Nutrition and Your Baby

Question: 

I just read an article in the paper saying that new research points to the fact that eating habits for babies start in the womb and are extremely important in the first few years. I ate a lot of sweets and even some junk food during my pregnancy, and now I am bottle feeding my baby. It worries me that obesity is on the way for my baby. Is there anything I can do?

Answer:

If any practices, habits, or behaviors that we do were ends in themselves, we would be a doomed species; and we are not. If we take whatever good information we have and start applying it as soon as possible, we are ahead of the game.

The truth is that birth to five (in the womb time included) are the developmental years and the best time to help your child form good habits of all kinds. All input and experiences count. However, no worries. Perfect is not the goal. Doing your best is. Start as soon as you can and keep making as many good decisions as possible. That is it!

Here is the big picture. It is best to begin excellent nutrition from birth to age five (and even before). Next best is to start from five to 25. You can still begin from 25 to 55. How about 55 to 95? Of course? The earlier the better and never too late!

December! The Month of Giving

Keep giving your child the best and most nutritious foods all during this holiday season. Others will be out there offering lots of junk food. Keep to normal nutrition the best you can, and that will be one of the best gifts your child will get this holiday season.

Comments

  1. Now that you are conscious of healthy eating habits, it is the perfect time to start. Once your son/daughter develops these habits as a young child, that is what will set the stage for them the rest of their lives. Growing up I ate things like McDonald’s and the path to healthy eating was not an easy one, however, I have observed clients and the children of friends and family that have eaten healthy from a young age- continue to prefer carrots or broccoli as a snack in their older childhood and even teenage years.

  2. As Oprah likes to say when you know better you do better!

    1/Eating healthy whenever you start is great as Sally mentioned.
    2/Weight watchers is great place to learn if you need tips.
    3/ children watch what you are doing and copy you so eat healthy.

    4/keeping healthy foods and fruits and vegetables in the house and around the kitchen so when they are old enough they can pick at healthy snacks.

    4a/ in a restaurant order salad, no dressing and vegetables and sit your baby on your lap let them pick at it safety. Having them sit on your lap while you share it with them makes salad become associated with hugs and comfort food.

    5/Start off right only serve water from early age no juice. Dont develop the sweet palate. Start bringing water and drink it in front of kids.

    6/Make sure you baby /toddler spends more time playing and being active and moving and crawling around then a stroller or crib.

    7/ make sure not to develop the food-mood connection, do not feed for every cry.
    Look into the different needs your baby might be expressing by crying. Consult with an expert
    If you’re not sure what feelings your baby is having.

    Babies cry because they might miss someone, they can be sad or disappointed.
    They might need to play or need some attention or need to move around. They can be hungry or tired or need a diaper change etc.
    Start using feelings words and empathy for what your baby/child is going thru when your baby is young i.e. I know it’s hard when grown-ups come and go but we always come back.
    start to teach emotional literacy so they don’t express their feelings by eating food.

  3. Hi Gina & Ava,

    You two are like a “dream come true.” Each point you both mentioned is concrete and helpful. There is so much advice around about having children eat well, but there is so little about exactly how to do it.

    Sincere thanks for your thoughtful input.

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