New parents tend to look to health care professionals for answers to questions about what to feed their children. I believe that we are all born with finely tuned, and precisely accurate, appetite regulation systems that let you know when to eat and when to stop eating. ( I know this is an unconventional viewpoint, but I refer you to Ellyn Satter's How to Feed Your Kid, But Not Too Much if you would like to learn more!). But parents, and others in a child's life, tend to get involved and sometimes create a disconnect between the child's appetite and what a child actually eats rather than supporting the child in trusting their body.
Parents cannot determine the number of ounces a child is receiving when a child is breastfed, allowing the parent to follow the child's lead. This research supports that children who are breastfed, rather than formula fed, have a decreased risk of becoming obese. Those who are not introduced to solid foods too early (before 4, preferably 6, months) also have a decreased risk. Support your children in trusting themselves.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/07/us-starting-risk-idUSTRE7161C220110207
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