Common feeding concerns

Fussiness

Fussiness during or after a feeding happens for many different reasons and may have nothing to do with feeding. Your baby may have a wet or soiled diaper and is just uncomfortable. Also, your baby may be cold or have gas in her tummy and need to be burped.

Being fussy also may indicate that your baby isn’t tolerating her formula very well. For some babies, formula intolerance can be caused by the large, whole proteins found in most formulas. You might speak to your baby’s doctor about a formula that contains 100% whey, a gentle, liquid protein that doesn’t form curds in your baby’s tummy. Whey protein is the highest-quality protein available in infant formula.

Constipation

Constipation is the passage of hard, dry, stools. Baby constipation may be caused by your little one not getting enough fluid, your baby’s formula, or dietary changes, such as the introduction of solid foods. If you’re concerned about your baby’s constipation, speak with your baby’s doctor. You’ll get to know your baby’s patterns better than anyone, so learn to trust your instincts.

Intolerance

• Protein: Intolerance of cow’s milk may be a problem for some babies and may be due to your baby’s inability to tolerate cow’s milk protein.
• Lactose: Occasionally, and usually only transiently, your baby may not tolerate lactose. In such cases your baby’s doctor may recommend switching to a soy-based formula.

Spitting up

Spitting up is common, especially if your baby eats quickly and isn’t burped. If your baby spits up often burp her more frequently and avoid jostling her after she has eaten. Some experts believe that providing gentle broken-down 100% whey protein formula may help reduce the potential for spitting up. This is because these proteins empty from your baby’s tummy at a rate similar to breastmilk and faster than formulas with whole proteins.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea can be described as four to five watery stools per day. But a loose stool isn’t a cause for concern. But if your child’s bowel pattern changes to more frequent loose and watery stools, he has diarrhea. If diarrhea persists, it can cause dehydration due to an excessive loss of fluids. Check with your baby’s doctor about managing the diarrhea.

Know that your child’s bowel movements will vary in number and consistency, depending on her age and diet. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfed newborns may have up to 12 small bowel movements a day, but by the second or third month, they may have some days without any. By age 2 most children will have only one or two large bowel movements each day. But your child could have several smaller ones and still be normal, especially if her diet includes juices and fiber-containing foods, such as prunes and bran.