Breast or bottle refusal can be a distressing occurrence for both mother and baby.
Often the baby has previously fed happily, then for some reason,
begins to refuse a feed. Causes may be apparent such as: an alert baby
being easily distracted, over-feeding or force-feeding, gastric reflux,
illness in the infant or if breastfeeding, oral or nipple thrush,
mastitis, medications and hormonal changes (e.g. ovulation,
menstruation), or mother becoming ill. There may also be issues
relating to mother’s milk supply, such as: low supply, or slow let-down
reflex (thus baby becomes frustrated), or the milk flowing too quickly
and baby needs a breather.
Usually, after a few days the baby begins feeding again as though
there had never been a problem. If the cause can be located it can be
treated, e.g. thrush, gastric reflux.
I have seen older babies who literally refuse their feeds even after
only having 30-50 mls or 5 -10 mins on the breast. These babies usually
come off crying and refuse further attempts to get them to feed. This
is very stressful for mums and bubs. Many of these babies have a degree
of reflux and even though they may be on medication, the medication is
not enough to prevent discomfort while feeding. Adjusting their
medication will improve baby’s feeding so have a chat to your doctor.
If the situation is ignored it usually becomes worse.
It is also important not to feed baby too soon after the last feed as
she will not feed well and you will only be setting up a bad habit of
snack feeding and cat napping. Or if baby has reflux, it may be adding
fuel to the fire, increasing the stomach content which aggravates the
heart burn.
How Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help
Cradle 2 Kindy provide professional skills on how to encourage your
baby to feed well. If you would like a visit from a parenting coach to help in this area please give us a call.
Call us now and book your personal Cradle 2 Kindy coach.
Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education
purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this
information is right for your child.
All articles on this website have a copyright any use of any
material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.
- Stares at surroundings when awake
- Momentarily holds gaze on bright object
- Eyes and head move together
- One eye may seem turned in or out at times
8 weeks to 24 weeks:
- Eyes begin to move more widely with less head movement
- Eyes begin to follow moving objects or people (8-12 weeks)
- Watches parents face when being talked too (10-12 weeks)
- Eyes move in active inspection of surroundings (18-20weeks)
- While sitting, looks at hands, toys, food, bottle (18-24 weeks)
- Now looking for, and watching more distant objects (20-28weeks)
30 weeks to 48 weeks:
- May turn eyes inward while inspecting hands or toy (28-32weeks)
- Eyes more mobile and move with little head movement (30-36weeks)
- Watches activities around them for longer periods of time (30-36weeks)
- Looks for toy that they drop (32-38weeks)
- Visually inspects toys they can hold (38-40weeks)
- Crawls after favourite toy when seen (40-44weeks)
- Looking around the room to see what is happening (44-48weeks)
- Visually responds to smiles and voices of others (40-48weeks)
- More and more visual inspection of objects and persons (46-52weeks)\
12 months to 18 months:
- Now using both hands and visually steering hand activity (12-14months)
- Visually interested in simple pictures (14-16months)
- Often holds objects very close to eyes to inspect (14-18months)
- Points to objects or people using words “look” or “see” (14-18months)
- Looks for and identifies pictures in books (16-18months)
24 months to 36 months:
- Occasionally inspects visually without needing to touch (20-24months)
- Smiles, face brightens when viewing favourite object/people (20-24 months)
- Watches own hand while scribbling (26-30months)
- Visually explores and steers own walking and climbing (30-36months)
- Watches and imitates other children (30-36 months)
- Can now begin to keep colouring on the paper (34-38months)
- ‘Reads’ pictures in books (34-38months)
40 months to 48 months
- Brings head and eyes close to page of book while inspecting (40-44months)
- Draws and names circle and cross on paper (40-44months)
- Can close eyes on request, and may be able to wink one eye (46-50months)
4 Years to 5 Years:
- Uses eyes and hands together well and with increasing skills moves and rolls eyes in an expressive way
- Draws and names pictures
- Colours within lines
- Cuts and pastes quite well on simple pictures
- Copies simple forms and some letters
- Can place small objects in small openings
- Visually alert and observant of surroundings
- Tells about places, objects or people seen elsewhere
- Shows increasing visual interest in new objects and places
If your child shows any difficulty in achieving these visual skills on the developmental milestone checklist, you should have them assessed by a Behavioural Optometrist. It is important to deal with any issues as soon as possible.
