The First 2,000 Days are Critical

I've chosen to post this article, not to beat parents of older children up, but to reinforce how important early learning is and to encourage parents of children with special needs to make (or delegate) the time to work with their children as soon as possible. I've added my notes in italics.

“The First 2,000 Days are Critical”

October 6, 2011 by Irene Sege

NBC News Education Nation

“The first 2,000 days are critical.” These words form the underlying message of a fascinating segment on NBC’s Education Nation about the science of early brain development, complete with state-of-the-art, non-invasive brain imaging from scientists at the University of Washington. Take a look at this video for some compelling images of brain development and the brain at work.
“If the United States is serious about the commitment of making transformational change in the K-12 educational system, we will have to take seriously the images you see today because it shows you what happens before children get to school,” said Dr. Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences. “The first 2,000 days are critical.”
Humans are born with 100 billion neurons in their brains, Dr. Kuhl noted, but the wiring connecting them is not in place. In the first six years of life, she said, the child’s brain rapidly lays down these synapses. It grows white matter to cover neural axons, she said, showing images of white matter occupying one-third of the brain of a 9-month-old and two-thirds of the brain of a 5-year-old. She showed images of the fiber tracks, the “super highways” that allow one area of the brain to communicate with another. (Since infants with DS start off with less neurons, it's even more important to work with them to get all parts of the brain communicating with each other while new neurons are growing [through biomedical intervention]. We need to maximize what they do have so they can have something to build upon.)
“The child’s brain’s architecture is grown as children …manipulate the world to see how it works, as they interact with loving parents, as they negotiate the social world with each other, as they create playful and imagined worlds that live in their heads,” Dr. Kuhl said. “These kinds of activities — listening to language and interacting with people – are creating the white matter tracks and the speedy processing in the brain that leads to thought and creative ideas. The child’s brain in the first 2,000 days is waiting for this activity. If this activity doesn’t occur the brain doesn’t work its magic in the way that it does under normal circumstances.” (While typical infants are hardwired to seek activities/stimulation that best enables this process to occur on their own, our babies need extra guidance, stimulation and modeling of behavior in order to help them create the "white matter tracks" necessary. Our babies need the grooves to be well established and to be directed from stimming or other behaviors that take time away from learning.)
Perhaps most fascinating were the images from a magnetoencephalography (MEG) machine showing brain activity as a baby positioned under a helmet that Dr. Kuhl likens to a “hairdryer from Mars” hears words. MEG shows the listening area of her brain light up. It shows the social area of her brain light up.
“She hasn’t produced a single word but she’s getting ready to talk back. She knows she’s in a social situation and she wants to go,” Dr. Kuhl said. “These appear to be biomarkers for future development. Children who show lots of activity to words and sentences early can be shown to learn words more rapidly at the age of 3, and their reading readiness is better at the age of 5.”
“There are only 2,000 days between the newborn baby and when that child will show up in kindergarten,” added the institute’s co-director, Dr. Andrew Meltzoff. “It is urgent that we use the best scientific info to make sure we support all our children so they can succeed in school. Our children can’t wait.”

http://eyeonearlyeducation.org/2011/10/06/%E2%80%9Cthe-first-2000-days-are-critical%E2%80%9D/

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Games for Baby: Grasping Skills

There are ways to nurture the necessary motor skills and cognitive abilities needed to develop the ability to grasp and play with toys through basic activities.

Since babies with T21 usually have lower muscle tone and less sensitivity/ability to feel, you'll definitely want to provide Deep Pressure Tactile Therapy. The list below detail what can be expected of typical babies throughout the first year. Jett was able to reach these milestones on time, except the pincher grasp, which at 14 months, he's just beginning to develop due to his shorter, thicker hands. All children, typical or T21, develop at different rates. Use these ages as a guide so you know what you need to be working on and when. Be sure to celebrate each achievement before you focus on the next one to accomplish!

How Grasping Skills Develop

• 3 Months: No longer newborns, babies can grasp objects placed in their hands, though they generally aren’t able to reach out and grab items. At this stage, simply offer her one toy at a time and allow her to develop her grip. A light weight rattle, one that's not too loud, will delight baby at this stage. If low muscle tone is a factor, you'll need to start with rattles made from soft materials and build up to a plastic rattle and then to a heavier wooden rattle.
• 5 Months: Babies now can reach out and grab items willfully and independently. When offered a toy, babies will look back and forth between the toy and their hands. This is evidence of their developing ability to plan and coordinate their movements. When presenting toys to your baby, offer the toy slightly out of her reach and encourage her to grab it. But don't put it so far away that she can't get it, or she'll get frustrated. Give her a plentiful supply of objects she can easily grasp, too, such as soft blocks, plastic rings, and board books. As an extra challenge, present the toy so that she must reach across her chest to grab it, instead of right in front of her. (This helps with communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.)
• 7 months: Growing 7 month old babies grasp using their entire hand to cup the object and may use their thumbs to press the object securely into their palm. Visual acuity and perception also come into play and babies are better able to manipulate objects in their hands.
• 9 Months: They have now mastered the ability to pass objects back and forth between hands. Babies show increased muscular agility and can begin to process how behaviors are connected. Offer hand toys that encourage problem solving, like shape sorting blocks and nesting cups.
• 11 months: Babies at this age are practically pros at manipulating objects. Their grasping ability may now include the ability to roll and throw small toys. Play simple games that utilize grasp and teach the concept of taking turns.
• 12 months: Baby is working on perfecting her pincer grasp, which lets her pick up small objects between her thumb and forefinger. Give her ample opportunity to develop her fine motor skills, but make sure you stay close at hand. Babies love putting things in their mouth and small objects may be dangerous. Choose something edible, like Cheerios, steamed peas and carrots and never allow your baby to play with coins or small buttons. Encourage her to pick up finger foods -- she'll use her spoon or fork when she's ready.

