My Breast to Bib summary:
Kate from Modern Alternative Mama has come out with a fantastic new ebook directed toward the youngest members of the family…and their mamas. It is an ideal compliment to the other whole foods books in her “In the Kitchen” series. In the well-researched Breast to Bib–Modern Alternative Mama’s Guide to Nourishing your Growing Family, Kate covers your little one’s nutritional needs for the first two or three years of life in a non-judgmental, conversational manner.
She includes information about the benefits of breastfeeding. Her research on longterm nursing (two years and longer) makes us closet nursers no longer feel like freaks for extended or tandem nursing. On the other hand, she is highly encouraging to those who cannot supply enough milk, offering homemade formula recipes and supplementation options.
Kate simplifies the topic of feeding solids to babies, eliminating the complex age-based (as opposed to readiness-based) feeding regimen often “fed” to parents. And, listen people, it makes sense!
Kate also discusses how to deal with baby and toddler food allergies, from recognizing them to healing those nasty buggers. While I live with this issue daily, I generally stay away from this complex topic on The Simple Homemaker. It is anything but simple, and I hesitate to draw my readers into something that complicates life. Nevertheless, not recognizing and dealing with food sensitivities early on may contribute to long-term intestinal and immune damage, far more difficult to heal in later years than in infancy and toddlerhood. Ignorance in this case is not bliss. Sigh.
Finally, Kate offers recipes and food choices for babies, toddlers, and older children. This includes recipes that can be used for full meals and snacks, as well as ideas for convenient portable foods to replace the highly-processed but oh-so-delightfully convenient Gerber and General Mills snacks parents often turn to.
My thoughts on who would benefit from this book:
If your child has eczema, colic, excessive gassiness, frequent rashes, irritability, hyperactivity, allergies, or any other sign of digestive issues, you would benefit from this book.
If you or your child’s caretakers think Cheerios, “toddler puffs,” and rice cereal are great first foods for baby or toddler, read this.
Good eating habits start young.
If your baby’s grandparents don’t understand why you won’t let your “food sensitive” child eat a graham cracker or “teething biscuit,” get them this book. (I am in no way saying your perfectly healthy older child can’t have a graham cracker…or, er, a teething biscuit, but there are children out there (I have three) who react to certain foods and cannot have them for a time…or ever. Yup, not simple–believe me, I know, but ignoring it does not make it a non-issue.)
If you do not have support for extended breastfeeding or tandem nursing, are being pressured to wean, and are made to feel badly for not following conventional feeding “wisdom,” you’ll find the encouragement and support you need—both scientific and anecdotal–in this book.
If your child is abnormally picky about foods, preferring only carbs and sweets, this book could be a good launching point for you to address some health issues to get your little one on the right path.
If you are pregnant and want to know how to proceed with nursing, supplements, solids, and eventual weaning, this is a great resource which I wish I had 16 years ago. Even if you aren’t prepared to follow her recommendations in full or don’t agree with everything, you can’t help but take away a lot of valuable information that you can apply immediately.
My giveaway and coupon code:
I am giving away one copy of this excellent book to one reader. Enter here:
For those of you who prefer to buy a copy, Kate has given The Simple Homemaker readers a special discount of 25% off using the code HOMEMAKER25 through April 23, 2012. If you purchase through this link, I receive a commission, which I totally appreciate.
Kate is currently having a sale for 35% off Breast to Bib! Just enter code BABYFEED35. I don’t know how long this sale lasts, so if you’re interested in purchasing, don’t delay. This would make a great shower gift!
Buy Breast to Bib.
My somewhat tongue-in-cheek warnings:
While Breast to Bib confirms many of the natural instincts I have as a parent, those instincts are not supported by conventional medicine and the world in general, which makes life a little more complicated and a little less comfortable. If you read the book and take some of its points to heart, adapting your diet and lifestyle accordingly, you may begin to notice the following:
- You will be unpopular for not giving your nine-month-old child Cheerios and graham crackers. A good answer: “It leaves more for the rest of you.”
- People will automatically assume you are judging them if your baby is snacking on avocados and cheese instead of fruit snacks. Don’t judge them.
- You will be called extreme for nursing beyond 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 months. Don’t listen.
"Just twigs, thank you!"
- Every third person who learns you don’t feed your baby processed foods will say, “So, what do your kids eat? Nuts and twigs?” to which I like to
liereply, “They’re allergic to nuts, so just twigs, thank you.” - Your baby’s pediatrician will poo poo you when you bring up your allergy concerns and your notebook of carefully documented symptoms. I recommend just poo pooing him back when he brings up his carefully documented bill.