Your child should have a comprehensive examination several times before entering school. The first of these should take place at six months of age. The vision screening that most children receive at school does not replace a thorough examination by a Behavioural Optometrist.
Behavioural optometrists are different to other optometrists in the facet that, they treat VISION and not just EYESIGHT. They have a better understanding of VISION and knows how to encourage its development. It tends to be more holistic in its approach as it tries to incorporate the physical, neurological and developmental aspects of VISION. It is the goals of behavioural optometrists to prevent VISION and eye problems from developing and/or provide remediation or rehabilitation for VISION or eye problems that might have already developed.
Chih Chi Lee, Behavioural Optometrist
Eyecare Plus 77 CecilAve, Castle Hill, NSW 2154
Tel: 02 8677 5483 www.ccleeoptometrist.com
The human visual system is our most dynamic sense. At birth, many of the components of the visual system are in place, such as the eyes, optic nerve and brain, but it is after birth that growth, development, co-ordination and fine tuning of the visual system occur.
Many people confuse the word “vision” and “eyesight” and think they are synonymous, but they are in fact very different.
Eyesight essentially refers to the physical attributes and performance of the many organic components involved in the visual system. 20/20 vision is a commonly quoted measure of normal VISION, yet it simply describes the sensitivity of the eye to see fine details in the distance.
Vision uses EYESIGHT as its foundation. Vision combines information from many sensory systems to create a perception of reality. Vision uses information from all the senses, including hearing, smell, touch and even taste, which is then combined with information provided via EYESIGHT. After all of this is processed, it is then linked to memory and an image of the world or object is created.
In other words, VISION is learned, so understanding the normal visual developmental stages of an infant, through to child to even a teenager is extremely important to ensure that they acquire adequate visual performance for learning later in life.
A child with a vision problem may experience learning difficulties later in life that are not necessarily related to intelligence. Intervening to provide the stimulation required to encourage more normal development of VISION is one of the goals of Behavioural Optometry.
The information followed will outline some of the changes that occur in the first six months of life and the important developmental milestones to give parents an approximate indication of what to expect in their child’s visual capabilities at a particular age. Any significant delay should be referred for immediate assessment to a Behavioural Optometrist.
First 6 Months of Life
Structure
The new born eye is remarkably close to its full adult size. This is one of the reasons why a babies eyes always look so gorgeous and big, in proportion to their body size.
Vision
The visual acuity (sharpness of eyesight) of an infant develops rapidly from birth. At 1 month, the child has a visual acuity of 6/180, then reaches an adults level of 6/6 (20/20) by 4-6 months of age.
Focusing
Focusing like visual acuity appears to develop to full adults level by 4-6 months of age, where there is adult capacity to vary focus and to fixate on objects at different distances.
Visual Guidance
There is a primitive reflex called the tonic neck reflex which exists at birth. This reflex allows the head and eyes to point to the outstretched hand when the head is turned to the side. At 4 months, the child exhibits “swiping” behaviour, where it sees an object and tries to grasp it, but doesn’t have the required coordination. At 6 months, the child is able to grasp an object they see.
Eye Movement
At birth, the child’s eyes generally point in the same direction, but they do not work together as a team. This is why it is common for it to appear that there is turned eye. The eyes generally move together, but only one eye fixates at a time. By 8 weeks, the child is generally able to use both eyes as a team.
This article is continued in the article Vision Development Milestones covering the important developmental milestones from birth to 5 years of age.
Chih Chi Lee, Behavioural Optometrist
Eyecare Plus 77 CecilAve, Castle Hill, NSW 2154
Tel: 02 8677 5483 www.ccleeoptometrist.com
Continuing on from Dr Mahony last article on Spouted Drinking Cup Warning, in this article he takes a look at how we can encourage good oral health teaching toddlers and babies how to use a smaller cup instead of a sipper cup.
“Babycup is a healthy drinking choice for your child. Spouts, and no-spill valves, mean a child has to suck, rather than sip. This contributes to poor facial and dental development. Developing healthy oral habits from an early age has a great influence on how your child’s teeth will develop. A young child’s teeth, jaws, and muscles are still growing so it’s a crucial time for parents to act.”
In an article on toddler diets, and oral health, the British Dental Health Foundation website says that drinks should be offered six to eight times a day. From an early age, these drinks should be sipped from a cup or glass, not sucked from a bottle. The same Foundation suggests starting by the time babies are about 6 months old, or when they are able to sit up and can hold things, on their own.
