pediatrician.
Parents are responsible for seeing that their baby’s health and
nutritional needs are recognized and met. For your peace of mind and
your baby’s health, we recommend regular visits with your pediatrician
and use of the charts included at the end of the book to monitor and
record your baby’s progress. Any two consecutive days of deviation from
what is listed as normal should be reported to your pediatrician.
If you make copies of the charts, post them in a convenient location
such as on the refrigerator, above the crib, or any location that will serve
as a convenient reminder. If your baby exhibits any of the unhealthy
growth indicators, notify your pediatrician and have your baby weighed.
Weight-Gain Concerns
With the conservative practice of PDF, weight gain will be steady and
continuous. We routinely monitor the progress of PDF babies and
continue to find wonderful results. In 1997, our retrospective studies
tracked and compared the weight gain of 200 Babywise infants (group A)
and 200 demand-fed infants (group B). Pertinent growth information
(weight gain and length) was taken directly from the patient charts of
four pediatric practices.
The study’s purpose was to determine if faster weight gain can be
attributed to a particular method of breast-feeding (routine or demand).
The weight and length of each infant was charted at birth, 1 week, 2
weeks, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 months, and 1 year. Statistical comparisons were made
between five weight groups: babies born weighing between 6.50 and 7.0
lbs, 7.1 and 7.50 lbs, 7.51 and 8.0 lbs, 8.1 and 8.50 lbs, and 8.51 and 9.0
lbs. Two methods of analysis were used to compare growth: weight gain
ratios (comparing weight gained at each visit as a percentage of birth
weight), and Body Mass Index (BMI).^1
Major Conclusions
- While there was no significant difference between the two groups,