New AAP Guidelines

Doctors Give New Guidelines On Baby Care
Major Changes Affect Milk, Food, Car Seats
POSTED: 11:41 pm EDT April 21, 2009
UPDATED: 12:00 am EDT April 22, 2009



CINCINNATI -- When raising kids, there's certain guidelines most parents follow about their child's health and safety but now experts are making major changes to the rules.

The changes include what kind of milk should be fed to a child, how old they should be before they eat peanut butter and how long they should face backwards in their car seat.

"It is hard to keep up as a parent," Jenna Kemper said. Kemper has two girls less than two years apart and told News 5’s Amy Wagner that she tries her best to keep up with doctor’s recommendations for them."Just a year and a half ago I was following one rule and it's going to be really challenging to switch gears," Kemper said.

But that's what the American Academy of Pediatrics is asking parents to do -- based on new research. Rather than holding off on feeding peanut butter, eggs and shellfish to kids until they're 1 to 2 years old, doctors said parents can now introduce those foods at six months. "So all of those years that we've been saying no shrimp, no peanut products and no eggs until after a year of age -- maybe we've been doing more harm than good," pediatrician Dr. Richard Heyman said.

Doctors also said that whole milk might be doing more harm than good. Experts now recommend using 2 percent milk to help combat early obesity."We're recognizing that little kids really don't need the fat," Heyman said.

Car seat rules have changed as well. Whereas guidelines used to recommend facing seats forward at one year, that's now changed to two.

"As a parent, you have to use common sense and do the best you possibly can and trust your doctor's opinions," Kemper said. Experts said that’s a big thing for parents to learn -- that these rules aren't hard and fast for every child. They're a place for parents and pediatricians to start talking about what's best for each child.

Re: New AAP Guidelines

seriously, who can keep up with this?

and what if 10 years down the road they find it's bad that we are introducing these foods earlier?

but i do like that the guidelines will say 2 years old for switching to forward facing car seats.

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It's mind boggling isnt it?

Ive been a parent for over 15 years. Can you imagine how many times the guidelines have changed over that period of time? What really is frustrating isnt the changes but when they change and then go back to the old way......

Ive been winging it for the past 15 years...taking the guidelines into consideration but not necessaryily following them as gospel..and think Ive done a pretty good job.

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at least they admit that these are just guidelines and not the iron rule. I take all of this with a grain of salt (including the carseat rules)

Message edited 4/24/2009 1:02:28 PM.

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I hate they keep changing things ~ Drives me crazy! Thanks for sharing this with us

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you just have to do whats right for you...

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Ummm... how do you do the carseat thing- I moved DD at 14 months when her knees were up by her mouth!

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Posted by mooshyboo

I hate they keep changing things ~ Drives me crazy! Thanks for sharing this with us

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We've always taken guidelines with a grain of salt. Both DC have had peanut butter and eggs before 1 year, and neither one has any allergies. We've kept DC rear-facing for about 18 months well before the guidelines thought about changing them. We still have DD on whole milk because both DC were on the skinny side when they were very young. Once they get to where we would like them, we switch them to skim milk.
These are just things that *we* think are best for DC, and we are content with our decisions.....

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I'm all for later guidelines for carseat switching (we didn't move DD forward-facing until 19 months)...but the whole-milk thing doesn't make sense to me. How many overweight toddlers do you see? And honestly, if they are overweight, it's probably not because of whole milk, it's probably from a lot of fatty, over processed foods, or just genetics.

That part annoyed me. I think they NEED the fat and nutrients from whole milk!

At 22 months DD still hasn't had peanuts, but I may try giving her peanut butter now.

Message edited 4/24/2009 1:43:47 PM.

Re: New AAP Guidelines

Whoa... I was seriously ahead of the curve this time!

My kids were introduced to almost everything - foodwise - at an early age (except honey). They drank 2% after only a month or so on whole milk. Not because I was afraid they would get fat - but because WE drank 2% and it just seemed easier - plus they had fat sources from other places. I DID turn the carseats once they seemed too scrunched up and uncomfortable.. but they stayed in 5 point harness forever! In fact Noah (at almost 6) is still in his convertible car seat - and we just retired Robbie's 5 point booster because his shoulders were scrunched and painful.. so he's in a backless booster now. Go me! I did SOMETHING right according to the AAP. For once.

Message edited 4/24/2009 1:46:36 PM.

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i have never listened to what the docs said- DD had shellfish rather early- around 10 months, same with peanut butter and eggs... i just introduced them like any other food.

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2 yrs old and backwards

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yeah, 2 years isn't going to happen with the carseat..... DS started wearing toddler pants at age 6 mo.... his knees would be by his ears at age 2

I've always been suspicious of the 'don't eat these foods, they're allergenic' rule.... good to hear them backtrack on that........

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I just really can't imagine giving a 6 month old peanut butter. My son is 10 and still gets it caught in his throat at times.

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Oh man, they need to make up their minds I totally believe peanut butter should be introduced earlier and that might be why there are so many allergies now. I'll probably intorduce it next month when he is getting better at solids. But the car seat, yikes. I have no idea how we're going to keep him rear facing that long, his legs are getting long already!! I completely understand why it's safer, it's just too bad car seat companies don't make seats that accomodate longer legs.

Just curious, you know that minivan that has the seats that turn around... could you put the seat foward facing and swivel it so the whole seat faces backward?? I wonder if that would be just as safe

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Posted by mcl916

Just curious, you know that minivan that has the seats that turn around... could you put the seat foward facing and swivel it so the whole seat faces backward?? I wonder if that would be just as safe

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Posted by wannabemom

Posted by mcl916

Just curious, you know that minivan that has the seats that turn around... could you put the seat foward facing and swivel it so the whole seat faces backward?? I wonder if that would be just as safe

you should check your carseat owner's manual... I vaguely recall reading that the carseat should only be placed on a forward facing seat (but then again, since we own 2 sedans, it wasn't something I made an effort to remember, so I could be wrong....)

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Well, we turned his carseat around at 15 months when his legs were scaling the back of the seat and he started whining and fighting everytime we put him in the car. I don't think I'm moving that around again--if he was smaller, I would, but it just didn't work. Which is I guess why they say these are guidelines.

We are too late with peanuts, eggs, and shellfish. But honestly, shellfish at 6 months? I guess you could puree shrimp or crab, but I just can't see babies eating that. The eggs would be good though. I may try peanut butter soon, eventhough his doctor still wanted us to wait until 2 years. Shellfish can probably wait, I can't see him liking them.

Unless I hear otherwise, he's staying on whole milk until 2 years. He's thin, and I doubt the extra fat is hurting him.

But who can keep up?

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Posted by PrincessP

2 yrs old and backwards

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Posted by CkGm

Ummm... how do you do the carseat thing- I moved DD at 14 months when her knees were up by her mouth!