Using a lid, or spout, with a no-spill valve does not teach the child how to drink properly. Many of these lidded cups, or non-spill beakers, are marketed as training aids. In reality they are tools of convenience. Parents understandably might think they’ve helped their children as they reach for a no-spill cup and say “My baby is off the bottle.” But, as the American Dental Association concurs, they are baby bottles in disguise. Cups, with valves, do not allow a child to sip. Children have no choice except to suck – as from a baby bottle. The ADA says to avoid no-spill valves. (It is important to note that the action of suckling on a breast is an entirely different oral process from sucking on a drinking cup spout).
Speech Difficulties?
When a child sucks a thumb, the tongue is misplaced in order to accommodate the intrusion in the palate, and the teeth are pushed forward, say orofacial myologists (a field of study that looks at how certain structural or functional factors, in the mouth, can cause speech and swallowing issues). Studies have been carried out on thumb sucking, or finger sucking, and bottle use – but not on spouted cups. However, logic, and the belief of a growing number of health professionals, suggests the physiological effects are the same when a hard spout is placed in the mouth. An internet search brings up numerous discussions showing speech therapists and orofacial myologists, discussing this point, with the added concerns that regular, and prolonged, use of hard- spouted cups are causing difficulty with articulation, clarity of speech, proper swallowing and excessive drooling.
Healthy Habits
Many health professionals, and nutrition experts, agree that toddlers should be taking their snacks, including drinks, sitting at a table or in the highchair.
Some parents are concerned that their toddler may become dehydrated, in the summer months, if not left to drink freely. If the child is regularly taken into the kitchen, and offered a small cup, containing a few ounces/ml’s of milk or cool water, there is no risk of dehydration.
It is amazing how quickly toddlers will learn to drink from a regular cup – even without a free-flow spout!
Parents might understandably worry about how to tackle the task of teaching a child, (who is used to throwing a non-spill valved cup on to the floor without consequence), that a ‘big girl/big boy cup’ can spill and create a mess.
Begin slowly. 1oz or less, or just 20ml at a time. Milk or water. Be close at hand. Help. Guide the child. Let your hand hover nearby if need be. Be ready to take the cup if spills concern you. Help your child find the table/surface so they start to feel how to place the cup back down and pick it up again.
Sara Keel’s belief is that her baby-sized Babycup, also helps encourage fine motor skills. Keel says, “As well as the dental and facial growth benefits, of using a Babycup, I wanted my children to actually learn the art of holding something in their hands, without the aid of a lid or handle. These handles and spouts are like having stabilisers on a bike – all very well until you want to take them off and then it can be a shock to the system. The advent of balance bikes has been a great example of stripping back the unnecessary aids: many children who learn to use balance bikes are able to progress seamlessly onto bigger pedal bikes, without anything to help them artificially balance, or without them having to ‘relearn’ skills. Babycup is a similar idea. Remove the unnecessary steps. Simply let your child learn the skill now, rather than later. You’ll be amazed, and very proud, when you see what they can do when you give them the chance. I’m certain that later on, when they have grown bigger, children will move on to normal-sized open cups, with much more ease, than their spout-sucking contemporaries.”
“My second and third children both used mini cups, from the age of 6 months, and their fine motor skills really improved. My youngest’s pencil grip, at 11 months, was more advanced than many 5 year olds” says Keel.
Small Changes, Big Differences
With so many gadgets and gizmos on offer, it’s easy to see how we become spoiled. But with lids and valves we become unaccustomed to the mess of a cup spilling, and this is a mistake. Our carpets become more treasured than our children. There is an easy change to be made, in order to help reverse the trend for crooked smiles; poorly developed faces, jaws and teeth; dental decay; speech impediments and a host of other early childhood health problems. Fill cups less and, like the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests, switch to an open cup as soon as your child can manage it.
The Babycup range of open cups is made with little people in mind. They really are little cups for little people. Translucent, so baby can see inside, they are tiny versions of a regular cup.
Keel feels that the barrier to helping reduce these childhood health problems, and to a baby developing excellent fine motor skills, is us, “It’s so often our own decisions as parents – or our own fears or prejudices – that stop our babies and children from developing in the most natural, and healthy, way. It’s up to us, as parents, to change that modern trend.”
