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Health Central, Suite 201 (behind Holiday Inn, north of 5&20)
37 West Garden Street (east of State Street, north of Curly's)
Auburn, NY 13021 and 27 Fennell Street, Skaneateles, NY 13152
(315) 253-6257
fax 315 253 8693
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At birth babies usually have a hard time digesting most solid foods. Breast milk or formulas are much easier to digest. In the first few months of life babies also tend to get food allergies easier. As the baby gets older, the intestine may digest more foods and be less sensitive to allergies. Feeding solid foods too early may cause allergies or digestion problems with diarrhea or constipation. Even with breast milk or formulas, there may be problems. About 5 percent of infants on cow's milk formulas become allergic to them. Signs of allergy may be: rash, crankiness, vomiting, or diarrhea. Sometimes breast-fed infants may even become allergic to foods that their mothers have eaten. The fewer types of foods eaten, the less likely is the chance of developing allergies.
Human milk and the formulas generally supply all that infants need to grow. Some babies may breast feed every hour during the day and less often at night. It is important that the mother eat an extra 800 calories to keep the breast milk rich. If the baby is growing well, the mother may lose up to 1/2 lb per week. Unless they receive more than 2 hours of sunshine per week, breast-fed babies need Vitamin D drops. After 6 months of age fluoride is also prescribed. It helps in the formation of strong enamel on the teeth. Breast feeding mothers should always avoid spicy hot foods, and avoid huge amounts of gassy foods such as (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), stimulants such as (coffee, tea, cola, caffeine or chocolate), and smoking. Some breast fed babies will get fussy when their mothers drink much cow's milk or eat eggs or chicken. Breast milk late in the feeding is richer.
Sugar water may be made at home bringing water to a boil and dissolving 2-4
teaspoons of sugar in 4 ounces of water. This may be used after breast feeding
if the milk is not in yet or once a day if the baby does not like plain water.
After 2 months of age, the water need not be boiled if it is clean and pure.
For information on water purification and treatment see John Tomandl of
Commercial infant formulas contain enough vitamins for the average baby. Formulas are the best they have ever been, but scientists are still not sure they know everything that is in breast milk. Infants up to 20 pounds weight will usually take 40 to 60 calories or 2 to 3 ounces of formula per pound per day. The regular commercial formulas, Similac, Enfamil, and Good Start are made from cow's milk protein with fats, sugars and vitamins added. Babies over 6 pounds usually do not need any more vitamins than those contained in the commercial formulas. Fluoride to help prevent tooth decay and cavities usually will be prescribed for children at six months of age.
There are two types of protein in milk: whey and casein. Enfamil and Similac have more whey and cause less constipation in most babies. Similac and Enfamil contain nucleotides which are also in breast milk and help to stimulate antibodies to germs. Cow's milk has more casein as do many generic formulas. With milk and the casein predominant formulas the curds are bigger in the stomach so some babies may spit less.
Adequate feedings should always be offered to the baby when there are signs of hunger. Some babies eat more often than others, some eat less often. Never force the baby to eat as this will only lead to feeding problems. Some babies only take 2 to 3 ounces at a time, and others take 8 to 10 ounces depending on stomach size. Whether breast or bottle fed, infants are usually chubby between 2 and 10 months of age. When they start rolling, crawling and walking, they tend to thin out. Chubbiness in babies does not lead to obesity in adults unless overeating of fats and sugar is encouraged throughout childhood.
At birth full term babies have a surplus of iron even if their mothers are anemic, but by the time they double their birth weight, they need more iron. Formulas with iron should be started by 2 months of age. Breast milk contains adequate iron. Soy formulas contain iron also. Only about 2% of babies have a problem with iron formulas such as diarrhea or constipation or fussiness or eczema. Cow's milk is a poor source of iron. When solids are started, iron will be obtained from enriched cereals, egg yolks, beets, beef, liver, raisins, grapes, grape juice and beet juice. Raisins and other dried fruits and sticky candy cause tooth decay so the teeth should be brushed after eating them.
When the baby has colic (fusses 3 hours every evening) or gets eczema (a dry scaly red rash), or has vomiting or diarrhea from a cow's milk formula, then a soy formula should be tried. The soy formulas are Isomil, Prosobee and Carnation Soy.
Some babies will get allergic to soy and then must try special hypoallergenic formulas, Nutramigen or Alimentum. They are made from specially treated cow's milk protein. (Good Start is similar but sometimes babies who are allergic to the milk formulas may also be allergic to Good Start.) If this does not work then goat's milk may be tried. Evaporated/whole goat's milk may be made in a formula as for cow's milk. Goat's milk must be supplemented with vitamins, iron, and with folic acid. Folic acid is present in fruit and vegetables. Now some brands of evaporated goat's milk have folic acid already added to it. It has been popular with kids for many years.
