expert advice
L&L | AUGUST 2019 | 7MY TODDLER IS
OVERWEIGHTQ|
My 16-month-old daughter
weighs 14kg. She drinks two
bottles during the day and has
porridge for breakfast, fruit for
lunch, snacks, and vegetables
and meat for dinner. She wakes
up often during the night and
drinks another three bottles. How
can I stop her weight gain?A
Your daughter’s weight is way
above the 95th percentile for her
age, which means she’s overweight.
Check her birth weight and any other
weights along the way to see how fast
her weight is actually climbing. If she
was born below the 95th percentile,
her weight gain is accelerating.
In either case, it’s excessive and
her diet needs to be adjusted.
Toddlers over 12 months only
need approximately 350ml to 500ml
milk a day. Encourage the use of a
cup or beaker, rather than a bottle.
Offer nutritious foods, including lots
of vegetables. Fruit is also important,
but not more than twice a day.
Offer lean meats in small quantities,
accompanied by vegetables. Butternut
and sweet potato are fine in small
amounts, but offer your daughter more
low-calorie vegetables like gem squash,
baby marrows, carrots and patty pans.
Check the portion sizes you’re giving
your toddler. As a general rule, offer two
tablespoons of each food per meal.
Fruit juice, cold drinks, sugar, sweets,
chocolate, ice cream and chips
are not necessary at this age, and
will only cause more weight gain.
Ashleigh Caradas, dieticianI DON’T WANT
A C-SECTIONQ|
My doctor told me I need
a C-section because
my hips are the wrong shape
to deliver naturally. I really
don’t want one and feel
too many people (moms
and doctors) opt for one
because it’s more convenient.
Should I trust my doctor or
find another doctor who will
support a natural birth?A
Women have different pelvic
shapes – some more favourable
for a successful vaginal delivery
than others. One can’t say with
100% certainty, based on clinical
examination alone, that a vaginal
delivery is impossible. If this is your
first pregnancy, a trial of labour is the
only way to determine if a vaginal
delivery is possible or not. If signs of
disproportion develop during labour,
you’ll need an emergency C-section.
Before you think of changing
doctors, talk to your doctor again
and discuss having a trial of labour,
failing which, you must be prepared
for an emergency C-section.
Having said all of this, if your doctor
feels chances are slim for a successful
vaginal birth, consider the option of
an elective C-section. As much as
you might want to have a natural
delivery, labour is very unpredictable
and events might happen that
will necessitate an emergency
C-section to ensure the safety of
your unborn child and yourself.
Dr Lindiwe Cebekulu, obstetrician
and gynaecologistHE HURTS ME!
Q|
My toddler keeps
hitting me although
I try to keep him calm. He
punches me in the face and
slaps me. What can I do?A
It can be highly disturbing
when your child becomes
physically violent. The rules
of being a civilised human
being need to be learned from
toddlerhood onwards. You need
to teach him that no matter how
cross he is, he isn’t allowed to
be violent. In your frustration, set
a good example for him about
how to handle conflict. Find a
non-violent way to show your
toddler how to manage his anger
and express it in an acceptable
manner. Hold his hands firmly
and say very sternly, “No hitting!
You’re not allowed to hurt Mommy
ever!” Now remove him from the
frustrating environment (be it
the high chair, the playroom or
the shopping centre). Once your
toddler has calmed down, put
words to what has just happened.
Say, for example, “You were so
cross that you wanted to hurt
Mommy.” When his speech
starts developing, constantly
remind him to use his words
rather than trying to hurt you.
Toddlers often feel angry
and frustrated, because they’re
trying to assert themselves and
develop their independence.
They want to do things their own
way and don’t like being told
what to do. Consider whether
this is where your child’s rage
is stemming from. Does he use
violence in an attempt to get
what he wants? Is he copying
someone else’s behaviour,
or is he stressed because of
something that’s going on at
home? Make an appointment
with a child psychologist if you
need further assistance.
Jenny Perkel, clinical psychologist