Babies are the greatest gift bestowed to a woman by Nature. The birth of your little one will transport you into a new phase of life; one that is both challenging and rewarding. At the same time, there will be a myriad of questions raised in the minds of all new parents! A lot of such questions regarding the feeding pattern of babies in the early stages are answered in this section.

All the recipes that have been included are keeping in mind the nutrient needs of growing babies. Some of these may not really appeal to your taste buds and the textures are also liquid and runny, for adult tastes. I can assure you, however, that most babies will love them as these have been widely tested and tasted by a lot of mothers and their toddlers who have added their seal of approval.

When your baby is ready for solid food, how do you know which brand of baby food is good? Once your pediatrician has given you the go-ahead to begin feeding your baby solid foods, which brand do you choose? Some contain sugar, some have preservatives, some have artificial flavoring. So what do you do?

Many mothers have chosen to make their own baby food from fresh foods. That way, they know what is being put into their baby's bodies. Making your own baby food at home is very easy to do. All you need is a food processor or a blender to puree foods and an imagination and you are good to go!

Once you have decided to make your own baby food, you will need to remember a few things.

Start your baby on solids by offering him or her one food at a time and give each new food a week to watch for reactions. Once you have determined that there are no allergies, you can begin to mix and blend foods.

Avoid adding sugar, salt, strong seasonings (or any at all) and honey (dangerous to infants!).

1. First, choose healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables and tender (no fat) cuts of meat.
2. Rinse the fruits and vegetables thoroughly in water.
3. Remove all seeds and stems.
4. Boil the produce in a small amount of water until it is soft enough to mash.
5. Cook meat evenly (do not burn or undercook).
6. You can mash by hand or use a food processor or blender to puree it.
7. Freeze the food in small portions and defrost in the refridgerator or microwave oven.

RECIPE #1 - Peach / Banana

a) Buy fresh peaches and bananas
b) Peel bananas & remove any "strings"
c) Mash or puree bananas
d) Cut skin off Peaches
e) Cut peach away from pit
f) Boil peach in a small amount of water until soft
g) Mash peaches in bowl or puree
h) Combine fruits and mix
I) Store or serve

RECIPE #2 - Natural Apple sauce

a) Buy fresh baking apples
b) Cut apples into quarters, removing pits
c) Bake in oven for 15-30 minutes depending on oven
d) Skin is soft enough for you to scoop the apple right off the peel
e) mash or puree
f) store or serve

CREATE YOUR OWN RECIPES!