Occasionally babies will not tolerate the regular formula, then formulas may be made up from evaporated or whole milk. Parents may mix up a formula from evaporated milk:
If regular modern formulas are unavailable or not tolerated them you might try Evaporated Milk Formula: 13 ounces evaporated milk, 13 ounces water, 3 Teaspoons of sugar. If you use this formula, vitamin drops and DHA should also be used such as Poly-Vi-Sol with iron and omega 3 fatty acids.
For the first 2 months of life, the milk containers and the water used should be sterilized by boiling for 1 minute. Rarely a baby may do better with whole milk formula since fresh pasteurized cow's milk contains less food additives as does evaporated milk: Whole Milk Formula: 6 ounces whole milk, 3 ounces water, and 3 teaspoons of sugar. You must also give the baby vitamins with iron. Most babies will do worse on whole milk formula since it is harder to digest and more likely to give allergy and digestive problems.
Usually, the evaporated milk or commercial formulas are easier to digest, and cause less allergies since they are heat treated. Whole milk is preferred to 2% milk since babies need fat for brain and nerve development; however, some babies get very gassy on whole milk and may do better with 2% milk.
For all babies, solid foods should be introduced by the 6th month of life. Some babies who spit up large amounts and often may need solid foods sooner. When babies are over 13 lbs. or are waking up more often rather than less, they may need solids. When introducing any new food, wait at least 3 days before introducing another new food. This will allow time to observe any effects from the new food, though allergies may develop at any time later. The first food to introduce is rice cereal, starting with one tablespoon once a day and increasing to two tablespoons three times a day over a period of two weeks. If the stools get too hard with the cereal, sweet potatoes or pears may also be started or after 6 months old switching to barley or oat cereal may produce softer stools. After 6 months old barley or oat cereal may be tried. Avoid wheat cereal until 6 months old at least.
Until 9 months of age, certain foods which often cause allergies should be avoided: egg whites, orange juice. After 15 months old chocolate and natural peanut butter may be tried.
The second food group to introduce is vegetables. First try yellow vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes; then try green vegetables such as peas, beans, and spinach.
The third group to introduce is fruits. First try applesauce, then ripe bananas, cooked pears or plums. Pears, plums, peaches, and prunes tend to loosen the stools. Fruit juices such as apple or pear juice started a 1/2 strength (1/2 water, 1/2 juice) may be started at 6 months old. Orange juice is allergenic. It may be started after 9 months old. Fruit juices tend to loosen the stools.
The fourth food group to try is meats. Lamb and beef are less allergenic and may be started first. Also at this time egg yolks may be started. The egg whites tend to cause allergies and should be avoided early on. Egg yolks are a good source of iron. The cholesterol contained in the yolks is needed by the baby, though it may be harmful to hearts of adults. Babies may take as many yolks as they like, but adults should not take more than 4 yolks per week.
The amount of food babies eat varies, depending on their size, rate of growth and metabolism. For the first 20 pounds, infants use about 50 calories per pound. Generally, people do better with a variety of foods at each meal, rather than a large quantity of only one food at each meal.
Garlic helps the body to fight viruses and bacteria. It may be added to baby food as powder or as finely chopped pieces to help prevent ear infections. Chicken soup also helps to clear congestion in the ears, sinuses and nose. Often breast fed infants nurse better when their mothers eat garlic.
Some babies may gum and swallow coarsely ground food or crackers at 6 months of age while others may only be able to chew and swallow strained foods until 2 years of age. When starting table food or crackers, watch your baby carefully for choking.
Cow's milk may be substituted for human milk or for formula when the baby is taking less than 24 ounces per day and taking fruits, cereal, vegetables and beef. If a baby is taking over 24 ounces of cow's milk per day, he/she usually may not get enough solids and thus may not get enough iron and vitamins. Usually babies have a hard time digesting cow's milk until they are 6 months old. Babies need fat in their diets. Until children are 3 years old, whole milk is best. If the baby is overweight or gets gassy on whole milk, 2% milk is acceptable. After 3 years old, skim milk is fine to use especially in overweight children.
This is a mineral which makes the tooth enamel stronger and cavity
resistant. Fluoride taken regularly by children up to 13 years old will help
prevent about 50% or one-half of the cavities in most children. Fluoride is a
prescription item. Fluoride when taken by mouth and swallowed works through the
blood stream to strengthen teeth even before they erupt. Fluoride is not
present in any water in
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