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API of East Portland, Oregon: Philosophy |
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Feed with Love and Respect:
Feeding a child
involves more than providing nutrients; it is an act of love. Whether
providing for the very intense hunger needs of a newborn, or serving meals at
the family dinner table, parents can use feeding time as an opportunity to
strengthen their bonds with their children. The newborn's
rooting, sucking, and crying reflexes evolved to ensure the close proximity
of a mother or other caregiver that the baby can depend on
to meet her intense needs. The more parents learn to identify and meet
their baby's needs, the more securely attached the parent-child bond becomes.
Although older children are better able to feed themselves and to communicate
their needs, parents should continue to respect the child's hunger cues,
offer healthy foods, model healthy eating habits, and make mealtimes a time
for love and connection. Breastfeeding and Attachment Breastfeeding
satisfies an infant's nutritional and emotional needs better than any other
method of infant feeding Feed on cue,
before the stage of crying Breastfeeding
continues to be normal and important nutritionally, immunologically, and
emotionally beyond one year Breastfeeding has
many benefits for both mother and baby Nursing is a
valuable mothering tool to naturally comfort a baby "Comfort
Nursing" meets a baby's sucking needs "Bottle Nursing" Feeding is one of
the primary ways a mother can initiate a secure attachment relationship with
her baby. Familiarize
yourself with breastfeeding behaviors, and model them when bottle feeding: Hold the baby when
bottle feeding, positioning the bottle alongside the breast Maintain eye
contact, talk softly and lovingly Switch positions
from one side to another Feed on cue and
avoid schedules Consider
reserving feeding for the mother only Pacifiers satisfy
a baby's sucking need. Hold the baby or child in the feeding position when he
uses the pacifier Associate the
bottle and pacifier with being held and having undivided attention, so that
it doesn't become a transitional object Wean from the
bottle as one would wean from the breast Nurturing Through Feeding Parents can
nurture themselves when feeding a baby Mothers flourish
when nurtured by their partners Fathers can
develop a relationship with the baby in many other ways than feeding Introducing Solids Introduce solids
at signs of readiness, not based upon age Start slowly with
foods that are not likely to cause allergens Offer breast or
bottle first, followed by solids Follow the baby's
cue on what and how much to eat; let him develop his tastes naturally Breast milk
and/or artificial milk will be the primary nutrition source until about 1
year of age Nurturing a Taste
for Nutritious Food Model healthy eating habits Try to make at
least one meal a day a time for connection and community Toddlers need to
eat small meals during the day and should not be expected to sit at a dinner
table for long periods of time Encourage a child
to follow his bodily cues for hunger and thirst, to eat when he is hungry and
stop when he is full. Forcing a child to
eat, or to eat a certain food, is counterproductive and can lead to unhealthy
eating habits and potentially eating disorders Avoid the use of
food as a reward or punishment, or of making food (or dessert) contingent on
behavior Rather than
restricting access to certain foods, consider having only healthy options
available in the home and allowing the child to choose Gentle Weaning Weaning begins
the moment solid foods are introduced Food gradually
takes the place of milk in terms of caloric need, but nursing continues to
meet many other needs such as comfort and nurturing If a mother needs
to wean before the child has displayed readiness, proceed gently |
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For further information about the group, please contact the Group Leader, Sara. |
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