• This is a good time to give her stacking blocks or a linking chain. She may even hold up a toy and show her triumph. She may even be able to press the buttons on the toys such as a small keyboard or a musical push toy.

• Since our children usually have shorter, thicker hands (Jett does) and a palmer crease (Jett doesn't), we need to help them build the muscle between their thumb and index finger. Simply play tugging games with colored rope, blankets or soft toys to help strengthen that area.

• The pincer grasp is an important developmental milestone. It will lay the foundation of future activities such as coloring, writing and eating.

Using Gripping Abilities to Help Babies Think Ahead

You can monitor your baby's ability to grip and to plan movements with a simple activity using three hand-held toys. Not only does this exercise have babies hone their motor skills, it ties in higher-order problem solving skills.

• Gather three toys which your baby can grasp easily.
• Allow her to take one toy in each hand.
• With a toy in each of her hands, give her the third toy.
• Initially, she will likely be baffled and try to take the third toy without letting go of either one in her hand.
• As her cognitive abilities progress, she will begin to put a toy down before attempting to grab a new one.

Why Do It

• Engaging babies in developmentally appropriate activities is stimulating to their overall development.
• Parents can use these activities as a simple tool to note their baby's progress.
• It gives parents who may feel awkward around infants a structure for interaction and basic play.
• It's an easy, cheap, and effective way of promoting physical and cognitive development.

Non Toxic Toy Recommendations

Rattles

Magica Rattle $11

Organic Rattle $6

Jett's first rattle was the soft, light weight style pictured at right. Rattling Caterpiller $16 at blueberryforest
Selecta Sonello Jingling Baby Rattle and Grasping toy $16 at blueberryforest
Natural hardwood rattle $15 at naturalchild.org






Grasping/Clutching Toys

Lamaze Peekaboo Clutch Cube $16 at Genius Babies, toys2wish4, novatechgadgets

Sunni $14

Organic Rattle $10

Haba Allez Grasping Toy $25 at blueberryforest
Sassy Baby Soft Photo Album $8 at babyearth
Haba Bear in Ring $13 at blueberryforest

Haba Triangle Grabbing Toy $11 at blueberryforest
Haba Ring Toy $13 at blueberryforest
Haba Soft Vegetable Set $14 at blueberryforest
Selecta Girali $14 at blueberryforest
Lamaze Garden Bug Foot Finder & Rattle Set $11-18 at babytoyyard, bed bath & beyond, babycatalog

Building Blocks

Discovery Blocks

Plan Building Block $32.47 at childtrek.com
IQ Baby Knock Knock Soft Blocks $25-30 by Small World Toys, babytoyyard, geniusbabies, kidssurplus
Classic ABC wooden blocks $15 from melissaanddoug
Haba Sticki Bricks Building Blocks $33 from blueberryforest
Haba Cordoba Building Blocks $45 from blueberryforest
Haba First Blocks $29 at blueberryforest
Haba Discovery Blocks $25 at blueberryforest

Shake and Sort

Shape Sorters

Whose House Soft Shape sorter toy $30 at babygenius,
Shape Sorting Cube $15 at melissaanddoug, toysrus
Qubix Shape Sorter $12 at amazon or onestepahead
Plan Toys Pull Along Shape Sorter Train $19 at babyearth
Educo Shake 'n Match Shape Sorter $18 at babyearth

Sources

http://baby.about.com/od/growthanddevelopment/qt/grasping_skills_in_babies.htm
http://www.babycenter.in/baby/development/grasping/

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Pregnant & Nursing Moms Need Choline to Help Baby

Choline is a member of the vitamin B complex. It is found in Brewer's yeast, eggs cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, soybeans, lentils, liver, rice, and wheat germ. It plays an important role in the brain and central nervous system. According to Dean and Morgenthaler1 this nutrient stimulates mental energy, it is also a good speech enhancer and can improve memory. Choline protects against poor growth, it is also said to protect the liver from the accumulation of excess fatty deposits. It can be beneficial in the treatment of depression, diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy.

More Choline for Pregnant, Nursing Women Could Reduce Down Syndrome Dysfunction, Guard Against Dementia

ScienceDaily (June 4, 2010) — More choline during pregnancy and nursing could provide lasting cognitive and emotional benefits to individuals with Down syndrome and protect against neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, suggests a new Cornell study of mice.
______________________________

The findings, published June 2 in Behavioral Neuroscience, could help lead to increasing the maternal dietary recommendations for choline (currently 450 milligrams a day during pregnancy, 550 milligrams for lactation), a nutrient found in egg yolks, liver, nuts and such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower.

