Keeping Your Baby at a Healthy Weight – 6 Ways to do it Right!

We all love chubby babies — there’s something about those chubby bellies and thighs that’s totally adorable. “Baby fat” is not something people worry about. Not only do we think of it as cute, but we also think of it as healthy — and temporary.

Unfortunately, it’s not as healthy or temporary as we’d love to believe. This is why today’s blog post points out why parents need to be mindful of their babies’ weight.

In time past, baby fat was indeed healthy and temporary. Back then when infant mortality was high, a little heft meant some extra reserves for the baby. And until recently, most children lost their baby fat once they got old enough to be active outside. But today, thanks to the advancement of modern medicine, children are far more likely to survive and the ever-evolving technology and other societal factors have made children far more likely to be sedentary. The reality is that baby fat turns into child fat, which graduates to adult fat.

Thankfully, there are simple steps parents can take to keep their baby at a healthy weight and set them on the best path to stay that way.

1. Breastfeeding. It’s important to know that some mothers cannot do this at all, and many cannot do it for very long. But if it’s possible for you as a mother, breastfeeding is a great way to get your baby started. Not only is the food perfectly designed for the baby’s nutritional needs, but it’s also almost impossible to overfeed while breastfeeding. Even if the baby lingers at his mother’s breasts for a long time, after 10 to 15 minutes they are mostly just sucking for comfort and not getting milk.
2. Don’t calm every cry with food. Babies cry for all manner of reasons. Sometimes it’s hunger, but sometimes they cry because they are uncomfortable, bored, scared, tired, overwhelmed, or just want some cuddles. If it’s been only a short time since their last meal, and they start to cry, parents should try a few other things before they result in feeding their baby. Try changing the diaper, holding and soothing, or simply talking and playing with them.
   This is particularly important to start early; because once the baby gets used to being feed every time they fuss, after a while they may start to think of feeding as what they need when they are upset, bored, or tired, making other options less successful and therefore, creating unhealthy associations with eating that are hard to undo as they become older.
3. Don’t overfeed your baby. It’s natural to want your little one to finish a bottle or a bowl of food. But if your baby stops eating and signals that he/she doesn’t want anymore, it’s important to respect that. If your doctor has said that your baby is underweight and needs to eat more, then, that’s a different story and you should talk to your doctor about what to do. But if your baby is healthy, when he/she says they are done, then they are done. Let your little one listen to his hunger cues; it will be important for the rest of his life.
4. Feed them healthy solid food. Once your baby is ready, give him/her fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and lean meats. Babies will try anything. Use this time before they become too picky to build their tastes for foods you want them to eat forever.
5. Start family meals as early as possible. As soon as your baby can sit in a highchair, bring her to the table to eat with you and the family. Children who eat meals with their parents and siblings are less likely to overeat — and family meals help build strong relationships and help children do better in school. Make it a habit early. It also helps families cook and eats healthier meals.
6. Get your baby moving. Exercising is not just for the grown folks. It can and should be started early. Get your baby on the floor; encourage him/her to do “tummy time”. Encourage movement and physical activities. If it means getting down on the floor with them, then do it!
   Create safe places for them to crawl and learn to walk and run. Take your little ones out for walks — and once they can walk, make sure they walk too. If you make active play and family exercise a norm, it will not only help your kids get to and stay at a healthy weight, it makes it more likely that they will be active as children, teens, and adults.

The whole point of this writeup is: teaching your children good health habits not only helps them now but stays with them into adulthood.

If you have questions you would like answered or would need assistance on how to go about with your baby’s health, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to help.