Diet and Nutrition for babies through the age groups
Breast milk is the best food for babies. The mother’s milk has all the requirements for the baby to grow in the first six months. Even if the mother is thin and weak she will be the best source of a balanced diet for her baby. The breast milk has inside it all the protection from diseases that the mother has and it will provide the baby with natural protection.
All mothers should be encouraged to breast feed their babies and only when there is a medical or physical problem should breast milk substitutes be used. There is nothing in a can or bottle that is as good for a baby as breast milk for the first six months. All the energy, strength, growing and protection parts of a balanced diet are contained in breast milk.
Children from birth to twelve months are growing quickly and using a lot of energy. They need extra protein in their food after six months. They also need additional calcium to make strong bones and iron for building blood. Their energy needs are high so they will need more carbohydrate. After the baby is about six months old the mother should offer breast milk first and feed additional food after the baby has finished at the breast.
When the mother has only a small amount of milk allow the baby to feed more often and increase the mother’s intake of fluids such as water and juices. Breast feeding mother’s need a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals in their diet to pass on to the baby through their breast feeding.
Foods that give us energy are called carbohydrates and they are mostly sugary and starchy foods. Some carbohydrate foods are: banana, kumala, bread, rice, yam, taro, corn, peas and potato. If we eat a lot of carbohydrate and it is not burned up through work or play it is turned into fat in our bodies and saved up for when we might need it later. If we continue to eat too much carbohydrate and not use it up we will become fat.
Cooked Egg Whites: “I mentioned that heating or cooking egg white renders it toxic. The yolk, however, is somewhat more stable, but even it is more nutrition when eaten raw or softly cooked.”
Avoid Up to 6 months: Certain foods, such as spinach, celery, lettuce, radishes, beets, turnips and collard greens, may contain excessive nitrate, which can be converted into nitrite (an undesirable substance) in the stomach. Leafy green vegetables are best avoided until 1 year. When cooking vegetables that may contain these substances, do not use the water they were cooked in to purée.
Avoid Up to 9 months: Citrus and tomato, which are common allergens.
Up to 1 year: Because infants do not produce strong enough stomach acid to deactivate potential spores, infants should refrain from eating honey. (More research needs to be done, however this is not likely the case.)
Grains must be soaked and fermented prior to feeding your children. Thus, ”baby’s earliest solid foods should be mostly animal foods since his digestive system, although immature, is better equipped to supply enzymes for digestion of fats and proteins rather than carbohydrates.”
“Of all the food groups, grains are the most likely to cause digestive disturbances or allergies if they are not properly prepared. All grains should be soaked for at least 24 hours before cooking and then cooked at low heat for a long time. Bread should be natural sourdough bread, hopefully made in your own kitchen.” Cowan, T. Feeding Our Children
Along with the other nutritional concepts, all foods should be natural, free of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics, and all animal food should preferably be allowed to roam and eat its natural diet. Nothing, should be made in factories. Make your baby food at home.
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