"We found that supplementing the maternal diet with additional choline resulted in dramatic improvements in attention and some normalization of emotion regulation in a mouse model of Down syndrome," said lead author Barbara Strupp, professor of nutritional sciences and of psychology.

The researchers also found evidence for "subtle, but statistically significant, improvement in learning ability in the non-Down syndrome littermates." In addition to mental retardation, Down syndrome individuals often experience dementia in middle age as a result of brain neuron atrophy similar to that suffered by people with Alzheimer's disease. Strupp noted that the improved mental abilities found in the Down syndrome mice following maternal choline supplements could indicate protection from such neurodegeneration "in the population at large."

Strupp and her co-authors tested Down syndrome model mice born from mothers fed a normal diet and those given choline supplements during their three-week pregnancy and three-week lactation period, as well as normal mice born from mothers with and without additional choline. The choline-supplemented mothers received approximately 4.5 times more choline (roughly comparable to levels at the higher range of human intake) than unsupplemented mothers.

At six months of age, the mice performed a series of behavioral tasks for about six months to assess their impulsivity, attention span, emotion control and other mental abilities.
In addition to dramatic improvements in attention, the researchers found that the unsupplemented Down syndrome model mice became more agitated after a mistake than normal mice, jumping repeatedly and taking longer to initiate the next trial, whereas the choline-supplemented Down syndrome model mice showed partial improvement in these areas.

"I'm impressed by the magnitude of the cognitive benefits seen in the Down syndrome model mice," Strupp said. "Moreover, these are clearly lasting cognitive improvements, seen many months after the period of choline supplementation."

Strupp noted that the results are consistent with studies by other researchers that found increased maternal choline intake improves offspring cognitive abilities in rats. However, this is the first study to evaluate the effects of maternal choline supplementation in a rodent model of Down syndrome. This is also one of the few studies that has evaluated offspring attentional function and effects in mice, rather than rats, Strupp noted.

Previous studies of humans and laboratory animals have shown that supplementing the diets of adults with choline has proven to be largely ineffective in improving cognition. "Although the precise mechanism is unknown, these lasting beneficial effects of choline observed in the present study are likely to be limited to increased intake during very early development," Strupp said.

The study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was part of the dissertation of Jisook Moon, Ph.D. '06. Other Cornell collaborators included Myla Strawderman, research associate in nutritional sciences; David Levitsky, professor of nutrition and of psychology; May Chen '07 and Shruti Gandhy '07.

Strupp and collaborators have received additional NIH funding to study the neural mechanisms underlying the positive cognitive effects of perinatal choline supplementation observed in this study.


Side effects
Nausea and dizziness indicate signs of toxicity. (I've not heard of or met anyone who took so much as to get these symptoms!)

Research
- Growth development: Fisher MC, Zeisel SH, Mar MH, Sadler TW. Inhibitors of choline uptake and metabolism cause developmental abnormalities in neurulating mouse embryos. Teratology 2001 Aug; 64(2):114-122.
- Buchman AL, Ament ME, Sohel M, Dubin M, Jenden DJ, Roch M, Pownall H, Farley W, Awal M, Ahn C. Choline deficiency causes reversible hepatic abnormalities in patients receiving parenteral nutrition: proof of a human choline requirement: a placebo-controlled trial. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2001 Sep;25(5):260-268.

Science News

http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2010/06/100603132456.htm

Great article on how choline supports brain function, including sleep.

Lots of Choline in Down Syndrome Info from the CMF website

Products

Click "Shop" and you can find these products.

Sunflower Lecithin

How much granules of sunflower lecithin?
The recommended dose is a minimum of 400mg a day, which would be about 1/2 tablespoon of the granules.  In studies, a dosage of 35g/5 tablespoons of sunflower lecithin given to adults appears promising for treating serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

To get a more exact amount for your son, you can look into getting a fatty acid analysis done on him called a BodyBio Blood Biopsy Analysis see http://www.bodybio-wellness.com/report-pro.html

I just sprinkle as much as I can in Jett's food throughout the day. Not very scientific, I'm afraid!

Citicholine

Here's a good article on its benefits: http://www.lifeextension.com/news/lefdailynews?NewsID=13995 

This powder is virtually flavorless and mixes in a bottle easily. The best product and best price is here http://www.iherb.com/Healthy-
Origins-Cognizin-Citicoline-250-mg-150-Capsules/13484?at=0

BodyBio PC

The CMF protocol recommends the use of phosphotidyle choline (PC) rather than just plain choline. PC is more potent and is the active form the body needs  but it is derived from soy and has ethanol in it. BodyBio/E-Lyte BodyBio PC 3000 mg 8 oz for $70.17 & free shipping.

http://www.professionalbrands.
net/www-professionalbrands-net-bodybio-e-lytebodybiopc3000mg8oz-html.html

If you go to changingmindsfoundation.org and sign up as a member, you'll get an email with a 20% discount for BodyBio PC from BodyBio.

http://www.fubaohealthstore.com/E-Lyte-BodyBio-PC-16-oz.html $142.45 for 16 oz. Free shipping (in U.S.) if over $99.


