The nutrition of a child for up to 1 year is significantly different from the usual menu for an adult. But usually, it is the age that becomes a kind of border when parents begin to quickly expand the already created list of products. You can check this article to find out more about the newborn’s menu under 1-year-old.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is extremely important for a baby because breast milk is the only way to receive nutrients for an infant up to 6 months old. That’s why the minimum necessary duration of breastfeeding is considered to be 6 months because during this period the immune system begins to formate and fight the disease. Together with the mother’s milk, a baby receives antibodies that will protect the body, as long as it will not produce enough of its protective factors.
Mixed and Bottle Feeding
There are cases when it’s needed to have a mixed type of feeding for a kid. It’s an alternation in a certain proportion of feeding with mother’s milk and formulas. The minimum amount of breast milk in this type should be 50% of the total amount. Mixed nutrition for a newborn is usually chosen for weak lactation. That is, the milk secreted by the mother cannot fully cover the baby’s need for nutrients.
Another method of feeding is completely bottle feeding. Traditionally, it is used in the complete absence of lactation. The adapted formula becomes a full-fledged substitute for breast milk. There is an opinion that the formula cannot fully replace breast milk, however, that is not the truth. These days baby food is adapted and developed according to basic needs so that a kid receives everything needed for normal development. Here you may find out more about bottle feeding – organicsbestshop.com/blogs/organicsbestclub/baby-feeding-chart.
Depending on the kid’s age and weight, the feeding schedule and the amount of formula consumed change. The initial nutritional norms of a child up to 1-year-old look like this:
- the first week of life – feeding 7-10 times a day with a volume of 700 ml
- up to 12 weeks – the baby’s nutrition at 3 months is reduced in meals to 7-8 times, and the amount increases by 50 ml
- by the 16th week – the number of meals becomes 6-7, and the volume increases by another 50 ml
Complementary Food
Complementary food should be included in the kid’s menu no earlier than 17 full weeks of life (4 months) and no later than 6 months, according to WHO recommendations. Today, the terms of introduction of complementary feeding do not differ between breast and bottle-fed kids:
- 4-6 months – vegetable purees (at first, because they are not as sweet as fruit ones), fruit purees
- 5-7 months – porridge (initially one-component dairy-free). If a baby gains weight worse, then first porridge, and then vegetable puree
- 6-8 months – the third complementary food – is fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir)
Usually, you should give your little one complementary products food no more than half a teaspoon, before the main feeding. Today, the quality standards of baby food are very high, it fully meets the child’s needs in the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and trace elements, besides, it saves time for parents to prepare food and is indispensable when traveling, in particular, vegetable, fruit or meat purees. However, the choice is always up to you whether to prepare food for your little one on your own or to buy industrially produced food.