FIND SAFER BABY FORMULA

Debating between breast feeding and formula feeding? Healthy Child recommends breastfeeding if possible for at least the first 12 months of life. We’re in good company here – the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization agree.

However, there are important and valid reasons a family might need to use formula.

It’s important to consult with your pediatrician to pick the best and safest option for your baby, especially in light of increasing recalls on infant formulas. The number one thing to keep in mind is to choose organic to avoid pesticide residues, synthetic hormones, and genetically modified ingredients, among other concerns.

Here are other considerations when shopping for baby formula and baby bottles:

When deciding between powdered and liquid, read up on the issues with either to make an informed choice. Powdered isn’t a sterile product and has been subject to recalls in the past due to contamination, so might not be the right choice for very young infants. (For best powdered formula preparation practices, turn to this World Health Organization guide.) If you opt for liquid formula, make sure it comes in a BPA-free container.

Use distilled or filtered water for preparing formula. There are many reasons to do this, including that fluoride found in municipal drinking water can harm rather than help baby’s teeth. The American Dental Association suggests mixing formula with water that either is fluoride-free or has low concentrations of fluoride.

Choose glass, stainless steel, or BPA-free bottles with silicone nipples.

Do not heat water or formula in plastic. If you’re using a plastic bottle, heat in glass first then transfer to the bottle.

If you’re using plastic, wash bottles with a mild plant-based detergent by hand to prevent degradation. Replace bottles and nipples when they become worn.

You may see DHA and ARA mentioned on product packaging. These fatty acids, vital for brain and eye development, are most efficacious as naturally occurring components of breast milk; artificial versions have not been shown to have the same developmental results. There has been some concern regarding the method used to extract them for use in formula, but they’re difficult to avoid as nearly all formulas are fortified with them. Still, these nutrients are vital for healthy development and manufacturers continue to look for natural, effective sources, so do a little research to see what the latest recommendations are from sources like the FDA and American Academy of Pediatricians.

Formula contains added sugar to help babies digest proteins. The FDA doesn’t set an amount of sugar per serving or specify which sugars can be used. Discuss with your pediatrician to determine how much is too much and which kind (i.e. sucrose or lactose) is preferable for your baby.

The Truths About Breastfeeding after One Year

My son is 2 1/2 and still breastfeeding. There are days when I'm utterly exhausted and ready for him to wean. Then there are other moments when I know I am doing the right thing. He is likely my last baby, so I want to savor this time.

Breastfeeding beyond a year in the United States, unfortunately, is not common. Lucky for me, I am part of a very active local Facebook group called the Badass Breastfeeders of Southern Maryland. The group is made up of supportive moms, and many of them now have little toddler nursers. I asked them to share their truths about extended breastfeeding.

 

#Truth 1

“Gymnursetics is real.”

-Alithza Martinez

#Truth  2

“Nineteen months — that's how long I spent nursing my last baby. Through challenges and triumphs, I only wanted to nurse for three months, then six months, and then a year. Then when it was over, there I was sobbing uncontrollably the last time my baby latched.

“No one ever tells you how that weaning period feels. The emotional sadness you feel when it all ends. He unlatched, looked me in the eyes and sighed while saying 'All done.' That was the last time he ever latched.”

-Shannon Heany Crush

#Truth  3

“My son is almost 19 months old. Breastfeeding was hard at first. Really hard. My other two children didn't make it past four months. With a family who calls my son a 'titty baby' because he is clingy and fussy, I have very family little support.

“My husband isn't very supportive either, but through a move across country, sickness, surgery, and two kids in school, I am still breastfeeding.

“Going past a year was new to me. My son is so very demanding and always pinching, too many touched out days for me, but our bond is so strong. I love our time together. I dread our weaning days and am hoping that isn't anytime soon.”

-Amber Enrriques

#Truth   4

“This is the last photo I have of my daughter nursing. She weaned September 2014 at 20 months old. I was roughly 7-months pregnant with her little brother.

“My goal had been to nurse until she was 2, as that is what the World Health Organization recommends. We didn't quite make it, but we nursed until she was ready to wean. Some days it was hard, but mostly, it was an amazing bond that I will never forget.”

