Cookbooks For Feeding Fussy Eaters (age 5 to 8)

Your child may prefer to live on chicken fingers and American cheese slices, but you'd feel better if she were eating a more balanced diet. Unfortunately, just because you manage to get all the food groups onto a plate at mealtime doesn't mean they're going to make it into the hungry mouth of your little one. If you've got a fussy eater, consider one of these kid-tested cookbooks below. Some even offer recipes that your youngster can help you make.

One Bite Won't Kill You
By Ann Hodgman and Roz Chast, illustrator. (1999, Houghton Mifflin Co., $15. Reading level: Adult)

The title of this book is a promise kept by the fun recipes inside. Author and mother of two fussy eaters, Ann Hodgman delivers comforting foods that will satisfy kids' finicky palates and save tired cooks by relying on ready-made ingredients like canned soup or muffin mix. Packed with recipes, anecdotes about teaching kids to broaden their culinary horizons, and hysterical cartoons and illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, one look at this book will make it a favorite.

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up
By Mollie Katzen and Ann L. Henderson (1994, Tricycle Press, $17. Reading level: Ages 4 to 8)

Inviting your child into the kitchen to help prepare meals is one way to quell the demands of a finicky eater. Vegetarian foodie Mollie Katzen (author of The Moosewood Cookbook) and educator Ann Henderson have teamed up to create a kid-friendly, nutritionally mindful, and parent-perfect book. Each of the 19 recipes starts with individual instructions for both the adult and child, is illustrated with cute animals, and includes insider reviews from kids who have tried the recipes and give them a thumbs-up. Kids will love the easy-to-follow step-by-step illustrations.

Brown Bag Success: Making Healthy Lunches Your Kids Won't Trade
By Sandra K. Nissenberg and Barbara N. Pearl (1997, John Wiley & Sons, $10. Reading level: Ages 9 to 12)

There you are, carefully crafting brown bag lunches for your children, and just a few hours later, they're picking them over and discarding the contents. Written at a level kids can understand, the book offers plenty of recipes for fun, packable lunches, like cheese and flour tortilla triangles and ham and cheese pinwheels, along with nutritional tips and hints on getting out the door in the morning with minimal stress.

Healthy Snacks for Kids
By Penny Warner (1995, Nitty Gritty Cookbooks, $9. Reading level: Adult)

If your child's appetite seems to surge without warning, this book will help you produce tasty, fun, and nutritious snacks in a snap. Recipes like Corny Pudding and Monkey Bars sneak healthy ingredients into foods that will keep your kids happy, too. Warner also includes a food pyramid for each recipe with main ingredients highlighted to make nutritional choices easy.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

Cookbooks For Feeding Fussy Eaters (age 2 to 4)

Your child may prefer to live on chicken fingers and American cheese slices, but you'd feel better if she were eating a more balanced diet. Unfortunately, just because you manage to get all the food groups onto a plate at mealtime doesn't mean they're going to make it into the hungry mouth of your little one. If you've got a fussy eater, consider one of these kid-tested cookbooks below. Some even offer recipes that your youngster can help you make.

One Bite Won't Kill You
By Ann Hodgman and Roz Chast, illustrator. (1999, Houghton Mifflin Co., $15. Reading level: Adult)

The title of this book is a promise kept by the fun recipes inside. Author and mother of two fussy eaters, Ann Hodgman delivers comforting foods that will satisfy kids' finicky palates and save tired cooks by relying on ready-made ingredients like canned soup or muffin mix. Packed with recipes, anecdotes about teaching kids to broaden their culinary horizons, and hysterical cartoons and illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, one look at this book will make it a favorite.

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up
By Mollie Katzen and Ann L. Henderson (1994, Tricycle Press, $17. Reading level: Ages 4 to 8)

Inviting your child into the kitchen to help prepare meals is one way to quell the demands of a finicky eater. Vegetarian foodie Mollie Katzen (author of The Moosewood Cookbook) and educator Ann Henderson have teamed up to create a kid-friendly, nutritionally mindful, and parent-perfect book. Each of the 19 recipes starts with individual instructions for both the adult and child, is illustrated with cute animals, and includes insider reviews from kids who have tried the recipes and give them a thumbs-up. Kids will love the easy-to-follow step-by-step illustrations.

Brown Bag Success: Making Healthy Lunches Your Kids Won't Trade
By Sandra K. Nissenberg and Barbara N. Pearl (1997, John Wiley & Sons, $10. Reading level: Ages 9 to 12)

There you are, carefully crafting brown bag lunches for your children, and just a few hours later, they're picking them over and discarding the contents. Written at a level kids can understand, the book offers plenty of recipes for fun, packable lunches, like cheese and flour tortilla triangles and ham and cheese pinwheels, along with nutritional tips and hints on getting out the door in the morning with minimal stress.

Healthy Snacks for Kids
By Penny Warner (1995, Nitty Gritty Cookbooks, $9. Reading level: Adult)

If your child's appetite seems to surge without warning, this book will help you produce tasty, fun, and nutritious snacks in a snap. Recipes like Corny Pudding and Monkey Bars sneak healthy ingredients into foods that will keep your kids happy, too. Warner also includes a food pyramid for each recipe with main ingredients highlighted to make nutritional choices easy.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

Family Dinners Shape Healthier Eating Habits

Wed, Sep 12, 2007 (HealthDay News) — Teens who eat dinner with their families on a regular basis are also more likely to eat fruit and vegetables as young adults, a new study shows.

These teens also go on to drink fewer soft drinks in adulthood, the study found.

Reporting in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers at the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 1,500 students once during high school and again at age 20 about diet, social eating, meal structure and meal frequency.

The survey included questions about how often their family ate together, how much they enjoyed eating with family, if they ate on the run, and how often they ate breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Teens who reported eating family meals were more likely to report eating fruit, dark green and orange vegetables and key nutrients, and drinking fewer soft drinks. The more frequently they ate family meals as teens, the more likely they were to eat dinner as adults, placing a higher priority on structured meals and social eating.

For women, eating with their family during adolescence meant significantly higher daily consumption of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6 and fiber as adults. Among males, eating with their family during adolescence results in eating more calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber as adults.

source from http://www.babycente.com

How Your Toddler Can Get The Nutrients He Needs

Calcium
Your toddler needs 500 milligrams (mg.) of calcium a day. Calcium is key for building strong bones and teeth, for promoting nerve and muscle function, for helping blood clot, and for activating enzymes that convert food into energy. Some experts believe that many children are falling short of their calcium requirements, in part because juice and other nondairy drinks are so popular that kids are drinking less milk.

