Edward S. Hume, M.D., J.D.: Chinadopt
Feeding your
Chinese adoptee
Updated 3/21/96
Sent: Friday, February 16, 1996 8:16 PM
Subject: Re: All Sorts of Questions --- MD response
Re feeding your Chinese adoptee: ( I'm a pediatrician from Boston who has now led 17 adoptive groups to China and been involved with [and examined] over 175 babies and toddlers in the last 19 months.)
Babies under about 6 mos. will have typically just been on Chinese baby formula, which has high sugar [is sweeter], but little protein and lower calories than American formula. In some orphanages, only formula is used till up to about 8 mos. Eventually [sometimes early] they add rice powder to thicken the formula and add food value.
You will find that the baby bottles are simple "straight" bottles, with usually very large holes cut in the nipples, so that the baby just swallows rather than actually doing much sucking.
We switch all our babies to regular American soy based formula [Isomil, Prosobee] immediately; a very few babies really object: we than add one tsp. Table sugar/ 6 ounces formula for 3 or 4 days, and then gradually less, so off added sugar in a week or so. [ We use soy based because an estimated 11% of Chinese infants are lactose intolerant, and in-China doesn't seem like the best place to sort those out]
Some agencies go through an elaborate transfer system to get on American formula --- I have found this is not necessary --- all babies are eating well by 2nd or 3rd day --- and we can see weight gain occurring before we even head for home. [They typically gain about 3 lbs in first month at home]
You can take some rice cereal to offer the baby 5-6 mos., but it is not essential --- you've already substantially boosted the calories by the formula change, and you can start up the cereal once you get home. Older babies love the tofu, egg custard, noodles etc. served with regular meals. The toddlers will eat everything in sight! NO Finicky eaters in China!
[You might pack a few jars of prunes, as some kids get some mild constipation with travel and diet change, just as you might. [I pack some pitted soft prunes in a small zip lock bag for the occasional family that comes prune hunting ; Much less risky in one's luggage than jars, and can be muted up nicely with some hot water if puree is needed.]
[Incidentally, babies in China go off milk typically at a year or 18 mos., and many toddlers won't touch the stuff in China; you can get them on it once you are home [+they tend to really love cheese in US], but if you are getting a toddler, pack some juice boxes for times when you cant easily get it in transit.]
Just remember that Chinese babies do NOT get a zillion little jars of Gerber or Heinz- they feed off the table as appropriate for their development --- so don't obsess and pack a grocery store!
NWH
3/17/96
Sometimes the babies scream no matter what formula you are feeding them.... we fed Lia the exact same formula she was getting at the orphanage -- never-the-less she was still inconsolable. Even at 6 months babies can form intense attachments to people or routines. Disrupting this can make a baby grieve. It passes with love and support.
Alexis
A different experience and different opinion:
3/18/96
Hi everyone,
We have been on vacation and am trying to catch up on all the goings on. Glad to hear about referrals and travel dates!!!
At our daughters orphanage we were given formula, calcium tablets, fish oil, sugar cubes to sweeten the formula, a eating schedule, and gifts from Emily's Province. We choose to use the Chinese formula to help Emily get adjusted to us. Of all her senses everything was different: sight, smell, touch, sound, etc. but we were able to give her the same thing to eat. We felt it was important to help her through the adjustment period. We did find the same formula at the local department store for $1.20 for 400 grams. We even compared vitamins and nutrition from a can of American formula and they were almost identical. Everyone else in our group choose not to give their new daughters the Chinese formula. Emily was the only one that ate well for the first 24 hours.
Also at the orphanage they propped bottles so if we fed her cuddling and looking into her eyes (the way most of us want to feed our new daughters) she would not eat. She ate well in the snugli with the weight of the bottle on her lips. Over time we did change to American formula little by little by blending the two formulas. By the time we arrived home she was on straight American soy formula.
We brought both Soy and Milk based formula for our daughter. For our next adoption I think we will just bring Soy, which I only saw available to buy in Guangzhou, and see how she does on that. If we need Milk based formula we can always buy it in China plus it is less expensive then here. Yet we will consider what the town we will going to has as far as available baby supplies.
It turns out Emily is allergic to Milk Protein and not the milk lactose or sugar. Now she is on Toddler Next Step Soy. After having what we thought was a continual cold for 4 months, we realized she was having an allergic reaction to milk. For those of you adopting 1-2 year olds you may want to bring some of this either in soy or milk. In Changzhou the state run department store had a whole aisle of milk type formulas for infants, children, adults, and older adults. From my understanding many Chinese do not have refrigerators so many must use powdered milk for their consumption.
Kathy
kkbke@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 1996 11:51 AM
Subject: First Night(s)
From: Jackie Szczepanik
#3 China Kelsey was 3 mos old. Again, I was in love with the idea of her, and then with that funny, fuzzy fax photo and then her! She, on the other hand, did not have a clue as to who I was! I thought that because she had been in an orphange she would be used to waiting and that she would happily snooze in the crib while I showered etc. WRONG!!! It took her about 10 minutes to figure out that being held ALL the time is very cool! Which was great, because that was what I wanted to do! She fussed her way through that first night and ended up in bed with me! It took a few days to figure our the best feeding schedual for her...2 oz. every 2 hours! But, she was only 5 1/2 lbs and had a very itty bitty tummy! The Chinese pediatrician was the one who adivised me and he was right!
I am sure there are as many different experiences as there are kids! And they are all wonderful!
Jackie