Article by: Dr Derek Mahony(Specialist Orthodontist) and Dr Julian Keel (Cranial chiropractor)
Further information:
Dr Derek Mahony – www.derekmahony.com and www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au
Call Cradle 2 Kindy and find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children.
For more information on similar parenting topics you may like take a look at our e-books Publications on this link.
All articles on this website have a copyright any use of any
material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.
Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education
purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this
information is right for your child.
There is an increasing belief, amongst numerous healthcare disciplines – orthodontists, dentists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, orofacial myologists to name but a few – that no-spill valves, and spouted drinking cups, are the cause of many childhood problems. These include crooked or crowded teeth, tooth decay, speech impediments, speech delays, chewing problems, swallowing problems, otitis media (ear infections; also glue ear), and poor facial development. Many of these problems are often discussed in connection with prolonged bottle use, so it is no surprise that many of these healthcare professionals describe no-spill drinking cups as ‘baby bottles in disguise’. These bottle substitutes often end up being used long past the age that is otherwise recommended for bottle weaning.
Whilst there are many areas in the field in raising children for which technology can be argued as having brought great benefits, drinking is one aspect that has been left behind. More and more leading healthcare specialists are urging parents to go back to basics and drop the “no-spill” gadgets and valves.
UK-based mum of three, Sara Keel, has launched a range of drinking cups to serve exactly this purpose. ‘Babycup’ is a product that is as simple as you could possibly imagine. No lid, no handles, and best of all no spout. Babycup is purely and simply a ‘cup-shaped cup’, but with the added bonus of being miniature, in order to be perfectly baby-sized. Made from durable, non-toxic plastic, Babycup “is BPA free” and “phthalates free”. It fits neatly in the palm of a young child’s hand.
Keel, was frustrated by the fact that infant cups are fairly large and for 6 month olds they are often the equivalent of an adult drinking from a bucket. She also disliked the idea of her children constantly drinking from a spout or teat. Working initially on motherly instinct Keel delved deeper into the subject and found an alarming body of “growing concern”, backing up her fear that spouts and no-spill valves were not just without any health benefits, they were potentially damaging for a baby or child’s developing teeth, jaws and palate.
Malocclusions and Dental Caries
Regular interference, such as pressure from an intruder like a thumb or spout, is thought to contribute to malformation of the hard palate, leading to malocclusions (incorrect teeth and jaw positions) and the need for “expensive” orthodontic work, in later years.
The Myofunctional Research Co. states on its website, that muscles are a significant factor in causing malocclusion1. MRCo. goes on to explain that incorrect arch form is responsible for the high prevalence of malocclusion, but the arch is primarily a product of the position of the tongue and function of the lips. They write that the forces exerted on teeth by the lips, and tongue determine tooth position - giving the example that only 1.7 grams of pressure is needed to move teeth. Put this figure alongside their information showing the tongue can exert a force of 500 grams and it is easy to consider that altering the position of the tongue can alter the upper arch and the position of teeth. MRCo. says that children develop most rapidly between the ages of 2 and 5 and that during this period 70% of the growth of a child’s face and jaw occurs. They cite dummies, thumb sucking and baby cups, (not meaning open cups), as contributing to poor facial and dental development.
Another alarming problem is the potential for tooth decay, or ‘early childhood caries’ (also known as ‘baby bottle caries’, ‘nursing bottle caries’, or ‘sucking cup caries’1). Tooth decay develops when a baby’s mouth is infected by acid-producing bacteria. It also develops when the child’s teeth, and gums, are exposed to any liquids or foods (other than water) for extended periods.
Cups with lids and spouts, especially those incorporating spill-proof valves, are more likely to be given to children for them to carry around over extended periods, sometimes even being taken to bed. Sugared liquids (that includes milk; but not breastmilk 3 4 5 6 7), from these receptacles, have been shown to increase tooth decay due to the likelihood of drinking beyond just mealtimes. According to the American Academy of Pediactrics ‘tooth decay is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood.’
The American Dental Association advises that to help prevent tooth decay children should be encouraged to drink from a cup, by their first birthday.
An infant and toddler forum factsheet, reviewed and supported by the British Dental Health Foundation, states that all drinks should be taken from a cup or glass, not a bottle. It also reports ‘by the time children are five years old, over 30% of them have dental decay’.
A change as simple as giving a child an open cup could help improve this worrying statistic. The same factsheet says: “it is easier to prevent decay than to treat it”.