Some of the best sources of calcium for your toddler:
Note: Milligrams will vary somewhat depending on brand, size of fruit or vegetable, etc.

• 1/2 cup yogurt: 190 mg.

• 1/2 cup calcium-fortified orange juice: 175 mg.

• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses: 172 mg. (regular molasses: about 41 mg. per tablespoon)

• 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese: 153 mg.

• 1/2 cup milk: about 150 mg. (1/2 cup chocolate milk: about 140 mg.) Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sticking to whole milk until your child turns 2.

• 1/2 cup fortified soy milk: 150 mg.

• 1/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese: 128 mg.

• 1/2 ounce jack cheese: 106 mg.

• 1/2 ounce Swiss cheese: 102 mg.

• 1/4 cup white beans: 80 mg.

• 1/4 cup cottage cheese: 68 mg.

• 1/2 ounce mozzarella: 75 mg.

• 1/2 slice cheese pizza: 59 mg.

• 1/2 cup calcium-fortified apple juice: 50 mg.

• 1/2 serving hot chocolate from mix prepared with water: 48 mg.

• 1/4 cup collard greens: 88 mg.

• 1/4 cup pudding (homemade from mix or scratch): 75 mg. (ready-to eat varieties: about 50 mg.)

• 1/3 cup O-shaped multigrain cereal: 32 mg.

• 1/4 cup spinach, cooked: 73 mg.

• 1/4 cup frozen yogurt: 52 mg.

• 1/4 cup cooked macaroni and cheese (from a packaged mix): 50 mg.

• 1/2 orange: 25 mg.

• 1/4 cup ice cream: 46 mg.

• 1/4 sweet potato, mashed: 17 mg.

• 1/4 cup tofu: 102 mg. Note: Tofu varies in nutrients, depending on the type. This figure is for tofu made with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride.

• 1/4 cup broccoli: 15 mg.

A few tips for maximizing calcium intake:

• Use milk instead of water when making cereals and soups.

• Use evaporated milk in place of regular milk in recipes — it has twice the calcium of regular milk.

• Add yogurt to fruit salads; nonfat milk powder to pancake batter, sauces, and smoothies; and cheese to vegetables, sauces, and mashed potatoes.

• Buy calcium-fortified juice, bread, and cereal.

Iron
Your toddler needs 7 mg. of iron every day. Iron is important for making hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying red pigment in blood, and myoglobin, a pigment that stores oxygen in muscles. Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can result in fatigue, weakness, and irritability. Iron also affects brain development. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States.

Keep in mind that there's a difference between animal and plant sources of iron. Heme iron — the kind you get from animal sources such as meat, fish, shellfish, and poultry — is easily absorbed by the body. But the body needs help to absorb non-heme iron — the kind found in non-animal sources like dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, fortified breads and grains, and dried fruits. (Egg yolks also contain iron, mostly non-heme.)

You can increase the amount of non-heme iron the body absorbs by serving it with foods that contain heme iron, or with foods rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice, oranges, strawberries, red peppers, papaya, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, tomatoes, mangoes, and potatoes.

Some of the best sources of iron for your toddler:
Note: Milligrams will vary somewhat, depending on brand, cut of meat, etc.

• 1/4 cup sea vegetables: 9 to 21 mg. (various types of seaweed, widely available in the U.S. as a snack product)

• 1/3 cup fortified, ready-to-eat cereal: 4.5 mg.

• 1/3 cup fortified oatmeal: 4 mg.

• 1/4 cup soybeans: 2.2 mg.

• 1/4 cup baked beans with pork and tomato sauce: 2 mg.

• 1/4 cup navy beans: 1.2 mg.

• 1 ounce steak: 1 mg.

• 1 ounce shrimp: .9 mg.

• 1/4 cup garbanzo beans: .8 mg.

• 1/2 medium-sized hamburger (1.5 oz.): .9 mg.

• 1/4 cup black beans: .9 mg.

• 1 tablespoon wheat germ: .5 mg. iron

• 1/4 cup tofu: .9 mg. Note: Tofu varies in nutrients, depending on the type. This figure is for tofu made with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride.

• 1/2 large egg: .3 mg.

• 1 ounce breast of chicken: .2 mg.

Zinc
Your toddler needs 3 mg. of zinc a day. Zinc is needed in more than 70 enzymes that aid digestion and metabolism. And children who don't get enough zinc risk stunting their growth. Keep in mind, though, that zinc deficiencies are rare in this country.

Some of the best sources of zinc for your toddler:
Note: Milligrams will vary somewhat, depending on brand, cut of meat, etc.

• 1/4 cup baked beans with pork and tomato sauce: 3.5 mg.

• 1/2 medium-sized hamburger: about 2 mg.

• 1 ounce steak: about 1.7 mg.

• 1 tablespoon wheat germ: about 1 mg.

• 1/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese: .7 mg.

• 1/3 cup bran flakes: between .8 mg. and 1.4 mg., depending on the brand

• 1/4 cup tofu: .6 mg. Note: Tofu varies in nutrients, depending on the type. This figure is for tofu made with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride.

• 1/4 cup garbanzo beans: about .6 mg.

• 1/4 cup lentils: about .6 mg.

• 1/4 cup limas: .4 mg.

• 1/4 cup corn: .2 mg.

• 1 large egg yolk or 1/2 whole large egg: .3 mg.

Vitamin D
Surprisingly, the requirement for vitamin D — 200 IUs or 5 micrograms per day — is the same from birth to age 50. Vitamin D helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. It's called the "sunshine vitamin" because the body can make it when the skin is exposed to sunlight. But vitamin D production is prevented by smog, clouds, dark skin, and sunscreen with an SPF of 8 or more, so it's a good idea to make sure your child gets 200 IUs of vitamin D every day from food sources.

Some of the best sources of vitamin D for your toddler:
Note: IUs will vary somewhat, depending on brand.