This is 150 capsules. They offer a discount on 4 bottles. This same brand also has a 60 capsule product but at the 60 capsule packaging the Jarrow brand is cheaper Jarrow Choline at iherb

You can use my friend's code, URi094, to get five U.S. dollars off your first order. And she gets a little percentage toward her vitamins too. Then get your own code at the Rewards Program link there.

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Baby Food & Formula Contain Arsenic, Toxic Metals

STOCKHOLM-Infant formulas and foods may be posing a risk to developing babies, according to Swedish researchers who warned of the potentially adverse effects of elevated toxic and essential metal concentrations in infant formulas and foods in a new study published in the journal of Food Chemistry (J Food Chem. 2011 Aug 1;127(3):943- 951 DOI:10.1016/ j.foodchem. 2011.01.062) .

The study, led by Karin Ljung, Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, assessed concentrations in and intake of toxic and essential elements from formulas and foods intended for infants during their first 6 months of life. The researchers tested nine different brands of baby food and nine baby milk formulas. Companies
represented in the sample include major players, such as ORGANIX, HIPP, NESTLE, HEINZ AND HOLLE


In formula, they focused on concentrations of the essential elements calcium, iron, zinc, manganese and molybdenum and found all were significantly higher in most formulas than in breast milk. Daily intake of manganese from formula varies from 10 up to several hundred times the intake of the breast-fed infant, levels that may be associated with adverse health effects, they reported.

Next, they looked at baby food and found one portion of infant food provided significantly more iron, manganese, molybdenum, arsenic, cadmium (up to 150 times), lead (up to eight times) and uranium than one feeding of breast milk, but less calcium, copper and selenium. Rice-based products in particular contained elevated arsenic concentrations, some as high as 50 times higher than breast milk. They also noted if one adds drinking water, which is the usual way to prepare the mix powdered formula, it may add significantly to the concentrations of the elements in the ready-made products. [Iron Excesses deposit in the Central Nervous system where they are toxic.]

However, none of the levels of the toxic elements found in the foods or formulas exceeded official safety limits. According to an article in the Telegraph, this study prompted the Swedish
National Food Administration to conduct its own review of toxic elements and metals in baby food and food for older children, and the results will be reported to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission, which is responsible for setting food safety limits in Europe.

Source:
http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/news/2011/04/baby-foods-contain-arsenic-toxic-elements.aspx

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Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Infant Formula

While breast milk is nature's perfect and complete baby food, situations sometimes make us have to find an alternative.


First, try to find a breast milk donor. (I know it sounds strange, but hey, we drink cow's milk and goat's milk, which is "donated" and human milk is so much better!) Some companies who provide this service are Milk Share, National Milk Bank, or Human Milk Banking of North America. Another good place to look for one is in your maternity ward before giving birth or straight after giving birth. In order to insure good supply of breast milk for your baby, it is practical to look for 2-4 breast milk donors. Look for healthy women who live not too far away from you. Even in the case of formula feeding, supplementing your baby’s diet with some breast milk (even occasional) will do wonders for your baby’s development and overall health. Commercial formula doesn't get close to the quality of breast milk.

If you have no alternative but to feed your baby formula (even supplemented occasionally with breast milk), consider adding coconut water rather than plain water and add good quality probiotics into every bottle right from the start. Better yet, instead of the store bought infant formula that contains 50% corn syrup solids and a lot of other unseemly items, consider these healthy alternatives to conventional infant formula.
 
There is no way to create a formula equal to breast milk, but there are some options to consider.

And since people with T21 should usually avoid casein, found in milk products, because it hinders folate assimilation, and gluten because it causes intestinal irritation and hinders nutrient absorption, we have a lot more to consider when trying to create our own formula. So here are a variety of homemade formula options from the Weston A Price Foundation, Dr. Mercola and experienced mom, Jayme:



Vegetable-based formula (as supplement, not substitute, to breast milk)
by mom, Jayme.

I will share with you what worked for my son, Vision. He was diagnosed Failure to Thrive when he was around 8 months old. Due to insufficient milk supply on my part, we were forced to supplement him. So I used this recipe in addition to my breast milk. Also, he was taking a 3-6-9 omega fatty acid supplement at the same time as well as breast feeding and eating a few solids.

The big problem is that everything we tried to supplement him with made him sick/sensitive/allergic. We tried several things, but every time he ended up sick; mostly congested and unable to breathe well. Finally at around 10 months, we took him to a naturopath. She suggested supplementing him with fresh vegetable juice, so that is what we did. It certainly didn't make him sick like the super hypoallergenic formulas that were 50% corn syrup solids, which he is now allergic to as well! I won't get on that soapbox....;-)

Anyway, he drank a lot of the juice for about 3 months, until he got big enough to really eat enough solids to take over. He continued to drink the juice over the next 5 months or so, just not as much, until he didn't need to supplement it anymore. He is still breastfeeding, and now without pumping--YEAH! (after 18 1/2 mos of pumping) I just juiced mostly fresh organic carrots along with fresh organic bok choy, kale, spinach and parsley. I usually added an apple or two or maybe a pear. If I had to do it over again, I would probably leave out the fruit as he is really susceptible to systemic yeast now. I might add a cucumber instead now. It satisfied even the people at the failure to thrive clinic and he loved it.

