Updated 14-Sep-2023
Especially the first year for a child, there is an enormous amount of growth and development for a child. Parents of course will worry obsessively, and breast-feeding mothers will become anxious and paranoid about feeding. Here are a few guidelines to help. - WHO and CDC growth charts, use WHO for the first two years. There are many apps that have these as well. - Milk and/or formula only for the first 5-6 months. - There are idiots in Thailand who think it is ok to feed an infant banana at 2-3 months. Many children die from choking on solid food too early, and their stomachs are not developed enough in any case. My son doesn't like banana, much to the chagrin of his mother, who keeps trying to feed it to him (he spits it out). - Colic, Gas, and GERD (acid reflux) are a real thing (and it is hard to differentiate). But there are no remedies for these beyond some common sense, love and patience. Don't believe in all the crap being sold as such, including anything homeopathic and gripe water. The only thing that may work is Ferula asafoetida aka Hing, which is applied to the skin of the stomach or feet. Besides that, basic instructions on feeding, burping and being held upright are pretty much what there is. - Teething is real, and sometimes it is hard to tell if the discomfort is teething pain, or the colic, gas, acid reflux noted above. A good teething option is the well-known toy Sophie the giraffe.