|
|
|
 |
| Nutrition
and feeding. |
| Recommendations
for the first year.
Your child will start
to show when the time for introducing
semi solids has arrived. Usually by the
second half of the first year, your baby
will want to try everything that you are
eating. This leads many mothers to
believe that the breast feeds are no
longer satisfying for baby. So give your
breast to the baby first of all, then
follow it up with some ordinary food. It
is one of the main responsibilities of a
parent to ensure that your growing child
is weaned on to a healthy, balanced
diet. Many of the so-called “lifestyle
diseases” of our civilised society are
actually linked to an unhealthy diet. A
healthy, balanced, nutritious diet forms
the basis for a stronger body, which is
more resilient to the pressures of its
environment and can fight off illness.
|
 |
 |
|
|
| It
is advisable, particularly to avoid
allergies which appear to be
increasingly prevalent at an early age,
to introduce small portions of just one
foodstuff. The introduction of one food
is sensible both to encourage the
development of taste, and, in the case
of an allergic reaction such as a rash,
stomach upsets and pains, to trace the
reaction back to that food. Once your
child can tolerate that foodstuff,
another may be introduced.
|
|
|
|
|
| Choose
a quieter point in the day, when baby is
relaxed and in a good mood. Observe the
rhythm you have established when feeding
your baby; never force a change.
Replacing the individual breastfeeds or
milk feeds happens in small stages, so
that roughly one meal per month is
gradually replaced. Initially, your
child will only eat very small portions,
and learning to eat from a spoon can be
very slow (and messy!). You can help
your baby to learn independent feeding
with the aid of MAM’s
special feeding line. The small
portions which are given at the
beginning of weaning will increase to
full meals in the course of time. If the
baby rejects the solid food, it is best
to try it again in two weeks’ time.
|
|
|
|
|
| Again,
these are generalised comments. Find out
what is best for your baby and consult
with your health visitor.
|
|
|
|
|
| Especially
rich in nerve building B-vitamins. Introduce different cereal
crops, one per month. At the start, gluten
free cereal, such as rice, millet, corn
or buckwheat are ideal. After the 10th
month, germ wheat and spelt grain may be
introduced as well. Wheat and oats can
sometimes create allergies and so should
only be offered after the first year.
|
|
|
|
|
| Boiled
and pureed, the ideal first vegetables
for baby are: potatoes, broccoli,
spinach, fennel, asparagus, and
courgettes. Steaming is best as it
conserves the vitamins, and then the
vegetables can be diced or pureed,
depending on the age of the child.
Later, the vegetables may be combined
with rice.
|
|
|
|
|
| Initially,
a little bit of grated apple may be
given, or a mashed banana. Please ensure
that you discard the ends of the banana,
2cm from the top and bottom, as it is
possible that preservatives will have
been used. Grapes and plums have a
laxative effect. Strawberries, oranges
or mandarins may sometimes cause
allergies.
|
|
|
|
|
| Once
your baby gets is used to cereals,
vegetables and fruit and tolerates these
well, you can start to offer foods which
contain protein, such as cooked beans,
lentils, peas or tofu. If you are using
tinned pulses, be sure to wash them well
in a sieve and cook them thoroughly. If
the baby gets indigestion or passes
undigested foods, try these foods again
in a few weeks. It is obviously your
choice as to whether your baby should be
given animal proteins such as meat,
poultry, fish or eggs (which is often
blamed for high cholesterol levels later
on in life). These foods are often found
to contain very high levels of bacteria,
which could pose a risk of infection for
young children – so meat should always
be thoroughly cooked, and always make
sure that any utensils which have come
into contact with raw meats are
thoroughly cleaned afterwards.
|
|
|
|
|
| Babies
should always fresh water in their bottles. Please do not
buy instant drinks for babies or fruit
juices as these contain high levels of
sugar, which not only causes damage to
teeth (Baby Bottle Syndrome) but also
curbs appetite. Once your child is
interested in a beaker, allow him or her
to play with it a little. Bring the
beaker to its lips and allow the child
to attempt to put the spout into its own
mouth. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
