Christine Wood, M.D., F.A.A.P., C.L.E. Dr. Christine Wood is a practicing pediatrician in San Diego with interests in healthy nutrition for children and the environmental and nutritional impact on health and disease. read more

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Sign In to Ask a Question Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5   pediatric nutrition   Thread Posted by Replies Views Date   Juices Question My son is eight months old and I was wondering about giving him watered down juices they sell them for six month olds in the store but I still have a few questions about them and is it possible for him not to like certain foods Answer IssacsMum 1 232 1/17/08 12:59 pm   formula Question My 2 and a half month old has reflux and is on prevacid She is formula fed I use Enfamil Lipil should I switch to Enfamil A R She still spits up even tho she's on the meds I am unsure if Enfamil AR is necessary or if their are disadvantages to it my Dr has not mentioned Originally he did not say changing formula was nesessary However when I was there recently he wasn't available and I saw the nurse practitioner who said I should try it I don't know who to agree with Answer concerned 1 321 12/28/07 1:56 pm   baby spitting up Question Im not usre if I can call it spitting up if he is 5 months old But my sone will only eat 4 ounces of formula (He has rice cereal too) but then will spit  up half the bottle I am concerned about acid reflux He also cries alot at night like he is colicky once he gets fed he stops crying its like the hunger pains are too much for him to handle and he can only handle 4 ounces at a time i have tried 5 but he spit up more All last week he spit up most of his bottles even with the rice cereal in it for the  added heaviness as my midwife called it   I am not sure if he is lactose intollereant or not i dont know which formula to try (He hated the nutrigemin) I have had his formula changed 3 times from milk base to soy to milk base back to soy Im lactose intolerant and his dad was on a meat based formula when he was a baby I just dont know if this will continue or he will grow out of it   Im a first time mom and get nervous over everything Thanks for any advice mom2babyboy07 Answer mom2babyboy07 1 477 12/19/07 11:05 pm   solid foods Question my baby is 14 weeks old and she is taking 30 oz of formulia a day would it be ok if i started solid foods at 16 weeks instead of 20 aslong as i keep the formulia as the major nutrient in her diet Answer heatherd20 1 366 12/14/07 7:53 pm   How much formula should my baby be eating and how often? Question My baby is 14 weeks old   She was born 3 1/2 weeks early and only weighed 4 pound 4 ounces   At her 2 month appointmetn she weighed 8 pounds   At the two month appointment she was eating 4 ounces every 3 4 hours waking up once at night to eat   Now she is up to 5 5 ounces every 3 4 hours (usually closer to 4 she'll eat it all then but will leave some if fed sooner)   She has been sleeping 7 9 hours at night and eat usually 5 bottles a day   I don't knwo what she weighs now but is definitely bigger than she was 6 weeks ago   My question is:  Every time I increase her formula intake per feeding she obliges and completes the whole bottle   I am thinking of going up to 6 ounces but I have a friend whose baby (4 months 13 pounds at 2 month appointment) only eats 4 ounces every three hours around the clock (7 8 times per day)   She hasn't increased his formula intake since he was 2 months old   I am nervous that i might feed my daughter too much per feeding or not often enough   98 of the time she always eats what I give her  Hardly spits up; maybe once in a blue moon a wee bit comes up with a burp   She burps once at the end of a feeding and finishes her feedings in less than 10 minutes   Everything I read online is conflicting   Some suggest increasing the food until the child does nto finish a bottle within 30 minutes but I also read not to give more than 32 ounces per day; therefore I don't know if it is safe to keep giving her more   What do you think Answer pookbu 1 371 12/11/07 2:32 pm   1 month old sneezing Question My Daughter has just turned one month old and it seems at this time everyone is sick with allergies sinuses or just the plain cold   My daughter seemed to be doing fine untile she started to sneeze more than what she used to i know that she was sneezing before to get all that newborn mucus out but it seems different now and her eyes are watery and her face is red aroung the nose and eye area   My whole family and my husbands family all suffer from sever allergies and sinuses and her brother is allergic to the mountain cedar   Could it be she has them too I think it to early to tell or does she have a cold please help me I'm scared i don't think they have medicine for a newborn What can I do Answer jleilani 1 365 11/20/07 3:10 pm   my newborn is breathing funny Question i just recently had a baby about a month ago and he has already been sick with a cold well he has since gotten over