Tag: baby-led weaning

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Babies Health & Nutrition Toddlers Uncategorized

Where to Buy Einmilk Formula Milk in Singapore

Whether we are supplementing breastfeeding with formula milk or formula-feeding, as parents, we would try to provide our babies with the most wholesome and nutritious milk, within our means.

Einmilk offers complete nutrition with its range of formula milk for babies and toddlers.

Key ingredients in Einmilk:

  • Taurine(found in breast milk, helps infants’ liver gain or maintain their weight)
  • DHA and AHA(helps promote the growth of cells in the eyes and brain)
  • FOS(facilitates absorption of nutrients in the intestine and digestive system)
  • Nucleotides(increases metabolism and immunity by increasing ‘good’ bacteria and decreasing ‘bad’ bacteria),

Einmilk formula provides better value to parents and the finest in paediatric nutrition to babies and toddlers at the most crucial stage of their development, helping them along as they achieve their developmental milestones.

Einmilk infant formula and formula milk powder for toddlers are scientifically designed and produced with care, to provide complete nutrition for each stage of child development. Most importantly, you can be assured of its quality as it is made in Singapore.

With Einmilk’s formula milk powder produced in Singapore, you can have peace of mind knowing that you are feeding your baby the best.

 

For those residing in Singapore, you can purchase Einmilk infant formula and formula milk powder for toddlers from retailers near you.

Where to buy Einmilk milk powder:

Developed with cutting-edge technology under the strictest quality controls, Einmilk is meticulous during every stage of product development. From where the ingredients are sourced to how the formula milk powder is produced, the highest level of hygiene and food safety are practised in every stage of the production.

This is the predominant reason why Einmilk infant formula and formula milk powder for toddlers are popular, not just in Singapore, but in Malaysia and China too. With the knowledge that Einmilk is produced by SMC Nutrition Pte Ltd, which is certified by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), and that the company is also FSSC 22000 certified by SGS, we can be rest assured that our babies and toddlers are drinking quality milk powder manufactured under Singapore’s strict food regulations. Made with all families in Singapore and beyond in mind, Einmilk is also HALAL certified by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).

Overall, there is strong trust in a made-in-Singapore brand of quality formula milk that is not only good for baby or toddler, but easier on our wallets too. Amidst parents’ growing concerns of increasingly expensive formula milk powders, Einmilk is affordably-price so more parents can provide milk to their children.

For those residing in Malaysia or China, you can purchase online through Einmilk’s website(subject to delivery fees).

If you are still wondering whether to purchase Einmilk from their online store, or, from the shops in Singapore listed above, you can request for a sample first.

 

Where’s your favourite place to buy Einmilk formula milk for your kids? Share with us in the comments below!

Categories
Babies For Parents Toddlers

Tips to Stop Breastfeeding and Gently Wean Off

You may have been breastfeeding due to the many benefits for both mother and baby, but have decided to stop. Weaning is the end of breastfeeding and there are many reasons why nursing mums decide to stop breastfeeding.

Common reasons relate to mum’s health, and that should not be taken lightly. Perhaps your breast milk supply has been decreasing, or your baby has to attend infant care, or you simply feel that it is time to transit your baby over to formula milk.

Whatever the reason is, weaning doesn’t have to be abrupt and painful. Gentle weaning can be attempted through these tips:

Don’t offer the breast when your baby is hungry, but don’t reject your baby if he asks for milk.

 

  1. Replace one feeding a day
    If your child is below six months old, you can replace one feeding session a day with previously pumped breastmilk, donor milk or formula milk using a cup or a bottle. If your child has been introduced to solid food, you can replace the breastfeeding session with healthy snacks such as fruits, carrot or cucumber sticks or proteins. Instead of expressing out milk from your breasts, skip the nursing session in order to decrease your supply. Wean gradually by increasing the number of replaced sessions.
  2. Don’t offer, don’t reject
    This tip is more appropriate for older children who can express their needs. By not offering to nurse until your child requests for it, it sends the message that they can still return for milk if they need it.
  3. Start by cutting day feeds
    Babies and toddlers who are used to latching to sleep find it difficult to end it due to the emotional security it provides. Try to cut off day time latching sessions first before proceeding with night weaning.
  4. Distraction is key
    Offer your child something else in place of nursing, like a snack or favourite toy to take his mind off latching. Be sure to provide easy access to fluids and water while doing so.
  5. Don’t attempt to wean during major transitions
    Children find emotional comfort and security in nursing. If you are attempting to wean your child gently, be sure to do it at a time where there are no major changes to his schedule i.e. moving house, changing schools, or, the arrival of a new sibling.
  6. Provide an alternative comfort item
    If your child is no longer reliant on breastmilk as his sole source of nutrition, it means that you can start to wean gently by giving your child a small comfort item. This can be a small stuffed toy, blanket or even a pacifier.