Bacterial Contamination
Some studies demonstrate a hygiene, and illness concern, as children who drink from bottles, and sippy cups, are more likely to be drinking liquids that have not been freshly poured and spouts are more difficult to sanitise than an open cup. The World Health Organisation’s website advises that cups are less likely, than bottles, to be carried around for a long time (giving bacteria time to breed).
Unsteady Feet and Drinking On The Move – An Injury-Prone Combination
There are also some astounding statistics showing high levels of childhood injuries are due to toddlers drinking from spouted cups whilst walking. 8
1 Graber, TM. “The three M’s: muscle, malformation, and malocclusion.” Am J Ortho Dentofacial Orthop. 1963; June:418-450.
2 Reagan L (2002). Big bad cavities: breastfeeding is not the cause. Mothering 113:38-47.
3 Arnold RR et al (1977). A bactericidal effect on human lactoferrin. Science 197(4300):263-5.
4 Erickson PR, Mazhare E (1999). Investigation of the role of human breast milk in caries development. Pediatric Dentistry 21:86-90.
5 McDougall W (1977). Effect of milk on enamel demineralisation and remineralisation in vitro. Caries Research 40:1025-8.
6 Tinanoff N, O’Sullivan DM (1997). Early childhood caries: overview and recent findings. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
7 Trotter S (2006). Cup feeding revisited. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, vol 16, no 3, September 2006, p397-402.
8Injuries associated with bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups in the United States, 1991-2010 SA. Keim and MRW TePoel. Pediatrics Vol.129 No.6 June 1, 2012
Call Cradle 2 Kindy and find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children.
For more information on similar parenting topics you may like take a look at our e-books Publications on this link.
All articles on this website have a copyright any use of any
material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.
Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education
purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this
information is right for your child.
Choosing the right time to give up thumb, finger or dummy sucking is important. Choose a time to break the habit when you and your child are not experiencing excessive stress or change in your lives, such as the arrival of a new sibling, a family move, or starting a new school. Children use sucking to relieve stress, and trying to quit during a stressful time increases the chances of failure.
Infants have strong and pre-determined sucking reflexes. Finding an object to suck on is an extension of this normal behavior and infants associate it with warmth and safety. Endorphins and dopamine produced in the brain during sucking give babies pleasure and comfort.
About 90 percent of infants in Western cultures engage in what's termed "non-nutritive sucking" (or sucking for purposes other than feeding), on thumbs, fingers, dummies, blankets, or other objects. About half of these children will stop on their own by six or seven months of age but as many as one-third will continue beyond the preschool years.
It is important that your child is ready to give up thumb sucking. Your child needs to understand why it is a bad habit and this will help them choose to kick the habit.
Problems can start in the preschool years. Dental Professionals generally become concerned when the adult teeth begin to erupt. In most children, this is around five years of age. Prolonged and vigorous sucking can affect the normal growth and development of the jaws and nasal cavity, speech and breathing. One of the most common dental problems is an anterior open bite where upon closing the mouth, there is a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. Other negative effects include changes in the shape of the palate (roof of the mouth), an overset (the upper front teeth are considerably further forward than they should be), an incorrect swallow pattern and mouth breathing.
Some children have a trigger associated with thumb sucking. These can include, a blanket, stuffed animal, playing with one’s hair or mother’s hair and nail biting. The first step is to remove the trigger in a nonthreatening and positive manner.
If your child stops thumb sucking by five years of age, there will most likely be no problems. Many Myofunctional Clinics provides fun and friendly programs to help your child kick the habit. Thumb and finger sucking habits are so subconscious that it is important to provide positive reinforcement and motivation for your child. Negative comments may lead to a hidden guilty pleasure. Another option is the use of a TGuard. This product line includes the original, patented ThumbGuard™ device and FingerGuard™ device, and has been a favourite of Dentists, Paediatricians, and Parents since 1995. Why? Because it works. Rather than trying to prevent thumb sucking, the patented technology allows it: but without the suction that creates the pleasure. If you break the suction, you break the habit! With a success rate greater than 95%, it is the most recommended product, in its class, on the market. Further details are available from www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au
This article was written by Dr Derek Mahony, Specialist Orthodontist. Full Face Orthodontics Pty Ltd
Call and find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children.
For more information on similar parenting topics you may like take a look at our e-books Publications on this link.
Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education
purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this
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All articles on this website have a copyright any use of any
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the last article discussed the lifestyle changes that are most important while you are trying to conceive. Once you fall pregnant, continuing these habits is vital but there are a few additional things worth considering, to ensure a healthy pregnancy and to give your baby the best start in life.
