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It’s a common milestone we all assume happens when your child turns 1: Happy first birthday, have some milk with your cake. Non-human milk replaces human milk, and the weaning journey continues apace.

After all, the prevailing wisdom is to let cow’s milk replace breast milk (or formula) after your child reaches his first birthday. While it is true cow’s milk should not be introduced into a baby’s diet before the age of 1, the question is, does it really need to be introduced at all—ever?

Cow’s milk is safely used as a substitute for human milk (and a replacement to formula) because it is…

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As parents of a 14-month-old, my wife and I know that eating at a restaurant with a baby can be quite an adventure. Usually, our fine dining experience ends with us apologizing profusely to the waitstaff, leaving a generous tip, and walking away with a “blast zone” of food surrounding our baby’s highchair.

Of course eating out with a baby is a challenge when it comes to etiquette; but it’s also a challenge when it comes to choosing foods. Let’s face it: It can be hard to find healthy choices at many restaurants, even for adults, much less babies.

Still, many experts…

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It is a century old debate—one that began in 1899. A couple of professors and two representatives from butter associations appeared before Congress to complain about a bill that would prohibit them from coloring their butter with anything other than vegetable dye. They claimed that the organic compound aniline dye they were currently using was not harmful to health.

Fast forward to 2010. The debate continues, but it is now centered around the effect of food colorings on child behavior—specifically, whether artificial food colorings make children hyperactive.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says no, at least not for most children. But…

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Have you graduated to zipperless pants with an elastic waist? You’re not alone. A growing number of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to the most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data were taken from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), an annual, random-digit-dialed telephone survey of U.S. adults. Participants were asked to report their weight and height—researchers then calculated body mass index (BMI). Obesity is defined as BMI greater than 30. Individuals reporting weight greater than 500 pounds and height greater than 7 feet or less…

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Never underestimate the power of Dora the Explorer, Scooby Doo, and Shrek. The results of a recent study, published in the July 2010 issue of Pediatrics, found that cartoon characters affect kids’ food preferences.

Researchers at Yale University asked 40 children (all 4 to 6 years old) to taste three pairs of identical foods in either a clear package or one with a picture of a cartoon character. The children were then asked whether the two foods tasted the same or one tasted better than the other, and which of the two foods they would most like as a snack.

For each…

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Disguised as a means for insuring that finicky toddlers would get essential vitamins and nutrients, Enfagrow was pulled from the market on June 9, 2010 in a surprise announcement by its maker, Mead Johnson. Originally launched in July 2009 sporting a vanilla flavor, it was the release of a chocolate flavored version in February 2010 that proved to be not only unhealthy but unwise. With 19 grams of sugar in each 6-ounce serving, critics of Enfagrow chocolate weren’t hard to find. And with childhood obesity having reached epidemic proportions, many argued that the last thing most children needed was a…

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New parents have countless concerns: Is my baby too hot or too cold? Is she sick or just fussy? Do I need to wake her at night to breastfeed? While concerns may vary from parent to parent, one concern is universal—how will I know my baby is getting enough (or too much) to eat? Learning to recognize your baby’s feeding cues and to respond in an appropriate way is an important part of parenting. All babies (at some point) will transition to eating solid foods and drinking from a cup, and when that occurs, the same feeding cues will…

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The economy may be lagging, but organic food sales are booming. In 2009, sales of organic food and beverages were up an estimated 5.1 percent over 2008—a grand total of $24.8 billion in sales; organic fruits and vegetables alone increased 11.4 percent compared to 2008. Sales of organic baby food have trended upward as well, with a whopping 21.6 percent increase between 2006 and 2007. It is estimated that by 2012, organic baby food will be a $2.26 billion business.

Parents who give their babies organic foods typically do so because they believe they have higher levels of vitamins and minerals,…

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Pass the peanuts may soon be passé if opponents of peanuts on airplanes have their way. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is considering banning peanuts on airplanes, and has given the public until August 6, 2010 to comment on the ban. But the DOT cautions that without scientific proof of severe allergic reactions to the tiny peanut particles that might be present on a plane, it cannot implement a ban.

Although peanut allergy is thought to be among the most serious food allergies, the overall prevalence of food allergies is unclear—so too are strategies for their diagnosis and management. The National Institute of…

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When you think about the essential vitamins and minerals you need during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, iodine is not one that usually comes to mind. Yet experts say that a small amount of iodine (about 0.2 milligrams a day) is essential for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, as it plays an important role in the neurological development of the baby.

“Iodine helps make thyroid hormone, which regulates body growth and energy use,” says Ari Brown, M.D., a pediatrician in Austin, Texas, and co-author of Expecting 411, Baby 411 and Toddler 411. “And in pregnancy, iodine deficiency can lead to subtle neurological problems…

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We know that breastfeeding reduces the risk of childhood obesity, but how? A new study published in the journal Pediatrics found that it may have to do with babies inability to self-regulate their milk intake—whether that’s expressed breast milk or formula—when they drink from bottles.

Around 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2-19 are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For children 2-5 years old, obesity increased from 5 to 10.4 percent between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008; for children 6-11 years old, the obesity rate increased from 6.5-19.6 percent; and for 12-19-year-olds, it increased from 5…

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Many parents switch from breast milk (or formula) to pasteurized cow’s milk around one year of age. A few months ago, we made the switch with our son, thinking it would be easy. But he flat-out refused to drink it—at first. We continued to try (using the tips in this article to coax!) until we finally succeeded, but a lingering question remained for me and my wife: Knowing how important breast milk and breastfeeding is for a child, was our son missing out on essential nutrients by making this switch from breast milk to cow’s milk? Here, experts explain…

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