• 1 ounce salmon serving: 103 IUs

• 1 ounce tuna (canned in oil, drained): 200 IUs

• 1/2 cup fortified whole milk: 49 IUs

• 1 large egg yolk: 25 IUs

• 1/3 cup fortified, ready-to-eat cereal: 13 IUs

• 1/2 teaspoon fortified margarine: 10 IUs

Vitamin A
Your toddler needs 300 micrograms RAEs (retinol activity equivalents) of vitamin A daily. Vitamin A plays an important role in vision and bone growth, and helps protect the body from infections. Vitamin A also promotes the health and growth of cells and tissues in the body, particularly those in the hair, nails, and skin.

And about those rumors: Yes, carrots and other vitamin A-rich foods are essential for good eyesight. And while it's possible to get too much vitamin A from animal sources like liver, it's nearly impossible to overdose by getting "too many" carotenoids, the orange and yellow pigments in fruits and vegetables, like carrots. (Be sure to serve carrots cooked, as raw carrots are a choking hazard for toddlers.)

Some of the best sources of vitamin A for your toddler:
Note: Micrograms will vary somewhat, depending on size of fruit or vegetable.

• 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato: 646 mcg. RAE

• 1/4 cup cooked carrots: 336 mcg. RAE

• 1/4 cup butternut squash (cubed): about 286 mcg. RAE

• 1/2 cup fortified milk: 72.5 mcg. RAE

• 1/2 large egg: 35 mcg. RAE

• 1/4 cup cooked broccoli: 26 mcg. RAE

• 1/4 cup sliced mango: 16 mcg. RAE

Vitamin C
Your toddler needs 15 milligrams of vitamin C a day. Vitamin C helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues. It helps keep your child's gums healthy and strengthens his blood vessels, minimizing bruising from falls and scrapes. Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds, boosts the immune system, and keeps infections at bay. And it helps the body absorb iron from plant-based foods. This vitamin is available in many foods, so deficiencies are rare.

Some of the best sources of vitamin C for your toddler:
Note: Milligrams will vary somewhat, depending on size of fruit or vegetable.

• 1/4 cup guava: 82.5 mg.

• 1/4 cup papaya: 47.5 mg.

• 1/2 medium orange: 30 mg.

• 1/4 cup broccoli: 30 mg.

• 1/4 cup orange juice: 25 mg.

• 3 whole medium strawberries: 21 mg.

• 1/4 grapefruit: 21 mg.

• 1/4 cup cantaloupe: 17 mg.

• 1/2 tomato: 11 mg.

• 1/4 medium mango: 7.6 mg.

• 1/2 banana: 5 mg.

• 1/4 baking potato (such as Russet): 5 mg. without skin, 6.5 with skin

• 1/4 cup spinach: 4.5 mg.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Controlling Kids' Food Intake Can Hurt Their Health

Mon, Jan 7, 2008 (HealthDay News) — Controlling what your toddlers consume, either by trying to get them to eat less or to eat more, can lead to a lower weight by the age of 2, new British research suggests.

While a lower weight may be desirable in adults, it's not always in the best interest of a young child, according to the report in the January issue of Pediatrics.

"Nutrition is extremely important in infancy and childhood. In the first two years, the child is growing in height and weight and the brain is growing, so it's extremely important that proper nutrition is provided," explained Dr. Brenda Kohn, a pediatric endocrinologist and an associate professor at the New York University School of Medicine and Medical Center in New York City.

The study authors wanted to better understand the role that parental attitudes toward food played in their child's eventual weight. Previous studies had suggested that when a parent tries to control food intake, it would eventually result in an overweight child, whereas a child who was pressured to eat seemed to end up weighing less.

Sixty-two women were recruited for the study. The average age was 32, and for the majority of the women — 41 out of 62 — this was their first child. Most of the women were employed in either professional or administrative positions before the birth of their child.

The mothers all completed a feeding questionnaire when the children were 1, and the youngsters were weighed at 1 and 2 years.

The researchers found that two feeding practices — restricting food and pressuring to eat — resulted in lower than average weight scores.

"The findings of this study suggest that, as early as 1 year of age, controlling feeding practices can be causal in predicting child weight," the study's authors wrote.

Dana Rofey, a psychologist in the Weight Management and Wellness Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, said this study is "very interesting," but added that she'd really like to see what happens to these children as they grow older, because many studies have found an association between childhood obesity and controlling feeding behaviors.

"Previous research in older children has shown that the more autonomy the kids have, the less likely they are to act out. For adolescents, the more restrictive their parents are — the more they act like the food police — the more likely the adolescent is to eat out of emotional reasons," she said.

Kohn said the take-away message from this study is that parents should work with their child's pediatrician to optimize feeding practices and nutrition and to pass along a "positive attitude about feeding."

Rofey said the most important thing parents need to know about feeding toddlers is that they don't need to eat the same portions as adults do. "The most common thing we see parents with young toddlers do is try to feed them adult portions," she said.

For a 2-year old, a serving of milk is 4 ounces and a serving of meat, poultry or fish is just 1 ounce, according to Rofey. One-half cup of pasta or a half of a small bagel constitutes a grain serving for a toddler, and just a couple of tablespoons is a vegetable serving. A small piece of fruit or 4 ounces of fruit juice is the correct portion for a 2-year old, according to Rofey.

And, when it comes to trying new foods, Rofey recommended being patient. It can take offering a new food more than a dozen times before your child will like the food.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

How To Avoid Making Meals A Power Struggle(age 5 to 8)

How can I avoid arguing with my child over food every time we sit down to a meal?
For many families, sitting down for a meal together often means fighting over food — what's on the menu, who's eating (or not eating) what and how much. But who wants that night after night? To avoid mealtime squabbles, try not to talk about food at the table. Merely serve the meal without comment. Of course, if your child is a picky eater, holding your tongue can require a lot of restraint. But your child will benefit in the long run if you don't harp on her eating habits throughout the meal. "It's your child's decision whether or not to eat, what to eat from what is being offered, and how much of it," says Nancy Hudson, a registered dietitian at the University of California at Berkeley.

But what if my child keeps refusing to eat what I serve?
Your mom may have rewarded you for cleaning your plate with a bowl of ice cream after dinner, but that just taught you that veggies were the punishment and dessert was the reward. Instead, try this approach: Serve at least one food you know your kid likes; don't discuss eating habits; and clear the table when the meal is over — even if your child doesn't eat all her food. If she wants dessert, give it to her without much fanfare, but vary what you serve — some nights dessert is ice cream, some nights it's fruit. And don't make any foods completely off limits. Your child will just end up sneaking those foods at her friends' houses or buying them herself when she has her own money.

