Babies Nutrition
Babies Nutrition
The first year of a baby’s life is the most important for their future growth and learning. Babies who have the right nutrition in their first year have better coordination, concentration, memory, behaviour, and perception as they get older. In addition, it’s in the first twelve months that the baby’s brain grows most rapidly, which makes the first year a critical period for learning.
In the first year, the baby’s brain grows dramatically, and it produces billions of cells and hundreds of trillions of connections between these cells. Fun fact, only in the first three months the brain reaches over half of its adult size already!
That said, as everyone knows there are two things parents should always take into consideration. For your baby to grow as healthy as possible, you should pay attention to their sleep schedule and their nutrition. These two powerful tools help make babies smarter and healthier
I recently wrote at length about the best sleep schedule for babies and now it’s time for babies nutrition.
BABIES NUTRITION 0 to 6 MONTHS
Breastfeed Exclusively: Until your infant reaches at least six months, the best way to feed the baby is exclusively through breastfeeding. Not only because breast milk has all the nutrients that babies need but also, until about 4 to 6 months old, infants can’t digest most foods. During this time babies can exclusively be breastfed since breast milk is the optimal nutrient mix for infants. It’s full of components such as antibodies, antimicrobial factors, enzymes, and anti-inflammatory factors along with fatty acids, that promotes optimal brain development.
Daily Vitamin D Supplements: The Department of Health in many countries including UK, USA and Canada recommend that you give a breastfeeding baby up to 10 µg of Vitamin D daily regardless of if you're already taking Vitamin D. A baby receiving more than half a litre of infant formula will not need Vitamin D supplements as formulas generally have enough but be sure to check
Formula feed as a last resort: If you’re in any circumstance that makes breastfeeding harder or, even impossible, don’t blame yourself, neither feel bad about it. There are many formula feeds for infants that work in a similar way as breast milk. But be careful, some babies can have an intolerance to milk protein or soy protein, and if they consume those types of milk, it can lead to blood in the stool. As long as you first consult a paediatrician, to get all the information you need and to help you find the best option to suit your baby’s needs, everything will be okay!
BABIES NUTRITION AFTER SIX MONTHS
Introduce Solid Foods: Once your baby is six-month-old, you can start introducing solid food in their diet. This includes soft, healthy snacks or jarred baby foods.
Can a baby drink water? Yes, after six months as part of the gradual process of transition from breastmilk or formula to solid foods. Buy the best quality water you can afford but avoid sparkling water - babies are not ready for that.
Signs that a baby is ready for solid food:
- Baby has doubled birth weight,
- Baby can hold head up,
- Baby can sit in a highchair,
- Baby opens mouth as food is presented
- Baby swallows with ease.
In the beginning, offer your infant small amounts of solid foods in addition to breast milk and not as a replacement for it. And the first solid foods should be liquid-like as well. It’s recommended to start by introducing a new food every 3 or 4 days. That will give you time to observe how your baby reacts and responds to that food. Keep a food journal if you like with yay or nay based on how your baby reacts and digests new foods. You can then gradually increase the amount of food so by 9 to 12 months, your baby is eating three healthy meals a day plus some snacks. During this period of experimenting, you’ll need to pay attention as babies can get negative reactions to new foods. These negative responses can be a respiratory one, on the skin, or GI issues. If that happens, you’ll need to wait for 1 to 3 months before trying that food again. The best way to get your baby to eat solid foods is by introducing them in stages, one group at a time.
BABIES NUTRITION GROUP #1: VEGETABLES
As you know, vegetables are full of nutrients and not as sweet as fruits. Puréed vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, squashes, or carrots are easy to cook and mash, perfect for your baby to get all the good stuff he or she needs!
BABIES NUTRITION GROUP #2 FRUIT
Introduce fruits only after vegetables. The reason for this method being crucial is because if you introduce fruits first in your child’s diet and then vegetables, the baby will expect every food to taste sweet and might reject some of the vegetables and other foods that don’t taste the same as fruits. Additionally, it’s an important factor considering that food tastes formed early in life can persist. Also, babies don’t yet have the ability to digest fructose effectively. Introducing fruits first can cause diarrhea, so keep fruit intake moderate and avoid high-fibre fruits like prunes for a while. If you need some inspiration for how to introduce your infant to fruits, here are some tasty ideas that you can try: mashed banana with breast milk, or cooked and puréed fruit (such as pears, peaches, or apples).
BABIES NUTRITION GROUP #3: PROTEIN
The final step is foods high in protein. After you’ve given vegetables and fruits to your baby, it’s time to move on to more elaborated foods. This includes well-cooked and mashed beans, lentils, green peas, and finely chopped meats. At this stage, it can take a while for the infant’s GI tract to adjust. This results in some undigested food that might be found in the stool. However, this is completely normal and is part of the process. While you introduce foods high in protein, also introduce dairy products such as milk as cheese towards the 11th month. But be careful because, as said before, your child might be intolerant to lactose and have a negative response to dairy. Wait at least nine months before introducing oily fish like salmon sardines and mackerel and 12 months before any shellfish to prevent any unforeseen allergy incidents.