Transiting to formula milk? Einmilk is produced in Singapore to nourish infants, babies and toddlers.

Once your child is weaned, you can replace breast milk with either fresh milk, UHT milk or  formula milk, depending on the age of your child and his dietary requirements. If you are searching for a formula milk that is close to breastmilk, Einmilk formula milk includes nucleotides to promote healthy gut development and improve metabolism.

Did you wean your baby from breastmilk to formula milk powder? Share some tips with fellow mummies in Singapore so they know that they’re not alone.

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For Parents Health & Nutrition Toddlers Toddlers

Parents Share: What Was Your Child’s First Food?

When your baby is ready to eat solids, will you be practising Traditional Weaning or Baby Led Weaning?

Introducing solid food is an exciting milestone in a baby’s first year of development. It is recommended to start solids only when the baby shows signs of readiness and preferably after turning 6 months old.

 

There are two main weaning approaches – Traditional Weaning, where the baby is fed by the caregiver with a spoon, and Baby Led Weaning, where the baby is allowed to self-feed.

 

Safe foods are those with the least possibility of causing allergic reactions, such as homemade vegetable purees and fruit such as avocado and steamed pumpkin.

 

We asked some mums to share with us their child’s first food and how the experience was like.

Besides breastmilk or infant formula milk powder, baby’s solid diet should include healthy, wholesome food.

Mummy Joanne:
“I fed Liam banana and breastmilk for his first food and he puked it all out because he wasn’t used to the texture and it wasn’t smooth enough. That scared me! For Katie, I started Baby Led Weaning with her from the start. I gave her steamed broccoli and she took it like a champ!

 

Mummy Yvette:
“I was supposed to feed my baby avocado, like what I fed her elder brother, but I was lazy to go to the market that day and ended up feeding her carrots strips instead. She shivered with every bite and her brother got curious and tried taking one too. He immediately regretted it and put (it) back!

 

However, her unofficial first food was actually a custard bun that her elder brother accidentally left on the play mat, which she nibbled on when I wasn’t paying attention!”

Rich in healthy fats and essential nutrients, avocadoes make great first foods for babies.

Mummy Larissa:
“Cora’s first food was rice cereal because we attended some event where she was fed with rice cereal! She was greedy and cried when there were no more samples! Afterwards, I started her on avocado mixed with breastmilk.”

 

Mummy Cherie:
“Her first food was porridge! A Japanese friend gifted me a weaning book while we were living in Switzerland. Even though the book was entirely in Japanese, I could easily understand it by looking at the pictures. Of course, I had a little help from Google Translate too. It’s probably due to this way of weaning that allowed her to eat natto without a blink of an eye.”

 

Mummy Jamie:
“My elder girl was a few days shy of six months old when I prepared steamed pumpkin and grapes which were cut lengthwise for her. I practised Baby Led Weaning and sat her in a booster chair with a dining tray. It was such a mess! She nibbled on the pumpkin and the grapes but started smearing the pumpkin all over the tray! Clean up was a nightmare! Thinking back, it was a fun memory to have.”

When your baby is ready to eat solids, will you be practising Traditional Weaning or Baby Led Weaning?

A mix of milk with fruit seems to be a popular option as a first food. As infants below six months old are fed solely milk (either formula milk or breastmilk), it makes sense to mix milk together with a bland tasting ingredient such as avocado or rice cereal to encourage them to eat.

 

When preparing your first food for your baby, be sure to avoid honey, nuts and eggs as honey is unsafe for babies below one-year-old, and nuts and eggs are high on the allergens list. Have fun researching and deciding on the best first food for your baby!