-Annie Stauffer

#Truth  5
“Fifteen months and going strong! Truth is that it's difficult eating enough to keep yourself satisfied while providing enough for your baby. Truth is that it's not easy, in any sense, nursing a toddler. Truth is that I get a huge sense of pride and accomplishment out of knowing that I have nourished her and that she will quit when she's ready.”

-Gwyenne Buttrill

#Truth 6

 “My truths about nursing past a year:

“Nursing a toddler doesn't feel any different than nursing a baby. I'll admit, before I had my daughter, the idea of nursing past a year or two weirded me out. But nursing my 2-year-old feels just as natural and normal as it did when she was a newborn.

“Extended nursing in no way limits a child's independence. Or at least, if it does, thank goodness! If my fiercely independent and strong-willed daughter were any more so, I'm not sure I'd survive it!

“Sometimes I love our nursing relationship; sometimes I don't love it. In fact, if I'm being honest, sometimes I resent it. I resent that some days I'm so touched out from nursing that the last thing I want to do when my daughter finally crawls down from my lap is to get down on the floor and play blocks, or cars, or dress up. Although I love how strong our nursing bond is, I sometimes worry that other parts of our relationship might suffer for it.

“The hardest part of nursing a toddler is other people. You would think by now I would be immune to the opinions of other people, but actually, it's the opposite. With the perceptions about extended nursing in our country being what they are, the older my daughter gets, the more self-conscious I feel about nursing. I very rarely nurse in public anymore, and I sometimes cringe when my husband (who cares not at all what other people think) tells people we're still nursing.

“Not everyone who nurses past a year plans on self-weaning. I never planned to nurse until my daughter self-weaned. From the beginning, my goal was to nurse for as long as both she AND I wanted to. And now that she's over 2, I sometimes feel like I'm caught in a limbo between the early weaning crowd and the full-term nursers.

“I am absolutely certain I would not still be nursing without the support of other nursing moms!”
-Amanda Mastran

by Mindi Stavish

Using a Mother’s Microbes to Protect Cesarean Babies

The first germs to colonize a newborn delivered vaginally come almost exclusively from its mother. But the first to reach an infant born by cesarean section come mostly from the environment — particularly bacteria from inaccessible or less-scrubbed areas like lamps and walls, and skin cells from everyone else in the delivery room.

Photo

The transfer of the maternal microbiome occurs naturally after (a) a vaginal birth. After a (b) C-section, researchers transferred the neonatal microbiome from the mothers with a (c) gauze treatment.CreditKim Caesar/Nature Publishing Group

That difference, some experts believe, could influence a child’s lifelong health. Now, in the first study of its kind, researchers on Monday confirmed that a mother’s beneficial microbes can be transferred, at least partially, from her vagina to her baby after a C-section.

The small proof-of-principle study suggests a new way to inoculate babies, said Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, an associate professor of medicine at New York University and lead author of the report, published on Monday in Nature Medicine.

“The study is extremely important,” said Dr. Jack Gilbert, a microbial ecologist at Argonne National Laboratory who did not take part in the work. “Just understanding that it’s possible is exciting.”

But it will take further studies following C-section babies for many years to know to what degree, if any, the method protects them from immune and metabolic problems, he said.

Some epidemiological studies have suggested that C-section babies may have an elevated risk for developing immune and metabolic disorders, including Type 1 diabetes, allergies, asthma and obesity.

Scientists have theorized that these children may be missing key bacteria known to play a large role in shaping the immune system from the moment of birth onward. To replace these microbes, some parents have turned to a novel procedure called vaginal microbial transfer.

A mother’s vaginal fluids — loaded with one such essential bacterium, lactobacillus, that helps digest human milk — are collected before surgery and swabbed all over the infant a minute or two after birth.

An infant’s first exposure to microbes may educate the early immune system to recognize friend from foe, Dr. Dominguez-Bello said.

Friendly bacteria, like lactobacilli, are tolerated as being like oneself. Those from hospital ventilation vents or the like may be perceived as enemies and be attacked.

These early microbial interactions may help set up an immune system that recognizes “self” from “non-self” for the rest of a person’s life, Dr. Dominguez-Bello said.

In the United States, about one in three babies are delivered by C-section, a rate that has risen dramatically in recent decades. Some hospitals perform the surgery on nearly seven in ten women delivering babies.

An ideal C-section rate for low-risk births should be no more than 15 percent, according to the World Health Organization.

