Nanny To The Rescue: Would Preparing My Baby’s Meals With Low-fat Ingredients Help Control His Alarming Weight Gain?

Our in-house nanny answers your baby, toddler and preschooler questions…

Q: My 19-month-old son is getting too chubby for his age. I’m very worried. Would preparing his meals with low-fat ingredients help?

Concerns about your baby’s weight or health in general are better resolved with a scheduled visit to his paediatrician. That said, babies need fat to facilitate vital bodily functions and growth, so, introducing a low-fat diet at this age is generally not recommended. Note that your child may be genetically prone being fat. In that case, it’s not about what he’s eating per say, so, have his paediatrician advise on precise steps to manage his weight immediately.

Q: I’m a new mum. How can I minimize reflux while feeding my baby? Perhaps I’m not getting something right. It gets too messy must times.

These may help:

• Give him smaller portions and increase the frequency of feeds.
• Feed in an upright position.
• Try holding him uprightly for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes after every feed.
• If bottle-fed, burp every two or three minutes during feeds. Note that the hole in the bottle teat should not be too large to prevent milk from overflowing.