|
|
|
|
Ask Dr. Hennessy How do I feed my infant? I am glad that you asked. This is an interesting topic. You will also find that everyone around you will have an opinion on this topic. Let me start by explaining some MYTHS about eating; that is things that are not true. First myth is that if you feed the baby cereal, even just a little in the bottle, then they will sleep longer. Sorry, this is wrong. In fact, this was proven wrong back in the 1960’s. Yet I know many people will tell you it works. Let me explain why this does not work. For infants, we feed them rice cereal. This is a starch which is basically sugar. I know sugar does not make you sleep. In fact, it does the opposite, it is energy. Just think what happens to you when you eat sugary foods. What helps a baby sleep is how much they can hold in his or her tummy. Most kids can not sleep more than 6 hours until they are over fifteen pounds. Moreover, some research has suggested a link with early solid intake (a solid is anything that is not breast milk or formula) with conditions like diabetes and food allergies. So when do you start solids? The best time is between 4 months and 6 months of age. This is something that you will want to discuss with your physician. We usually start with rice cereal because it has the least potential for allergic reactions. Then jump to fruits and vegetables. There is no scientific way to try new foods. I like the idea of trying a new food every few days. Your doctor can give you suggestions on how to do that. There is no science behind any recommendation that you see as far as the order of fruits and vegetables. I have heard some people say, “Try all the green stuff first, then all the yellow stuff, etc.” There are no studies that prove there is a good order to introduce food. I have also heard people say, “Feed vegetables first and then fruit, otherwise the child will have a sweet tooth.” Again no proof of that so mix it up a little. No need to add salt, sugar, or butter. Those are flavors we learn to love. If we don’t try them then we won’t miss them Second myth is that juice is a necessary part of the baby’s diet. The juice producers of America have done a great job of marketing. Most people, even some doctors, think that juice is a necessary part of a child’s diet. Here are the facts. Kids do not need juice; even the juice that says “100% real juice. The marketing angle of “pure juice” is that it contains a good supply of Vitamin C. Well, you get better nutrition from the whole fruit not just the juice. Many vegetables also contain Vitamin C including tomatoes and potatoes. Real juice is almost pure sugar. You just don’t need it. If you want to use juice then water in down; half water and half juice is much better for those new teeth. Keep the juice to a maximum of 4 ounces per day (that is half a cup). Don’t start juice until you are on feeding solids and that is not until after 4 months of age. Third myth is that babies need extra water. I would not provide any water for infants until they are on solids. Newborns get plenty of water from breast milk or from the formula that they are drinking. Providing plain water to a newborn could be dangerous. Why? Well, first they are small and therefore, have small blood volumes. Second, they have a delicate balance of salt in their bodies. Plain water will upset that delicate balance of salt. Your body requires a certain balance of salt in the body for every system in the body to work. What could happen? Too much free water in a newborn can lead to seizures or worse. Now you may wonder why don’t older kids and adults have the same problem. That is because we are bigger than newborns, so we have larger blood volume. Also our kidneys help balance the salt better than newborns. Fourth myth, babies who do not tolerate their formula should try soy. I personally don’t like soy formula for infants. The two big reasons for this are phytoestrogens and lack of lactose. Let me explain. Phytoestrogen is a chemical in soy. It acts like estrogen (one of the female hormones) in the body. For a young infant taking in only soy formula that means that get a big dose of these phytoestrogens. What does that do to them? I don’t know. Now I will tell you that some research has been done on the subject but the results are mixed. The other part of soy formula is that it is missing lactose. Lactose is brain food. Babies need lactose and they do not get lactose intolerance like adults do. Lactose intolerance in a newborn is freakishly rare. So now you know why I don’t like soy but I want to tell you more about formula intolerance. The diagnosis of formula intolerance can be tricky to make. But there are a few principles that I want you to understand before you assume that a baby has a formula intolerance. A baby that spits up within the first few days of life and is taking formula often is taking too much. A newborn has a stomach that can only hold about one teaspoon on day 1. Most babies will only take an ounce or even half an ounce on the first day at feedings. A baby that takes two ounces will gag and vomit. It is just too much. The next principle is about gas and poop. Babies do both a great deal of the time. Babies don’t know it is socially unacceptable to fart in public and they do it all the time. A “gassy” baby is a normal baby. It is not a sign of formula intolerance. Babies that cry (and they all do) often suck in a large amount of air. Air passes through the bottom (as in farting) easier than through the top (as in burping). So if the baby cries a large amount then farts it not necessarily a formula intolerance. Babies grunt a great deal with pooping and with farting. At first, babies poop often but some babies by 6 weeks of age slow down their pooping frequency. They may poop once a day or once a week. Talk with your physician about this but again grunting is not necessarily a sign of formula intolerance. When do I really get worried about formula intolerance? When a baby has bloody poop, poor appetite, and/or poor weight gain then I get worried. I don’t see those symptoms often but have seen kids with pain during eating. They too may have formula intolerance. The bottom line is talk with your physician before you start changing the formula. For other Ask Dr. Hennessy articles, click here Email: Margaret.Hennessy@wfhc.org |