Organic Baby and Toddler Cookbook (Organic)

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful organic recipes
Review: This book has been extremely helpful to me in preparing my daughter's meals. The recipes are varied and not too time consuming. I agree that organic food is better for babies (and everyone), but this book could be used for conventional cooking as well. Ms. Vann does not focus as much on general information and guidance about nutrition and feeding. For these topics, I found Ellyn Satter "Child of Mine" to be quite helpful.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful cookbook but not very informative.
Review: This is a gorgeous cookbook and looks to have some yummy recipes but it doesn't have much information in it about preparing your own baby food. ORGANIC BABY would be best to supplement other baby food cookbooks or for someone planning on preparing only occassional meals for the infant/toddler.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful cookbook but not very informative.
Review: This is a gorgeous cookbook and looks to have some yummy recipes but it doesn't have much information in it about preparing your own baby food. ORGANIC BABY would be best to supplement other baby food cookbooks or for someone planning on preparing only occassional meals for the infant/toddler.

Rating:
Summary: Good recipes, Poor Information
Review: This is an easy to read book with fabulous pictures of very delicious foods. This book is a good resource for nutritious meals for your children. However, Ms. Vann gives poor information on the most important first food for children- breast milk. Her information on weaning is on the page for 4 to 7 month old babies, which implies this is when they should be weaned. A question is posed to her in this book. A mother is asking if she should switch from breastmilk to formula when she returns to work. Ms. Vann says she should switch BEFORE she returns to work. For a book so concerned with optimum nutrition, one would think that she would place more importance on the necessity of breastmilk as the most important basis for health, rather than declaring organic foods to be above this. She also states that food should be given before breastmilk to set children up for healthy eating habits. Breastmilk, in fact, should be the only source of nutrition for the first 6 months, and supplemental foods should compliment this thereafter for the first year.
The author also does not seem to be well informed of the optimal length breastfeeding should continue. The World Health Organization along with UNICEF recommmends that breastfeeding continue to age two and beyond. Ms. Vann mentions some cultures breastfeed for this long only when there is inadequate food available.
This book has some useful recipes but I would not recommend it to anyone based on the poor information on breastfeeding. After all, a babies FIRST food has the biggest impact on a child's health!