- Generations of parents will say “my kids turned out fine” when you decline their advice about rice cereal and sugar water. For this one, it’s best to just smile and nod, because they don’t need guilt any more than you do.
- And you, you yourself may be tempted to become a food extremist, something I only encourage when absolutely necessary, which, in my life, it is for a season. Seriously, do what you can to consume good food, but do not let food consume you.
My misgivings on the Real Food movement:
I was somewhat hesitant about introducing you to Kate Tietje’s newest ebook: Breast to Bib—Modern Alternative Mama’s Guide to Nourishing your Growing Family. Not because it isn’t an excellent resource, because it is indeed very helpful, and something I wish I had at my disposal 16 years ago when awaiting my firstborn.
The reason I hesitated to review it at The Simple Homemaker is that most of us conscientious mothers do the best we can with the knowledge and support we have at hand. When we later learn that we could have done much better with proper awareness, or, worse, that our instincts were correct and the poor advice we followed from medical professionals and other “experts” was not only wrong, but harmful, we are plunged into guilt, anxiety, and often bitterness. I don’t want that for you. [Please read Kate's excellent remarks in the comment section below on this topic.]
Secondly, despite the fact that we usually eat a very unprocessed, real foods diet here at The Simple Home (locusts and honey anyone?), the “Real Foods Movement” (not Kate’s ebook collection) has a “dark side” that I don’t want as part of The Simple Homemaker or my life. (Read more about that below.)
Nevertheless, the information in Breast to Bib is far too valuable for me to withhold, and it could be the support, encouragement, or affirmation you need to forge ahead with what you determine is best for your baby, toddlers, and twos, despite a possible lack of ”real world” support. Please proceed without guilt and anxiety for past choices. Also, please venture gently toward a more whole foods diet without stressing about being “good enough” or “perfect,” which leads me to…
My final word on The Dark Side of the Real Food Movement:
The move toward eating unprocessed foods and preparing grains and other foods in a more “traditional” manner is called the Read Food Movement. Technically, I suppose we are “real foodies,” but I admit that with obvious hesitation. Why hesitate? Why not strongly promote the movement on The Simple Homemaker?
While there are many wonderful real foodies out there, the Real Food Movement has a Dark Side.
Many within the movement have or portray a dogmatic judgmental attitude. I have been lashed out at for many things, such as buying canned tomatoes instead of shelling out thrice the amount for jarred tomatoes. Did that make me buy jarred tomatoes? No.
It made me feel guilty and inferior for feeding my family an otherwise healthy meal that was one can short of someone else’s idea of perfection. It made me feel poor and desperate for not being able to afford the highest quality food. It made me feel that, despite all the things I did “right,” the few things I did “wrong” were subjecting my children to a lifetime of disease. And it made me feel hopeless, because no matter how hard I tried, it was never, ever good enough. Ever. Where’s the joy in that? Where’s the simple in “never good enough”? There isn’t any.
So, my friends, while I wholeheartedly agree that unprocessed foods are the optimum choice, and I will from time to time share simple steps or resources to help you (if you’re interested) gently and simply move in that direction, it is my fervent desire to never make you feel hopeless, guilty, or afraid…all of which consume sneak up on me almost every day from time to time and make me want to bury my head in a bag of Doritos. Rest assured that I will never attempt to draw you to the Dark Side…although I hear they have cookies.
Let me reiterate, Kate’s collection of ebooks is excellent. No Dark Side there!
Disclosure Statement: Kate gave me a free copy of Breast to Bib for review purposes. That in no way affected my opinion of the book itself. Also, if you purchase a copy through my link, I receive a small commission, which helps support our roadschool.
Original artwork “The Dark Side of the Real Food Movement” by my 13-year-old daughter, Marissa.
Hello, my name is Stacy and I’m just here for the cookies. Ahem.
I appreciate your honesty. It’s nice to hear.
I feel as though we’re on the same side. Can I pick up any tomatoes in cans for you at the store today? I need to re-stock my supply. 
I’ll have a piping hot plate of cookies for you as soon as you get here with my canned tomatoes!