How can I be sure my child is eating well enough?
Remember that ultimately, your child is the one in control over what she puts into her body. If you decide for your child when she's hungry or when she's had enough to eat, "She won't learn to recognize when she's hungry and when she's done, and you're setting her up for eating problems later, such as obesity, overeating, or controlling food," says Hudson. "Children are amazingly good at self-regulation. They may eat almost nothing one day, and then the next day they eat a ton of food." But when you look at their consumption over a week or a month's time, they do a pretty good job of getting what they need from different food groups — as long as you offer them a variety from which to choose. So, pull up a chair, relax, and try to enjoy your meal. If you do, your child will, too.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

How To Avoid Making Meals A Power Struggle(age 2 to 4)

How can I avoid arguing with my child over food every time we sit down to eat?
For many families, sitting down for a meal together often means fighting over food — what's on the menu, who's eating (or not eating) what and how much. But who wants that night after night? To avoid mealtime squabbles, try not to talk about food at the table. Merely serve the meal without comment. Of course, if your child is a picky eater, holding your tongue can require a lot of restraint. But your child will benefit in the long run if you don't harp on his eating habits throughout the meal. "It's your child's decision whether or not to eat, what to eat from what is being offered, and how much of it," says Nancy Hudson, a registered dietitian at the University of California at Berkeley.

But what do I do if my child refuses to eat what I serve?
Your mom may have rewarded you for cleaning your plate with a bowl of ice cream after dinner, but that just taught you that veggies were the punishment and dessert was the reward. Instead, try this approach: Serve at least one food you know your kid likes; don't discuss eating habits; and clear the table when the meal is over — even if your child doesn't eat all his food. If he wants dessert, give it to him without much fanfare, but vary what you serve — some nights dessert is ice cream, some nights it's fruit.

How can I tell if my child is eating well enough?
Remember that ultimately, your child is the one in control over what he puts into his body. If you decide for your child when he's hungry or when he's had enough to eat, "He won't learn to recognize when he's hungry and when he's done, and you're setting him up for eating problems later, such as obesity, overeating, or controlling food," says Hudson. "Children are amazingly good at self-regulation. They may eat almost nothing one day, and then the next day they eat a ton of food." But when you look at their consumption over a week or a month's time, they do a pretty good job of getting what they need from different food groups — as long as you offer them a variety from which to choose. So, pull up a chair, relax, and try to enjoy your meal. If you do, your child will, too.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

When Produce Is Homegrown, Kids Eat Better

Young children who regularly eat homegrown fruits and veggies eat more than twice as much of those healthy foods than kids who seldom get fresh-from-the-garden produce on their plates, U.S. researchers report.

The study, by a team at the Saint Louis University Medical Center, involved interviews with about 1,600 parents of preschool-aged children in rural southeast Missouri.

The team found that children who grow up eating homegrown produce prefer the taste of fruits and vegetables to other foods.

"It was a simple, clear finding. Whether a food is homegrown makes a difference. Garden produce creates what we call a 'positive food environment,'" study author Debra Haire-Joshu, director of the university's Obesity Prevention Center, said in a prepared statement.

She and her colleagues found that garden-fed children were more likely to see their parents eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and that people in homes with gardens had access to greater variety of produce.

The findings suggest a simple way to get children to eat healthier — parents should plant a garden or encourage their children's schools to do so, Haire-Joshu said.

"When children are involved with growing and cooking food, it improves their diet," she said. "Students at schools with gardens learn about math and science, and they also eat more fruits and vegetables. Kids eat healthier, and they know more about eating healthy. It's a winning and low-cost strategy to improve the nutrition of our children at a time when pediatric obesity is an epidemic problem."

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Kids In Large Groups Tend To Eat More

When children snack together in large groups, they tend to eat about a third more than when they snack with just a couple of friends, a new study finds.

Researchers at the University of Michigan examined the eating habits of 54 children, aged 2-and-a-half to 6-and-a-half, when they were placed in groups of nine children and in groups of three. Each child was given the same-sized snack. The researchers recorded how much each child ate on each occasion and how long it took them to eat.

Children in the larger groups ate 30 percent more than the children in the smaller groups. The time they took to eat was not a factor.

Children in the larger groups started to eat sooner and more quickly, and also spent less time socializing than children in the smaller groups.

This behavior of eating more when in larger groups than when alone is common among adults and is also seen in many other animals. This "social facilitation" is the result of stimuli provided by the sight and sounds of others engaged in similar behavior, which overrides the brain's normal signals that enough food has been consumed, the researchers explained.

They said their findings suggest that children who don't eat enough might benefit from having meals with family and/or friends at home. Children who already eat too much should not eat in fast-food restaurants, where the hectic surroundings may stimulate them to overeat.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

How To Handle A Picky Eater(age 5 to 8)

Why is my child such a picky eater?
By school age, most children are getting over their fear of trying new foods and their need to constantly assert their independence. Still, an occasional food jag — when your child insists on eating the same foods at every meal while turning up his nose at anything new — is no cause for alarm.

Keep in mind that this age group still appreciates the familiar, whether it's a regular bedtime routine or their peanut butter sandwich cut on the diagonal. And while your child probably isn't still saying "No!" just to assert himself, he still appreciates having some control over his life, including what foods he eats. Your child probably doesn't like having much attention paid to his eating habits, so keep your approach low key. Whatever you do, don't pressure or bribe your child to eat because you'll only run into resistance.

Tips for introducing new foods to a picky eater
Your child has an innate sense of how much food his body needs to grow and be healthy, and it's up to him to decide what he's going to eat. The best thing you can do is to provide a wide variety of healthy foods in a positive, relaxed environment so that mealtimes will be enjoyable for everyone. Here are some specific tips on how to handle a picky eater:

• Provide a variety of good foods for your child to eat at each meal. Your grade-schooler may be happy to try new things, or it may take numerous exposures to a new food before he's willing to give it a go. So be patient. When you do offer a new food, simply place it on the dinner table with everything else, and don't make a big deal about it. Don't put it right on your child's plate; let him choose it for himself. He might dig right in, or he may warm up to it eventually, after seeing you eat it a few times.