Dr. Dominguez-Bello’s study involved 18 babies born at the University of Puerto Rico hospital in San Juan, where she recently worked. Seven were born vaginally and 11 by elective C-section. Of the latter, four were swabbed with the mother’s vaginal microbes and seven were not.

Microbes were collected on a folded sterile piece of gauze that was dipped in a saline solution and inserted into each mother’s vagina for one hour before surgery. As the operations began, the gauze was pulled out and placed in a sterile collector.

One to two minutes after the babies were delivered and put under a neonatal lamp, researchers swabbed each infant’s lips, face, chest, arms, legs, back, genitals and anal region with the damp gauze. The procedure took 15 seconds.

Dr. Dominguez-Bello and her colleagues then tracked the composition of microbes by taking more than 1,500 oral, skin and anal samples from the newborns, as well as vaginal samples from the mothers, over the first month after birth.

For the first few days, ambient skin bacteria from the delivery room predominated in the mouths and on the skin of C-section babies who were not swabbed, Dr. Dominguez-Bello said.

But in terms of their bacterial colonies, the infants swabbed with the microbes closely resembled vaginally delivered babies, she found, especially in the first week of life. They were all covered with lactobacilli.

Gut bacteria in both C-section groups, however, were less abundant than that found in the vaginally delivered babies.

Anal samples from the swabbed group, oddly, contained the highest abundance of bacteria usually found in the mouth.

The results show the complexity of labor, said Dr. Alexander Khoruts, a microbial expert and associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota. “It cannot be simplified to a neat, effortless passage of the infant through the birth canal,” he said.

As the month progressed, the oral and skin microbes of all infants began to resemble normal adult patterns, Dr. Dominguez-Bello said. But fecal bacteria did not, probably because of breast or formula feeding and the absence of solid foods.

The transfer fell short of full vaginal birth-like colonization for two reasons, Dr. Dominguez-Bello said. Compared to infants who spent time squeezed inside the birth canal, those who were swabbed got less exposure to their mother’s microbes.

And all infants delivered by C-section were exposed to antibiotics, which also may have reduced the number and variety of bacteria colonizing them.

A larger study of vaginal microbial transfer is underway at N.Y.U., Dr. Dominguez-Bello said. Eighty-four mothers have participated so far.

Infants delivered both by C-section and vaginally will be followed for one year to look for differences in the treated and untreated groups and to look for complications. Thus far the swabbing has proved entirely safe.

The procedure is not yet recommended by professional medical societies, said Dr. Sara Brubaker, a specialist in maternal and fetal medicine at N.Y.U. Until more is known, physicians are hesitant to participate.

“But it has hit the lay press,” she said. “Patients come in and ask for it. They are doing it themselves.”

Dr. Brubaker is one of them. When her daughter was born three and a half months ago, she arranged to have her baby swabbed.

A Time to Wean

In the United States, women receive conflicting advice about when to wean their children completely from breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one year, while WHO and UNICEF recommend at least two years. Many physicians consider six months to be "extended" breastfeeding, and some health professionals question the motives of women who nurse for more than a year. In turn, women may hide the fact that they are still nursing an older child from disapproving health care professionals or family members. From anthropological research, we know that in many non-Western cultures children are routinely nursed for three to four years. Are they eccentric, or are we? Can we look to other animals to determine what the natural age at weaning would be in modern humans if it was not modified by cultural beliefs?

Like all mammals, humans have mammary glands that function to nurture their offspring. Within the class Mammalia, humans are members of the order Primates, and have the basic primate pattern of breastfeeding and weaning activity that has been molded by more than 65 million years of natural selection to ensure the best possible survival rate of primate offspring. This basic pattern is assumed to be primarily genetically based. In addition, a number of life-history variables are also associated with age at weaning in the non-human primates. What do these variables suggest about the "natural" age of weaning in humans?

Weaning according to tripling or quadrupling of birth weight

The idea that mammals wean their offspring when they have tripled their birth weight is widely reported in the breastfeeding literature (Lawrence 1989). This rule of thumb holds true for small-bodied mammals, but not for larger ones. Recent research has looked at age at weaning and at growth among large mammals, including primates. The research shows that weaning occurs some months after quadrupling of the birth weight, rather than tripling (Lee, Majluf and Gordon 1991). When do U.S. infants typically quadruple their birth weight? For males, the average age is around 27 months, and for females, around 30 months.

