To Your Health
March, 2008 (Vol. 02, Issue 03) |
|
|
Nutrition for Baby
What Every New Parent Should Know
By Dr. Richard Drucker
Infants and toddlers have specific nutritional needs that change rapidly as they grow and develop. From milk to cereal to fruits and vegetables, what is the best age to transition to solid foods? Get the answers to new parents' most common nutrition questions.
Congratulations, you are a new parent! Your beautiful baby is depending on you for many things, and you have to make important choices about what to feed your baby, and how and when to help them transition to whole foods.
This article focuses on the crucial time period from 6 months to 4 years old, and it will help take some of the guesswork out of providing your toddler with necessary nutrition while keeping meals interesting, nutritious and varied.
It's important to remember that even though extensive research and countless studies have been done in the area of nutrition for children, not every child is alike. For this reason, you should always consult your child's pediatrician prior to making any changes to your child's diet or their nutritional intake. It's always a good idea to avoid any foods or specific substances which you know may cause an allergic reaction in your baby.
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about nutrition and toddlers.
What is a good age to introduce solid food to my baby? Breast milk (or formula) is essentially the only food your infant needs during the first 3-4 months of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that solid food should not be introduced before 6 months of age.
How will I know when my baby is ready for solid foods, and what solid food should I begin with? Let your baby, not the calendar, be your guide! Your baby may "ask" for solid foods with facial expressions and behaviors when he/she sees you eating. You might begin to see this interest at approximately 4-6 months of age.
The Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting most infants with a rice cereal fed to them with a spoon. Rice cereal can be purchased in jars, as a dry mix, or you can prepare your own by cooking rice without salt or seasoning and pureeing it in a food processor. The dry mix should have directions on the rice cereal box for mixing it with the correct proportions of either breast milk or formula for baby's first meal. The first few days the baby may tend to push the cereal back out with their tongue because of a thrust reflex, causing the tongue to thrust out anything that is put in their mouth. However, children usually begin to get the idea of closing their lips around the spoon and swallowing within several days.
Strained vegetables might be the next foods introduced - peas, green beans, squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes and carrots. It's usually a good idea to give your child only one new food at a time. Wait 3-5 days before starting another one to safeguard against any possible food reactions or allergies.
