Weaning is when a baby transitions from breast milk to other sources of nourishment. When to wean is a personal decision. A mom might be influenced by a return to work, her health or the baby’s, or simply a feeling that the time is right. Weaning a baby is a …
When Can Babies Begin Drinking Cow’s Milk?
At what age can babies switch from breast milk or formula to cow’s milk? – Tamika Infants younger than 1 year old need the nutrients in breast milk or formula. Breastfed babies over 1 year may continue to nurse, if desired, but at that point you can begin offering your little …
When Can My Baby Start Eating Solid Foods?
A friend of mine just started giving her 3-month-old applesauce and rice cereal. My son is just 2 weeks younger than hers, and I am wondering if I should be introducing solids soon, too. When should I start? – Taylor The best time to introduce solid foods is when your …
Binge Eating Disorder
Do you sometimes feel that your kids might eat you out of house and home? It can feel like that at times, especially during the teen years. They grab a handful of cookies here, a bag of chips there, and finish last night’s leftovers in a flash. They’re growing like …
Body Mass Index (BMI) Charts
For years, doctors have used height and weight measurements to assess a child’s physical growth in relation to other kids the same age. Now they have another tool: body mass index (BMI). BMI is a calculation that uses height and weight to estimate how much body fat someone has. Doctors …
Eating Disorders
Many kids — particularly adolescents — are concerned about how they look and can feel self-conscious about their bodies. This can be especially true when they are going through puberty, and undergo dramatic physical changes and face new social pressures. Unfortunately, for a number of kids and teens, that concern …
Encouraging a Healthy Body Image
It seems like just yesterday that you had to coax your daughter to bathe. But then she turned 11 and started spending hours in the bathroom and sizing herself up in every mirror she passes. She seems consumed by her looks. What happened? And is it healthy? As they approach …
Failure to Thrive
Most kids steadily gain weight and grow quickly within the first few years of life. But in some cases, kids don’t meet these expected standards of growth. When this happens, it’s called “failure to thrive.” Doctors say children “fail to thrive” when they don’t gain weight as expected. Often, these kids also …
How Can I Improve My Child’s Eating Habits?
I want to try to reform my daughter’s unhealthy eating habits. But I am worried that by not letting her eat high-calorie, high-fat junk food, I’ll be paving the way for her to develop an eating disorder. I want her to be healthy, but I don’t want to make her …
Hunger and Malnutrition
If you’re raising a picky eater, you might worry that your child isn’t getting the nutrients necessary for proper growth and development. But you probably don’t need to worry unless your doctor tells you that your child isn’t growing at the normal rate for that age range. Over time, most finicky eaters do get …