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Weight or salt rest riction in preg–
nancy is no longer routinely advised
at the forefront of the obstetrics
community, neither is routine use
of diuretics (water pills).
Sorne physicians are now refer–
ring their patients to registered di–
etitians whose training has pre–
pared them to advise patients as to
their nutritional needs.
More and more we need to come
to understand that pregnancy and
childbirth are normal, natural pro–
cesses and begin to treat them so,
instead of like illnesses. God
is
the
Master Desigher of our bodies and
bodily functions, including the
reproductive processes.
Remember, it 's your responsibil–
ity to protect the health of your
unborn child.
Human Milk f or Human Babies
God also designed the human
breast to produce and provide milk
for the human infant. T he perfect
food for the newborn child, it fol–
lows, is its own mother's milk. No
other food or liquid is necessary for
the breast-fed infant until generally
about six months of age.
Few · mothers are physically
unable to breast-feed their babies,
and, indeed, breast-feeding is
becoming more popular, especially
in the more advanced countries.
Even premature babies thrive
better on the milk expressed by
pump from their own mother 's
breasts. Recent studies show that
pre-term mother's milk contains
substantially higher concentrations
of protein , sodium and chloride in
amounts necessary for the well–
being of tbe premature infant.
But for those who choose not to
breast-feed, realize that human
milk has yet to be successfully
duplicated by formula, and whole
cow's milk is even further
removed.
If
at all possible, breast-feed
your child for the first week or two
so that it will benefit from the
immunization properties of co–
lostrum, a clear yellow liquid the
nursing infant receives before the
milk actually comes in. Colostrum
not only gives the newborn a natu–
ral immunity against many dis–
eases, it also is an important factor
in preparing the young child's gas–
trointestinal tract to most efficient-
a
ly assimilate the nutrients from the
milk that will follow. This valuable
gift toa baby-the future ability to
thrive-can only be given by its
mother.
Solid foods can be introduced to
an infant at about six months of
age. Earlier introduction of solid
foods increases your baby's chance
of developing food allergies. There
is also a tendency to overfeed the
young infant, paving the way for
tomorrow's overweight child and
adult.
Six months is not the time to
change breast-fed or B formula
bottle-fed babies to whole cow's
mi lk. Most infants at this age are
st ill not mature enough to tolerate
cow's milk well.
More and more mothers are pre–
ferring to prepare their own baby
foods at borne. This is fine if fresh
food is used and proper precautions
against contamination are taken.
Pureed processed foods to which
salt and sugar have been added are
worse than using the commercial
baby foods now on the market. In
the last few years, under pressure
fr.om consumer agencies, commer–
cial baby food companies in the
United States have removed the
added salt and sugar from the baby
foods now being sold.
After one year of age there is no
need to continue feeding babies
baby food . About this time most
should be able to eat from the
table.
T his is a good time for parents to
consider their own dietary prac–
tices.
If
father or mother consumes
too much sugar or salt, the child is
sure to repeat the example.
Great care should be taken not to
encourage the infant to consume
more baby food than it desires.
There is a tendency among many
parents to try to get the baby to eat
all the food presented. This is also a
problem many times with bottle–
fed babies. Allow the babies to take
only what they desire and need of
formula or baby food. Again, you
are establishing eating habits that
can be valuable or detrimental for
the lifetime of your child.
The bottle-fed baby should also
be held while one of the parents
holds the bottle for feeding. Babies
should not be left in their cribs
with propped-up bottles dribbling
formula into their mouths. Not
only is there danger of middle-ear
infections, the erupting teeth of the
older infant will be more prone to
cavities.
Bott.le-fed babies should receive
the same amount of cuddling and
affection as the breast-fed baby.
Even at night, the baby should be
removed from the crib and held
If
you are a
pregnant woman, you
are responsible
for the good nutrition
that will
enable your child
to reach bis
or her maximum
genetic potential. You
can give your
baby a head start
that no one else
can. Your baby is what
you eat.
while feeding. Try to break the pat–
tern that has been so prevalent in
the Western world of denying
infants the close contact they need
with their fathers and mothers.
A Virtual Conspiracy Against Emotional
Maturity
Even from birth the newborn infant
is usually taken from its anesthe–
tized mother, washed and weighed.
Then, after a few brief minutes
with mother, the infant is placed in
a crib in the nursery, where it
spends most of the first few days of
life-alone.
Yet it is in these first critica!
minutes and hours of life that we
form ou r initial emotional attach-
The PLAIN TRUTH