Optimise your weight gain. Once you are pregnant it is no longer the time to be losing weight. However, we now know that if you started pregnancy above your healthy weight range, it is quite safe to gain less weight than a woman who is a healthy weight at the time of conception. In the Bump to Baby Diet we explain how to work out your target weight gain and how much you can expect to gain at different stages of your pregnancy.
Eating for two? While being pregnant increases your nutritional needs, the amount of extra food needed is much less than you might expect. In fact your energy needs during the first trimester remain the same as they were before you fell pregnant and in the second and third trimester you only need around 10% more energy. However your need for certain nutrients (such as iron) increases significantly more. This means that choosing nutrient-dense foods – those that are packed with important vitamins and minerals - without overloading on kilojoules is particularly crucial in pregnancy.
Be aware of food safety. There are a number of foods which should be avoided during pregnancy as they may contain harmful bacteria, such as listeria and salmonella, which can cause food poisoning and harm your unborn baby or cause miscarriage or stillbirth. These include soft cheeses, cold meats, raw seafood, salad sprouts, pre-prepared salads and fruit salads, uncooked eggs and unpasturised dairy products. Some types of fish should also be avoided in pregnancy due to high levels of mercury. Of course you should practice good food hygiene at all times, including washing your hands before preparing food or eating.
Keep active. Pregnancy is not the time to hang up your walking shoes! Keeping fit will help your body cope with the extra demands of pregnancy, can help with preventing excess weight gain and will reduce your risk of developing gestational diabetes. You may need to modify the type and intensity of exercise you are doing, particularly as your pregnancy progresses and there are some instances when exercise is contraindicated so always talk to your health care team first.
To supplement or not to supplement? The only supplements that are routinely recommended in pregnancy are iodine and folate. However there are others that may be needed – for example vitamin D or iron if your levels are low, vitamin B12 if you follow a vegan diet, and omega-3 if you don’t regularly eat fish. If you choose to take other supplements is best to choose a pregnancy multivitamin & mineral, as other supplements, including herbal preparations, may not be safe in pregnancy. It is best to check with your doctor, midwife or dietitian as to which supplements are best for your needs.
Avoid harm. Alcohol and cigarette smoke are a risk to your unborn baby. Drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby and increase the risk of premature birth, miscarriage and stillbirth. Babies born to smoking mothers also have a greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and even exposure to second-hand smoke can increase the risk of SIDS and having a low birthweight baby. While no amount of alcohol is known to be safe during pregnancy, it is particularly important to avoid binge drinking. Caffeine (found in tea, cola drinks, energy drinks and chocolate) should also be limited as too much may increase your chances of having a miscarriage, premature birth or a low birthweight baby.
Want to know more? The Bump to Baby Diet covers all of these areas in detail, from working out your target weight gain and exactly what to eat to obtain all of the key nutrients in pregnancy, to the amount and types of exercise recommended in pregnancy and the things you should avoid to protect your developing baby. Visit www.bumptobabydiet.com for details.
Dr Kate Marsh is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and Credentialled Diabetes Educator and co-author of the Bump to Baby Diet (Hachette Australia, 2012).
Call Cradle 2 Kindy and find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children.
For more information on similar parenting topics you may like take a look at our e-books Publications on this link.
All articles on this website have a copyright any use of any
material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.
Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education
purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this
information is right for your child.
As Jennie discussed last monthin her article Speed Bumbs on the Road from Bump to Baby, research is now showing that your child’s future health, including their risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, may be influenced by your own lifestyle habits, before they are even conceived.
With that in mind, the following are the habits worth focusing on before you start trying to conceive.
Aim for a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight can affect fertility (in both partners) and may increase the risk of your child having weight problems later in life. The good news is that even moderate weight loss (5-10% of your weight) can improve fertility and reduce health risks for you and your baby. But avoid restrictive diets and rapid weight loss - instead aim for a healthy, sustainable rate of weight loss of around 0.5kg per week.
Optimise your eating habits. Eating well prior to conception can improve fertility and ensure that your nutritional stores are at optimum levels when you fall pregnant as well as ensuring your baby gets all the nutrients he or she needs in their first few weeks if life. A father’s diet is important too.
