Over the past several years, I have noticed a MASSIVE increase in the number of babies with a breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding aversion who have had, or are booked to have, a tongue-tie snipped or lasered. Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) was once an underdiagnosed cause of breastfeeding difficulties. Now, just like reflux and milk allergy and intolerance, it has become an overdiagnosed excuse for any troubled feeding behavior displayed by breast- and bottle-fed babies. In the feeding aversion cases I have been involved with, a thorough assessment of baby’s feeding history and current feeding be ..read more

  Feeding a baby should be an enjoyable experience for all involved, however when baby repeatedly refuses to feed despite being hungry this makes feeding a frustrating and stressful experience for all involved.  Identifying the cause is essential if the problem is to be resolved.  This article describes reasons why hungry babies refuse to eat. An aversion is the avoidance of a thing or situation because it is associated with an unpleasant, stressful or painful stimulus.  A feeding aversion refers to a situation where a baby – who is physically capable of feeding or eating ..read more

  When your baby squirms, appears uncomfortable during feed, fusses, cries or refuses to eat, it can be challenge to figure out the cause. The timing and type of behavior she exhibits provides vital clues. This article discusses potential reasons for troubled feeding behavior. Signs Does your baby display troubled behavior in relation to bottle-feeding, such as…. Turning away from the bottle. Refusing to close her mouth around the nipple. Holding nipple in the mouth but not sucking. Taking only a small amount and then refusing more. Screaming when placed into a feeding position or at th ..read more

  It’s obvious when a bottle-fed baby is not drinking as much milk as expected. But does this mean she’s not drinking enough? Maybe ‘yes’. Maybe ‘no’. This article explains how to tell if your baby is underfeeding and the various reasons why babies don’t drink enough milk. How to tell if baby is underfeeding  Are you worried that your baby is not drinking enough because she’s not drinking as much as you have been told she needs? Or because her weight gain is low? The fact that a baby doesn’t eat as much or gain as much as expected is not proof that she’s not eating enough ..read more

  What is overfeeding? Overfeeding, also called over-nutrition, refers to a baby receiving more food than his stomach can hold and/or more nutrients than his intestinal tract is able to digest. A baby could receive excess nutrients from large volume feeds or an accumulative effect of small volume feeds. Overfeeding can occur if baby receives regular strength infant formula or breast milk, or high-energy feeds. A baby might overfeed due to circumstances that affect his ability to self-regulate his milk intake (decide for himself how much to eat). Or, he could be overfed  ..read more

  It feels like no sooner has your baby finished feeding and he’s hungry again. He’s feeding more often and eating more than expect. Find out how to read baby hunger cues, and what causes babies to act like they’re constantly hungry. Reasons for increased hunger 1. Not getting enough milk! If your baby is not gaining enough weight, then it may be because he is not getting enough milk (breast or formula).  If you’re concerned about his weight, your first step would be to increase the amount of milk you offer him and if this fails to increase his weight gains, see a doctor to mak ..read more

  As a parent of a bottle-fed baby, you might worry that he’s not eating enough or that he could be getting too much.  This article explains how to estimate the amount your baby needs and reasons why some babies require more and some less than others. Is there cause for worry? You might be worried that your baby is not getting enough because he appears to have an insatiable appetite or because he’s often crying or wakeful.  Or you could be concerned about potential health consequences if he’s taking more or less milk than recommended. In most cases, parents needlessly worry abo ..read more

Are you planning to travel with your young baby and are worried about how to cook baby food in a hotel? Many young mums get stressed about travelling with a baby, especially if they are starting solids. However, there’s no need to stress about feeding your baby. With a little planning it shouldn’t be any more difficult than at home. Breastfeeding is obviously the easiest. But how do you manage when a baby is getting a bit older, or if your baby is exclusively bottle fed? In this article, we will give tips and advice about how to cook baby food in a hotel or when you are travelling. But first ..read more

So you’ve expressed and stored your breast milk, but what is best when it comes to how to warm breast milk? In this article, we will give you some tips about how to warm breast milk. But first: Why is it necessary to know how to warm breast milk? Most mothers know that breast is best, so under what circumstances would there be a reason to express and store breast milk? The following is an example of those reasons: your baby is premature or unable to suck well; you or you baby is in hospital and you can’t be there for every feed; maybe you have had to go back to work, college or you have othe ..read more

As the baby grows, the body needs more energy and vital nutrients. A gradual introduction to solid food becomes necessary, but while doing so, you need to keep in mind that the transition from milk to solid foods should not prove to be very much overwhelming for the baby. What are Solid Foods? When the baby is 4-6 months old, milk is not enough for the baby as the nutritional needs increases as the baby grows and the need to introduce solid foods to the baby arises. The foods that you add into your baby’s diet in the transition from milk to adult food is known as SOLID FOOD. How to introduce ..read more