5-6 organic carrots
1-2 stalks organic bok choy
1/2 cup or so of organic parsley
1/2 cup or so of organic fresh spinach leaves
2-3 leaves organic lacinato or dino kale (tastes a bit more mild than curled leaf kale)
1-2 small organic golden delicious or gala apples

Vision loved this juice and his body loved it too. Beets made it too rich for him, so I didn't add those except but once. I believe the calories were about the same as breast milk (22/ounce). The fresh greens are so full of vitamins and minerals and the carrot juice is super good for you. You can mix it up to 50/50 with filtered water if the child can't handle the juice full strength. I think Vision always took it full strength without any issues. Vision gained slowly, slower than on formula, but he did gain.

When I added meat broth/bone broth with lots of fat to his diet 3 months later, it helped him gain more quickly. The nutritionist at the failure to thrive clinic loved us. She had no problem with the switch from formula to the home made juice. She knew the living foods were much better for him than that dead, corn syrup laden formula. Vision was also nursing along with taking the juice. Probably about 11-15 ounces a day of breast milk, best guess, and 25-32 ounces of the juice over the summer months. He slowed down a bit on the juice when the weather cooled and he could eat more solids.

Note: Since fresh spinach may create SOD (a concern in our population), it might be substituted for 1/2 cup organic spring mix or other organic green or red leaf lettuces instead. Or you can roast the spinach leaves for a couple of minutes and let cool before adding.

Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula

by Marie Bishop, Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD

From Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Volume 6, Number 2, Pages 18-28. http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula

Excerpt:
The following information has been compiled by the authors over a period of several years and should cover most situations encountered by parents giving homemade formula to their babies.

Homemade Formula Recipes

You can find many of the recipe items here: Radiant Life and Au Naturel

Liver-Based Formula

Makes about 36 ounces

Our liver-based formula also mimics the nutrient profile of mother's milk. It is extremely important to include coconut oil in this formula as it is the only ingredient that provides the special medium-chain saturated fats found in mother's milk. As with the milk-based formula, all oils should be truly expeller-expressed.

3 3/4 cups homemade beef or chicken broth

2 ounces organic liver, cut into small pieces

5 tablespoons lactose*

1 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis**

1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below) (or pea protein to avoid casein if needed)

1 tablespoon coconut oil*

1 teaspoon cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil*

1 teaspoon unrefined sunflower oil*

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon acerola powder*

Simmer liver gently in broth until the meat is cooked through. Liquefy using a handheld blender or in a food processor. When the liver broth has cooled, stir in remaining ingredients. Store in a very clean glass or stainless steel container.

To serve, stir formula well and pour 6 to 8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle. Attach a clean nipple and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)

Milk-Based Formula

Makes 36 ounces

Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow's milk but leaner in casein (milk protein).

The addition of gelatin to cow's milk formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.

The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture. For sources of good-quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or kefir culture to restore enzymes (available from G.E.M. Cultures 707-964-2922).

2 cups whole milk, preferably unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows

1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below)

4 tablespoons lactose*

1 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis**

2 or more tablespoons good quality cream (not ultrapasteurized), more if you are using milk from Holstein cows

1 teaspoon regular dose cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil*

1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil*

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil*

2 teaspoons coconut oil*

2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes*

2 teaspoons gelatin*

1 7/8 cups filtered water

1/4 teaspoon acerola powder*

*Available from Radiant Life 888-593-8333


**Available from Natren 800-992-3323 or Radiant Life 888-593-8333

Add gelatin to water and heat gently until gelatin is dissolved. Place all ingredients in a very clean glass or stainless steel container and mix well. To serve, pour 6 to 8 ounces into a very clean glass bottle*, attach nipple and set in a pan of simmering water.

Heat until warm but not hot to the touch, shake bottle well and feed baby. (Never, never heat formula in a microwave oven!) Note: If you are using the Lact-Aid, mix all ingredients well in a blender.


Variation: Goat Milk Formula

Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folic acid and is low in vitamin B12, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide natural occuring folic acid, is essential.

To compensate for low levels of vitamin B12, if preparing the Milk-Based Formula (above) with goat's milk, add 2 teaspoons frozen organic raw chicken liver, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.


Fortified Commercial Formula

Makes about 35 ounces

This stopgap formula can be used in emergencies, or when the ingredients for homemade formula are unavailable.

1 cup Mead Johnson low-iron, milk-based powdered formula
29 ounces filtered water (3 5/8 cups)
1 large egg yolk from an organic egg, cooked 3 1/2 minutes (See recipe for egg yolk, below)
1 teaspoon cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Place 6-8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle. (Store the rest in a very clean glass jar in the refrigerator for the next feedings.)

Attach a clean nipple to the bottle and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)

Egg Yolk for Baby

Egg yolk should be baby's first solid food, starting at 4 months, whether baby is breastfed or formula-fed. Egg yolks from pastured hens will contain the special long-chain fatty acids so critical for the optimal development of the brain and nervous system.

