s First Food Instead!Pediatricians continue to acknowledge that babies do not always need to start solid foods with bland and pasty commercial infant cereals. Many suggest the goodness of avocado as a first food for baby. It is said that an avocado is so packed with nutrients that it is the only single food that a human could survive on if lost in the jungle!Babies need carbohydrates, and fats as well as proteins for their growth during the crucial first year and avocados deliver these essential nutrients and many more! An avocado is smooth and creamy when mashed - a perfect food that will be more readily accepted as baby begins solids. A wonderful “good fat” food for baby’s brain and physical development, try an avocado as baby’s first food instead of refined cereals! Avocado may be offered as early as 4 - 6 months old! As you begin to introduce a wide variety of foods, you will find that mashing an avocado and mixing with applesauce, peaches or pears, bananas and even yogurt make a wonderful meal or snack.Do you doubt the goodness of avocado?Have a look at the nutrients in one medium avocado:VITAMINS: (one medium)Vitamin A - 1230 IUVitamin C - 15.9 mgVitamin B1 (thiamine) - .2 mgVitamin B2 (riboflavin) - .25 mgNiacin - 3.9 mgFolate - 124.6 mgPantothenic Acid - 1.95 mgVitamin B6 - .56 mgContains some other vitamins in small amounts.MINERALS: (one medium)Potassium - 1204 mgPhosphorus - 82.4 mgMagnesium - 78.4 mgCalcium - 22 mgSodium - 20 mgIron - 2 mgAlso contains small amounts of selenium, manganese, copper and zinc. USDA-NAL source“Sodium- and cholesterol- free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including 8% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for folate; 4% DV for fiber and potassium, 4% DV for vitamin E; and 2% DV for iron. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain. “ California Fresh AvocadosAvocados are high in fat!Yes, avocados are high in fat and calories and we are often told to stay away from them due to this. A medium size avocado contains approximately 700 calories and up to 30 grams of fat - WOW! While avocados are indeed full of fat, infants should not be on a “low fat” diet so disregard any advice to not feed avocados because they are high in fats! If you have any doubts, as always we recommend you consult your pediatrician. The benefits of avocados far outweigh the “risks”. Avocados contain monounsaturated fats which are said to lower “bad” cholesterol and also aid in maintaining a healthy heart. Also high in fiber, avocados are great aids in reducing the risks of cancer and heart attack.Just how does one select the perfect avocado for baby’s first solid food?When selecting an Avocado, you want a dark green color with bumpy texture. The fruit should be firm yet yielding when gently pushed. When an avocado is sliced in half, the flesh color should be a green that gently transforms into a buttery yellow around the pit. Avocados are served fresh from their peels! There is no need to cook avocados for baby or adult! Give an avocado a gentle roll around your counter to help separate the meat from the shell before you slice!If you want to freeze avocados, I suggest peeling and piting then freezing avocados in slices. You may then take out a slice, mash it up and then serve at room temperature. You can also create a bath of: * 1/2 cup water and * 2 squeezes-drips of lemon juice * Bathing the slices in mixture will help to retard browning.**Don’t feed citrus or acidic fruits to a baby before 1 yr esp. if your baby gets rashy from other foods! Using a drip or 2 of lemon juice in a puree or to bathe several avocado slices is not the same as pureeing up a few orange slices and serving them!** text/html 2004-08-09T08:30:34+01:00 http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk http://www.babies-and-children-4u3.co.uk/content/view/2/9/ Give your baby a headstartEvery baby born in the next 12 months in Moreland will receive a free BookStart Kit as part of the Moreland Reading Project.Moreland City Libraries produced the kit that contains a board book (bilingual board book is also available), booklets and advice on how to develop children’s reading skills from an early age. The kit will be distributed by Maternal and Child Health Nurses on their visits to new parents.Councillor Responsible for Art and Culture Andy Ingham said a love of reading was one of the most precious gifts you could give a child. It is never too early to begin reading to babies or children to foster that love. The kit will encourage parents and carers to read to babies and also contains information about parenting resources, Cr Ingham said.The Moreland BookStart kit is modelled on a kit in the United Kingdom.Cr Ingham said reading to children from an early age had many benefits and was central to the key aims of the Moreland Reading Project – to encourage people of all ages to enjoy reading. Reading is an important life skill and a fundamental building block of learning. Research has revealed that children who are read to from an early age have an easier time learning to read themselves, and also tend to do better when they start school, he said. Other benefits of reading to children from an early age include helping to develop a close and loving bond between parent/carer and child. Taking time out in a busy day to sit down with your baby and read a book helps the baby associate being held with being read to and they will experience pleasure in both.