There are so many “ways” to eat real food. None of them are “best” for everyone. Sure, we can all find what is best for our own families. But we live in a world with limited resources, budgets, and the potential to be overwhelmed by the time it takes to sort through all the research and then actually preparing the food. I feel that way sometimes and I’m a real food blogger! (I’m sitting here eating boxed organic mac’n'cheese as I type…)
It’s entirely unhelpful to take a hard stance on something and shame those who don’t fall in line. It’s perfectly acceptable to share your reasons for your decisions and your passion for them, and help people to do their own research and come to their own conclusions.
I’ve long noted, also, that people feel guilty for what they didn’t know. But please believe me, that, too, is entirely unhelpful. I take great pride in the fact that my boys have never had a Cheerio or rice cereal and were exclusively breastfed with no supplementation. BUT my oldest had lots of Cheerios and rice cereal and had some commercial formula supplements as a baby. I could feel guilty because she didn’t get the same start they did…but I don’t. I didn’t know. Don’t ever let the potential for feeling guilty stop you from doing better when you get new information. It’s not helpful to anyone. And I’m saying this as someone who did things very differently with babies #2 and #3 than I did with baby #1. I’m proud of every small change that we make, and every move towards being healthier. Whatever happened three years ago or five years ago is just that, in the past, and ultimately it all led me here. How can that be bad?
Well said! Thank you for sharing your perspective. I’m sending readers to your comment from the post.
Thank you so much for this post – not even counting the giveaway. I’ve been in tears realizing how much I’ve put myself down for the proverbial can of tomatoes. (Only in my case, I have real sugar in my house – gasp!) It sparked a train of thought in me. My dad is a recovering alcoholic with 15 years of sobriety under his belt. He was the best dad he could be under the circumstances, but struggled with being present in my life. I wouldn’t want him to hold on to the guilt of being an imperfect parent for the rest of his life, especially when we have worked out so many of those issues and he’s a different person now. I need to let go of the guilt of not remembering very much of the first year of my youngest’s life – he had colic and I had post partum depression. We figured out at 2.5 with the help of a chiropractor that he’s allergic to wheat.
The second thought I had was about God – He doesn’t say the most important thing is to follow the real food movement, He says, “Follow me.” He says, “Love your neighbor.” He says, “Practice hospitality.” If I feed my kids the perfect diet with only the best organic food but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. It’s going to take some practice, but I am determined to let go of my mommy guilt in this area for good, even as I strive to work in more whole foods and less processed ones into our diet.
I would love to win a copy of this book. We’re in the process of becoming foster parents, and I’ve never bought infant formula. I’m interested in her recipes for that.
Christine, your story and struggles echo mine so closely that I’ve got goosebumps. Thank you for sharing. You are so very right about letting go and moving ahead in obedience to God and love for others. Oh, and we have sugar in the house, too…and sometimes we use it.
Thank you for your wonderful comment! God’s blessings on your fostering–you are the arms of Christ!
I would love to win this to learn more about breast feeding and baby led weaning.
Thank you so much for reminding us to not beat ourselves up for not feeding our families the perfect diet 24/7. The real food movement has had me in near constant shame and guilt. I thought I was doing good by giving my baby cherrios and when I found out they weren’t that great I felt like throwing all the cherrios in the air and just crying on the floor. Its so nice to hear another mother say that guilt over this has consumed her too. I’m definitely going to work on not letting this guilt take over me and just continue doing the best I can. Please don’t enter me in the giveaway because I already have this wonderful book
So I typed this nice long post about all these wondeful things I had to say, only to have the server tell me I wasn’t a real person! So on that note, since I am a mombot, I would love to have this book to get more great ideas on feeding 4 little ones better these days! Especially since one of those little stinkers is allergic to eggs, peanuts and other various (not documented) things!
I would love to get my kids eating healthy! Especially since I find it so difficult to do sometimes!
I hope you don’t mind that I pinned your vader with a link to this (http://pinterest.com/pin/259097784783252870/). I so agree with this, and it doesn’t just go for other things (like homeschooling, attachment parenting, breastfeeding,k etc.). While these are good things and its great to share what you’re doing to be healthier, better parent, ect., I think there’s ways to do this without making other people feel shamed.
Thanks for exposing the “dark side”; happily we both seem to be on the other side
BTW, I’ve been known to eat canned tomatoes right out of the store-bought no salt recipe can, when I have a craving. Can my own home grown tomatoes in jars btw. Oh…and Eat cookies too, Mostly home made!
Blessings to you and yours.
Blessings back atcha! Homemade cookies–love ‘em!