The whites may cause an allergic reaction and should not be given to baby until he is at least one year old

1 organic egg from a pasture-fed hen
1/2 teaspoon grated raw organic liver, frozen for 14 days (optional)
pinch sea salt

Boil egg for 3 1/2 minutes. Place in a bowl and peel off shell. Remove egg white and discard. Yolk should be soft and warm, not hot, with its enzyme content intact. Sprinkle with salt.

If you wish to add liver, grate on the small holes of a grater while frozen. Allow to warm up and stir into egg yolk.


Homemade Whey

Makes about 5 cups

Homemade whey is easy to make from good quality plain yogurt, or from raw or cultured milk. You will need a large strainer that rests over a bowl. Line the strainer with a clean linen kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth.

If you are using yogurt, place 2 quarts in the strainer lined with a tea towel. Cover with a plate and leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Place whey in clean glass jars and store in the refrigerator.

If you are using raw or cultured milk, place 2 quarts of the milk in a glass container and leave at room temperature for 2-4 days until the milk separates into curds and whey.

Pour into the strainer lined with a tea towel and cover with a plate. Leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Store in clean glass jars in the refrigerator.


Why not use store bought formula?

From Dr. Mercola's Infant Formula, Part One

One of the nutritional areas that are woefully inadequate with formulas is in regards to their fatty acid content. With all of the anti-fat propaganda going on these days, most people don't realize the critical importance of fat, especially with infants. Not only is the quantity important, but the quality and breakdown of the types of fat supplied as well.

After all, the brain is 60% lipid (fat). Of this fat, approximately 12 % is arachidonic acid (AA) and 17% is docosahexaenoicacid (DHA).

Many people have heard about the benefits and importance of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, found primarily in fish.

The importance of DHA in the infants' diet recently prompted many countries (not including the US) to allow formula producers to fortify their products with DHA, as well as AA. Currently, DHA/AA enhanced formulas are available, although not mandatory,throughout most of Europe.

Unfortunately, this small step still does not provide infants the nutrients they desperately require, due to several problems.

First of all, the DHA added to the formulas,obtained from microalgae, is highly oxidized (approximately 30%)

Additionally, DHA and AA are not the sole fat constituents of breast milk.Fortifying with them is a step in the right direction, but still leaves out plenty of important substances.

In an effort to help people provide their infants with the best possible nutrition,we often instruct mothers to "create" fortified formulas. But of course we insist that mothers breastfeed if at all possible or even obtain fresh breast milk from a lactating friend or relative, if they have adopted a baby, or can't breastfeed for some reason.

For the infant to remain as healthy as possible, he must obtain a proper balance of all the essential fats, which is difficult to impossible, especially when you are changing mother nature and trying to create a formula.

However, below is a basic fat fortification protocol, which attempts to come as close as possible to "the real thing":

• Kiddie Krill - one per day
• Organic egg yolk - 1 yolk daily added at four months of age
• Organic cream ideally non-pasteurized and non-homogenized -- If you are unable to find a local dairy farmer who will cooperate with you please try this link: http://www.realmilk.com/where.html.
• Omega Nutrition pure sesame, walnut, safflower, sunflower, oils (rotate with above) - 1 teaspoon daily
• One teaspoon high quality coconut oil. This oil needs to be heated to 76 degrees to become a liquid.
• Base oils as safflower, sunflower and sesame can be blended into the formula.

It is important, if not breastfeeding, to use one of the commercially available formulas as a "base" from which to fortify the infant's diet. Although some people might be tempted to create their own homemade formula, I don't recommend this approach, as it is just too dangerous that something could be inadvertently left out or added in too great a quantity. A mistake could cost an infant his life.

Nutramagen or Alimentum can be used as a base infant formula and 'doctored up' with nutritional perks. Both of these formulas are acceptable in regard to the 'allergic' aspect, and are the ones usually used when children cannot tolerate anything. Of course, they are also the most expensive.

Premature Babies

If your baby is premature, one additional area of fortification is in the area of free amino acids, most notably taurine. This nutrient is also critical for infant development and is found in human milk but not in cow's milk. Although many formulas add some taurine, it has been shown that formula-fed infants have lower levels of taurine in their blood than breastfed infants do, even when the formula has added taurine. For babies w/DS, adding taurine may not be necessary. It can cause problem with our kids. -Andi

Soy milk, Almond milk

Contrary to the advice given by some, soy milk, almond milk,or carrot juice, even if organic and homemade, are most definitely NOT ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTES FOR BREASTMILK, or even for formula.

For those mothers who are breastfeeding, it is important to realize that the essential fatty acid content of her breast milk coincides with what she eats. Therefore, her diet is very important for the health of her baby. One of the most important things that a breastfed mother can do is to avoid foods containing trans fats, such as margarine and anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

While one can't guarantee that taking the steps outlined above will completely eliminate problems such as ADD/ADHD and other behavioral problems, developmental problems, autism, visual difficulties and others, I believe it is a strong possibility that it could help to reduce their incidence, although it is important to always remember that BREAST IS BEST.