Get moving. Exercising regularly before you fall pregnant has been shown to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes (diabetes in pregnancy) and can help with weight management. Being fit will also help your body cope with the extra demands of pregnancy.
Supplement safely. Women who are trying to conceive should take a folic acid supplement providing 500 micrograms per day (more if you are at higher risk) and an iodine supplement providing 150 micrograms per day. These nutrients are particularly important for your baby’s development and folate can reduce the risk of birth defects. The evidence for other supplements is lacking but if you do take them it is best to choose a pre-natal or pregnancy multivitamin & mineral, as other supplements, including herbal preparations, may not be safe in pregnancy.
Avoid or limit alcohol. Excessive alcohol intake can affect fertility in both partners, and during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby and increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Since you won’t know you are pregnant in the first few weeks, when your baby’s organs are already starting to form, it is best to avoid alcohol when you are trying to conceive. It is particularly important to avoid binge drinking.
Cut down on caffeine. A moderate intake of caffeine should not affect fertility but too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase your chances of having a miscarriage, premature birth or a low birthweight baby. If you are a big consumer of caffeine, start cutting down as soon as you begin trying to conceive. Remember that coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine – it is also found in tea, cola drinks, energy drinks and chocolate.
If you smoke, quit. Smoking can reduce fertility in both males and females and pregnant women who smoke have a higher risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth and stillbirth. Babies born to smoking mothers also have a greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It is important that your partner quits too as exposure to second-hand smoke can also increase the risk of SIDS and having a low birthweight baby.
The Bump to Baby Diet outlines in detail the important steps you can take to optimize your lifestyle before conception. But while planning your pregnancy has obvious benefits for you and your baby, we all know that things don’t always go to plan! So if you find yourself pregnant without any prior preparation, remember that most babies are born healthy, even if they are not planned. Adopting health habits from today will still do a lot to ensure the health of both you and your baby. In the next issue of our newsletter we will discuss the lifestyle habits that are important once you fall pregnant.
Dr Kate Marsh is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and Credentialled Diabetes Educator and co-author of the Bump to Baby Diet (Hachette Australia, 2012).
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When it comes to diet and pregnancy, the focus is usually on vitamins (think folic acid), minerals (think iron) and foods to avoid (think soft cheese). But a growing body of research on the cutting edge of science and medicine is telling us something quite profound. Your baby’s adult weight and health is to a great degree set in stone before they are even born. Their birth weight is a marker of what’s to come. And what we feed our babies afterbirth is not as important as what we were eating at that special moment when ‘egg met sperm’ and we began the delicate task of making a baby. Our weight status (underweight, normal weight, overweight) at the time of conception and our weight gain over the course of pregnancy are more critical than we could ever have imagined. It’s called “metabolic programming” and it’s the new science of epigenetics.
The Bump to Baby Diet(Low GI Eating Plan for Conception, Pregnancy and Beyond) by Professor Jennie Brand-Miler, Dr Kate Marsh and Professor Robert Moses has a unique focus on the importance of your weight at the start of pregnancy, your weight gain over the next 9 months, your baby’s birth weight and the effect of all these on the future health of you and your baby. It recommends a low GI diet for good reason. Pregnancy is a stage in life when the carbohydrates in food play a starring role. Your average blood glucose level throughout the day is directly correlated with our baby’s growth rate in the womb. Quite simply, glucose is the primary fuel that drives all aspects of your baby’s development. If your glucose levels are too high, then your baby will grow too fast and be born with excessive amounts of body fat. And infant birth weights and child obesity have increased hand in hand over recent decades in most industrialised nations.
Blood glucose levels during pregnancy have always been important. It’s the main reason why women who have pre-existing diabetes are given intense medical attention before and during their pregnancies. It’s also the reason why all pregnant women are routinely screened at 26-28 weeks gestation to determine if they have developed gestational diabetes. What’s new is that we now know that even mildly elevated glucose levels during pregnancy have serious consequences.
