As you know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. At Hunter's 8 month check up (yes, we go to check ups even though they are not necessary SOLELY because I LOVE Hunter's naturopath. Any chance to sit down and talk natural parenting, I take it! Of course, she has to charge insurance so she does the whole routine but for the most part, it is conversing about our parening and lifestyle which I am fascinated by), Hunter was put on the chart at 25% for his weight. All things considered, that is not "bad" per say. 1. He is VERY MOBILE and burning lots and lots of calories for a little guy. 2. He is breastfed. Those charts are of ALL babies, formula fed included. Given formula does not change to adapt to your baby's needs, your child gets what the formula is made of whether they need it or not whereas a breastfed baby, the mothers milk changes to nourish the child at whatever stage they are at. Also, formula babies are sometimes coaxed into finishing the bottle or "come on, drink that last half an ounce" where breastfed babies usually stop nursing when satisfied. (This is NOT the part that formula feeding parents get upset for my generalizations or get defensive as this is not the point of the post).
Anyway, back to the fat. Considering Hunter IS on the leaner side, our naturopath suggested I take Fish Oil capsules. No. After one of my admired mommy friends reminded me how wary I should be of the ocean because of how contaminated it is, I could not get myself to take it. If the fish are farm raised, EVEN WORSE! I researched many ways to add omegas into my diet, number one being ground flax meal. This is essentially tasteless. If I had to compare SOME taste to it, I would say some kind of nut but to me, when I add it to almost everything, I do not taste it. I also put it on and in Hunter's food now. I only paid $3.99 for this bag that will last awhile!
Hunter does not care for very many foods. What he does like, he loves and there are many that we have offered that he did not care for that time around. Also, Hunter does not eat a lot when he does eat which is fine. I would rather him fill up on breastmilk so when he DOES eat, I want it to be as nutritious as possible. A vital piece of a babies diet? FAT! Babies brains are rapidly growing. In the first year, the brain doubles in size and in the first 6 years, the brain does 75% of its growing. And what are brains? FAT! So what does Hunter eat for breakfast? FAT!
Obviously, not all fats are equally as healthy. Lard? No. Coconut? YES! Hunter LOVES coconut yogurt. Hunter and I do NOT consumer dairy (another post to come). Coconut is uniquely high in a rare medium-chain fat called lauric acid, which is also found in breastmilk! SO Delicous makes traditonal style AND the Greek (creamier) style coconut yogurt. They also make cultured Greek Almond Milk Yogurt which I bet is just as good. This is the only food Hunter will eat from a spoon. Every morning, Hunter has 1/3 or so of the container of yogurt. I do not like dairy yogurt but I LOVE the coconut milk yogurt so I eat whatever is left ;] Just warning you, this is pretty pricey. I paid $2.49/ yogurt for these.
So there you have it. Two ways to get more healthy fats. Feed those babies brain fat! Little man and Daddy are getting off the four wheeler and I bet Hunter wants to tell me all about it. Now off to the store to get your flax and yogurt!
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