Categories
Babies For Parents

How to Start Baby Led Weaning: Tips from a Mum of 2

Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a weaning method that encourages babies to self-feed. It may sound messy and scary, but here are some benefits of BLW:

 

  • Instead of steaming and blending food especially for your baby, you can portion out ingredients for your baby and add seasoning for the adults. You can also eat while baby self-feeds!
  • BLW babies are encouraged to self-feed. By doing so, they get to determine what and how much to consume, rather than being coaxed or forced into finishing their food with traditional spoon feeding. With BLW, parents trust that babies know their own bodies and will stop eating once they are full. It is the basis of regulating their appetite.
  • Babies on traditional weaning are fed soft foods which do not require chewing. For BLW, babies are exposed to a variety of different textures, shapes and tastes. The babies learn how to chew their food before swallowing. This strengthens their jaw muscles as well.

Crinkle cut vegetables for an appealing appearance and make it easier for baby-led weaning babies to hold.

 

Before attempting BLW, you should ensure that your baby is ready for it. Look out for these signs before starting as safety is of priority:

Once your baby is ready, you can start! BLW does not have to be as messy as people think. For easy cleanups, lay a large picnic mat on the floor below the high chair and use a high chair which is light and easy to hose down (this is popular among mothers).

Babies below the age of one should never be fed honey or nuts due to the risk of botulism and a risk of choking respectively. Other foods with possible allergens include egg and shellfish (crabs, shrimp, clams, lobsters etc).

Baby Led Weaning encourages babies to choose healthier foods.

 

As a rule of thumb, foods prepared for BLW should be soft enough to squish between your thumb and index finger. Some popular first foods for BLW babies include avocados, banana, steamed carrots and broccoli.

It is best to ensure that food is cut in strips about the length of your index finger for babies to grip easily. If you are offering spherical foods such as grapes or strawberries, cut them lengthwise into quarters to prevent choking.

Prepare about three or four types of food for your baby to explore. Lay the food on the high chair tray or on a placemat and do not intervene in the process by holding the food to your baby’s mouth.

Don’t fret if your baby rejects the food or worry if he or she is not eating much. Milk should still be the main source of nutrients until they turn one year old. As such, it is more for them to explore the foods and be introduced to solid food.

Baby Led Weaning strengthens fine motor coordination by learning how to grasp food and put it into their mouths.

 

A huge concern for parents when deciding to embark on BLW is that their babies will choke and whether their babies are able to chew food without teeth. To counter this, ensure that you take note of the choking hazards and do not attempt BLW if your baby is not physiologically ready for it.

It may be frightening if your baby gags, but this is entirely normal. When food travels to the back of the throat, a gag reflex occurs and the baby will try to force the food out. It is important to stay calm and not panic when a baby is gagging as it is a normal process.

The important thing is to look out for choking. If a baby is choking, he or she will be unable to breathe, cry, cough or make any noise. Thus, it is essential that the main caregiver is aware of basic infant first aid techniques for choking.

Enjoy the baby led weaning journey with your baby!

 

With love,

A mummy of 2 baby-led weaning babies

 

Let us know what you think about BLW, or if you’ve attempted it with your child before in the comments!

Categories
Babies Health & Nutrition

Guide to starting baby on solids

Being involved in the daily family routine lets them understand about their roles, and instils values such as responsibility and appreciation within the home.

Starting your baby on solids is a new and fun chapter!

As your little one approaches 6 months of age, they will need additional nutrients from solids apart from breastmilk or formula to support healthy growth and development. Eating across the main categories of food allows your child to obtain nourishment from different food sources to aid in meeting his nutritional needs at various stages.

Parents can encourage healthy eating habits by offering a wide variety of food cooked with different methods and styles. Use fresh natural spices and seasonings to create new flavours. After all, eating is an experiential journey, which allows babies to discover new tastes, textures, smells and sights. Food can be served as purees or suitable sizes for child to handle. Feeding can be done via traditional weaning (spoon-feeding) or Baby Led Weaning. Adult supervision is encouraged during meal times.

eating is an experiential journey, which allows babies to discover new tastes, textures, smells and sights.

