|
| |
Bottle Feeding: Is
Baby Getting Too Much?
By
Robin OBrien
Recent studies have linked adult obesity with being over
fed bottle milk in infancy. So, are you giving too much
milk to your baby?
If you're bottle feeding your baby it's easy to see how
much baby is getting. Manufacturers provide instructions
on how to make formula milk and how much milk a baby
should consume. The guidelines state how much to feed a
baby for a particular age and weight. So, why do babies
run a greater risk of being overweight when they are
bottle fed?
The biggest reason for excessive weight gain is because
parents ignore a baby's signals that she's had enough.
Breastfeeding mothers are taught to follow baby's lead.
Breastfeeding mothers are taught to offer breast milk
when the baby wants it and to stop breastfeeding when
she sees signs that baby has had enough. Mothers who
choose to bottle feed are seldom, if ever, given this
advice. Rather, mothers feel obliged to follow
instructions printed on the side of a container. But
guidelines aren't suitable for every child; each child
is unique, different. Because of blind acceptance that
manufacturers of formula milk know best, many mothers
are tempted to make baby finish the bottle.
Nicolas Stettler, a pediatric nutrition specialist at
the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, studied data on
a large group of bottle-fed babies. He found a
correlation between rapid weight gain in the first four
months and being overweight at age seven. This, he
suggests, may be due to overfeeding. “With bottle-fed
babies, a mother can override her baby by urging him to
finish the bottle,” he explains. “The mother needs to be
responsive to her baby’s cues.” When babies are
constantly overfilled, past the point of feeling
replete, then in time they may learn to ignore the 'full
signal'. Also, for most babies, drinking milk isn't just
about getting nutrition; it's about comfort. Therefore
some babies will often feed even when they're not
hungry.
A mother must be on the lookout for signals that baby
has been fed enough. But what signals should a
bottle-feeding mother be looking for? Firstly, follow
the advice given to breastfeeding mothers. That means
letting your baby take ten or 12 sucks, then removing
the bottle, then allowing ten or 12 more sucks, then
another break, and so on. This pacing is particularly
important for a newborn, less so after about four
months. During these breaks, remove the nipple from your
baby's mouth as you might accidentally press it against
her palate. If, after one of these breaks, your baby
does not open her mouth for the bottle, she's probably
finished. When you baby is drinking watch her mouth. If
your baby’s mouth relaxes or goes slack so that she’s no
longer sucking actively, she is finished drinking. If
you baby is no longer keeping eye contact, rolling her
head from side to side, or is trying to push the bottle
way; she's finished drinking.
Formula-fed babies are known to put on weight in a
different pattern compared to breastfed babies. This
difference is most marked after two or three months,
when formula-fed babies gain weight slightly faster than
breastfed babies on average. Breastfeed babies typically
gain weight more slowly after the first three months.
Also, they tend to be slightly leaner at a year old than
formula-fed babies. Bear this in mind if you are
comparing your baby's weight gains against a weight
chart.
Baby's weight gains can be erratic and it's not unusual
for new born babies to loose weight in the first few
days. If you are concerned about your baby's weight you
should immediately get medical advice. As discussed
above, the most important thing is to follow your baby's
lead as to how much it needs; not anyone else's.
Robin O'Brien is founder of
http://www.bottle-feeding-baby.com. It offers advice
on choosing the right
infant formula and any other
bottle feeding problems.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
http://EzineArticles.com/?Bottle-Feeding:-Is-Baby-Getting-Too-Much?&id=308732 |
|
|
|