• Don't give your grade-schooler too many options at mealtime. If you say "It's dinnertime. What would you like to eat?" your child will probably choose something familiar, and he'll seem like a picky eater, says Hudson. However, if you say, "Here's dinner," he'll have to choose from among the foods you're offering. Of course, you won't want to offer an entire meal of unfamiliar foods because your child simply won't eat them. Instead, always offer a meal that includes at least one thing you know your child likes.

• When presenting new foods, don't offer them in large quantities. If by some miracle your child is willing to try a new food, give him just a taste and let him ask for more before putting a whole serving on his plate. This way he won't feel overwhelmed, and it won't seem like a waste of food to you if he doesn't eat it. And try to present new foods when he's hungry — like slices of mango when he has the afternoon munchies.

• Keep in mind that some children's palates are more sensitive than others', and they simply won't like the texture, color, or taste of some foods. That's why a child might claim to dislike a food he has never even tried. Likewise, some children may reject a food because it reminds them of a time when they were sick, or because it has some other negative association. If your grade-schooler complains that a particular food will make him sick, stop serving that food for a while. You can always try again when he's a little older.

• If you send a packed lunch to school, give your child some choices about what goes in it, but also include a fun surprise now and then. An exciting lunch is more likely to be eaten.

• Whenever possible, involve your grade-schooler in food decisions and preparations, including shopping and making meals and snacks. (And if he can help you grow some of the family's produce in the yard, so much the better!) This will give him a sense of control over his diet. And he'll be more likely to eat something that he's chosen or helped make for himself. (This works best if you let your child choose from a small selection of foods you've already picked out rather than just asking what he wants for dinner.) Make fun, healthful treats together, like yogurt-and-fruit banana splits or smoothies.

• Look for ways to boost the nutritional value of the foods your grade-schooler enjoys. Put some tuna or ham on his grilled cheese, or meat or tofu in his spaghetti sauce, for example.

• Teach your grade-schooler (without lecturing) about good nutrition. Put a food chart on the refrigerator and have him color in the requirements as he meets them each day, and mention nonchalantly that his oatmeal will help him run and jump better at school today.

• Keep in mind that many children are less picky eaters when they're away from home. So as your child's world expands and he begins attending school, his palate may broaden as well.

An extra word about breakfast: Research shows that kids who eat breakfast do better academically and socially at school. So it's worth putting some effort into finding healthy foods that your child will eat before heading out the door in the morning. Be open to foods that aren't traditional breakfast foods — like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk or an egg taco — if that's what your child prefers.

How can I get my child to eat a wider variety of foods?
It's unrealistic to expect a grade-schooler to eat a wide range of foods. In the long run, the example you set by serving and enjoying all sorts of healthy foods — at home and on the go — is one of the best ways to help your child learn to eat well. But for now, try to remember that your child's choice to eat only a few foods is just that — his choice, and it's important to let him learn to make his own decisions about food.

"A child needs to be in control of what he eats," says Nancy Hudson, a registered dietitian at the University of California, Berkeley. If you force a child to eat a food he doesn't like ("You'll sit at the table until you finish your peas"), or more than he wants, you could be setting him up for problems later: Children who are never allowed to make food decisions for themselves (such as deciding when they're full) are at a greater risk for developing eating disorders or becoming obese later in life. What's more, your strategy will almost always backfire because forcing your child to try new foods will only make him more stubborn and less open to trying new things in the future.

If your grade-schooler seems to be eating nothing but macaroni and cheese for days on end, don't worry. Start keeping a record of what your child eats — you'll probably find that he's hitting all the major food groups and getting the nutrients he needs over the course of a week. Studies from the American Dietetic Association show that children — even those whose parents consider them "picky eaters" — generally consume a wide enough variety of foods to meet their nutritional requirements. If you really don't think your child is eating well, you could give your grade-schooler a daily multivitamin.

How can I tell whether my child is really getting enough to eat if he's not growing?
Don't panic if it seems like your grade-schooler isn't growing fast enough. Children don't always grow at a steady pace, and there will be times when your child doesn't seem to be growing at all. Keep in touch with your doctor if you're concerned, but don't convey your fears to your child. If you're constantly hovering at mealtime, wheedling, cajoling, and counting calories, he's likely to become even more resistant to eating.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

How To Handle A Picky Eater(age 2 to 4)

Why is my child such a picky eater?

It's perfectly normal for preschoolers to object to the shape, color, or texture of a food — or to suddenly decide that they hate everything, even foods they loved yesterday. It's also common for them to have what experts call food jags. That is, they insist on eating the same few foods at every meal.

"It's a fear of new things," says Nancy Hudson, a registered dietitian at the University of California, Berkeley. "We think it's one of those quirks that humans probably developed to protect themselves as mankind evolved. You don't try new things because you don't know if they're safe." This fear of new things usually tapers off by age 4, but for some children it continues into adulthood. At any rate, whether it's his bedtime routine or his peanut butter sandwich cut on the diagonal, your child probably likes things to be consistent and familiar — so he may not be willing to try new foods until you've served them numerous times.

Picky eating can also be a preschooler's way of declaring his independence ("You can't make me eat that") and may have less to do with the actual food than a need to push the limits of your authority and assert some control over his life. Finally, because preschoolers are a wiggly lot, it may seem as though your child can't sit still long enough to eat very much at one sitting. You can try to keep your child interested in his food longer by making mealtime as calm and uneventful as possible, without distractions from toys, television, or pets.

Tips for introducing new foods to a picky eater
Your child has an innate sense of how much food his body needs to grow and be healthy, and it's up to him to decide what he's going to eat. The best thing you can do is to provide a wide variety of healthy foods in a positive, relaxed environment so mealtimes will be enjoyable for everyone. Here are some specific tips on how to handle a picky eater:

• Provide a variety of good foods for your preschooler to eat at each meal. Keep in mind that it takes numerous exposures to a new food for a child to see it as familiar enough to try. So be patient. When you do offer a new food, simply place it on the dinner table with everything else, and don't make a big deal about it. Don't put it right on your child's plate, which may seem threatening or cause him to rebel. Eventually, after he's seen you eat the food a few times, he may feel more open to trying it himself.

• Serve child-size portions. For example, two slices of bread provides the daily grain requirements for a 2- or 3-year old, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (just enough to barely cover two slices of bread) give a young child about half the recommended amount of daily protein.

• Don't give your preschooler too many options at mealtime. If you say "It's dinnertime. What do you want to eat?" your child will probably choose something familiar, and he'll seem like a picky eater, says Hudson. However, if you say "Here's dinner," he'll have to choose from among the foods you're offering. Of course, you won't want to offer an entire meal of unfamiliar foods because your child simply won't eat them. Instead, always offer a meal that includes at least one thing you know your child likes.

