Categories
Doctor Q&A

Rise and Shine Feature – Baby Health with Dr Sears

Dr. Bill Sears is one of America’s most renowned pediatricians, father of eight children, and author of over 40 books on childcare. He is the Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Dr Sears Lean has a series on this blog that covers many aspects of raising healthy kids. Dr Sears shared many tips in this Singapore workshop ‘Keeping Your Child Healthy’.

Raising healthy babies and successful children with Dr Bill Sears
Listening to the esteemed Dr Sears speak on healthy child is a privilege!

What to Feed the Smart Baby

Omega 3 (seafood) is recommended as it is important for the brain’s development. Other foods recommended by Dr Sears for brain development are fruits (blueberries), greens and nuts for children over 2-year old. Smoothie can be prepared to include these foods, also salads, spice and appropriate supplements.

Rice cereal is no longer recommended as a first food as it does not contain the essential fats.

Picky Eaters

A child may not be picky, sometimes parents have to remember that children have tiny tummies and a fistful of food is sufficient portion meal size. So, instead of feeding 3 meals a day, ‘grazing’ ie giving foods for the child to nibble throughout the day is increasingly studied to improve their growth and helps with even sugar level. Dr Sears suggested leaving foods in a tray and let the ‘picky’ eater pick at it instead of insisting that they be eaten at one go.

When to Feed Your Baby

On-demand feeding is increasingly recommended versus feeding babies on four-hour schedule, which had been associated with a failure to thrive. Breast milk gets out of baby’s stomach in about 45 minutes, much shorter time than formula milk as casein takes a longer time to digest. Mothers who breastfeed will not need to worry about under or over feeding their babies.

How to Prevent Childhood Illness

Dr Sears recommended breastfeeding, feeding the child with real food (not processed, junk food), immune-boosting foods (see this Dr Sears Lean Series: Raising Healthy Kids by Boosting Immune System) and get the recommended vaccinations.

A word on Childhood Vaccinations

Dr Sears shared that vaccinations are good for the child, family and society. About 2.5 million life are saved per year but sadly, 1.5 million children die each year from vaccine-preventable disease. It is a myth that vaccinations should be put on hold till the child is holder, as the whole point of vaccination is to protect the infant who is the most vulnerable. MMR (measles) vaccine has also been disproven to cause autism through a study involving 500,000 children.

What to do with Colic Baby

Colic is mostly due to Gastroesophageal reflux which should not be ignored because continued severe reflux can damage the lining of the esophagus. Sleeping in inclined upright position, sipping rather than drinking too much at a go, antacid prescriptions can help relieve the reflux.

What to do with Fussy Baby

Again, similar to colic baby that is better termed ‘hurting baby’, fussy baby is better termed ‘high need baby’. These babies have a higher need to be touched, held, more intense, more active, therefore demanding and draining their parents more. As they can be more sensitive to separation, it is best to hold these babies in arms, closer to breast.

I didn’t get to have Dr Sears vet through this post before publishing, any and all mistakes mine. Next week, we will cover more on parenting.

Categories
Doctor Q&A

Rise and Shine Feature – Healthy Child with Dr Sears

Dr. Bill Sears is one of America’s most renowned pediatricians, father of eight children, and author of over 40 books on childcare. He is the Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Dr Sears Lean has a series on this blog that covers many aspects of raising healthy kids. Dr Sears shared many tips in this Singapore workshop ‘Keeping Your Child Healthy’.

Raising healthy babies and successful children with Dr Bill Sears

Baby Colic

Dr Sears explained that for many years, colic had not been understood by physicians and parents although recently, more causes had been known. Dr Sears also suggested replacing the term ‘colic’ which has taken on a negative connotation to the ‘hurting baby’.

Gastroesophageal reflux (also known as ‘heart burn’) – This condition is due to the lower esophageal sphincter not being closed tightly, allowing reflux and leading to colic. Symptoms include sudden crying outbursts, irritable child, sour burps and throaty noises of the baby which worsens when the baby is lying down. The reflux may be a reaction to (i) eating too fast or (ii) incorrect formula choice, including being allergic to food allergens in the breast milk or the formula, or being intolerant to cow’s milk protein. A leaky latch-on for a breast-fed baby is also a hint of intolerances to the breast milk.

Parents can help by gathering information for the doctor’s diagnosis, such as journaling the baby cries, tracking possible triggers and what works/does not. Recording videos of the baby having a reflux can also aid the doctor in his/her diagnosis.

The gastroesophageal reflux can be relieved through prescription antacids, avoidance of fuss foods (common ones are diary, wheat, caffeine and gassy foods like broccoli and onions) and having the baby eat and sleep in a more upright position. Feeding twice as often can also relieve the reflux symptoms for these babies.

Attachment parenting

Dr Sears shared that attachment parenting is simple as in it is the mother (and father) doing what they would naturally do, without wrong advice or pressures relating to ‘letting the baby cry it out’. First, let’s explore what’s wrong with the ‘let baby cry it out’ advice:

Should Baby be left to Cry it out?

NO – Dr Sears shared that training the baby to sleep, despite crying is the wrong advice. The newborn baby would naturally want to be near to the mother and intentionally leaving the baby alone and forcing the mother not to carry the crying baby has been studied to have negative effects. For one, a mother who implements this incorrect advice will overtime lose the natural sensitivity to the baby. On the other hand, the baby who has cried it out experiences slower growth, partly due to the body ‘shutting down’ due to lose of trust that care will be provided. A simple guideline for parents to know what to do or not do is ask

‘If I were my child, how would I want my parents to respond?’

Next week, we will learn more in-depth from Dr Sears on attachment parenting – what to do and its benefits. I didn’t get to have Dr Sears vet through this post before publishing, any and all mistakes mine.