ARS | Publication request: The feeding of infants and children

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: November 1, 2006
Publication Date: January 1, 2007
Citation: Heird, W.C. 2007. The feeding of infants and children. In: Kliegman, R.M., Jenson, H.B., Behrman, R.E., Stanton, B.F., editors. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th edition. Saunders Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA. p. 214-225.

Technical Abstract: The establishment of feeding practices that are comfortable and satisfying for both the parents and the infant is crucial not only for the emotional well-being of both but also for ensuring adequate nutrient intakes for the infant. Maternal feelings are readily transmitted to the infant and are a major determinant of the emotional setting in which feeding takes place. Mothers who are anxious or emotionally labile are more likely to experience a difficult feeding relationship. Appropriate guidance and support from an empathetic and experienced relative, friend, or health professional can increase such a mother's confidence, which in turn, allows her to relax and increases the likelihood of establishing successful feeding practices during infancy as well as throughout childhood and beyond.