• When introducing new foods, don't present them in large quantities. If by some miracle your preschooler is interested in trying a new food, give him just a taste and let him ask for more. That way he'll feel more in control and you won't feel like you're wasting food if he doesn't eat it. When you can, give him a new food to try when you know he's hungry — slices of mango when he has the afternoon munchies, for example.

• Keep in mind that some children's palates are more sensitive than others', and they simply won't like the texture, color, or taste of some foods. That's why a child might claim to dislike a food he has never even tried. Likewise, some children may reject a food because it reminds them of a time when they were sick or because they have some other negative association with it. If your preschooler complains that a particular food will make him sick, stop offering that food for a while. You can try again when he's a bit older.

• Whenever possible, let your preschooler be involved in food decisions and preparations, including shopping and making meals and snacks. (And if he can help you grow some of the family's produce in the yard, so much the better!) This will give him a sense of control over his diet. And he'll be more likely to eat something that he's chosen, or prepared, for himself. (This works best if you let your child choose from a small selection of foods you've already identified rather than just asking him to pick his supper.) Make fun, healthful treats together — like yogurt-and-fruit banana splits or ants on a log (raisins placed on top of peanut butter-filled celery sticks).

• Look for ways to boost the nutritional value of the foods your preschooler enjoys. Put some tuna or ham on his grilled cheese, or meat or tofu in his spaghetti sauce, for example.

• Teach your child (without lecturing) about good nutrition. Hang a food chart in the kitchen and have him color in the requirements as he meets them each day, and mention nonchalantly that his oatmeal will help him run and jump better this morning.

• Don't cater too much to your preschooler's pickiness. While it was fine to indulge your toddler's desire to have his cheese sandwiches cut into star or moon shapes, your preschooler is getting old enough to eat without special gimmicks.

• As your child's world expands and he begins attending preschool, his taste in foods might broaden as well. It's not uncommon for children to be more open to new foods when they're away from home.

How can I get my child to eat a wider variety of foods?
It's unrealistic to expect a preschooler to eat a wide range of foods. In the long run, the example you set by serving and enjoying all sorts of healthy foods — at home and on the go — is one of the best ways to help your child learn to eat well. But for now, try to remember that your child's choice to eat only a few foods is just that — his choice, and it's important to let him learn to make his own decisions about food.

"A child needs to be in control of what he eats," says Hudson. If you force your preschooler to eat a food he doesn't like ("You'll sit at the table until you finish your peas"), or more than he wants, you could be setting him up for problems later: Children who are never allowed to make food decisions for themselves (such as deciding when they're full) are at a greater risk for developing eating disorders or becoming obese later in life. What's more, your strategy will almost always backfire because forcing your child to try new foods will only make him more stubborn and less open to trying new things in the future.

If your preschooler seems to be eating nothing but cheese and crackers for days on end, don't worry. Start keeping a record of what your child eats — you'll probably find that he's hitting all the major food groups and getting the necessary nutrients over the course of a week. Studies from the American Dietetic Association show that children — even those whose parents consider them "picky eaters" — generally consume a wide enough variety of foods to meet their nutritional requirements. If you really don't think your preschooler is eating well, ask your doctor whether it makes sense to give him a daily multivitamin.

How can I tell whether my child is really getting enough to eat if he's not growing?
Don't panic if it seems like your preschooler isn't growing fast enough. Children don't always grow at a steady pace, and there will be times when your child doesn't seem to be growing at all. Keep in touch with your doctor if you're concerned, but don't convey your fears to your child. If you're constantly hovering at mealtime, wheedling, cajoling, and counting calories, he's likely to become even more resistant to eating. Also keep in mind that your child's appetite will vary, depending on things like his activity level and whether or not he's having a growth spurt.

source from http://parentcenter.babycenter.com

What I Wish I'd Known About Starting my baby on Solid Food

What to feed your baby

"My son reacted to peas 12 hours after eating. It is very important to follow the advice of introducing new foods individually and a few days apart. That way, if a reaction occurs, you can know what really caused it."

"Leave fruit juice until much later. Once they taste it, it will be hard to get them to drink water."

"Season your baby's food. Even if it's just pepper (never give a baby salt), it will help her develop a taste for adult foods. Our daughter loves garlic, onions, and other foods that most kids don't like, and I attribute it to her getting paprika, garlic, pepper, and other spices in her baby food."

"It is harder, but make your own. If you try baby food yourself, you will understand why babies make that horrible face. I believe they will become better eaters if the food tastes good."

"You don't need to heat your child's food. If you never introduce hot food, he will probably be just fine with eating it at room temperature straight from the jar."

"Don't let your own likes and dislikes affect what you feed your child. I don't like cottage cheese, but I gave it to my son anyway and he loved it."

"Do not back off on nursing and/or formula. At first, solids should be an addition, not a replacement."

When to feed your baby
"Try to have your meals at the same time as your baby. This encourages her to eat, too."

"When you first start solids, don't wait until the baby is starving to feed him. If he's too hungry, he'll get frustrated and reject everything."

Handling food rejection
"After a couple of spoonfuls of applesauce, slip in one or two bites of spinach or green beans — anything your baby has been picky about. It's like they swallow it before they realize it's different."

"If your baby doesn't like a food, give him a bite of something he likes after it, or put a little of the food he likes on it."

"Be creative; my baby doesn't accept milk in a bottle, but drinks it from a straw, a cup, or a spoon."

"What they eat from a jar and what they eat from the table later on are totally separate entities. There are foods that my baby wouldn't eat from a jar that she now eats happily from the table. Don't give up!"

"I just assumed that she would open her mouth and eat anything I gave her. She can love something one day and hate it the next. Some days she eats a ton; the next, hardly anything. I just wish I had known to expect this."

"If your baby acts like you are completely nuts when you give him the extremely runny cereal made the way it is recommended for 'baby's first feeding,' try making it thicker. Some children like very smooth, runny food, but others just don't."

"If you wouldn't eat it, why should your baby? I taste-tested everything. Sometimes it was obvious why my daughter wouldn't eat certain foods; they tasted terrible."

Handling the mess
"Buy bibs with a rubber backing so nothing seeps through to your baby's clothes."