Prior to starting on solids, ensure that your baby is ready by looking out for these developmental signs:

  • Able to sit unsupported
  • Shows interest in eating e.g. grabbing food, salivates when he sees food
  • Has lost the tongue protrusion (thrust reflex) where food is automatically pushed out from his mouth
  • Is willing to chew
  • Develops ‘pincer grasp’ and picking objects or food up between his thumb and forefinger

 

As baby’s digestive system are still developing, it is important to ensure that food is thoroughly cooked. Raw food should not be served to babies as they pose a risk for bacterial contamination.

 

Print this guide and keep it on the fridge as a handy reference. We hope you enjoy the solids journey as much as your baby!

Categories
Babies Health & Nutrition Toddlers

Recipe: Wholesome Baked Eggs in Avocado

Eating well offers children with the daily essential nutrients to take on the activities in a day.

As busy parents, we understand that meal preparation should not take up too much time, while the quality of food offered to our children should not be compromised.

Avocadoes are some of the best first foods parents offer their babies who are ready to start on their solids journey. Young children and adults can enjoy avocados for its delicious goodness too!

Hailed as a superfood for its wholesome nutritional benefits, its creamy texture is mild tasting and perfect on its own, or paired with other ingredients.

So,… what’s so great about avocados?

Nutritional benefits of avocado for babies and growing children

Avocados pack a punch, beneath its tough exterior. These stony fruits boost a wealth of essential nutrients to support children’s development.

  • Calories: Active growing children require calories for their daily energy needs.
  • Omega-3, Monosaturated fatty acids: 60% of our brains are made up of fats, so healthy fats such as Omega-3 help support healthy brain development in children.
  • Vitamins C, E, K, B6: Antioxidants promote healthy cell growth, and support bone health by increasing calcium absorption.
  • Folate: Essential for red blood cell formation and promotes healthy cell growth.
  • Riboflavin (also known as Vitamin B2): Helps body absorb iron and zinc, supports healthy nerve and brain functions.
  • Lutein: Primarily found in green vegetables, and absorbed best when taken with a high-fat meal, supports eye health
  • Fibre: Avocados are high in fibre, and promotes a healthy digestive system by preventing constipation.

Serving Avocado to Children

At six month old, parents may consider serving avocados to their babies. They can be served mash as puree and fed with a spoon (also termed as Traditional Weaning), or sliced up into wedges for children to self-feed (also termed as Baby Led Weaning).

Eggs are another wholesome food that is packed with proteins for growing children, and complement avocados to offer a new adventure of those young palates. How about enjoying both eggs and avocadoes in the same dish with this easy recipe?

Iron-rich foods might be an answer to help prevent iron-deficiency through food sources.

Why are Eggs Good for Children?

Research suggests that eggs are a rich source of proteins and iron. This easy way of providing iron-rich foods might be an answer to help prevent iron-deficiency through food sources.

More than just the building blocks of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood, proteins are macronutrients that are required in relatively large quantities in children to fuel healthy growth.

Just like avocados, eggs are also brain food with doses of cholesterol, DHA and choline, which are vital for developing the various components of a child’s brain, including memory stem cells.

As with new foods, do monitor your child for allergy reactions. While avocados typically belong in the low allergenic foods category, eggs on the other hand, belong to high allergenic foods. Go for whole eggs if your child does not have any allergy reaction to them.

Let your child enjoy avocados with eggs, with this simple recipe!

Baked Avocados with Fresh Eggs Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe avocado, pitted
  • 2 fresh eggs
  • A sprinkle of Italian Herbs, or any other herbs that you prefer
  • A sprinkle of salt or coarse sea salt (optional)
  • A dash of black pepper (optional)

Methods:

  1. Preheat oven at 180deg. Pit avocado and slice into half. Using a teaspoon to remove some avocado around the pit area to make space for egg.
  2. Crack egg one at a time, either into a separate bowl or directly into avocado. Ensure yolks fit into avocado. The egg may overflow if the space is not deep enough. Add Italian Herbs.
  3. Bake for 15-20 min or until desired state of egg yolk*.
    *Tip: For young children or pregnant women, ensure egg is fully cooked.
  4. When ready to serve, sprinkle some salt and pepper as desired.

This quick and easy baked avocado with eggs recipe is great for families who wish to enjoy a healthy and hearty breakfast to start their day. Nothing beats quality ingredients which support families in raising world-ready children as they prepare to take on new adventures!

Does your family love eating avocados too? Tell us what’s your family’s favourite way of enjoying avocados!