Infant nutrition: The first 6 months
Your baby is going through an incredible growth spurt. During the first
year of life, babies triple their birth weight. To grow this big, they need a
lot of nutrients.
Experts say that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies
during the first 6 months, but formula can be a good alternative.
Nutrition and your growing child
Some of the nutrients children need to grow and stay healthy include:
- Calcium. Helps build strong
bones and teeth.
- Fat. Creates energy, helps the brain grow, maintains
healthy skin and hair, and protects against infections.
- Folate. Helps cells divide.
- Iron. Builds blood cells and helps the brain grow. Breastfed children should receive iron supplements.
- Proteins and carbohydrates. They provide energy
and fuel for growth.
- Zinc. Helps cells grow and repair
Your child also needs vitamins such as:
- Vitamin A. Supports healthy skin, hair,
vision and immune system.
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine). Helps the body
convert food into energy.
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Helps the body
convert food into energy and protects cells from damage.
- Vitamin B3 (niacin). Helps the body
convert food into energy and use fats and proteins.
- Vitamin B6. Keeps the brain and
immune system healthy.
- Vitamin B12. Maintains the health
of nerve and blood cells and produces DNA.
- Vitamin C. Protects against
infections, strengthens bones and muscles, promotes wound healing.
- Vitamin D. Helps the body absorb calcium
from food and maintain healthy bones and teeth. Breastfed babies may need
supplement D.
- Vitamin E. Protects cells from damage and
strengthens the immune system.
- Vitamin K. Helps blood
clotting.
Nutrients in the formula
Most infant formula today is made from cow's milk. They are fortified to
be as close as possible to breast milk and give babies all the nutrients they
need to grow and be healthy.
Most cow's milk formulas contain:
- Carbohydrates in the form of milk sugar "lactose"
- Iron
- Protein
- Minerals such as calcium and zinc
- Vitamins, including vitamins A, C, D, E and B
Some formulas add other nutrients to make them even more like breast
milk, such as:
- Essential fatty acids. ARA and DHA are
essential fatty acids for a child's brain and vision.
They are found naturally in breast milk when a mother includes them in
her diet. Many formulas add them. However, there is not much evidence that
fatty acid-fortified formulas actually benefit children as they grow older.
- Nucleotides. These building
blocks of RNA and DNA are also found in breast milk and are added to some
formulas.
It is believed that they strengthen the immune system of the child and
help the development of the digestive organs.
- Prebiotics and probiotics. Probiotics are
"good" bacteria that can help protect against the "bad"
types of bacteria that cause infections. Prebiotics promote the growth of these
good bacteria in the gut.
Probiotic-enriched formulas may prevent eczema in children, but they
don't seem to help with diarrhea or colic.
Babies who need special nutrition
Babies born prematurely or with low birth weight need special nutrition
to help them catch up on growth. Breastfed babies can receive milk
fortification that contains:
- Additional calories
- Additional fat
- Protein
- Vitamins
- Minerals
Babies who cannot breastfeed will need a special formula designed for
premature babies. These formulas are higher in calories. They also contain
extra protein, vitamins and minerals.
What to Avoid
What should not be given to a child in the first 12 months is whole
cow's milk. It lacks iron, vitamin E and essential fatty acids for your baby.
In addition, it contains too much protein, sodium and potassium for a child's
body and can be harmful. Wait until your child is 1 year old with the
introduction of cow's milk.
You also don't want to give your baby soy milk or homemade formula.
These substitutes may not have the nutritional balance a child needs at this
time.