his cold (mostly) but he sounds to me like he may have asthma only because when he breaths it sounds like he's wheezing what do you think could that be a possibility or could it be that he's still getting over his cold Answer specialmom07 1 319 11/18/07 9:39 pm   my baby is 4 weeks old Question he has had a stuffed up nose and a coughf for 3 weeks now i've taken him to see the doc but they don't seem to be concerned he eats sleeps and goes poo fine  should i be worried they said to just ride it out Answer jane 1 284 11/12/07 6:40 pm   breast feeding Question My teenage daughter is a new mom and she is trying to breast feed the baby   She didn't like putting the baby to the breast so we comprimised on pumping   He milk has been slow to build up and the baby wants more then she is producing   She is still in school so getting everything done is becoming difficult   My question is Is it better to give the baby the breastmilk we get and supplement with formula or give up on the breastmilk and go strictly with formula Answer Booboo's Mom 1 291 11/12/07 1:04 pm   WHICH FORMULA IS BEST Question ONCE I DECIDE NOT TO BREASTFEED WHICH FORMULA IS BEST Answer ZANYGRL 1 397 10/5/07 11:47 pm   nursery water Question I'm just wondering what you think about nursery water with added flouride My municipal tap water does not contain flouride Is it a good idea to use nursery water because of the flouride added in Can you give too much flouride this way and if so what are the side effects Thanks Answer lilcamp 1 512 9/10/07 1:44 am   breastmilk fat content Question I actually have two questions several friends and I have been discussing breast milk fat contents   I have very little fat in my milk while one friend's milk is almost all fat   This friend has had her galbladder out and we were curious if that could have an effect on her milk   Additionally I saw a report on a study done about the fat content in milk and the report said that studies are showing that the fat content can be largely bad fats which is a possible connection to why doctors are finding more children with heart disease in its beginning stages   If the breastmilk is full of bad fats because the parents are eating fast food and other poor food choices while lactating and then the child grows up to eat a similar diet from an early age heart disease and diabetes are being found more often   Do you have any information that can confirm this or debunk it Answer momto5 1 333 7/24/07 5:32 pm   freezing homemade foods for baby Question Two questions: 1 Can i use breastmilk storage bags to freeze fresh homemade ground foods and 2 When grinding/pureeing fruits and veggies do i need to mix in water to thin it like with carrots or such and if making strawberries or banannas or the like do i need to make sure all the seeds are removed or can they stay   Thanks in advance   Beth Answer Beth 1 209 11/7/07 10:09 pm   dark green stool after eating fruits Question My daughter is 5 months old she is a wonderful eater and has taken really well to the baby cereals and so far the two fruits we have tried   She has had peaches and banana's but we have noticed that since adding the fruits to her diet her stool has become a dark green color   Sometimes it is a little liquidy with some form to it   Is this anything to be concerned about   She is also on Enfamil Nutramigen because of having issues with the regular formula   Any help you could give is appreciated Answer 1 329 8/19/07 1:35 pm   Underweight Toddler/breastfeeding dilemma Question My 24 month old is 22lbs 9 oz (32 5 inches tall) and has been on the very bottom of the growth curve since about 12 months    He has had a range of tests done (celiac fecal fat urinalysis bloodwork) and the only thing that came up was nutritional iron deficiency which has been helped by an iron supplement   It seems he simply doesn't consume enough calories   He is very active and hitting milestones nicely but I am still concerned about his low weight and almost no desire for any food except my breast milk   He will drink some whole milk but maybe only 4 oz a day I try a variety of high fat and calorie dense foods and have exhausted myself trying everything to get him to eat   I have gradually begun weaning him and have cut back to two times per day hoping that it would increase his apetite but it has almost seemed to make it worse and he asks to nurse more often now   He will often cry out for me to hold him or to nurse after eating only a few bites of food and chasing him around with with food all day just seems to increase the control issue   I leave high fat & high calorie food out for him to graze when he plays but he has hardly any interest and would rather be playing   My instincts tell me that stopping breastfeeding now wouldn't be a good idea because of the obvious emotional comfort it brings he obviously does not find the same comfort in food     He is given tons of love and attention from me all day (in others ways than nursing) and it pains me not to see him gaining any weight   Despite