Weaning according to attainment of one-third adult weight

Other studies suggest that primates are like other mammals in weaning each offspring when they reach about one-third their adult weight (Charnov and Berrigan 1993). Humans come in different sizes, but 4 to 7 years of nursing would be the weaning age for humans using this method of comparison, with boys generally being nursed longer than girls, and large-bodied populations nursing longer than small-bodied groups.

Weaning according to adult body size

Harvey and Clutton-Brock (1985) published a study of life-history variables in primates, including a formula for calculating age at weaning based on adult female body weight. The equation predicts an age at weaning for humans at between 2.8 and 3.7 years, depending on average adult female body weight, with larger-bodied populations nursing the longest.

Weaning according to gestation length

It is often reported in the literature that, among mammals in general, weaning age is approximately the same as the length of gestation (Lawrence 1989). By this criterion, weaning in humans might be expected to take place after only nine months of breastfeeding. However, this one-to-one relationship is greatly affected by the adult size of the animal. For many small-bodied primates, the duration of breastfeeding is shorter than the length of gestation. Among large-bodied primate species, the duration of breastfeeding far exceeds the average length of gestation. For humankind's closest relatives, the chimpanzee and the gorilla, the duration of breastfeeding is more than six times the length of gestation. Humans are among the largest of the primates, and share more than 98 percent of their genetic material with chimpanzees and gorillas. Based on these comparisons, an estimated natural age at weaning for humans would be a minimum of six times gestational length, or 4.5 years.

Weaning according to dental eruption

According to the research of Smith (1991), many primates wean their offspring when they are erupting their first permanent molars. First permanent molar eruption occurs around 5.5 to 6.0 years in modern humans. It is interesting to note that achievement of adult immune competence in humans also occurs at approximately six years of age, suggesting that throughout our recent evolutionary past, the active immunities provided by breast milk were normally available to the child until about this age (Fredrickson).

Our evolutionary past has produced an organism that relies on breastfeeding to provide the context for physical, cognitive, and emotional development. The human primate data suggest that human children are designed to receive all of the benefits of breast milk and breastfeeding for an absolute minimum of two and a half years, and an apparent upper limit of around seven years. Natural selection has favored those infants with a strong, genetically coded blueprint that programs them to expect nursing to continue for a number of years after birth and results in the urge to suckle remaining strong for this entire period. Many societies today are able to meet a child's nutritional needs with modified adult foods after the age of three or four years. Western, industrialized societies can compensate for some (but not all) of the immunological benefits of breastfeeding with antibiotics, vaccines and improved sanitation. But the physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of the young child persist. Health care professionals, parents, and the general public should be made aware that somewhere between three and seven years may be a reasonable and appropriate age of weaning for humans, however uncommon it may be in the United States to nurse an infant through toddlerhood and beyond.

Breastfeed or formula feed

Choosing whether to breastfeed or formula feed their baby is one of the biggest decisions expectant and new parents will make.

A number of health organizations — including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) — recommend breastfeeding as the best choice for babies. Breastfeeding helps defend against infections, prevent allergies, and protect against a number of chronic conditions.

The AAP recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. Beyond that, breastfeeding is encouraged until at least 12 months, and longer if both the mother and baby are willing.

Although experts believe breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants, breastfeeding may not be possible for all women. For many, the decision to breastfeed or formula feed is based on their comfort level, lifestyle, and specific medical situations.

For mothers who are unable to breastfeed or who decide not to, infant formula is a healthy alternative. Formula provides babies with the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.

Some mothers worry that if they don't breastfeed, they won't bond with their baby. But the truth is, loving mothers will always create a special bond with their children. And feeding — no matter how — is a great time to strengthen that bond.

The decision to breastfeed or formula feed your baby is a personal one. Weighing the pros and cons of each method can help you decide what is best for you and your baby.

The Truth About VitaminA Safety in Prenatal Vitamins

The most common question that pregnant women ask me is "My obstetrician says that it is very dangerous for me to take vitamin A while I'm pregnant. As an expert in nutrition, what is your opinion?"

