The Role of Iron in Formula

The Role of Iron in Formula

August 5th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Iron is an essential mineral to your baby’s growth and development. It is vital to the blood supply, helping to create the hemoglobins that carry oxygen through the blood. Most formulas today are fortified with iron, in accordance with AAP recommendations for preventing an iron deficiency, or anemia, in babies. There are some concerns regarding iron in formula, usually in relation to constipation or other stomach problems; however, the recommendation is still to choose iron-fortified formula over low-iron versions.

Iron in Formula vs. Breast Milk

Some advocates of lower iron formulas argue that breast milk contains far less iron than the average fortified formula. This is true; however, the iron in breast milk is much more easily absorbed by and used by a baby’s body than that found in formula. Therefore a lower amount can have a greater effect. Some doctors do recommend an iron supplement for breast fed babies, but the research is not yet clear on how helpful this is in preventing anemia.

Does Iron in Formula Cause Gastrointestinal Distress?

The main reason why parents choose to switch to a low-iron formula is the belief that the iron in the formula is responsible for such problems as colic, constipation, gas and diarrhea. Because iron supplements in adults can cause constipation, it seems like a logical conclusion that iron would have the same effect on a baby. The research on the topic, however, discredits this belief. There is no evidence of any difference in any of the above issues between babies fed iron-fortified formula and those fed low-iron versions of the same formula.

There is, however, a difference between breastfed babies and formula fed babies in levels of constipation and gas, as well as other stomach issues. This is not because of levels of iron, however, but because breast milk is much easier for the baby’s body to digest than formula. It is also used so effectively by the body that it often leaves less waste to clog up the baby’s system.

The Benefits of Iron in Formula

Since manufacturers started adding iron to formula in the 1970’s, the rate of anemia in infants has dropped dramatically, from 20% to 3% of formula fed babies. Iron is vital to your growing baby’s health, allowing the creation of new red blood cells.

At this time, the AAP recommends that you use a formula fortified with iron, if you are not breastfeeding your baby. Formulas with higher amounts of iron are a better choice because a very small amount of the total iron is actually absorbed and used by the body. Cow’s milk formulas have an absorption rate of only about 12% of iron, while soy formulas are even lower. Compared to the 50% rate of absorption from human milk, it becomes obvious why adding iron to formula is necessary to provide baby with an adequate supply of iron.

At this time, there is no evidence to support the use of low-iron formulas, but despite efforts to educate new parents, low-iron formulas are still available and are still being chosen by parents based on inaccurate information. If you have concerns about iron in your baby’s diet, talk to your pediatrician. It is difficult to see a baby suffering from gastrointestinal distress, but blaming it on iron and removing this important nutrient from baby’s diet can have a damaging effect on health and is unlikely to improve the problem.

The AAP’s New Stance on Food Allergies

The AAP’s New Stance on Food Allergies

May 1st, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

About 50 million children in the US suffer from allergies, some of them very severe. Many new parents are extremely concerned about potential allergies in their children, and how to proceed cautiously with potentially allergenic foods, such as peanuts, shellfish, milk and eggs. As food allergies tend to be the most severe and potentially life-threatening, a great deal of research has been focused on how to reduce the risk. The AAP offers several recommendations.

When to Introduce Allergenic Foods

The AAP previously recommended delaying the introduction of potentially allergenic foods to a baby to prevent allergies. Recent research, however, refutes this. Previous recommendations were to avoid allergenic foods during pregnancy and through the first 2 years of life. In fact, the results might be the opposite – eating these foods during pregnancy and introducing children to them earlier may actually reduce the risk of allergies in the child. The current evidence at the very least does not support any benefit to avoiding these foods.

There is an exception to these guidelines; if there is a family history of severe food allergies, especially if the parents or siblings have allergies, it’s still a good idea to follow the old rules, and avoid exposure. Children with a genetic predisposition to food allergies should try the baby foods in question cautiously and at an older age, when they are stronger and more able to recover from a reaction.

If you are concerned about allergies, talk to your doctor to find out what the best path is for you, both during pregnancy and when your baby is born. Every case is a little different, and talking to your doctor can help you make sense of how the recommendations apply to you.

One of the best things a mother can do to prevent her baby from developing allergies is to breastfeed the baby for at least the first four months. Babies who are breastfed are less likely to have not only food allergies, but other types of allergies as well. This effect is most pronounced in children with a high risk for allergies. There is also no evidence that avoiding allergenic foods during lactation prevents or reduces the risk of allergies in the baby.

Does Your Baby Have an Allergy?

It can be hard to tell if the reaction is mild, so if you suspect an allergy, see your baby’s doctor. Not all allergic reactions will be serious or life-threatening, but an initial mild reaction does not mean that the next reaction won’t be stronger. If you notice anything strange after your baby has eaten a new food for the first time, such as a diaper rash, rash on the skin, upset stomach including strange bowel movements or vomiting, call your baby’s doctor. Avoid the food in question until you have talked it over with a medical professional.

In order to make it clear which foods are the culprits, be sure to introduce new foods one at a time, and wait a few days in between new foods. This way, you can tell which food is responsible for the reaction. You may not see a reaction the first time your baby tries the food, either. Sometimes the allergic reaction does not occur until the second or third time the food is ingested, which is why several days should be allowed in between adding to baby’s diet.

If your baby does develop an allergy, you may not have to avoid the food forever. Many childhood allergies are outgrown in time, but be cautious about re-introducing the food, should you choose to do so. If your child has not outgrown the allergy, a strong reaction is possible.

