pure.healthy.baby
This poor little guy is just too cute for words. After a day on the slopes, an exhausted little Bode falls asleep - standing up in his skis! Awww….someone get the little man a pillow.
And if you’re curious to see this pint-size skier in action, check him out below.
We hope you have a happy Friday, and a fantastic Easter weekend!
- Jasmine & Heather
As part of an effort to streamline our meal prep during the week, my husband and I have started roasting a whole chicken each weekend. We shred the meat for use in a quick meal later in the week – a salad, sandwiches, a soup, or other dish – the uses are endless. To make the most of the chicken and to eliminate one more processed item in our kitchen, we’ve begun making our own chicken stock in the crock pot.
It’s surprisingly easy – in a matter of minutes, I can throw everything into the crockpot and then literally set it and forget it until the next day. In fact, to make it even easier, I now chop up onions, carrots, and celery when I bring them home from the store and portion them into freezer bags along with a few sprigs of thyme and parsley. The prepared bags go in the freezer until I’m ready to use them. But honestly, you can make chicken stock with just bones and skip the vegetables altogether.
Can it get much cheaper? Aside from being cheaper than storebought, it’s healthier too. Bones contain collagen which forms gelatin when simmered for long periods of time. Gelatin gives a stock more body but also aids in digestion. If you include an acid in the stock, it will help break down the cartilage and connective tissue in the bones accelerating the formation of gelatin. Acid also causes minerals to leach from the bones infusing the stock with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. The recipe below calls for apple cider vinegar, but don’t worry – the vinegar taste dissipates as it simmers, and you won’t even notice it.
For more info on the nutritional benefits of homemade stock, read about it at Kitchen Stewardship here.
Overnight Chicken Stock
Adapted from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
Makes 3-4 quarts, depending how long it simmers
Ingredients:
1 roast chicken carcass
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4-5 sprigs thyme
4-5 sprigs parsley
1 tsp whole peppercorns (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or other acid
Preparation:
Place chicken carcass and vegetables in the crockpot. No salt necessary at this point – save it for later when you are preparing meals. (Note: you can just use a whole chicken and remove the meat afterwards, but the stock may sap the flavor from the meat, and I prefer the flavor imparted by the bones of a roasted chicken).
Cover the chicken and vegetables with cold filtered water, and add vinegar. Starting with cold water allows the fibers to open up slowly as it warms releasing more gelatin and more juices for flavor.
Soak for 1 hour, then set the crock pot to low and simmer for anywhere from 6 to 24 hours. It’s not necessary to be particularly exact since you’re just cooking at a low simmer. Some liquid may evaporate, but the longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. I typically simmer mine anywhere from 12-24 hours.
When the stock is done simmering, place a wire mesh strainer in a large bowl and strain the stock. Portion the stock into covered containers for storage in the refrigerator. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off if you like when you’re ready to use it. The stock will last in the refrigerator for about a week or can be frozen for up to 1 year.
To freeze, consider ice cube trays for small portions to be added to sauces or gravies. For larger portions, stock can be frozen by the cupful in freezer bags. Place 1 or 2 cups of cooled stock in a freezer bag removing most of the air but leaving some room for the liquid to expand. Lay the bags flat on a cookie sheet or shelf in the freezer. Once frozen, they can be stacked flat.
Ways to use your chicken stock:
We hope you had a fantastic long weekend! This week’s highlights was delayed a bit so I could devote some time to the arsenic and rice news that came out late last week. Here’s a little more of what I’ve been reading this past week. - Jasmine
Johnson & Johnson Recalls Infant’s Tylenol - In case you missed it on our Facebook page, Johnson & Johnson has issued a nationwide recall of all infant tylenol on the market due to reported difficulties using the new dosing syringe.
You may recall that manufacturers of infant’s tylenol were in the process of changing the concentrations and dosing systems to make administering easier and safer. Unfortunately, back to the drawing board for J&J.
No adverse events have been reported, but if you’d like a refund you can visit their website or call for a refund. Consumers can still use the product if the flow restrictor remains in place. The instructional video below issued by McNeil demonstrates how to use the syringe.
