What are some of the common questions parents of children with heart conditions ask dietitians?
Many parents want information on basic feeding strategies, specifically about: • when and how to start a baby on solid foods • how long to spend on feeding • how much children should be eating and drinking • evaluating and changing a feeding plan • how to breastfeed a baby with a heart condition • how to supplement breastfeeding • when and how to wean from breastfeeding • how to know if a breastfed infant is getting enough nourishment • how much weight a child should be gaining • planning meals after discharge from hospital Some of these issues may seem straightforward, but they become more complicated when a child is sick and the family is under the stress of that sickness. Some parents might have had the experience of raising other healthy children, but find the issues are different for their ill child.