No doubt, there is a lot of fear and confusion on this topic. So let's get right down to the truth of the matter. As usual, the truth is to be found in the middle of two opposite points of view. One point of view is that pregnant women should avoid taking any vitamin A. The other point of view is that pregnant women do not need to be concerned at all with their vitamin A consumption because the risks are minimal.

So let's clarify the issue so you can make the most informed choice for yourself and your baby:

In 1995, the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published a study that showed strong evidence that approximately 1.7% of pregnant women in the U.S. consuming greater than 10,000 International Units (IUs) of vitamin A (retinol) per day during the first 7 weeks of their pregnancy gave birth to children afflicted with some form of birth defect. This was one out of every 57 women. This created a wave of fear in obstetricians and their pregnant patients that continues to this day.

The good news about this study is that it alerted doctors to strongly caution their pregnant patients that consuming over 10,000 IUs of vitamin A per day for the first 7 weeks of her pregnancy can be risky. To my way of thinking this should also hold true for women of childbearing age who are actively trying to become pregnant.  Women who are given very high dosages of vitamin A for acne treatments should avoid becoming pregnant until their blood levels of vitamin A are well within the normal range.

The bad news about the effects the NEJM vitamin A study is that it made far too many obstetricians and obstetrical nurses overly cautious, even paranoid, about women taking anyform of vitamin A, even supplements containing beta-carotene. Obviously no pregnant woman wants to put her developing baby at risk, so when their obstetrician tells them to avoid taking all vitamin A they listen.

The other side of the truth is that developing babies need somevitamin A.  Vitamin A deficiency can cause fetal and infant growth retardation.  It is well known that plant scientists have been trying to perfect modified strains of rice to contain beta-carotene (orange in color) for third world countries. 

Why? To help prevent the large amount of infants born blind every year because their mother's bodies did not have enough vitamin A to donate an adequate amount to their developing eyes!

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 250,000 and 500,000 children are born blind every year. WHO also estimates that 13.8 million children have some degree of visual loss related to vitamin A deficiency.

Carotenes and carotenoids are natural pigments that give colored fruits and vegetables their bright colors. Carrots are a good example because their orange color is reflective of an abundance of carotenoids and carotenes. There are over 600 carotenoids/carotenes and less than 50 seem to be able to be converted into vitamin A. This conversion is essential, however, because the human vision is dependent upon these pigments.

The conversion of carotenes to vitamin A depends upon a number of factors including adequate zinc, vitamin C, protein status, bile salts, pancreatic enzymes and optimal thyroid gland health. So women with inadequate levels of these necessary co-factors have more difficulty converting high pigment foods into vitamin A.

One International Unit (IU) of vitamin A (retinol) does not equal one IU of beta-carotene because only between 40%-60% of beta-carotene is absorbed and converted into vitamin A. Also, the absorption of beta-carotene is self-limiting. This means that beyond a healthy level, the more you take the less you absorb. Beta-carotene taken in supplement form absorbs better than beta-carotene from foods. Betacarotene is safe and necessary.

On average, a healthy daily intake of vitamin A for pregnant women is approx. 4000 IUs. This means that if you have been told by your obstetrician to avoid taking all vitamin A and you are receiving less than about 8000 IUs of carotenes from your prenatal vitamin and your diet combined, there is increased risk that your child may suffer some degree of visual loss or growth retardation. The risk of pregnant women receiving too little vitamin A is just as unacceptable as too much vitamin.

As previously stated, the truth tends to be found right in the middle of the two opposite points of view. Too much vitamin A brings a small but significant risk of birth defects. Too little vitamin A brings a risk of visual loss or growth retardation.

So what do you do when you become pregnant?

Here are some guidelines:

(1)            To be on the safe side, it is best to avoid prenatal vitamins that contain any of the retinol form of vitamin A.

(2)            Try to make sure that your daily intake of vitamin A does not exceed 6000 IUs during the first 2 months of your pregnancy.

(3)            Avoid eating foods very high in the retinol form of vitamin A on a daily basis, especially beef liver (43,900 IUs/3.5 oz serving) and calves liver (22,500 IUs/3.5 oz. serving).

(4)             Make sure that your prenatal vitamin contains at least 3500 IUs of betacarotene.

(5)            Try to obtain 4000-5000 IUs of carotenes and carotenoids from your diet. You can do this by eating lots of colored vegetables like carrots and green leafy vegetables.