the pros of breasfeeding do you think it could really be contributing to his failure to gain weight Answer snazzymom 1 319 8/17/07 5:02 pm   cradle cap on newborns and nutrition Question my six week old baby has been already seen by a dermatologist for cradle cap and was given dermatology head cream as well as body cream because it has somehow spread causing a dry skin mask to the face neck and shoulders but not the rest of the body Along with this prescription came the statement that there really is no medication for a baby prior to three months and he was leaving this decision to accept his medication up to the conscious discretion of the parents given the age of the child When i went to fill prescription the pharmacist was reluctant to give the medication for a child this age and being in business for so long advised against the medicine Are there any herbal remedies or nutritional supplements that i the mom can take since i am breastfeeding Answer CHARISMA46 1 307 10/20/07 5:15 pm   rice cereal with DHA Question Good Day Dr Wood I am using Gerber rice cereal with DHA for my 4 5 month old son I am concerned about the source of the DHA (tuna oil) as tuna oil may have mercury I have looked at look at the studies on DHA and ARA for child development as well as reports of mercury levels in tuna derived fish oils I cannot however find any information about whether or not the tuna oil derived DHA in rice cereal has any mercury concentration (even small amounts) I am happy to see that the DHA in Similac is derived from C cohnii oil I mix the rice cereal with Similac infant formula How concerned should I be or not at all Thank you in Advance George aka Mr Dad Answer George 1 274 8/16/07 1:32 pm she wont eat... Question im getting very frustrated with my two year old i have tried everything at breakfast she wont eat i can try making 4 different things and she just wont eat at lunch she wont eat unless its just rolled cold cuts and a slice of cheese and some fruit which ok fine if thats what she eats for lunch at least she eats at dinner she wont eat unless she's really hungry and youd think that after all day of not wanting to eat that she'd be hungry for example yesterday breakfast i made pancakes she wanted nothing to do with them so i waited a few and made french toast she wanted nothing to do with it i waited a bit more and made scrambled eggs and put some food coloring in it and THEN she ate it lunch i gave her two slices of turkey a piece of cheese and some strawberries YAY she ate it then she took a nap when she woke up we went outside and played for the rest of the afternoon you'd think she'd be hungry i made sloppy joes for dinner with some mac and cheese (baked home made) and broccoli she ate the broccoli and only the broccoli i waited till i was done eating and then put her down and i figured if i waited and let her run around for a bit she'd be hungry again i just dont know what to do everyday we go through this today she had half a piece of toast for breakfast and ONE piece of bologna and ONE piece of cheese i try to make fun lunches ive tried the face sandwiches ants on a log she just wont eat then when i take her to the docs that tell me that she's over weight and i need to lower her caloric intake lower it to what ZERO she drinks juice 1 lactaid milk and koolaid (with splenda cuz im borderline diabetic) she MIGHT have ONE cup of juice a day TWO cups of milk and she sips on koolaid through out the day i need help i just cant do it its so frustrating :tissue: Answer buttafli faerie85 1 619 7/9/07 4:19 pm   my chubby toddler Question My daughter will be 2 in a few months She's tall and she's chubby   Her weight is 35 pounds and her brother 2 years her elder is only a few pounds more than her I try really hard to watch what she eats   I don't want to create a daughter with a negative self image but I also want to keep her from obesity It is totally impossible to keep ALL junk away from her   Her brother is allowedone treat per day   I could not posibly refuse her the same   The rest of the day they may choose raisins fruit cheerios veggies to snack on   How can I more closely watch her weight   Is there a good book I can read Please help THANKS Answer imperfectmom 1 295 8/14/07 1:37 am   Breastfeeding Question I am about 33 weeks pregnant and when I give birth I plan to breast feed I still am smoking cigarettes but it is only about 5 a day which I know it still is not good My question is do I have to stop smoking altogether when I give birth and start breastfeeding Answer mommy2b88 1 319 8/14/07 1:27 am   dissolving powder formula with breastmilk instead of water Question is is safe to use breast milk to dissolve powder formula instead of water   If yes what are the benefits   If not what could be the harm Answer yomama 1 242 8/12/07 7:43 pm   baby stools Question my baby girl is 10 days old and was pooping 3 4 good diapers a day but now the last couple of days she is strugling and they are hard and less is there anything I can give her to help losen them and