Permit me to remind you that, the first years of your baby's life instill habits that can last a lifetime. So if you really want to enjoy the blessing of parenting without regert, it's so important to teach your baby ways to "live lean" during this impressionable stage. Babies are naturally plump, of course -- that adorable, pinchable layer of fat insulates your little one's body from the elements and provides fuel for the "play first, eat later" toddler years. Most babies lose their chubbiness when they start to crawl and walk, but at the same time, you make use of my great advice or guidelines to make sure your tot keeps the baby fat at bay -- for life.
Of course, the very best thing we can do while parenting to help your baby or child maintain a healthy weight is to set a good example, that's what we call parenting without regret, making sure that tomroow when you look at your child, you feel proud of raising him or her in more healthy way. If you're passionate about eating right and staying fit, your child will emulate your good habits. Remember, you have more influence over him or her in these first years of life than at any other time, so take advantage of this opportunity to give him or her the tools for a healthy lifestyle.
Now, What are the 7 foundamental facts that protects our little ones from ebesity?
1. We Must Breastfeed for as Long as Possible
So the first pillar of parenting without regret is to breastfed babies not only "lean out" sooner, they're also less likely to become obese later in childhood. What's more, the longer a baby breastfeeds, the better they chances of growing up at a healthy weight. That's because breastfeeding teaches them not to overeat. When they feels full, they naturally slows down or stops nursing. This helps them identify thier hunger signals and regulate the amount they eats at each meal, a habit they likely to carry into childhood.
Breastfeeding as long as possible also keeps our babies from equating food with comfort. After they fills up on breast milk, they may continue to suckle, but in a slow way that gives very little milk. As a result, they learn to associate the good feelings that come from sucking with the warm sensation of being held in our arms, not with having a too-full tummy.
2. We Must Learn to Read Your Baby When Feeding Him Formula Parenting without regret requires skills and practive, therefore, without baby-to-breast contact, bottle-feeding may be less intuitive than breastfeeding, but we still can help our child develop healthy eating habits
by following thier feeding cues. Offer formula when they're hungry, not according to a schedule -- our young babies tummies are about the same size as thier fist, which means they'll do better with smaller, more frequent feedings. By the same token, let them decide when they're full. There's no need for them to finish the last ounce or half-ounce in the bottle if they're not interested. If they're simply crying for comfort, use music, massage or rocking instead of a bottle to soothe them. Remember it may be dificult at the bigining, but you do have a choice here: We either learn to keep our baby safe, and enjoy the benefits tomorrow. Or just never do anthing, and regret later one, the rest is up to us.
If we decided shoose the first option above, then we must follow this pattern once our babies starts eating solids too -- just because they're eating table foods doesn't mean they need to clean their plates. Smaller, more frequent meals are perfectly fine for our growing babies. Allowing our children to stop eating when thier hunger are satisfied teaches them to trust thier eating cues, helping to prevent overeating from becoming a habit.
3. Limit the "Terrible Two" - HFCS and Trans Fats
Once our babies are ready for table foods (at about 6 months), watch for corn syrup (or high-fructose corn syrup) and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils
(a source of unhealthy trans fats) -- a duo of factory-made ingredients found in many processed snack foods that provide empty calories. Foods that depend on these for flavor and texture teach children to prefer sweeter, fattier fare, putting them on the road to being overweight. We must make it a habit to check the label before we buy, and avoid foods that have the "terrible two" -- instead, we must always seek for foods labeled "saturated-fat free" or "contains no trans-fats", or give our little ones healthier snacks like fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. We Must Always Opt for Real Fruit
I totally agreed that fruit juice provides vitamins and energy, but at the same time, too much can displace more nutritious foods, such as fresh fruit and milk, in a child's diet. Parenting without regret demand of us to limit infants 6 to 12 months old to no more than 4 ounces of juice per day, and 1- to 4-year-olds to no more than 6 ounces per day. Remember, we must always look for labels that say "100-percent fruit juice," and avoid juice "drinks," "cocktails" and "punches," which contain lots of sugar but relatively little real fruit juice. We must also steer clear of beverages that contain artificial sweeteners, colors and/or flavors.
Even 100-percent fruit juice tends to be very sweet, so it's a good idea to mix our tot's juice with a bit of water. A good rule of thumb is to offer them plain water to quench thirst and for a sweet treat, offer diced fruit instead.
5. We Must Always Choose Good Fats
If you haven't notice, our little ones need fat -- because it's the most nutrient-rich food, providing the most calories in the smallest volume. Optimal development of the brain and other vital organs requires that babies or children in general eat more fat proportionally than we adults do.
Parenting without regret is also about making sure that our little ones comsume healthy fats, like those found in breast milk or infant formula enriched with DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) and ARA (an omega-6 fatty acid). When they're ready for table foods, offer salmon, egg yolk and avocado. I call these "grow foods" because they promote healthy development of their brains and nervous systems while also helping to strengthen their hearts and immune systems as well.
With this understand, we must stay away from packaged "low-fat" foods. Fat is a potent flavor-booster, so when it's taken out, manufacturers often add more sugar or sodium to make up for the lack of taste. Save the skim milk for later: Babies need whole milk for a full year after their first birthday. (Never give cow's milk to an infant under 12 months.) Once our toddler turns 2, we can then introduce reduced-fat milk, or low-fat milk specialy for children with a family history of obesity.
6. We Must Make Healthy Carbs a Habit
Like fats, carbohydrates are a necessary part of our babie's diet -- that's where comes thier energy to play and grow -- but the carbs they consumes should always be nutritionally sound. When our babies starts on solids, give the fiber- and protein-packed carbohydrates found in whole-grain bread, fiber-rich cereals and fresh fruits and vegetables, not the empty carbs found in sweetened beverages and many packaged foods that lack the protein, fat and fiber needed to truly satisfy hunger. Because "good-carb" foods are filling, they'll be less likely to overeat. Plus, teaching them to prefer the flavor and texture of healthier carbs at a young age can help them develop smart eating habits for life. To tell which carbs are the right ones, check the label and favor those foods with a high proportion of fiber and protein (at least 3 grams of each) in relation to overall carbohydrates. Remember I said right from the bigining that it's easy to follow, but if you're really serious about raising a healty child, you will do whatever it takes.
7. We Must Move It!
Once our littles ones discover their own mobility, most babies are only too happy to stay on the go, but as parents, we should get in on the act too -- by making playtime a special bonding time for the both of you, and with that they will learn to love being active. We must learn to get down on thier levels and play: Lie on the floor and let them climb on us, or crawl around with them and chase each other around the house. Once they starts walking, we can make a stroll outdoors a regular routine for the whole family. Watching TV can also be an active experience -- watch with them, and play games and dance along with the characters on the program. As we learn to keep it fun, and we'll keep them moving as well.
