By Carolyn Snyder

Dr. Wynnyee Tom, of Los Altos, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Fremont, is a new mother. And, like all new mothers, she wants her child to get off to the right start with proper care and feeding.

Proper feeding does not mean overfeeding. “Many people think that having fat rolls and being chubby means a baby is healthy,” she said. “But that’s not an indication of health.”

It is commonly held among physicians that if infants were capable of feeding themselves, they probably would consume only enough food to satisfy their caloric need for physical growth. They would presumably eat only when hungry. The majority of these infants would not be expected to eat themselves into obesity.

Yet most mothers think a baby must finish his or her bottle. One nutritionist calls this the “empty-bottle syndrome,” whereby the baby is often encouraged, even coerced, to take the last drop of formula whether he or she needs it or not.

The empty-bottle syndrome often sets up the clean-plate syndrome. “Some people think eating more and finishing everything on the plate is a good thing,” Tom said. “Not so. Avoid telling kids to clean their plates.”

This makes sense because it’s difficult to judge someone else’s hunger.

Here is some other practical advice. Remember that the preschool years may be particularly indicative of adolescent obesity, because diet and exercise habits are formed early in life.

• Don’t confuse food with love.

• Don’t use food as a pacifier, such as offering a cookie to a child who is hurt or unhappy. His emotions have nothing to do with the need for food.

• Avoid using the TV or computer as a babysitter. The short-term benefit of a few minutes to yourself is not worth the long-term effect on your child’s screen habits - many of which are formed in the toddler years.

• Check in with your child’s day-care center to make sure healthful, low-fat meals and snacks are provided.

• Serve low-fat (1 percent) milk or nonfat milk starting at age 2.

• Keep chips, fast food and snacks at a minimum.

• Keep healthful foods your child likes within reach at home. Keep junk foods out of the house.

Tom has started a pediatrics newsletter, available via e-mail, that provides seasonal information and updates about children’s health. Written by Kaiser Permanente pediatricians and other health-care professionals, these e-mail updates offer health-care tips on a wide range of topics from managing allergies to school physicals.

To receive the newsletter, visit kp.org/pediatrics newsletter. You don’t have to belong to Kaiser to subscribe.