BEWARE! - NITRATES IN VEGETABLES

Once your baby is eating some solid foods, remember fresh is usually best. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, beets, carrots, collard greens, and turnips packed in the bottle contains large amounts of nitrates in some parts of the country. Nitrates can cause a type of anemia in your baby.

Even though you can't personally test the vegetables in your area, rest assured that baby-food companies take precautions to avoid using vegetables high in nitrates. So if you want to feed these vegetables to your baby, make sure that you will prepare and cook fresh vegetables. So your baby will get more stronger and healthy.

IS YOUR BABY READY FOR SOLID FOOD?

Most babies are ready to try solid food when they're about six months old. However, each baby is unique and your baby's weight or age alone does not determine readiness for solid food. Some clues that your baby is ready for solid food include the ability to hold her head steady and sit with support; reaching for and showing interest in food; opening her mouth when she sees food; and no longer thrusting her tongue out during feeding, a sign your baby's able to keep food in her mouth and swallow it.

The first time you try solid food, mix some infant cereal with breast milk or formula. Do not use cow's milk or any other kind of milk or liquid. See if your baby will take half of a very small spoonful. If she turns her head or cries, she is not ready. Try again in a week or two.

DIAPER RASH

If your baby gets a diaper rash, the most effective treatment is to keep the diaper area clean and dry, so try to leave her bottom exposed to air as much as possible. Clean the diaper area with warm water and use a mild soap after a bowel movement if necessary, and always rinse well as any residual soap will further irritate the skin. Diaper wipes usually don't cause a rash, but they can irritate broken skin. Apply a soothing diaper cream to your baby's bottom to create a barrier between the skin and future stools.

If your baby's diaper rash persists and develops into a yeast infection, no amount of diaper rash ointment will make it go away. A yeast infection usually looks like a large reddened patch with several small red areas around it. Use an antifungal medication (the same medication used to treat athlete's foot) to kill the yeast. Your baby's pediatrician may also prescribe a steroid cream in certain cases. A yeast diaper rash will usually heal in about seven days with an antifungal medication.