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Providing Proper Infant Nutrition
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Published: September 15, 2006
A new mother wants to do everything she can to ensure her baby has a healthy start in life. Learning about good infant nutrition is an excellent first step.
One of the biggest decisions she can make about infant nutrition is whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed her newborn.
The medical community is united in urging mothers to breastfeed whenever possible. Breastfeeding provides the best infant nutrition. It strengthens infants' immune systems and provides them with antibodies needed to fight diseases. Breast milk contains an ideal balance of sugars, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Breastfeeding also helps a baby and its mother bond more strongly. A strong emotional bond can yield dividends far down the road for a baby in the form of a healthy personality and higher self-esteem.
Mothers who cannot breastfeed should not feel guilty, however. Nor should they feel they are dooming their babies to a lifetime of frustration and poor health. Although breastfeeding is recommended, formula feeding is a good alternative to providing necessary infant nutrition.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration regulates what goes into commercial infant nutrition formulas. Most are made from cow's milk or soy. Minimum infant nutrition standards must be met before it can go on the market. Some infant nutrition preparations attempt to duplicate the chemical composition of breast milk as closely as possible. (We say "as closely as possible" because it still is not known exactly what makes mother's milk so nutritious.)
Other infant nutrition preparations slightly change the protein-fat-carbohydrate balance of mother's milk to promote certain outcomes, like reducing constipation in babies.
Cow's milk is one product that should never be given to newborns. There simply are not enough nutrients in cow's milk- or they are in the wrong ratio- to provide proper infant nutrition. Sugar water also is on the "do not give" list.
If a mother is breastfeeding, she might discover what she eats affects the infant nutrition she provides through her milk. Caffeine, spicy foods and gas-producing foods like cabbage can all be transmitted to the baby- sometimes with less than desirable results. Changes in the baby's post-feeding behavior, such as excessive spit-up, burping or "finickiness," might be traced to what Mother had for lunch or dinner.
Speaking of lunch and dinner, the new mom will be giving a lot of those to the baby, whether by breast or bottle. Nestlé's web site, www.verybestbaby.com, recommends eight to 12 feedings per day to deliver enough infant nutrition. Babies also will show hunger signs, such as sucking a fist. Crying generally means, "I am really, really hungry, so let's get to it, Mom!"
Mother's milk or formula should be the only infant nutrition a baby receives for the first four to six months. Contrary to popular folklore, introducing solids before then will not help a baby sleep at night. It might, however, cause the baby to develop food allergies. The baby's immune and gastric systems are not equipped to handle that kind of nutrition so soon. Solids can also cause babies to choke because their mouth and esophagus are not fully functional yet.
Semi-solids can be introduced to the infant nutrition plan of most four- to six-month-old babies, with a pediatrician's approval. Either commercial preparation or homemade food can be served. The key to success is to keep foods simple and soft. Rice cereal is a good starter because it is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than wheat cereal. Hold off on cow's milk, however, until the baby celebrates his or her first birthday. When it is finally served, make sure it is whole milk, so the baby continues to get the fats he needs for toddler-hood.
Check with your pediatrician if the baby does not seem to thrive with the foods provided, if there is too much spit-up, if he fails to gain weight or if he refuses to eat what is given to him. Nutritional supplements, such as Vitamin D and iron, are a possibility, but there is a great deal of discussion about whether supplements are recommended for newborns. Your pediatrician can provide guidance on this subject.
Some informative web pages dedicated to infant nutrition questions and issues are:
National Network for Child Care
www.nncc.org
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov
American Baby
http://ww5.americanbaby/com
Keep Kids Healthy
www.keepkidshealthy.com
"Feeding Your Baby with Breast Milk or Formula"
www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/feedbby.pdf
About.com Infant Nutrition Quiz
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/quizzes/l/bl_inf_ nutri.htm
One of the biggest decisions she can make about infant nutrition is whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed her newborn.
The medical community is united in urging mothers to breastfeed whenever possible. Breastfeeding provides the best infant nutrition. It strengthens infants' immune systems and provides them with antibodies needed to fight diseases. Breast milk contains an ideal balance of sugars, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Breastfeeding also helps a baby and its mother bond more strongly. A strong emotional bond can yield dividends far down the road for a baby in the form of a healthy personality and higher self-esteem.
Mothers who cannot breastfeed should not feel guilty, however. Nor should they feel they are dooming their babies to a lifetime of frustration and poor health. Although breastfeeding is recommended, formula feeding is a good alternative to providing necessary infant nutrition.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration regulates what goes into commercial infant nutrition formulas. Most are made from cow's milk or soy. Minimum infant nutrition standards must be met before it can go on the market. Some infant nutrition preparations attempt to duplicate the chemical composition of breast milk as closely as possible. (We say "as closely as possible" because it still is not known exactly what makes mother's milk so nutritious.)
Other infant nutrition preparations slightly change the protein-fat-carbohydrate balance of mother's milk to promote certain outcomes, like reducing constipation in babies.
Cow's milk is one product that should never be given to newborns. There simply are not enough nutrients in cow's milk- or they are in the wrong ratio- to provide proper infant nutrition. Sugar water also is on the "do not give" list.
If a mother is breastfeeding, she might discover what she eats affects the infant nutrition she provides through her milk. Caffeine, spicy foods and gas-producing foods like cabbage can all be transmitted to the baby- sometimes with less than desirable results. Changes in the baby's post-feeding behavior, such as excessive spit-up, burping or "finickiness," might be traced to what Mother had for lunch or dinner.
Speaking of lunch and dinner, the new mom will be giving a lot of those to the baby, whether by breast or bottle. Nestlé's web site, www.verybestbaby.com, recommends eight to 12 feedings per day to deliver enough infant nutrition. Babies also will show hunger signs, such as sucking a fist. Crying generally means, "I am really, really hungry, so let's get to it, Mom!"
Mother's milk or formula should be the only infant nutrition a baby receives for the first four to six months. Contrary to popular folklore, introducing solids before then will not help a baby sleep at night. It might, however, cause the baby to develop food allergies. The baby's immune and gastric systems are not equipped to handle that kind of nutrition so soon. Solids can also cause babies to choke because their mouth and esophagus are not fully functional yet.
Semi-solids can be introduced to the infant nutrition plan of most four- to six-month-old babies, with a pediatrician's approval. Either commercial preparation or homemade food can be served. The key to success is to keep foods simple and soft. Rice cereal is a good starter because it is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than wheat cereal. Hold off on cow's milk, however, until the baby celebrates his or her first birthday. When it is finally served, make sure it is whole milk, so the baby continues to get the fats he needs for toddler-hood.
Check with your pediatrician if the baby does not seem to thrive with the foods provided, if there is too much spit-up, if he fails to gain weight or if he refuses to eat what is given to him. Nutritional supplements, such as Vitamin D and iron, are a possibility, but there is a great deal of discussion about whether supplements are recommended for newborns. Your pediatrician can provide guidance on this subject.
Some informative web pages dedicated to infant nutrition questions and issues are:
National Network for Child Care
www.nncc.org
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov
American Baby
http://ww5.americanbaby/com
Keep Kids Healthy
www.keepkidshealthy.com
"Feeding Your Baby with Breast Milk or Formula"
www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/feedbby.pdf
About.com Infant Nutrition Quiz
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/quizzes/l/bl_inf_ nutri.htm
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