Soy Based Formula

Please recognize that soy formula is an unmitigated disaster for infants and should never be used. Fact is, it can harm your baby, as it is high in:

Manganese
Aluminum
Phytoestrogens that will harm your baby

Alternatively a raw milk formula can be made, see recipe above.

Related Posts
Breastfeeding
How to Bottle Feed & Nontoxic Bottles
Baby Food & Formula Contain Arsenic, Toxic Metals
From the Einstein-syndrome website: Feeding an Infant with Trisomy 21
Why a Sippy Cup isn't recommended a blog post from speech learning pathologist, Sara Rosenfeld Johnson
First Foods: How & What & When to Introduce
First Foods: GAPS Introducing Solids
First Foods: Yogurt & Bone Broth
First Foods: Root/Leaf Vegetables
Constipation: Causes and Cures
Achieving Iron Balance with Diet
Whole Grains Reduce Mineral Absorption
Foods that Fight Alzheimer's Disease
Keeping Nasal Passages Clear & Mouths Closed
Immunizations

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When to Teach Your Baby to Read

Once your baby is starting to move, his eyes start learning to work together and convergence (the eyes moving in sync) and depth perception are developed, this is when the brain learns to control the eyes.

If you see that your baby is having problems with convergence such as lazy eye or crossed-eyes, please see the post Exercises for Crossed Eyes.

According to neurodevelopmentalist, Kay Ness, once your baby has good central detail vision and convergence, he is ready to take in large amounts of information visually. At this stage, flashing cards with big pictures on them will fascinate him.

And, once your baby is identifying many pictures, it is time to introduce visual language: that is, sight words. Babies love to learn! Babies can learn to read and speak at the same time. The brain of a young child is "wired" to learn language and cares little whether that language is visual or auditory! Jett loves learning to read. Play is learning. And he greets every one of his flash cards with a big smile.

See Related Posts:

Teach Your Baby to Read
Teach Your Child to Read High Interest Books
Books to Read to Your Baby
Readeez: Songs Supporting Reading
Improve Your Child's Vision
Exercises for Crossed Eyes
Prozac Cures Lazy Eye!

First Foods: Yogurt & Bone Broth

I used to think that a great first food for babies is yogurt (raw, organic, possibly from goat or sheep if cow is too harsh on the tummy) and bone stock (home made from organic sources)... But, now that I've learned that studies show that babies shouldn't be introduced to dairy until 9 months old or they will develop an intolerance to it. And that milk slows down/inhibits the body's ability to absorb/process folates correctly. Folate is a big issue in our population. So, while I did give Jett some raw milk before 12 months old, I have since cut all dairy out of his diet.

Dairy is also contributes to congestion--another big issue for our kids. 
Some parents try to combat this issue by using enzymes to help process the milk proteins. Personally, I don't think it addresses all the issues that dairy brings. So I do avoid it and recommend parents to avoid giving it to their kids. 
 
An alternative to dairy yogurt would be coconut water keifer since it has no dairy but has lots of benefits from the probiotics. 

I'm still a fan of bone stock! 

Essential minerals: supercharge your child's diet with homemade beef bone stock
http://doctorvolpe.com/add-adhd/beef-bone-stock/

December 11th, 2010

Excerpts:
 

When it comes to maintaining or regaining health, nothing plays as important a role as proper mineral balance in the body.... 

...Among mineral-rich foods, bone broth or stock holds a position of preeminence. Not only is it a treasure trove of minerals in absorbable form, it is also a rich source of other nutrients that are essential for every aspect of health.

Stock has a long history in human nutrition and there was a time when it was prepared regularly in every family kitchen.

...Not only was it a part of everyone's diet, it was also prescribed as medicine and was researched extensively for its health enhancing benefits until the early 20th century. Then it was progressively abandoned, in part because the modern food industry discovered it could use cheap chemicals to create any flavor it wanted, and in part because medicine lost interest in anything other than drugs and surgery.

...Broth was prescribed for conditions ranging from colds and flu, to a variety of digestive disorders, and conditions affecting the joints, skin, lungs, muscles and blood. It was added to baby milk to treat colic or failure to thrive, and was prescribed for children who had trouble digesting the proteins in milk and wheat. It helped malnourished children and adults regain their strength, and was used as adjunct therapy in conditions as serious as cancer and TB. 

 

Ingredients for Your Broth

When it comes to making broth, the quality of the bones you use is of the essence simply because if the animals were not fed appropriately their bones are not likely to be healthy or nutrient-rich, plus hormones and antibiotics given to commercial cattle are likely to accumulate in bones or fatty tissues like marrow.

I recommend only buying bones from hormone- and antibiotic-free grass-fed animals, and organic is a plus. If you live in Texas, the best source I have found is www.paidom.com. This farm is located in the Texas Panhandle but they deliver throughout the state every two months. If you live elsewhere http://www.eatwild.com/ and similar websites are good resources.

If you'd like to get fancy and learn about all the different types of stock and how to make them I recommend you buy the excellent book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. Otherwise here is a simple recipe that has worked very well for me.

