• 1 week ago

Pediatric Nutrition Counseling

Nutrition: The Foundation of Healthy Development

The first 1000 days of life—from conception to age two—are crucial for brain development, immunity, physical growth, and long-term health. Nutrition during this time not only fuels the body but also shapes lifelong habits, metabolism, and even emotional relationships with food.

But feeding a baby isn’t just about following guidelines. It’s about responding to your child’s unique needs, temperament, preferences, and rhythms. That’s why cookie-cutter advice often fails—and why individualized nutrition counseling makes all the difference.

When Should You Seek Nutrition Counseling?

Professional support can be helpful in many common but often confusing situations:

  • Transitioning to solids (timing, consistency, food types)
  • Picky eating and limited food variety
  • Difficulty joining family meals
  • Inadequate or excessive weight gain
  • Chronic constipation or digestive issues
  • Suspected food allergies or sensitivities
  • Frequent mealtime battles or feeding aversion
  • Appetite fluctuations or grazing behavior in toddlers

What Does the Counseling Process Include?

Nutrition counseling is more than handing out a meal plan. It’s an in-depth, collaborative process that considers every aspect of your child’s development and your family life.

Developmental Assessment

  • Height, weight, and head circumference monitoring
  • Growth chart analysis and percentile trends
  • Daily calorie and nutrient requirements based on age

Feeding Behavior Analysis

  • How many meals and snacks per day?
  • How long does the child stay at the table?
  • What foods are accepted vs. refused?
  • Mealtime environment (family dynamics, distractions, emotional tone)

Custom Meal Planning

  • Sample menus based on age and preferences
  • Nutrient-dense recipes (iron, calcium, vitamin D, etc.)
  • Allergy-friendly alternatives
  • Flexible routines that fit your lifestyle—not just theoretical rules

Parent Coaching

  • Managing food refusal with calm strategies
  • Why forcing food often backfires
  • How screens at meals affect appetite and digestion
  • Understanding the emotional side of eating and modeling healthy habits

Specialized Support for Starting Solids

Introducing solids is more than offering mashed carrots. It’s a learning experience for the child’s taste, coordination, digestion, and family interaction.

With guided support, you’ll learn:

  • When and how to start based on readiness cues
  • Textures and consistency progression
  • Approaches to allergenic foods
  • BLW (Baby-Led Weaning) vs. traditional spoon-feeding: what’s best for you
  • Balancing breast milk/formula with solid intake
  • Portion size expectations by month

Ongoing Monitoring with Dr. Ekin Pasinlioğlu

  • Growth tracking through regular check-ins
  • Food journals to identify gaps or sensitivities
  • Personalized guidance for constipation, reflux, allergies, and more
  • Behavioral support for feeding resistance
  • Regular plan adjustments based on developmental milestones