"Feeding is really messy. I keep a bucket filled with water and color-safe bleach so I can just toss the bibs in after feeding him and clean them later."

"Feed your baby in her diaper — it will be easier to clean up afterward."

"It's OK for babies to be messy! We can always clean them up, but we would do more harm if we never let them try new things."

General advice
"Have the camera ready. The faces they make are priceless, especially when you give them a new texture."

"Once the solid food starts, the solid waste starts. It seems obvious, but I never thought about it, and I was shocked at first and called the doctor, really freaked out. I can laugh about it now."

"Starting solids early does not help a baby sleep through the night. Only teaching good sleep habits will do that."

source from http://www.babycenter.com

The Dangers Of BPA In Cans Of Baby Formula

Liquid infant formula from the top manufacturers is sold in cans lined with a toxic chemical linked to reproductive disorders and neurobehavioral problems in laboratory animals, according to an investigation by Environmental Working Group (EWG). The chemical is almost as common in the packaging of powdered formula, with 4 of the top 5 companies acknowledging its use.

The chemical is bisphenol A, or BPA, a component of the plastic epoxy resins used to line metal food cans. Dozens of laboratory studies show that BPA affects the developing brain and reproductive systems of animals exposed to low doses during pregnancy and early life. BPA has recently raised concerns from 2 separate expert panels of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with 1 group of scientists warning that human exposures to BPA are already at or above the levels that harm animals and another expressing concern about impacts of BPA on infants' brains and behavior.

In October and November 2007, Environmental Working Group surveyed the 5 leading makers of baby formula sold in the U.S. to determine whether they use BPA in their packaging. We found:

• The makers of Nestle, Similac, Enfamil and PBM (who make store-brand formulas sold at WalMart, Target, Kroger and dozens of other retailers) all said that they use BPA in the linings of metal cans holding liquid formula.
• BPA is widely used in powdered formula containers as well. Every manufacturer except Nestlé said it uses a BPA-based lining on the metal portions of their powdered formula cans. Nestlé failed to provide EWG with reliable documentation of their alternative packaging, and thus is not a clear improvement over other types.
• Powdered formulas are a better choice. Our calculations indicate that babies fed reconstituted powdered formula likely receive 8 to 20 times less BPA than those fed liquid formula from a metal can.

Liquid formula is of greatest concern, and its use could lead to high BPA exposures for babies. Recent studies documenting that BPA leaches out of plastic baby bottles prompted a run on glass bottles by concerned parents. But testing by EWG and by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicates that under normal use, liquid formula itself could expose an infant to substantially more BPA than a plastic bottle.

The safest choice is clear: Breastfeed your baby whenever possible.

Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies. It contains essential fatty acids that help bolster babies’ bodies against the impacts of toxic chemicals. However, there are many reasons why families rely on formula for some or all of their baby’s diet. Seventy percent of babies in the U.S. receive some formula by the time they are 3 months old. These babies need a safe and healthy source of food, and formula should be manufactured in a way that avoids contamination with harmful chemicals.

If your child is fed infant formula, you can reduce BPA exposure by choosing powdered formula.

Nestlé, makers of Good Start and Mam brands, repeatedly told EWG researchers that its powdered formula cans contain no BPA. Nestlé's emails to parents repeat this claim, but the company has failed to document this in writing or provide information on their alternative to EWG, despite our numerous requests to the company. In any case, EWG cannot recommend Nestlé baby formula due to the company's long history of ethically suspect infant formula marketing practices in the developing world. Nestlé's claim that it uses BPA-free packaging, if true, would be welcome news, because it suggests that other manufacturers could switch to safer packaging materials and reduce babies' BPA exposures.

Powdered formula sold by Enfamil and Similac are reduced-risk choices, because only the metal tops and bottoms of their packages – not the cardboard sides – are metal and lined with BPA-based plastic. Earth's Best Organic and PBM (which make dozens of store brands) are more of a concern: they are sold in an entirely metal can, which means the formula has more contact with a BPA-coated surface.

If you must choose liquid formula, look for types sold in plastic containers or purchase concentrated – not ready-to-eat – types.

If you buy liquid formulas, look for those sold in plastic containers. If you must use liquid formula sold in metal cans, choose concentrated rather than ready-to-eat formula. Both FDA and EWG have tested samples of liquid formula sold in cans and found BPA in every company’s formula. Choosing a formula that requires dilution with water reduces the amount of BPA in your baby’s diet.

If you don’t know whether your brand is packaged with BPA, ask – and demand a straight answer.

During our initial calls to formula manufacturers, we asked company representatives if their packaging contains BPA, if they test for BPA levels in their products, and if they would disclose their test results to EWG. Many of the companies had a prepared response – “We comply with all FDA regulations regarding BPA and formula” – so it was clear that concerned parents are asking about BPA in formula. We later sent an email, without mentioning EWG, to see whether the information they gave to parents was consistent with what they told us.

PBM, the manufacturer of store brands, told EWG researchers their containers have a BPA lining. However, PBM later sent an EWG staff member an email stating that their packaging contains no BPA. These conflicting claims raise serious doubts about the credibility of PBM’s consumer information on BPA.

Nestlé tells parents on the phone and by email that their powdered formulas have no contact with BPA. They repeatedly told EWG researchers the same thing over the phone, but failed to put their claims in writing, making it difficult to determine if Nestlé is really a better option for babies.

Ross-Abbot, the makers of Similac, is the only company that told us they tested for BPA in their products, and that they detected none. However, both EWG and the Food and Drug Administration have found BPA in Similac cans, raising questions about either Ross-Abbot’s candor or the sensitivity of their testing methods.

source from http://www.ewg.org

Controversial Chemical Found In Liquid Baby Formula

Thu, Dec 6, 2007 (HealthDay) — A potentially cancer-causing chemical called bisphenol A is in the lining of most cans of liquid baby formula and the chemical often leaches into the formula at levels that are dangerous for babies, says the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group.

The group recommended that parents avoid liquid baby formula and use powder formula instead until companies line baby formula cans with bisophenol-free resin, the Toronto Star reported.

"Because they eat so much relative to their small size, their exposure is intense," said Sonya Lunder, the group's leader researcher on bisphenol A. "We can't use endocrine-disrupting chemicals in a baby's first food. The formula companies need to take action."

Liquid baby formula in cans is safe and parents shouldn't be concerned, said an association that represents major formula manufacturers, the Star reported.