Maine Groups Press for BPA Ban After Chemical Found in Baby and Toddler Food - 11 out of 12 major brands of jarred baby food tested positive for BPA in the lids, and tests also showed that the BPA had been found in the baby food. Levels were 1 to 3 parts per billion, but the physiology professor cited in the article says that’s enough to be concerned. Levels in toddler canned foods were found up to 134 parts per billion. Just one of the many reasons I chose to make my own baby food. If you’re interested, you can find tips here: Homemade Baby Food - As Easy as 1-2-3.
EPA Issues Long-Awaited Dioxins Report - After working on the report for decades, the EPA has released the first half of its assessment on the toxicity of dioxins, the most toxic of all man-made chemicals. The first release addresses the noncancerous effects, while the second half of the report is expected to address evidence of the chemical’s cancerous effects.
While the report concludes that dioxins are seriously toxic at low levels, it says that exposures have declined so much over the past few decades that most people should not be concerned. As one scientist put it, though, that statement is “very odd” as it ignores people who are exposed to higher levels or more sensitive to the effects, like fetuses and young children.
FDA Will Not Allow More Fungicide in Orange Juice - Back in January, the FDA halted imports of orange juice and began inspecting them after they received notification that Brazilian growers had been using a U.S.-banned fungicide. Now Brazil has requested an exception for the fungicide until they can phase it out, but the FDA has denied the exception. As a result, Brazil will have to stop exports of concentrated OJ until they can meet EPA limits for the fungicide.
BPA’s Obesity And Diabetes Link Strengthened By New Study
To date, studies have suggested a link between BPA and metabolic problems, but no one was really sure why until now. A new study released last week has determined that BPA fools a specific receptor into thinking that it is estrogen, an insulin regulator, and triggers the release of almost double the insulin actually needed to break down food. When that specific receptor was removed from the subject mice, the effect disappeared.
According to the author of the study, Angel Nadal, “When you eat something with BPA, it’s like telling your organs that you are eating more than you are really eating.” And surprisingly, the effects were seen at very low levels of exposure - a quarter of a billionth of a gram was enough to do the trick. What is most concerning is the impact on pregnant women and developing fetuses, who are particularly sensitive - ”The fetus is not only exposed to BPA but also to higher levels of insulin from the mother, making the environment for the fetus even more disruptive,” says Nadal. “This is a very delicate period.”
Children at Risk for Ingestion of PAHs from Pavement Sealant
Coal tar sealants, commonly used in the Central, Southern, and Eastern U.S. to refresh driveways and parking lots, are a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which can cause cancer. Researchers from Baylor University and the U.S. Geological Survey have found that children living next to driveways or parking lots coated with coal tar are exposed to 14 times the amount of the chemicals than those living near untreated asphalt. Exposure is primarily through contaminated dust tracked into the home, rather than food as once thought. Coal-tar-based pavement sealant has PAH concentrations 100 to 1,000 times greater than most other sources.
A History of Kids and Sleep: Why They Never Get Enough
I wouldn’t say that the article explains why children never get enough, but a recent review of about 300 studies on sleep duration in children found some interesting results:
How to Get Rid of Facebook Timeline, Bring Back a Simpler View - Anyone else struggling to get used to the new timeline view? It seems cluttered and messy to me. LifeHacker just published an article with a plugin that can be used to adjust your browser’s Facebook view for a cleaner look. I’m definitely going to try this out.
Clean Protein & Organic Foods, Does it Matter? - An absolutely fascinating read on why it’s important to look beyond the organic label and really understand where your food came from and how it was raised.
4 Health Reasons to Eat Chocolate (and Cons to Consider) - With Valentine’s Day behind us and chocolate floating around the house, this article is timely and informative.
From Playdate to Parliament: Mom Takes Tot to Work - Adorable. Little Victoria Ronzulli conducts important business at the European Parliament alongside mother and Italian politician, Licia Ronzulli.
