Nutrients – What Baby Needs to be Healthy

Whether your baby is breast or bottle fed it is important to make sure that she is getting all of the nutrients she needs right from birth. Nursing mothers provide the nutrients that a baby needs right through her breast milk. To do this, mom must eat at healthy diet, such as what can be ascertained by the food pyramid. Breast fed babies should be fed on demand and most will eat every two hours. Some pediatricians have recently begun to suggest that breastfeeding moms should give their babies Vitamin D supplements. Other doctors say that spending 60 minutes outside a week will also give your child the Vitamin D needed. So talk to your doctor to see what she recommends.

Up until four months of age, babies get all of the nutrients necessary through breast milk or formula. All formula that is sold in the United States has strict guidelines and they all will give your child all the nutrients that are necessary. Between four to six months old, parents start to offer cereal and other baby foods, but all of the baby’s nutritional needs are still met through breast or bottle feedings. Most parents offer an iron-rich cereal first because the potential for allergies is low. After success with cereal, parents should add foods that are rich in Vitamins C (fruits) and A (dark green or deep orange vegetables). Add foods slowly so that you can make sure your little one doesn’t show signs of allergies.

From six to nine months, infants can continue to try different things, but their normal daily routine should include iron-rich cereal, fruit, vegetables, and of course breast milk or formula.

 Between nine to 12 months parents can introduce meats. By the end of the first year, babies can eat almost any adult food, but parents should be cautioned not to fall into the trap and give their children junk food with empty calories. Children will learn to like the food that they are given from an early age and will enjoy the foods they eat most often. It is also important to give little ones foods that they can easily pick up and chew. At this time, baby is getting half her nutrients from a formula and breast milk and half from the food she eats.

By the time baby has her first birthday, it is time for her to transition from formula to whole milk. Babies need the fat that is in whole milk and it is recommended for all infants until their second birthday when they can switch to reduced fat milk. A breast fed baby doesn’t need to be weaned off the breast at a year old and can instead be weaned when the time is right for the mom and baby.

From 12-24 months, babies should eat between 1,000-4,000 calories a day; this includes the milk that the child drinks. According to the USDA, children in this age range need: three ounces of whole grains, one cup fruit, one cup vegetables, two ounces of protein and two cups of dairy per day.