For the next few weeks I am going to be sharing my experiences as a first time mommy and what has worked for our family during this past (very soon to be) year. Sigh. I can’t believe my baby is going to be year old in June. If you are just joining me here are my previous posts:
I knew early on in my pregnancy with Caden that I wanted to make his baby food as opposed to buying numerous amounts of squeezable pouches. I am not against the squeeze pouches and always have several on hand for a quick meal or when I am running low on my homemade purees, but they are expensive. I also like knowing exactly what Caden is eating. Plus I am not limited to predetermined flavor combinations which has allowed me to be creative with his feedings.
I know making your own baby food can be overwhelming so I am going to share what has worked for me. These are the products that I use to prep, store, and serve my homemade baby food.
Cuisnanrt Food Processor | KitchenAid Immersion Blender | Ziploc Freezer Bags | Sharpie Marker | Ice Cube Trays | Spoons | Bowls
There are so many products on the market that are tailored specifically for making baby food but for Josh and I it made more sense to purchase a high end food processor that we would use for numerous kitchen prep tasks. I can’t tell you how happy I am that we made this decision. If you are wanting to stick with a lower budget option I would recommend an immersion blender. These are great for smaller sized batches of baby food and do not take up much storage space.
I like to freeze the purees in ice cube trays and place a layer of saran wrap over the top to prevent freezer burn. After the baby food is frozen I pop the cubes out of the tray and into ziploc freezer bags and label them with the name and date. When I am ready to feed Caden I will take a variety of cubes out of the freezer and prep them for the next day by letting them thaw in the fridge.
If you are wanting to make your own baby food I would highly recommend visiting the Wholesome Baby Food website and buying a copy of Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. Both of these resources are amazing!
Do you make your own baby food? What products do you have in your kitchen?
Have a fantastic weekend!
xoxo, Tamara
PS…Stay tuned for my breastfeeding story, an overview of what we feed Caden, losing the baby weight, and other random goodness in the upcoming weeks.
The Problem With Body Bashing
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Last week I wrote this article, Fat Loss Secret Weapon: Your Metabolism, for Fitlife.tv:
“Being a personal trainer and a new mom I am constantly getting compliments on how quickly I returned to my post baby shape. To be honest I am actually in better shape now then I was before I became pregnant. I am super excited to share what I have learned with you and encourage you in your own healthy lifestyle journey.” (Click on the above link to continue reading)
The majority of the comments about my article were not about the article itself but targeted a photo I shared (see photo). The photo shows my stomach before and after having Caden. These comments were posted on Fitlife.tv and the Juicing Vegetables Facebook Page…
why does she look like shes had liposuction on the right…
and they think it looks better…??
there wasn’t any fat to loose anyway.. liked her belly better before
Before is better!! Give the girl a sandwich.
I think the 2011 pic looks better the 2013 pic is too thin….gross in my opinion…
The after pic is bordering on eating disorder.
I don’t think it is a good idea to encourage anyone to look anorexic.
She looks better in the before pic. It’s not attractive to be a stick.
It does not look like the same person. Look at the belly button.
This doesn’t look like the same person to me. Boobs are bigger, can’t see the collar bone as much on the after picture.
Looks like she had a breast enhancement.
These comments were eyeopening. And to be honest, a tad bit hurtful. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I am sure all of us can remember a time when we have been criticized for our looks. Nowadays no one is immune to having their body dissected. Losing the baby weight did not happen overnight. Here is how I looked at 37 weeks pregnant and after Caden’s birth (this was not the photo I shared with my article). To see my recent photo click here.
The internet gives people the ability to speak to a large audience. To those who wrote the above comments. I respect your right to post your thoughts on my body but I do not agree with your opinions.
The truth. I do not have an eating disorder. I eat around 2000 calories each day to support my active lifestyle.
The truth. The pictures are 100% the same person. The belly button and boobs look different because I gave birth to my adorable baby boy.
I worked hard for every drop of sweat that fell. I am happy and proud of what I accomplished. But my weight does not define me and it does not define you. Our world is very judgmental and I don’t think it is cool to tell someone they “looked better before” or diagnose an eating disorder based off a photo.
Your weight does not determine your worth. The bible says that each of us are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and I believe that. God made us and loves us. God loves you. You are beautiful and amazing in God’s eyes.
Everyone has an idea of their perfect body. But guess what? There are people who wished they looked as good as you do right now! It doesn’t matter what size your pants are because someone would love to be your size. Your weight does not determine your worth. We are all a work in progress. Appreciate the journey you are on.
I am thankful to my biggest supporter my husband for constantly encouraging me. Here is his response that he wrote to those who posted a comment on my article.
First off I can assure you both pictures are of the same woman, she is a fun loving, life loving, GOD loving, compassionate woman. She puts her pictures out there for the world to see and to inspire you to get up off your bottoms and achieve your goals. She is confident enough to not let the rude comments effect her (very much). She is in fact my wife and the mother to my son and a great example for him to see in a woman. She cannot be anorexic due to the fact that she eats around 2,000 calories a day (as stated in the article). She works hard, and thank goodness knows that I think she is beautiful and that is what truly matters. She is fit, cares about herself enough not to poison her body with crap, and we have both made a commitment to live a healthy lifestyle so we can pass that on to our son. So thanks for all those who complimented, and haters keep on hating if thats what makes you feel better about yourself. Much love from the Buschel’s.
I love that man so much!
Striving for a healthy body needs to be encouraged and not bashed. Each individual is unique and so is the shape of their body. The problem with body bashing requires that we accept that there is such a thing as the “perfect body.” This is a myth. Let’s stop tearing each other down and instead celebrate each others beauty.
Have a great day and I would love to hear how you respond to negative comments.
xoxo, Tamara
PS…I am super excited to share with you a recap of my pregnancy with Caden and also how I lost my baby weight so we be sure to check back later this week and next.