CPSC Child Product Recalls
Child Safety Seat Recalls
No child safety seat recall announcements this week.
USDA/FDA Recalls
If there’s anything you see and think we should feature, please send it to jasmine@purebebe.com.
Have you ever watched your child sleep and discovered an unusual sleeping habit? The baby in this week’s video has a chuckle-worthy habit, though I can’t decide which is funnier - this baby’s robotic arms or the parents’ attempts to contain their laughter.
Have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!
XOXO,
Jasmine & Heather
Welcome to “Weekly Highlights”, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great reads we’ve come across in our internet travels.
Baby Death From Shopping Cart Accident Serves as Warning - Very tragic. Please, please, please don’t ever place your child in a car seat on top of a grocery cart.
Some Pediatricians Refuse to Treat Unvaccinated Children – Some pediatricians, mine included, are now dropping families from their practice whose children are not vaccinated over concerns that it puts other children at risk. The AAP’s stance, however, encourages educational efforts first.
Illness, Deaths From Listeria-Tainted Cantaloupes Expected to Rise - Recent illnesses and deaths have made the latest listeria outbreak the deadliest food outbreak in the U.S. in decades. The CDC expects more to come because the incubation period for listeria is up to a month or longer. Do not eat cantaloupe unless you know where it’s from. Be especially careful for those with compromised immune systems, including pregnant women.
Junk Food Really Cheaper? - Debunking the myth that junk food is cheaper than real food. Interesting research cited on how eating junk food leads to a craving for more.
Babies Can Hear Your Voice & Emotions While They Sleep
In a study of babies, aged three to seven months, researchers monitored the brain patterns of the babies while they slept. When they heard human voices making happy, sad, or neutral sounds, their brains showed patterns similar to how adults respond to the same emotional input when awake.
Early To Sleep, Early To Rise Lowers Obesity Risk For Kids
A study of children’s sleep habits in Australia found that despite getting the same amount of sleep each night, those who stayed up later and slept in later were more likely to be obese. In the sleep study, those who woke up early exercised 27 minutes more and watched 48 minutes less of TV than their late rising counterparts. Good reason to start early in forming good habits with our little ones.
Pools, Play-in Fountains Spread Diarrheal Disease
The CDC reports 134 disease outbreaks associated with recreational water in 2007-2008, a 72% increase from the previous report and largest number ever reported in a 2-year period. Cryptosporidium was the most common culprit, a bacteria that is fairly resistant to chlorine, and the highest risk places for contracting this bacteria are public sprinklers and fountains which often use recirculated water.
How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy Foods
In a study aimed at making school lunchrooms healthier, Cornell University researchers found that putting fruit in a colorful bowl more than doubles fruit sales in schools. The researchers also suggest other changes including smaller cereal bowls, moving chocolate milk behind plain milk, and an express lane for those who choose healthy foods.
A Beautiful Body from Our Regularly Scheduled Program - A tender, bedtime conversation that captures the essence of a message I plan to share often with my children.
The Perfect Play Haven from IHeartOrganizing - I am in LOVE with this play room. Fantastic ideas for organizing your kids’ toys!
Secrets of an Unflappable Working Mother from RealSimple - 10 surprisingly good tips from a working mom who’s been juggling work & family for years.
International Walk to School Day, Every Day from HuffingtonPost - One mother’s example why we should let go of our fears and take action, if necessary, to provide our children with a safe, positive school environment.
CPSC Child Product Recalls
Child Safety Seat Recalls
No child safety seat recall announcements this week.
USDA/FDA Recalls
If there’s anything you see and think we should feature, please send it our way to jasmine@purebebe.com. We hope your week is off to a great start!
XOXO,
Jasmine & Heather
Courtesy of abbybatchelder, Flickr
Yesterday’s article on the recall of Nap Nanny® baby recliners got us thinking. The fact that so many parents out there are still placing those recliners and other sleep aids in cribs encouraged Jasmine and me to focus on safe sleep this week.