A Healthy Immune System for Baby

A Healthy Immune System for Baby

April 29th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

A healthy immune system is vital to helping your baby’s body to fight off infections and avoid illness. To keep her immune system working at peak performance, baby needs a little help from you.

In the womb, antibodies are passed to baby from her mother via the placenta. But after birth, their power will start to wane, and unless they are replace baby will be vulnerable to illness. A baby won’t start to produce her own antibodies until she is a few months old. In the meantime, there is a way to help her out.

Breastfeeding and Immunity

Breast milk is the only way to get vital antibodies to your baby in the first months of life. The AAP recommends that new mothers breastfeed for at least the first four months, but preferably exclusively for the first six months. This isn’t just because breast milk contains antibodies. It also gives your baby the optimum nutritional content she needs to be healthy. A body that is receiving all the nutrients it needs is a body that supports immune health.

Baby’s Diet and Immune Health

When your baby starts on solid baby foods, make sure to offer her a wide variety of healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables. The nutrients in these foods will help to support her immune system and keep her healthy. Look for foods high in vitamins C and E, which are known to have immunity-strengthening properties. These foods include choices like applesauce, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli and more. Also, be sure to include foods high in zinc, which also supports immune health. This important mineral appears in proteins such as chicken and eggs.

Probiotics have recently been recognized as playing a major role in immune health. They are the good bacteria that our bodies need in order to fight off any number of illnesses. Probiotics can be found in foods like yogurt, but use caution. Many commercial yogurts have been flash heated to maintain shelf life – which kills many of the good bacteria. Look for an all natural yogurt that has not been heated. You can also use probiotic supplements; talk to your baby’s doctor about how to implement them into baby food diet.

The Importance of Sleep

It might not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of a healthy immune system, but making sure that your baby gets the sleep he needs is actually vital to supporting a healthy immune system. In the same way that adults can get run down and become vulnerable to infection when we aren’t getting enough sleep, babies need sleep to stay healthy – and they require a lot more sleep than we do.

During sleep, the body repairs and rejuvenates itself, making it better able to fight off illness. A newborn requires upwards of 16 hours of sleep, and in the first year of life that need won’t go down much. Make sure baby gets enough rest by sticking to a bedtime routine and a nap schedule as much as you can. If baby seems to be sleeping more than usual, he might be fighting something off. Let him get his rest, and watch for further signs of illness. Sometimes all the body needs is a little extra down time to let the immune system kick in and do its job.

A healthy immune system means a healthy baby, so do everything you can to support it from the day he is born. If you pay attention to his body’s needs, your baby’s immune system will stay strong and keep him strong too.

Your Baby’s Car Seat: What You Need to Know

Your Baby’s Car Seat: What You Need to Know

March 6th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

The car seat may be the most important safety product you can buy for your new baby. The number one cause of death in children is car accidents, and a properly installed and used car seat can reduce your child’s risk of death or serious injury in a crash. Unfortunately, as many as 70% of car seats in use today are either improperly installed or not used correctly. Learn the basics of car seats before you take your precious cargo on the road.

Types of Car Seats

There are two types of car seats for babies. The first is the bucket style infant seat, which has a handle for easy carrying and often has a permanent base that is left in the car. The seat latches into the base for travel, and can easily be released. These car seats are popular for young babies, as they allow the parent to remove the entire seat from the car without disturbing a sleeping infant. Infant car seats can only be used in the rear-facing position, and generally have a weight limit of 22-35 pounds.

The second type of car seat is a convertible seat. These car seats have a larger weight range, and can be flipped from the rear-facing position to the forward-facing position when baby is big enough. Although far more expensive, with some models carrying weight limits ranging from 5-100 pounds, it might be the only car seat you ever have to buy. Convertible car seats are not portable and remain in the car at all times.

While most states mandate that a child remain rear-facing until they are both one year old and weigh 20 pounds, it is now the official recommendation of the AAP that you keep your child rear-facing up to the limit of the car seat, which is 35-40 pounds on most models.

There are a wide variety of car seats on the market with a range of price tags, but all car seats, no matter what the price are subjected to the same safety tests. The only exception to this rule is European seats, which are put through side impact tests as well as front and rear. At this time US car seats are not tested for side impact.

When choosing a car seat, the most important factor is how well it fits in your car. Most stores will allow you to test-fit a floor model before you buy.

Car Seat Installation and Use

Before your baby is born, you should make sure the car seat is installed properly in your vehicle. The car seat should always go in the back seat, in the middle if possible. Newer cars offer the LATCH system, which is a series of built-in tethers specifically for car seats. Check your car’s manual to find out if you have LATCH, and follow both the vehicle and car seat manufacturer’s directions to install the seat. If you don’t have LATCH, follow the directions for installation using your car’s safety belts.

Even if you are sure you have the seat installed right, it’s a good idea to double check. Many children’s stores and also local police or fire departments offer free car seat inspections. Visit www.seatcheck.org to find a free inspection clinic near you. Experts will review the installation of the car seat with you, and also go over how to use it properly.

Every time you put your baby in the car seat, make sure that the harness is properly latched and is tight enough. It might be tempting to skip the car seat on very short trips, but even at low speeds and on short trips, accidents can happen – and your baby could get hurt. The car seat is the most important tool you have to protect your baby on the road, so use it correctly every time!