(6)            Eat brightly colored fruits.

(7)            If you cannot eat enough colored vegetables, find a good tasting vegetable powder that can provide you with 4000-5000 IUs of these essential precursors to vitamin A.

(8)            Do your best to take this middle ground and try not to worry.

Author,

Dr. Dean Raffelock

Average Weight Gain for Breastfed Babies

For a new mother, her baby's health is the most important matter of concern. So, do you know if your baby weighs as much as other babies do or is your baby underweight?

Every baby is born different. Hence, they have unique habits and each has a different pace of growth and development. While weight gain among newborn babies depends upon a number of factors like gender, race, ethnicity, genetic structure of parents, mother's health and gestation period of pregnancy, there are statistics of average weight gain for babies who are breastfed, that can help you make the comparison with your baby's weight. Did you know? Your baby will approximately weigh twice as much as he/she weighed at birth, within 3 to 4 months, and thrice the same weight in the first year. 

 

But has your baby also lost weight since birth? You need not be worried because a 5% to 10% weight loss is generally observed in babies within 3 to 4 days of birth. So, are you breastfeeding your baby sufficiently? Mother's milk has enough nutrients for a newborn, hence, all pediatricians recommend exclusively feeding the child with breast milk for the first six months since birth. As previously mentioned, the weight loss noted among babies within 3 to 4 days of birth should be regained in the next two weeks.

Weight Gain Statistics

The average weight observed in babies, at birth, is 6 to 9 pounds.

After 2 weeks of birth, the baby will gain approximately 5 to 8 ounces every week.

Every month, your baby will show a steady weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds.

Girls weigh more than boys when they are 4 months old. Average weight of a breastfed baby girl is 13 pounds and that of a baby boy is 12 pounds.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), babies who are breastfed exclusively gain 34.5 g weight per day and 110 to 200 g per week in the first month. In the next 4 months, this figure stands at 18.75 g per day.

For babies who are breastfed, average weight gain is at least 100 g per week and 500 g per month in the same time frame. Later, the weight gain may drop to 80 g per week.

For babies who are breastfed between 6 to 12 months since birth, average weight gain is a pound a month.

A baby is likely to grow an inch a month in the first 6 months and half an inch each month, in the next 6 months.

A sick baby needs up to 3 weeks to recover the weight loss.

Extra fluid retention during pregnancy due to IV fluids can lead to a heavier baby at birth. However, your baby will lose all the extra water weight in the first 72 hours of birth, leading to a weight loss.

Factors Affecting Weight Gain in Breastfed Babies

Did you know? All babies have different metabolism rates inherited from their parents. This is evident in their body shapes. Longer babies burn calories faster than the plumper or wider ones. If your baby is apple-shaped or pear-shaped, he/she will show more weight gain that increase in height in the infant years. The weight of a baby is not necessarily an indicator of fat deposits. It may be water retention as well, especially post breastfeeding and before bowel movements occur. Sleeping with your baby at night will provide him an unrestricted access to nursing at night and will grow a lot faster. If you feed your baby on schedule, he will show a slower rate of growth. The more active your baby is, the leaner he will be irrespective of regular and ample breastfeeding. However, a lazy baby will gain weight faster. Another interesting fact is, breastfed babies learn to regulate their own milk intake according to their appetite. If your baby shows slower than usual growth in one week but is hale and hearty, he/she will make up for it by faster growth in the next week.

Your baby may be growing bigger slowly, that is, they show very less weight gain but it is always steady. Even if your baby's weight gain patterns do not resemble these above statistics but he/she shows good skin elasticity, activeness, clear urine, has 5 to 6 wet diapers and 3 to 4 dirty diapers (good bowel movements), your baby is in perfect health. Most charts for average birth weight in babies show statistics for formula fed babies. Your breastfed baby will show different weight gain patterns. Hence, do not be misled and make sure your pediatrician provides the new growth chart, issued by WHO,for babies who are breastfed. Also, while measuring your breastfed baby's weight gain, compare it to the lowest weight measured which need not be the birth weight of your baby.

