You may know that well-child visits begin days after birth and continue approximately every three months until your baby is a toddler of around 2 ½ years old. Pediatricians review growth benchmarks and run multiple tests to determine a child’s health. But did you also know that specialized newborn nutritional counseling is important? Nutritional counseling helps ensure that your little one gets all the proper nutrients for their growth and development.
Nutrition and Feeding for Newborns
Caring for your youngest family member is both exciting and full of little details for new and experienced parents to learn and monitor. Feeding and nutrition for newborns is a key factor in their growth, and your baby’s growth indicates their overall health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), proper feeding from newborn to age 3 lowers a child’s risk for chronic disease throughout their lifetime, and provides a strong foundation for their physical and mental development. Well-fed babies who receive the proper nutrients have the potential to live longer lives and enjoy a better quality of life—great reasons to schedule your well-baby checkups.
It’s about more than babies being fed consistently, food must have quality nutrients for their bodies and brains to grow. Nutritional counseling for your newborn gives you practical advice and the necessary information and on how to keep both breastfed and formula-fed babies healthy.
Why Nutritional Counseling Matters
There is a vast amount of untested, unaccredited nutritional and dietary information for babies online and in parenting forums. We know that parents want what’s best for their children, so they seek such information online for a quick answer. It’s important, however, to get newborn nutrition guidelines from trained professionals like pediatricians, pediatric dieticians and nurse practitioners. Medical professionals are held to high standards that protect your children from harm. Additional reasons why nutritional counseling matters are listed below.
- Nutrition is the foundation of holistic health in a baby’s physical, mental and social development.
- The first year is full of rapid change and development, and nutritional counseling helps parents learn what to expect and what to do if challenges arise.
- Pediatricians provide personalized nutrition based on the needs of mother and baby, including breastfeeding education and support, or understanding how to pick the right formula.
- Based on information provided by parents and caretakers, counseling and nutritional checkups help pediatricians identify potential allergies and any digestive or metabolism issues.
- Pediatricians teach families how to feed their newborn well at various stages of their continuing development, how to deal with picky eaters, plus other food-related issues as they arise.
When you have a thoughtful and caring healthcare provider as your family’s partner for your newborn’s growth and development, the nutritional counseling, food schedules and new information will be easy to absorb. A child’s healthy relationship with food begins early in life, and pediatricians are well-equipped to help.
Schedule Your Newborn’s Nutritional Counseling Appointment With a Trusted Cumming Pediatrician
To learn more about the best nutritional care for newborns or to set up an appointment in Cumming, Buford, Dawsonville, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Sugar Hill, Suwanee and Forsyth County, call Vickery Pediatrics at (678) 990-2501 or request an appointment. We’d be honored to provide compassionate nutritional healthcare to your youngest family members.
