Should you worry about baby fat? Not so much. While some recent studies
have found a link between fattening up too fast during infancy and
childhood obesity, your number one job as a mom is to help your baby
gain weight. Indeed, cutting calories during the first year could
interfere with both your baby's physical growth and her brain
development. Instead, just keep these guidelines in mind so your little
cherub develops healthy eating habits:
Know the signs of satiety. A
baby has had enough to eat when she closes her eyes, spits out the
nipple, or pulls away, says John Worobey, Ph.D., chairman of the
department of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University, in New
Brunswick, NJ. Don't insist that she continue to nurse or finish her
bottle. (Of course, if your baby shows no interest in eating for two or
three feedings in a row, give your doc a call.)
Avoid using food to soothe. You'll
need to feed a newborn often and on demand. But an older baby who
fusses between meals or not long after he has emptied his mom's breasts
or finished off a bottle doesn't always need more food to feel better.
First try offering him a pacifier, or help him relax with rocking,
singing, or shushing, suggests Jennifer Helmcamp, M.D., assistant
professor of pediatrics at Texas A&M Health Science Center at Round
Rock.
Put solids in perspective. During
the first year, a child's primary source of calories and nutrition
should be breast milk or formula, says Dr. Helmcamp. Even though babies
typically start solids around 6 months, the main function of eating food
at this point is to get a kid used to having it in her mouth and to
provide her with a chance to "practice" eating. She doesn't need to
polish off jar after jar every time she's plopped in the high chair.
Keep some barometers in mind. Babies
should double their birth weight by about 4 months, and triple it by
their first birthday. Talk to your pediatrician if your baby is
exceeding these guidelines.
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