Baby growth charts - against which all babies physical growth is measured and compared - are to be redrawn.
The move is taken made by the World Health Organisation (WHO), to compare normal growth to the progress of babies who are breastfed rather than
those who are fed on formula milk.
WHO have a very clear policy on feeding babies: breast is best. To read more on their stance, visit the WHO Q&A web page on the subject.
It is generally accepted that babies fed on
formula put on weight more quickly than those on breastmilk, which can make breastfed babies look like they are not thriving, when the reality is that
their nutritional needs are been served much better.
After a baby is born, parents are encouraged to take their child to their nearby clinic to be weighed regularly in the early months. This doesn't mean parents should slavishly
watch their child's weight, but health professionals do like to see that the baby is progressing well. However, current graphs were drawn up many years
ago, when formula milk was more commonly used.
WHO has collected figures on the growth progress of 8,000 children from six different countries, to create a new graph by which babies' weight can be compared. These babies have been raised in areas where breastmilk, good nutrition and disease control are more prevalent, to produce a more realistic, modern set of figures.
The Department of Health is said to be considering WHO's new figures but currently has its own growth charts, which feature in the 'red book' all babies are issued with at birth.