It is very important to understand your newborn's hunger patterns and to fulfill his/her appetite else it can result in serious malnourishment and weight loss. While you weigh your baby, preferably weigh him/her on the same scale, without clothes, every single time. It will give you the exact changes in weight gain/loss. If you have only been breastfeeding your baby, he/she will tend to look leaner in comparison to those babies who are not just breastfed. However, breastfed babies tend to gain weight a lot more quickly than formula fed ones in the first 3 months and then slow down. You need not be worried because your milk is very beneficial for the baby's health and will ensure a healthy child in future.

Author

Urvashi Pokharna

Introducing Baby Food - When Should You Do It?

During the first year of parenthood, your baby food has been relatively simplistic: you either breastfed or you fed your baby with bottle formula. However, now that your bouncing baby has reached the teething stage, you're starting to feel as though it might be time to slowly introduce solid foods. But when is the right time to start introducing semi-solid and solid baby food into your darling's diet? Is there a recommended period of time, or should the decision be made based upon your own parental instincts?

There's no end to the conflicting answers awaiting inquiring parents regarding the issue of introducing baby food. It seems as though every nutritional and medical expert has a differing opinion on the matter; yet there are some underlying congruities that can help you to determine when your baby is ready for semi-solid and solid baby food.

While many health experts claim that you can start your baby on solid foods as soon as four months old, the World Health Organization (WHO), the health committee of the United Nations, recommends that infants shouldn't start eating solid foods until they're six months of age. Other influential health organizations, such as UNICEF and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have similar recommendations as WHO regarding the issue of the right time to introduce baby food. 

So why have doctors and health experts decided on the sixth month marker as the appropriate time to start introducing solid baby food? Simple: once your baby reaches the six month milestone, he will have the necessary physical developments needed to swallow and digest solid food. Before six months, your baby will have a very sensitive gag reflex that can be triggered by solid foods in addition to an overwhelming instinct to continue tongue-thrusting, which makes solid foods extremely difficult to consume. Add to the fact that health experts have only recently unearthed research to support the theory that early feeding can increase the risk of obesity, and you have some very powerful reasons to withhold solid foods until your baby reaches six months in age.

Of course, it's important for each and every parent to make the decision to introduce solid foods based on your baby's needs. To determine if your baby is ready for solid baby food, answer the following questions; if you've answer "yes" to most of the questions, your baby is ready to move on to more solid foods:

· Has your baby become more curious about your own foods? For example, does your baby try to grab food off of your own plate or watch you eagerly as you eat your own dinner? Babies use instinct to move from breast milk to solid food, so watch your baby's behavior carefully for these signs.

 
· Has your baby become dissatisfied with breast milk or infant formula? Does your baby become hungrier more quickly than usual? If so, your baby's precious tummy needs more substantial food in order to satiate her appetite!
 
· Does your baby exert more control over his body? For example, can your baby easily hold up his head or turn it away? This is crucial when deciding if your baby is ready for solid baby food, since better head control will help him swallow food easily and refuse food once he becomes too full.
 
· Does your baby wake up frequently throughout the night, whereas before she would sleep soundly? This can be a good indication that she's ready for more solid foods, since breast milk or baby formula isn't keeping her satiated during the night. Be careful, however, as this can also be symptomatic of your baby's uncomfortable teething process.

 
So if your bundle of joy is ready for solid baby food, what's an appropriate food that's not only easy to eat, but will be easy on his delicate digestive system as well?
 
Nutritional and medical researchers recommend that parents start out with single grain carbohydrates, such as baby rice or baby oatmeal. These semi-solid foods won't pose a challenge for babies to swallow, but will still satiate a powerful appetite. Puree fruits and vegetables also can be introduced at this time, since it's a great way to ensure that your baby continues getting the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that she needs to grow up healthy and strong. 
 
If your baby has trouble with the baby rice or oatmeal, try mixing a tablespoon with breast milk or formula to make a more liquid consistency. Don't forget to use a rubber-encased spoon, as common metal cutlery can irritate your baby's sensitive gums - and since she's likely going through the teething process, this can be quite painful for your darling angel!
 
Remember, the ultimate decision to move onto solid baby food should be made by you and your baby - so if he's ready for it, then so are you!

 

I am a retired grandmother who enjoys babysitting all six of my priceless grandchildren. In my spare time I stay active, travel, and write informative articles about the importance of a safe crib mattress and other topics that matter to me.

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