However, more than 100 independent studies have shown that small doses of the chemical can cause developmental problems, cancer, obesity and early puberty, the Star reported.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Moms Play Key Role In Babies' Taste For Veggies

Tue, Dec 4, 2007 (Reuters Health) - A mother can help her baby develop a taste for fruits and vegetables early by eating these foods herself while breastfeeding and, once solids are introduced, by offering her baby these foods regularly, even in the face of a less than enthusiastic reception.

Eating fruits and vegetables is linked to lower risks of obesity and certain cancers, yet many adults and children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables each day, Drs. Julie A. Mennella and Catherine A. Forestell from the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, note in a report in the medical journal Pediatrics.

"The best predictor of how much fruits and vegetables children eat is whether they like the tastes of these foods," Mennella explained in a statement. "If we can get babies to learn to like these tastes, we can get them off to an early start of healthy eating."

Mennella and Forestell found that early sensory experiences can promote the acceptance of healthy foods and healthy eating patterns.

They randomly assigned 45 infants between 4 and 8 months of age, 20 of whom were breastfed, to one of two groups. One group was fed green beans for eight consecutive days; the other was given green beans and then peaches over the same period. Acceptance of both foods was assessed before and after repeated exposure.

Breastfeeding, the researchers report, seemed to be tied to the infants' initial acceptance of green beans and peaches — but only if the mother regularly consumed those foods.

"Breastfed infants showed greater liking of peaches, as did their mothers, who ate more fruits in general than did mothers who formula fed," the researchers report. It's possible, they suggest, that the enhanced acceptance of peaches by their infants is due to increased exposure to the fruit flavor through breast milk.

"It's a beautiful system," noted Mennella. "Flavors from the mother's diet are transmitted through amniotic fluid and mother's milk. So, a baby learns to like a food's taste when the mother eats that food on a regular basis."

Both groups of mothers reported eating green beans and green vegetables infrequently — at levels below current recommendations - and there was no difference in the amount of green beans eaten by breastfed and formula-fed infants the first time the vegetables were offered.

Once weaned, repeatedly offering green beans over eight days, with or without peaches, enhanced acceptance of the vegetable in both breastfed and formula-fed infants — increasing intake by almost three-fold.

"Babies are born with a dislike for bitter tastes," explained Mennella. "If mothers want their babies to learn to like to eat vegetables, especially green vegetables, they need to provide them with opportunities to taste these foods."

The results also suggest that mothers should not give up on a food just because her infant grimaces when he or she tastes it. In the current study, babies' facial expressions did not always match their willingness to continue eating the food.

What you can do:

Breastfeed your child if you can. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding your baby for at least the first year of life, and longer if both you and your child wish to continue.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Why Babies Spit Up

Why does my baby spit up so much?
He's probably just getting the hang of feeding. And he's not alone: About 40 percent of young babies spit up regularly. The peak age for spitting up is 4 months.

When your baby takes in air along with his breast milk or formula, the air gets trapped in with the liquid. The air has to come up, and when it does, so does some of the liquid.

Babies take in a lot of nourishment in relation to their size, and some of them really like to eat, so sometimes they become overfilled and, well, overflow.

A newborn's digestive system isn't fully developed, either. The muscles at the bottom of your baby's esophagus, which control whether food is coming or going, may still be getting up to speed. It's no wonder your baby creates so much laundry.

Is there anything I can do about it?
Try these tips to help your baby keep his food down:

• Hold your baby in a fairly upright position when you feed him.Feeding him while he's slouched (curled up in your arms or sitting in a car seat, for example) doesn't give the formula or breast milk a straight path to his tummy.

• Keep feedings calm. Minimize noise and other distractions, and try not to let your baby get too hungry before you start feeding him. If he's distracted or frantic, he's more likely to swallow air along with his breast milk or formula.

• If your baby's taking formula or expressed breast milk from a bottle, make sure the hole in the nipple isn't too small, which will frustrate your baby and make him swallow air. On the other hand, if the hole's too large, he'll be gagging and gulping because the fluid will come at him too quickly.

• Burp your baby after each feeding. In fact, if your baby takes a natural pause during a feeding, take the opportunity to burp him before giving him more food. That way, if there's any air, it'll come up before even more food is layered on top of it. (Don't forget to put a soft cloth on your shoulder first!)

If you don't get a burp up within a few minutes, don't worry. Your baby probably doesn't need to burp just then.

• Keep the pressure off his tummy. Make sure your baby's clothing and diaper aren't too tight, and don't put his tummy over your shoulder when you burp him. Try to avoid car trips right after feedings, because reclining in a car seat can put pressure on your baby's stomach, too.

• Don't jostle your baby too much after he eats, and try to keep him in an upright position for half an hour or so. This way he'll have gravity on his side. You can carry him, put him in a pack, or prop him next to you against some pillows if he's big enough.

• Don't overfeed him. If your baby seems to spit up quite a bit after every feeding, he may be getting too much to eat. You might try to give him just a bit less formula or breastfeed him for a slightly shorter time, and see whether he's satisfied. (He may be willing to take less formula or breast milk at a feeding but want to eat more frequently.)

• If your baby tends to spit up while sleeping, elevate his head. It's unsafe for your baby to sleep with a pillow, but you can place a foam wedge under one end of his mattress or put the head of his crib safely on blocks.

When will my baby outgrow this?
Most babies stop spitting up by around 6 or 7 months of age, or once they learn to sit up on their own, but a few will continue until their first birthday.

How can I tell if he's spitting up or vomiting?
Vomiting is usually more forceful and of greater quantity than if your baby is just spitting up some of his latest meal. If your baby seems distressed, he's probably vomiting. Spitting up doesn't faze most babies at all.

Is spitting up ever a sign of something serious?
Spitting up is usually just par for the parenting course, but if your baby isn't gaining weight as he should be, schedule a visit with his doctor.

Call your doctor immediately if your baby begins projectile vomiting. Projectile vomiting is when the spit-up flies out of a baby's mouth forcefully — shooting across the room, for example. This could be a sign of a condition called pyloric stenosis, in which the muscles at the bottom of the stomach thicken and don't allow food to pass into the small intestine.

Also phone your doctor right away if you see green bile in your baby's vomit. This could be a sign of a blockage in your baby's intestines, which would probably require emergency surgery.

source from http://www.babycenter.com