A nurse is reviewing the dietary intake of an infant who is receiving complementary foods and drinks along with breast milk.

Which of the following foods should the nurse instruct the mother to limit or avoid to prevent dental caries?

Cover the newborn’s eyes with a mask or shield.This is because phototherapy can cause eye damage and the mask or shield protects the newborn’s eyes from the light.

Some additional explanations are:

• Choice A is wrong because increasing fluid intake by 25% to prevent dehydration is not necessary for a newborn receiving phototherapy.The newborn should be fed on demand or according to a regular schedule and monitored for signs of dehydration such as poor skin turgor, dry mucous membranes, sunken fontanels, and decreased urine output.

• Choice C is wrong because applying lotion or oil to the newborn’s skin to prevent drying is not recommended for a newborn receiving phototherapy.Lotion or oil can increase the absorption of light and cause skin burns.

• Choice D is wrong because turning off the phototherapy lights during feedings is not advised for a newborn receiving phototherapy.The lights should be on continuously to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment and reduce the duration of exposure.

Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.This will help prevent dumping syndrome, which is a condition that occurs when food moves too fast from the stomach to the duodenum, causing symptoms such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, flushing, dizziness and rapid heart rate.Eating small, frequent meals will reduce the amount of food that enters the small intestine at once and slow down gastric emptying.

Choice B is wrong because drinking fluids with meals rather than between meals will increase the volume of food that enters the small intestine and worsen dumping syndrome symptoms.Fluids should be consumed at least 30 minutes after a meal.

Choice C is wrong because increasing intake of simple carbohydrates such as fruit juice will cause a rapid rise and fall of blood sugar levels, leading to late dumping syndrome symptoms such as sweating, hunger, low blood sugar, fatigue, dizziness and weakness.Simple carbohydrates should be avoided and replaced with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Choice D is wrong because avoiding foods that are high in fat and protein will not help prevent dumping syndrome.In fact, fat and protein can slow down gastric emptying and stabilize blood sugar levels.A moderate amount of fat and protein should be included in each meal.However, too much fat at one time can have the opposite effect and trigger dumping syndrome symptoms.