BABIES NUTRITION RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCES
This list was thoroughly researched and approved by the NIH and NHS. Always check a formula feed meets these requirements.
Babies Daily Nutrient Requirements: 0 to 6 Months
Carbohydrate: 60g
Fat: 31g
Protein: 9.1g
Vitamin A: 400 μg
Vitamin B1: 0.2 mg
Vitamin B2: 0.3 mg
Vitamin B3: 2 mg
Vitamin B5: 1.7 mg
Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg
Vitamin B7 Biotin: 5 μg
Vitamin B9 Folate : 65 μg
Vitamin B12: 0.4 μg
Vitamin C: 40 mg
Vitamin D: 10 μg
Vitamin E: 4 mg
Vitamin K: 2 μg
Choline: 125 mg
Calcium: 200mg
Chromium: 0.2 μg
Copper: 200 μg
Iodine: 110 μg
Iron: 0.27mg
Magnesium: 30mg
Manganese: 0.003mg
Phosphorus: 100mg
Potassium: 400mg
Selenium: 15 μg
Zinc: 2mg
Babies Daily Nutrient Requirement: 6 to 12 Months
Water: 0.8 Litres
Carbohydrate: 95g
Fat: 30g
Protein: 11g
Vitamin A: 500 μg
Vitamin B1: 0.3 mg
Vitamin B2: 0.4 mg
Vitamin B3: 4 mg
Vitamin B5: 1.8 mg
Vitamin B6: 0.3 mg
Vitamin B7 Biotin: 6 μg
Vitamin B9 Folate : 80 μg
Vitamin B12: 0.4 μg
Vitamin C: 50 mg
Vitamin D: 10 μg
Vitamin E: 5 mg
Vitamin K: 2.5 μg
Choline: 150 mg
Calcium: 260mg
Chromium: 5.5 μg
Copper: 220 μg
Iodine: 130 μg
Iron: 11 mg
Magnesium: 75mg
Manganese: 0.6mg
Phosphorus: 275mg
Potassium: 860 mg
Selenium: 20 μg
Zinc: 3mg
BABIES NUTRITION SOLID FOOD SOURCES
Here is a list of superfoods as solid food options for babies nutrition aged 6 to 12 months:
Vitamin A: Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes
Vitamin B1: Flaxseeds, Asparagus, Spinach
Vitamin B2: Spinach, Eggs, Yoghurt, Broccoli
Vitamin B3: Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Mushrooms
Vitamin B5: Broccoli, Avocado, Eggs
Vitamin B6: Chicken, Beef, Avocado
Vitamin B7 Biotin: Eggs
Vitamin B9 Folate : Avocado, Asparagus Broccoli, Spinach
Vitamin B12: Sardines, Beef, Eggs
Vitamin C: Bell Peppers, Blueberries, Raspberries, Papaya, Citrus Fruits
Vitamin D: Eggs, Salmon, Sardines
Vitamin E: Almond milk, Avocado, Asparagus
Vitamin K: Spinach, Avocado, Bluberries
Choline: Eggs
Calcium: Yoghurt, Sardines, Collard Greens
Chromium: Broccoli, Oats
Copper: Peas, Cashew Milk, Avocado
Iodine: Eggs, Cod, Yoghurt
Iron: Spinach, Swiss Chard, Asparagus
Magnesium: Cashew Milk, Spinach
Manganese: Spinach, Almond Milk
Phosphorus: Sardines, Cod, Mushrooms
Potassium: Spinach, Broccoli, Banana, Carrots
Selenium: Eggs, Chicken, Mushrooms
Zinc: Beef, Turkey, Cashew Milk
NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE MEAL PLANS: 6 TO 12 MONTHS
We have a digital and print book coming out in September 2021 that provides nutritionally complete meal plans for babies all the way up to seniors. Until then take a look at this 10 point summary of what you need to do to win at babies nutrition
BABIES NUTRITION SUMMARY
Breastfeed exclusively from birth to 6 months
Give a breastfeeding baby up to 10µg of Vitamin D daily.
Formula feed from Birth to 6 months if not breastfeeding
A formula feeding baby may not need additional Vitamin D if formula is fortified. Be sure to check.
Introduce solid foods and water after six months in stages as complement to breast milk or formula milk.
Introduce puree vegetables BEFORE fruits otherwise your baby may assume all foods are sweet - the root of picky eating
Introduce solid food in this order vegetables > fruit > protein > oily fish > dairy
Variety is key when introducing solid foods. Aim for nutrient dense superfood vegetables and fruit rich in iron, zinc and all the vitamins and minerals listed above.
Aim to breastfeed for the first 12 months.
Keep a Baby Food Journal.
