Fall Festivities

We're only a week into the new season and there is already much to look forward to. There are some great events happening all over the community this month. Check them out:

If you live in Caroline County, you'll want to check out the 22nd Annual Bowling Green Harvest Festival on October 15, going on from 9 AM until 4 PM. There will be plenty of fun for the entire family. Then at the end of the month take your children out to Treats in the Community. Caroline is a large county, so there are two opportunities to participate. The Port Royal Fire House will be hosting treats in the community on Tuesday, October 25 from 5 PM until 7 PM and the Upper Caroline Fire House will be hosting the event on Thursday, October 27 at the same time (from 5 PM-7 PM).

In Fredericksburg there will be a community health fair taking place at Resurrection Lutheran Church on Saturday, October 15 from 9 AM-1 PM. The church is located at 6170 Plank Rd in Fredericksburg. They will have free health screenings, health information, and dental fluoride treatments for children while supplies last. Then on October 22nd, Salem Fields Community Church will be having their Big Hairy Rocktober Carnival at 11120 Gordon Rd, Fredericksburg VA from 1-5 PM. The Big Hairy Rocktober Carnival is a free event that will include carnival rides, games, live music, face painting and more!

If you're in King George, be sure to head out to the annual Fall Festival. This is an event you won't want to miss. They'll be kicking off the festivities with a parade down Kings Hwy and there will be fun festivities to choose from the entire day.

This October in Spotsylvania, the Fredericksburg Fall Family Festival will be held at the Spotsylvania Towne Center on October 30 from 3-6 PM. The following weekend of November 5th, also at the Spotsylvania Towne Center, will be Family Fun Day at the mall food court from 11 AM- 3 PM.

There are some great events going on this month in Stafford too. The Weecycled Wardrobe Sale will be in town from October 7th to October 9th. The sale will be going on from 10 AM- 6 PM daily and will be located in the shopping center at the intersection of Tech Pkwy and Furnace Rd. Follow the link for directions and details about this semi-annual clothing sale. Then, the following weekend, Stafford Rotary's Wings & Wheels Festival will be taking place on Saturday, October 15 from 10 AM - 4 PM at the Stafford Regional Airport.

An apple a day...

You should start noticing an abundance of apples in your local grocery stores, and along with the increased amount and variety you will see great sale prices. Now is the time to stock up and get your apple fix! Apple season starts at the end of summer and lasts through early winter in our area. Apples are usually available year round, but this time of year they will taste better and be cheaper.

Remember the old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"? There may be some truth to that saying. Some studies have found that apples provide positive health benefits including improved heart health. But whether or not apples will keep the doctor away, you and your kids can enjoy this yummy fruit.

• An apple makes a perfect on the go snack. Make sure to wash the skin thoroughly.



• Cut up apple slices and serve with peanut butter and a glass of milk. A great nutritous snack your kids will love!



• Cut up apples and add them to salads.



• Diced apples are a great addition to oatmeal. Add some cinnamon and a little sugar for a really special breakfast.



• Apple slices taste great with cheese. This is a good snack that will give you energy and stick with you!

Here is a tip to keep your apple slices from turning brown: add a little bit of lemon juice.

- Allison Leonard RD

Cheap, Easy and Healthy: Dinner ideas for busy parents

You know the feeling... You come home tired after a long day and you are hungry and your kids are hungry! The last thing you want to do is slave away in the kitchen.This is the time alot of us dread, but dinner does not have to be a four course meal with all the fixings to be healthy and work for your family.

Our schedules are hectic and the days of the family dinner are disappearing unfortunately because of our busy schedules. Your children need a meal and they need you to eat with them at the table (or with some other responsible adult), but don't get caught up in the guilt and the "shoulds" of feeding your family. All you need to do is set a time for dinner, make everyone sit down at the same time, and put something on the table to eat. Make dinner easier on yourself and you will find yourself looking forward to family meals more and more.

Here is a week's worth of easy, cheap, and healthy meal ideas. Remember your dinners don't have to be perfect! But try has hard as you can to make them happen at the table, as a family, and as pleasant as possible.

1. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup (use WIC cheese and whole wheat bread from your WIC food instruments)- perfect for a chilly fall day!




2. Try breakfast for dinner- Eggs, toast or cereal, fruit, and milk (all WIC foods!)




3. Mexican night- bean and cheese burritos (use your WIC beans instead of refried beans and your WIC whole wheat tortillas). Serve with your favorite canned or fresh fruits or veggies (I like corn and tomatoes with mexican food).




4. Tuna melt sandwiches with cut up carrots and ranch dressing.




5. Homemade mini pizzas (with your toppings of choice, you can use your WIC whole wheat tortillas here as well). Have with your favorite veggies or fruit. Serve milk to drink.




6. Macaroni and cheese, milk (for protein), and a fruit or veggie.




7. A classic kids' favorite for those really busy nights: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, milk, and... you guessed it... a fruit or veggie.
   
   
   
   
   

   -Allison Leonard RD

Ready To Pop!

Our recent "Ready to Pop!" breastfeeding baby shower was a great success!

In true movie star style, guests entered on the "red carpet!"

We played fun games to learn about breastfeeding!

  

Our Breastfeeding Peer Counselors taught the moms all about breastfeeding basics, including how breastfeeding works, correct positioning and latching, and benefits of breastfeeding.



Winners of breastfeeding bingo won great prizes!

If you were unable to attend this baby shower, don't worry!  We will be having more in the future!  Ask your WIC breastfeeding peer counselor for more information!

Having Trouble Finding a WIC Item at the Store?

