Nutrition for Infants 0–12 Months: What are the nutritional requirements for infants? What is the best nutrition for a newborn baby?
Good nutrition is essential for the growth and development that occurs during an infant’s 0–12 Months of age. The health of developing newborns is enhanced when they are provided the right kinds and quantities of food. Healthy attitudes toward food, oneself, and others are fostered in infants by the caregiver’s positive and encouraging feeding attitudes and methods.
It is important to note that from 0 to 12 Months of age, many physiological
changes occur that allow newborns to consume foods of varying texture and composition. As an infant’s mouth, tongue, and digestive tract mature, the infant shifts from being able to only suckle, swallow, and take in liquid foods, (breast milk or other infant formula), to being able to chew and receive a wide variety of complementary foods.
Infants go from requiring feeding to being able to feed themselves at the same time. Infants’ eating and feeding habits must constantly adapt as they get older. Continue reading this article for more information regarding nutrition for infants 0–12 months, needs and requirements.
Nutrition for Infants 0–12 Months
When it comes to nutrition for Infants 0–12 months, there are processes to follow to achieve the best nutrition for your newborn.
WHAT TO FEED
Breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula: from 0 to 6 months of age, all infants needs breast milk as their source of nutrients until they are developmentally ready to consume other foods.
Vitamin D supplement: Give your infant a daily vitamin D supplement if you are nursing them exclusively because breast milk has very low levels of this vitamin.
The amount of breast milk or other formula your baby needs will change as they grow.
WHAT TO AVOID
Milk: Drinking dairy milk before 12 months may result in intestinal bleeding and serious issues for your infant.
Plant-based beverages: You should avoid giving your baby soy, rice, almond, or other plant-based milks. Your pediatrician will collaborate with you to identify an alternate infant formula option if you have a dairy allergy or intolerance.
Honey: In children younger than 12 months, honey may cause botulism, a serious illness.
Fruit juices: Drinking juice can be detrimental to your baby, as it can stop them from eating other nutritious food that is not sweet.
Sugary drinks: Avoid soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened teas.
Cereal: Never mix cereal into your baby’s bottle of formula or breast milk. This may hinder the absorption of nutrients from breast milk or infant formula and will not help your baby sleep at night.
FEEDING GUIDELINES
Feed your baby in a comfortable setting where you can engage with them warmly and stay away from distractions, like your phone.
Your baby knows when to stop eating, so don’t make them complete a bottle or keep eating.
Recognize your baby’s hunger and fullness cues, which may include: putting hands to mouth; flexing arms and legs; sucking noises; quick breathing; clenching fingers; and the rooting response, which is the moving of the head toward anything that brushes the lips or face. It’s not always the case that crying indicates hunger.