The Bump to Baby Diet is based on choosing low GI carbs, that is the carbs that are slowly digested and absorbed, producing only gentle rises and falls in blood sugar (blood glucose) and insulin levels. Reducing the GI of your diet is one of the safest and most effective ways of ensuring that your baby grows at the optimum rate, without laying down excessive body fat. In essence, you’ll make some judicious swaps. You’ll chose carbohydrate foods that are known to have a low GI, including specific brands and varieties of bread, breakfast cereal, rice and potatoes. You’ll eat loads of fruit and vegetables (bar potatoes) and you’ll still enjoy a moderate intake of sugar and sweet food. The GI is full of surprises. For example, you’ll learn that many wholegrain foods are high GI, and that many white products (eg pasta and basmati rice) are low GI. For more information about the glycemic index of foods, go to: www.glycemicindex.com and www.gisymbol.com
The Bump to Baby Diet is the only diet book for pregnancy written with these facts in mind. It is not a fad diet, nor low carb diet nor low fat diet. It’s much more flexible and easy to accommodate into busy lives. Above all, it’s a delicious, enjoyable way of eating that is part and parcel of many ethnic cuisines. If you adopt a healthy low GI diet before or during pregnancy, you’ve giving your family the very best start in life.
Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY School of Molecular Bioscience, The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders and author of 'The Bump to Baby Diet'
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It has come to my attention recently about the dangers of slugs and snails. I have asked Peter Banks, Associate Professor in Conservation Biology at the University of Sydney to enlighten us on these dangers. Slugs and snails are a carrier of the potentially dangerous Rat Lungworm.
Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) is a parasite that has a life cycle passing between introduced rats (black rats and brown rats) and snails/slugs. This lungworm is not native to Australia and was first described from Brisbane and is thought to have arrived with infected rats. Indeed native rats don’t appear to carry this lungworm although native snails can be hosts. Infected rats release eggs of the lungworm in their feaces. Slugs or snails that eat infected rat feaces then become infected and the lungworm develops into another life phase in the muscle of the slugs. The lungworm then completes its lifecycle by getting back into a rat when a rat eats an infected slug, adult lungworms develop and begin releasing eggs again.
Humans, pets and wildlife can become infected with the lungworm if they ingest an infected slug or snail, but these are dead-end hosts, i.e. the lungworm can’t complete its life cycle. The fresh slime of snails and slugs can also have lungworms, which may be passed on to humans and other animals, although the risks are probably lower with dry slime as outside of hosts the lungworm dries quickly. Lungworms are dangerous because once ingested they first head to the brain where they can cause meningitis type symptoms, with damage to brain tissue and swelling of the brain before the lungworm dies. Many people show no symptoms at all before the lungworm dies but others are greatly affected. In Sydney in 2011 alone one baby girl has died due to lungworm infection and two young adults have severe brain injury after eating slugs. This low number of cases suggests that the risk of infection is possibly low, however the consequences can be disastrous. Also, its not known whether lungworm is on the increase.
To prevent infection, young kids shouldn’t be allowed to play with slugs and snails, especially if there is a local rat problem. Hands should always be washed after touching slugs or snails. Garden vegies should be washed before use and checked for small slugs. To break the lungworm cycle completely, regular rat and slug/snail control around the house is necessary.
Fortunately the occurrences of infection of the Rat Lung Worm disease is rare. If you would like more information on this topic the NSW Health has a Rat Lung Worm fact sheet which can be accessed through this link.
PETER BANKS | Associate Professor in Conservation Biology
School of Biological Sciences |Behavioural Ecology and Conservation Research Group
THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY http://www.sydney.edu.au/science/biology
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In an article on toddler diets, and oral health, the British Dental Health Foundation website says that drinks should be offered six to eight times a day. From an early age, these drinks should be sipped from a cup or glass, not sucked from a bottle. The same Foundation suggests starting by the time babies are about 6 months old, or when they are able to sit up and can hold things, on their own. 
d smiles; poorly developed faces, jaws and teeth; dental decay; speech impediments and a host of other early childhood health problems. Fill cups less and, like the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests, switch to an open cup as soon as your child can manage it. 
rch Co. states on its website, that muscles are a significant factor in causing malocclusion1. MRCo. goes on to explain that incorrect arch form is responsible for the high prevalence of malocclusion, but the 
arch is primarily a product of the position of the tongue and function of the lips. They write that the forces exerted on teeth by the lips, and tongue determine tooth position - giving the example that only 1.7 grams of pressure is needed to move teeth. Put this figure alongside their information showing the tongue can exert a force of 500 grams and it is easy to consider that altering the position of the tongue can alter the upper arch and the position of teeth. MRCo. says that children develop most rapidly between the ages of 2 and 5 and that during this period 70% of the growth of a child’s face and jaw occurs. They cite dummies, thumb sucking and baby cups, (not meaning open cups), as contributing to poor facial and dental development. 