One of the great things about WIC is the great variety of foods you can get between your food instruments and the fruit and vegetable vouchers.

There are over 60 cereals to choose from, more than 10 different cheeses, and almost the entire produce section. However, the foods you are able to purchase depend on where you do your grocery shopping.

Different stores carry different brands as well as a different variety of WIC approved foods. For example: you receive the whole grain check that gives you the option of whole wheat bread, corn tortillas, whole wheat tortillas, or brown rice. Even though there are four foods to choose from, stores are only required to carry one of these four foods... So one store may only carry bread and tortillas, while another store may only carry rice with no bread or tortillas, while a third store may have you all four to choose from. This doesn't make one store better than another. It just means that different stores just carry a different variety.

I know it can be a little tricky, but the best thing to do if you're not finding what you need is to explore different stores so that you find one with the items you are looking for. If you are having trouble finding a certain item at your local grocery store, you can use the link below to see which stores stock that item. Happy Shopping!

Store Locator

Valerie Marcellus, Nutritionist

Just say NO to cereal in the bottle!

It seems like as soon as you are pregnant, you are bombarded with all kinds of "advice" about how to feed and care for your baby. Alot of it is unwanted, some of it comes from healthcare professionals and is good advice, and some of the "advice" can be harmful! One particularly common peice of advice we hear alot in the clinic is the advice to put cereal in a baby's bottle. This is one of those things you may hear from your mother, grandmother, peers, and other family members. This practice can be particularly harmful and it is not recommended.

Putting cereal in baby's bottle at any age is harmful due to several reasons:

1. Cereal thickened formula for a young baby is a choking hazard! Young infants do not have the developmental skills to handle textured foods yet. Often a baby is given a cereal thickened bottle and layed down to go to sleep. The baby can choke or aspirate (inhale) and no one is there to know it! This is a double no-no. You should never prop a bottle up or give a baby a bottle while laying down and you should never put cereal in a baby's bottle.
2. Cereal in a baby's bottle can overfeed the baby. Do you know that overstuffed, overtired feeling we get after eating Thanksgiving dinner or another large meal? That doesn't always feel good. Do you want your baby to feel that way?
3. Putting cereal in a bottle messes up the perfect nutrition balance of formula or breastmilk. Your baby's milk is specially formulated to have the perfect balance of nutrients your baby needs. Don't mess it up by adding cereal, baby foods, or other items to your baby's bottle.
4. You have decided to bottle feed because you do not wish to breastfeed or breastfeeding did not work out for you. You want to bottle feed as if you were breastfeeding. Always hold your baby when you feed them. Feed them when they are hungry and stop when they are full (don't make them finish a bottle if the baby stops sucking, pushes the nipple out, or you see milk dripping out of the corners of the baby's mouth- these are all signs that your baby is done). And do your breasts have cereal in them? I didn't think so...
5. Putting cereal in the bottle usually means you are introducing solids too early because your baby cannot eat off of a spoon yet. Introducing solids too early can put your baby at increased risk for food allergies and obesity. Wait until your baby is old enough to eat off of a spoon (usually around 6 months). Breastmilk or formula is all your baby needs for the first 6 months of life.
6. Cereal thickened formula can cause constipation and tummy aches.

In very rare cases of severe reflux your doctor may recommend thickening the baby's milk with rice cereal. Cereal in the bottle should always be a very last resort. There are other ways to manage severe reflux and special formulas that are made already thickened so that the nutritional balance is not messed up. Please discuss these options with your doctor before putting cereal in the bottle and definitely don't put cereal in your baby's bottle otherwise!

If you are having feeding difficulties or have questions about introducing solids, please call your local health department and ask to speak with a nutritionist.

-Allison Leonard RD

Got Milk?

"Is my baby getting enough breastmilk?"  We hear this question all the tme, and with good reason, too!  Unlike bottle feeding, breastfeeding does not allow you to measure exactly how much milk the baby is getting.  This can cause many moms to wonder if they are making enough milk for their baby.  Fortunately, there are several ways to tell that your baby is getting enough milk.

1.  Baby seems relaxed and satisfied after a feeding.  This means that the baby's fists are not clenched, her arms are not stiff, and she may even be asleep. 

2.  You can hear or see your baby swallow when she breastfeeds.  This will sound like a small clicking noise.  Most babies have a "suck suck swallow" rhythm while they eat, and you will be able to hear this.

2.  Baby is gaining weight.  Right after birth, it is normal for a baby to lose between 5 and 9 percent of her birth weight, as long as she regains it by the time she is two weeks old.  After that, she should continue to gain weight.  Weight gain will be fast in the first few months, and will gradually slow down as she gets older.  If you are concerned about your baby's weight gain, talk to your doctor.

3.  You are breastfeeding frequently.  You should be breastfeeding 10 to 12 times in each 24 hours.  This may seem like a lot, but breastmilk is digested much more quickly than formula because it is easier on baby's tummy.  This is a good thing!  It prevents constipation and discomfort (breastfed babies hardly ever get constipated!).

4.  Baby has dirty and wet diapers.  All that breastmilk has to go somewhere!  After day 1, your baby should have 3 or more stools per day.  This will increase to 4 or more stools a day by day 5.  Her stool should change from black to yellow by day 5, and her urine should be clear or pale yellow.  She will also have 6 or more wet diapers a day by day 5. 

If all these are true, relax!  Your baby is getting everything she needs from your breastmilk.  If some of these are not true, try not to worry.  Call your WIC breastfeeding peer counselor and she can help you with any problems you might be having.

If you see signs that your baby is not getting enought to eat, call your baby's doctor right away.

Sarah Robertson, Nutritionist