Start out with equal amounts of marrowbones and soup (knuckle) bones. I use approximately two pounds of each, basically because that's how Paidom sells them and it works well that way.

Both types of bones are needed. Marrow is where the body stores stem cells and converts them to blood cells or releases them in circulation to repair damaged tissues. It is an area of the body where all the nutrients needed to sustain life are concentrated. Soup bones are usually knucklebones or other bones containing cartilage. Cartilage converts to gelatin. It is a rich source of amino acids, like glycine, that enhance the body's detoxification ability by stimulating production of glutathione. Cartilage is also a source of chondroitin sulfate that helps heal arthritic joints.


Both types of bones are rich sources of minerals, and I am not speaking of just calcium, but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals, all of which play essential roles in health. 

 

How to Make Bone Broth

Wash the bones in running water; then place the knuckle and marrow bones in a large pot with 1/2 cup vinegar and cover with clean, filtered water. The vinegar will evaporate completely and so it is safe even for small children. The vinegar creates an acidic environment that helps to draw the minerals out of the bones. Meanwhile, place the meatier bones in a roasting pan and brown at 350 degrees (about 15 minutes). Add the browned bones to the pot (along with any fat that is left in the pan) along with about 3 chopped onions, 3 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery sticks. It is important not to overdo it on the vegetables as that can lead to a very bitter finished product! Add additional water if needed, but be sure to leave room at the top of the pot (about 1 inch) for the stock to expand.

Bring to a boil, and then remove any scum that comes to the top with a spoon.

Reduce the heat to a low simmer, add about 1 tsp ground green peppercorns and thyme (optional), cover the pot tightly, and allow it to simmer for a minimum of 24 hours (36 hours is better but not necessary). I know it's a long time but once you get it to the right heat it requires very little supervision. Just before finishing, add one bunch of parsley and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Parsley adds additional nutrients and will help to alkalize your stock. At this point you will remove all the bones and vegetables, strain, and refrigerate.

Once it is chilled you can skim off the fat, place in separate containers and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze indefinitely. You'll lose about a quart to evaporation.

I recommend drinking a cup a day for adults or children, and proportionately less for toddlers or babies. If your child doesn't like it, try to find creative solutions to get him or her to drink it. Some parents have added it to juice or sweetened it with stevia and turned it into a sweet chilled drink!

Here is a partial listing of conditions that broth benefits:

Aging skin, allergies, anemia, anxiety, asthma, atherosclerosis, attention deficit, poor digestion, brittle nails, Celiac Disease, colic, constipation, dental degeneration, depression, diabetes, diarrhea, fatigue, food sensitivities, fractures, gastritis, heart conditions, high cholesterol, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, low immunity, inflammation, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, insomnia, reflux, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, memory loss, muscle cramps or spasms, muscle wasting, osteoporosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, seizures, weight loss due to illness, wound healing, and more!

Homemade meat or fish stock.

Meat and fish stocks provide building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining and they have a soothing effect on any areas of inflammation in the gut. That is why they aid digestion and have been known for centuries as healing folk remedies for the digestive tract. Do not use commercially available soup stock granules or bullion cubes, they are highly processed and are full of detrimental ingredients.

Chicken stock is particularly gentle on the stomach and is very good to start from. To make good meat stock you need joints, bones, a piece of meat on the bone, a whole chicken, giblets from chicken, goose or duck, whole pigeons, pheasants or other inexpensive meats. It is essential to use bones and joints, as they provide the healing substances, not so much the muscle meats. Ask the butcher to cut in half the large tubular bones, so you can get the bone marrow out of them after cooking.

Put the bones, joints and meats into a large pan and fill it up with water, add natural unprocessed salt to your taste at the beginning of cooking and about a teaspoon of black peppercorns, roughly crushed. Bring to boil, cover and simmer on a low heat for 2,5 - 3 hours. You can make fish stock the same way using a whole fish or fish fins, bones and heads. After cooking take the bones and meats out and sieve the stock to remove small bones and pepper corns. Strip off all the soft tissues from the bones as best as you can to later add to soups or encourage your patient to eat all the soft tissues on the bones. Extract the bone marrow out of large tubular bones while they are still warm: to do that bang the bone on a thick wooden chopping board. The gelatinous soft tissues around the bones and the bone marrow provide some of the best healing remedies for the gut lining and the immune system; your patient needs to consume them with every meal. Take off all the soft tissues from fish bones and heads and reserve for adding to soups later.

The meat or fish stock will keep well in the fridge for at least 7 days or it can be frozen. Keep giving your patient warm meat stock as a drink all day with his meals and between meals.

Do not use microwaves for warming up the stock, use conventional stove (microwaves destroy food). It is very important for your patient to consume all the fat in the stock and off the bones as these fats are essential for the healing process. Add some probiotic food into every cup of stock (the details about introducing probiotic foods follow).

How to make bone broth: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/how-to-make-beef-broth/

Where to find fresh, local raw milk: http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html

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First Foods: GAPS Introducing Solids

First Foods: How & What & When to Introduce

Heal the Gut, Heal the Child

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More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

Healthy Meal Planning Blogs

How to Bottle Feed & Nontoxic Bottles

Breastfeeding

Fats & Oils