Fussy babies – practical advice on Introduction of Solids, Eating Development and Food Sensitivity for mothers and health professionals
By Joan Breakey
Provides a great insight for mother and a fantastic resource for dietians and other health professionals, particularly dietitians. Available on line at www.dietinvestigation.com Easter 2010
Why it is useful for professionals:
Chapter 1 – When introduction of solids gets complicated
This chapter gives a useful overview of introduction of solids that emphasises all parts equally not presuming introduction of solids is just related to one orientation such as prevention of allergies or watching for some signs of readiness. It covers all the parts of introduction of solids, particularly covering how and why it can get complicated. Successful breastfeeding can be followed by successful introduction of solids.
Chapter 2 – Eating development
Breast feeding is the ideal way to prepare the baby for the next process the brain has to manage: obtaining nutrients from solid food. Managing a good diet is learned via new pathways in the brain, separate from muscular or mechanical development, or those problems which could be seen as psychological or phobic. It provides detailed information on how to use knowledge of eating development in each of the areas such as taste, texture, temperature, smell, so that baby can progress to eating family food. Importantly, professionals can use this information to help when parents think their infant has stopped in his or her eating progression, for example, by refusing lumpy or scratchy food. The exact issue can be clarified and progress can begin again.
Chapter 3 – Is Your Baby Food Sensitive?
After medical investigations have excluded various reasons for the many symptoms that occur, food sensitivity should be considered. Managing introduction of solids alongside preventing allergies, managing known allergic symptoms, and investigating diet for possible food sensitivity can be tricky. This chapter provides guidelines on how to fit these in while still ensuring other important parts such as breast feeding or nutrition are still incorporated. Much diet investigation and management of both allergy and food chemical intolerance can still be done while breastfeeding. This chapter provides guidelines on how to fit in preventing allergies, providing treatment of known allergic symptoms, and investigating diet for possible food sensitivity while still ensuring other important parts, such as breast feeding, or nutrition, are still incorporated.
Chapter 4
Supersensitivity in Food Sensitive Babies
Supersensitivity to the many sensory inputs does occur, especially in food sensitive families. An awareness of its presence helps professionals to appreciate what the family can deal with. Fortunately it is reduced where diet investigation decreases symptoms.
Appendix – Reading around the topic
This book developed after writing the overview of what is involved in introduction of solids, particularly coming to the general topic from the directions of eating development, food sensitivity and supersensitivity. Other books are oriented from the breast feeding , nutrition, Baby-led Weaning or managing very fussy eaters points of view. But all aspects of introduction of solids need to include the concept of eating development. Without this orientation a central concept is missed.
Available on line at www.dietinvestigation.com. If you want to be one of the first to get Fussy Babies email us now and we’ll notify you as soon as it’s available enquiries@dietinvestigation.com .
Thank You. I bookmarked your weblog. Great resource!
I have a 5 month old baby and a three year old. Both girls I believe are food sensitive. The eldest had mucous and blood in her stools and went onto neocate formula and was extremely and still can be fussy.
I have taken dairy and soy out of my diet as I am breasfeeding the 5 month old. She is more settled and does feed but still have some mucous, reflux, wind and can have trouble sleeping.
I also seem to have IBS but get candida infections. My 5 month old have it in her mouth after she was born. I am not sure where to go next with our diet whether it is the candida or the sensitivites causing the problem?
I am reading your book at the moment. It is great how it is so individualised. Just not sure what to do whilst breastfeeding to help us both and I am just starting solids. Don’t want her to go onto formula as that was the worst thing we did for my 3 year old. I have lost a lot of weight on the dairy and soy free diet. Need guidance and it is hard to find where we live. Hope this is the right place to ask for advice.
Dear Katrina,
You have much to cope with so you will be busy, but do not need to be overwhelmed, for quite some time. You are dealing with your own low weight, breast feeding issues, introduction of solids, reflux, all 3 of you probably food sensitive, your 3 year old being fussy, and a candida infection. No wonder you are not sure what to think about! The good thing about reading Fussy Baby is that you can see how they are connected. It is great to have your own copy so you can keep reading all of the chapters to get more ideas as you go along.
It would take a book to cover all the food sensitivity ideas you have. Fortunately I have written the detail into Are You Food Sensitive? available now on this site. Also see the article on this website on Introducing foods to a food sensitive baby as it covers some important ideas, including the reflux aspect. Do seek out the nearest dietitian so you can get help re all the nutrition issues with foods to eat. Use http://www.daa.asn.au and go to Find a Dietitian.
Let’s take your concerns one at a time
The candida infection
Visit your doctor and ask about some short term treatment, uncoloured and unflavoured, accepting that you and the baby may feel ‘off’ while taking it plus 5 days. The infection will probably be affecting both you and baby’s symptoms, and the treatment may do so a bit, but is necessary. Also discuss all of your care with your doctor.
You having sufficient foods for your weight and your baby’s needs
If you were a sports woman you would accept you need to eat lots and your needs are as great. Without dairy and soy you need to eat lots of all allowed plain foods, especially other sources of protein at each meal, that includes at morning and afternoon teas. See the detail of guidelines for excluding dairy in Ch5 of Are You Food Sensitive?
Introducing solids using the window of opportunity – discussed in Fussy Baby.
It is wise to test many new foods one at a time and this can be done while breastfeeding. One test is to try drops of soy formula milk over days in case it is tolerated in you, and in the baby, via breast milk. STOP if it is not. If soy is tolerated it would be a big help to your protein intake. Keep reading Fussy Baby for ideas.
All three of you probably food sensitive
Read every word in Chap 3 of Fussy Baby including the whole Family Sensitivity History section so you can see what you can learn from your family. Then you act on that using all the detail in Are You Food Sensitive? You may ease yourself into diet investigation using the Easy Diet ideas and gradually learning more. You and your baby are the most important at this time. You can apply eating development ideas and food sensitivity ideas to your 5 year old when they fit in with you, and the baby and when you have the energy. But do use the idea that if the 5 year old reacts to some food then you need to watch it yourself and in the baby.
I wish you well in just taking the issues one day at a time.
Joan
Thanks for sharing tips for feeding babies…