Let’s face it – as new parents, we have so many fears. Fears that baby will choke on her own vomit, fears that her acid reflux will keep her (and her weary-eyed parents) awake all night again and the worse fear of all, fear that we’ll walk in and find our baby not breathing.
That’s why the thought of having something prop up an infant while they sleep sounds so appealing. At least it did to me. And this is precisely the reason my husband and I bought a sleep positioner (similar to the Nap Nanny, also known as a “sleep wedge”).
We placed the sleep wedge in our infant’s crib, secured the two long cylinders under her arms and said good night. That same evening, I called a nurse friend to discuss some breastfeeding problems that I had been experiencing. I was so excited about the sleep positioner that I told her about it during our conversation.
She told me to immediately go upstairs and to remove the sleep positioner from my daughter’s crib. She said that as a nurse, she is on a SIDS panel and has the unfortunate task of visiting with families who have lost babies due to SIDS. And she had visited far too many families over the years whose babies had suffocated on sleep positioners/sleep aids.
Needless to say, I will be forever grateful that I had that conversation with my nurse friend that evening.
Below are some tips from “A Parent’s Guide to Safe Sleep” from the American Academy of Pediatrics/Healthychildren.org on creating a safe sleep environment for your baby:
1. Place your baby in a safety-approved crib with a firm mattress and a well-fitting sheet (cradles and bassinets may be used, but choose those that are JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association) certified for safety).
2. Place the crib in an area that is always smoke free.
3. Don’t place babies to sleep on adult beds, chairs, sofas, waterbeds, or cushions.
4. Toys and other soft bedding, including fluffy blankets, comforters, pillows, stuffed animals, and wedges should not be placed in the crib with the baby. These items can impair the infant’s ability to breathe if they cover his face.
Many parents love the look and feel of plush bumpers, which is not recommended by experts. If your child is anything like mine and moves around in her sleep, you’ll want a bumper to keep her arms and legs inside the crib but doesn’t endanger her breathing. These mesh bumpers
5. Breastfeed your baby. Experts recommend that mothers feed their children human milk at least through the first year of life.
Breastfed babies are at lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). A study in New Zealand revealed that SIDS was THREE times higher in non-breastfed babies.
I made it to month 8 with my first daughter and have one more month to go (until a year) with my second daughter. It’s been fairly easy most of the year, but since my daughter started biting me yesterday (OUCH!), I’ll be weaning her when she turns one.
6. Always place babies to sleep on their backs during naps and at nighttime. Because babies sleeping on their sides are more likely to roll accidentally onto their stomach, the side position is not as safe as the back and is not recommended.
7. Don’t cover the heads of babies with a blanket or overbundle them in clothing and blankets.
8. Avoid letting the baby get too hot. The baby could be too hot if you notice sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, heat rash, and rapid breathing. Dress the baby lightly for sleep. Set the room temperature in a range that is comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.
Since most doctors recommend that you wait until your baby is one year old to use a blanket, I have used sleep sacks with both of my babies. Since my youngest is 10 1/2 months now, I put her in a sleeper and the sleep sack goes on over the sleeper. Sleep sacks come in both cotton and fleece. I use cotton for warmer nights and fleece for cooler evenings. Babies can’t kick off sleep sacks and they keep babies nice and warm.
Since 1 in 5 SIDS deaths occur while baby is in the care of someone other than a parent, it is extremely important to discuss your child’s sleep environment with baby sitters, child care providers, family, friends, and anyone else who might care for your baby.
Safe sleeping!
-Heather
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A Happy Baby is a Well-Rested Baby – Establishing a Bedtime Routine
BREAKING NEWS: Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a 5-0 vote to issue mandatory safety standards that could, if passed, “eliminate” traditional drop-side cribs.
The CPSC article is here for your reference.
For more information on drop-side cribs and why they have been deemed unsafe, see purebebe’s recent article “Massive Crib Recall Announced: What You Should Know.”
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A Happy Baby is a Well Rested Baby: Establishing a Bedtime Routine
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CPSC Child Product & Toy Recalls FDA Recalls USDA Recalls
