Homemade Baby Food

I never thought that I would be making my baby's food for her.  With Aubrey, I bought all jarred baby food.  After Lena was born, I still didn't think that I would be making food for her.  Then I talked to her nutritionist and GI doctor.  They both were adament about homemade baby food for Lena.  Since she needs foods that are dairy free, soy free, wheat free, and preservative free, there wasn't much of an option. 

Advantages to making homemade baby food: 

*I have found that I take pride in making all her food myself.

*Peace of mind that everything is made of fresh quality ingredients.

*I can choose to use organic foods.

*I know exactly what is going into my baby.  I don't have to worry about ingredients I can't pronounce.

*It is VERY cost effective.  I save a lot of money doing it myself!

*I can get creative.  This week Lena is going to try papaya, I can't find that on a shelf in the baby food aisle.

My favorite site for making baby food is:

http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/

She has experimented with all sorts of foods for her baby (some I have never heard of).  She is also a creative source for ideas to keep foods fresh and new.

The biggest part of saving time and money is to make enough and freeze it.

Lena's New Food This Week:

Papaya & Banana

Cost of Papaya:  $2.79

Cost of Banana:  $.49

Total:  $3.28

Cost per 3 oz serving:  $.41

The rest of the food:

Eggplant & Organic Carrot Puree:  $.30 per 3 oz serving

Organic Applesauce:  $ $.31 per 3 oz serving

Organic Carrot Puree:  $.20 per 3 oz serving

What's already in the freezer:

Organic Avocado Puree

Organic Pear Puree

Banana Puree

Cauliflower Puree (Lena doesn't like, but I keep trying)

You can clearly see the savings, since a jar of organic baby food cost about $1.49 in the store.  If you feed your child 2 jars at each meal that is $5.96 a day.  My mostly organic homemade baby food will cost about $1.22 each day.  That is a savings of $4.74 a day, $33.18 a week! 

When you do that math, it is incredible! 

Today's Big Project

Well, I was pretty busy today.  Feeding the baby, entertaining the three year old, making sure the house was still standing, and........making my first homemade diaper!  It took some planning, and a bit of fabric, but I got it done without too much yelling at the sewing machine. 

I started by looking at my current diapers and taking the things I like about each diaper and trying to create it with my diaper.  Then I made a pattern from the "bests" of the diapers.  I used one flannel receiving blanket, one fleece baby blanket, a scrap of flannel, and a new microfleece towel to make it.  Everything was upcycled or on-hand at home.  I also used an elastic hairband for a better fit.  I didn't have any thin elastic, so I improvised.

It took some experimenting and creativity to do this for the first time.  When I "finished"  with the diaper, I realized that I made the "wings" too short and it didn't fit around the baby.  She's pretty petite, so I knew this would be a problem.  I ended up making extentions on the wings.  It made it a little bit cuter (in my opinion) and much easier to put on.  Since it isn't waterproof, it is just a fitted.  I think that after I practice a bit, I will try to make an AIO out of PUL. 

So here's the finished product:

THE FRONT

THE INSIDE

ON THE BABY

I am testing this diaper out as I type and I'm hoping for absorbant results!!!