make it easier for her Thank You Answer clifton14 1 271 8/4/07 3:51 am   sushi for kids Question Hi   Recently I gave my daughter (who will be four in October) some raw fish sushi   She shared with me and sampled just about everything one could expect to be included with a typical sushi dinner   While in retrospect I could see the tuna as problematic because of the mercury content I thought this was an excellent and very healthy option for her   However when I mentioned this to some other mothers they said it wasn't safe to feed her raw fish at all   These are sushi eating mom's by the way not a group "grossed out" by raw fish   When I googled this I couldn't find any information   So can I continue doing this   If not at what age does it become acceptable   Thanks in advance   Bridget Answer Bridget 1 243 8/5/07 12:02 pm   solids and finger foods Question My daughter is almost 9 months and has been eating solids since she was 6 months She has started in on level 3 solids and is doing mixed food I have two basic questions How much food should she be eating versus formula Right now she is eating about 3 "meals" a day and 24 28 oz of formula Is this too much Also when should she start finger foods like cheerios I'm so afraid of her choking How small should things be cut up to keep her from choking on the foods Thanks Answer lilcamp 1 263 8/3/07 7:42 pm   Newborn Question Hello I have a four month old child and I'm currently feeding him Simlac Adavance formula with Dr Browns bottles He seems to have alot of gas and sometimes it seems as though he's having a hard time having a bowl movement I'm also giving him Gerber's juices That sometimes seems to help I have recently started giving him stage 1 baby foods Could any of these things be leading to the constpation Is there anything that I can do to help him when he is constipated Answer tristansmom 1 409 7/18/07 10:43 pm   Baby is small and won't eat Question My 12 month old baby is underweight and small for his age After speaking with our doctor we believe he is not eating enough solid foods We began him on solids at around 6 months He at them at first but in the last few months he has been rejecting solid food quite often We ve been trying to follow our doctor s recommendation that we feed him 3 meals a day with no more than 16 ounces of milk daily But he just doesn t take much of the solids We ve been offering him a range of solid foods He used to eat mashed potatoes mashed sweet potatoes diced chicken with rice etc but he began to refuse these a few months ago More recently he was willing to eat small pieces of hot dogs French fries and bread but lately he s been refusing these as well Sometimes we try to feed him with a spoon or with our fingers and sometimes we let him feed himself In either case what happens often is that a few seconds after the solid food goes into his mouth he pushes it out with his tongue We are concerned that if he continues not to gain weight he will suffer long term problems We re planning to see a nutritionist soon In the meantime what can we do to get him to eat more Answer wilkinson 1 428 6/30/07 12:08 am   Baby Stools Question Hello I am breastfeeding and giving formula to my baby Recently I had to make changes on his formula because he was straining to poop and was very constipated At birth he began with Enfamil Lipil with Iron for about three weeks The doctor recommended Prosobee but that did not help I switched to Similac Advance (powder form) This seems to be helping He poops once every day or other day for the past two weeks Now in the last four days his poop color went from yellowish (seedy) to dark dark green soft not runny I do not see him straining to poop He does show a little redness of the face when he is doing his business but not like before where he would cry because he could not poop Should I be concerned with the change in color of his poop Answer cindy 1 391 6/30/07 4:12 am   Supplements? Question So what do you think of supplements for kids I was wondering about minerals since mychild doesn't like dairy and I worry about calcium intake Answer kylie 1 334 6/30/07 11:28 pm   fruit vs. veggies in quanity.. Question Should my 2 year old daughter eat as many veggies as she eats fruit in a day More or less She had a great appitite and eats almost anything but loooooves fruit Whats the balance and what veggies are the best for her Answer carly 1 290 7/14/07 10:36 pm   my baby eating little quantity, any food Question my baby is 11 months old She takes any food very small quantity She didnt like baby food from shop but likes food prepared in home Up to 6 months old she gains proper weight in the exact graph line of her age Now she is 10 underweight baby She is affected fever vomiting and diarrhea Within 3 days she lost more than 1kg and now become 6 7 kg what to do to gain her weight I am so worried about her Please give me a solution Answer flevi 1 340 7/8/07 12:41 am Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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