establishing healthy eating
What do babies need to grow and develop into bouncing babies and healthy active
toddlers? Looking after the nutritional needs of an infant until six months is fairly
easy: feed them breastmilk (ideally) or formula. But at around six months, a baby's
nutritional needs exceed what he or she can get from milk feeds, which is why we
begin complimentary feeding or solids. Breastmilk or formula will still remain a
considerable part of their nutritional requirements right through until at least
12 months.
What foods when?
It's important to start baby on solids at around six months, not too much before,
as babies are still developing their digestive system and starting on solids too
early can also have implications for nutrition balance and allergies. But neither
should you wait too long.
Many parents ask "What should I feed my baby?" In the past, guidelines recommended
a fairly rigid timetable for introducing foods at certain ages. While there are
still some age-defined guides to introducing certain foods, such as cows milk from
12 months, today the timelines of many foods are best guided by babies themselves.
This is why many of the health department guidelines are more flexible and sometimes
differ from each other.
Guiding principles in baby nutrition Baby nutrition is as much about nutrients as
it is about establishing healthy eating habits. And while I could bore you with
details on carbohydrates, protein, fat, and vitamins and minerals, at this early
stage it is far more relevant and helpful to stick to important dietary principles
and guidelines – such as VARIETY!
At the end of this article you’ll find the government healthy eating guidelines
for children, and variety is centre stage.
Rules and principles of a good diet
The three basic principles of a good diet – both for baby and for you – are variety,
wholesomeness and unprocessed food. These help ensure that a diet is nutritionally
sound and can be applied to all age groups. In some sense, it is fairly traditional:
as grandma says, ‘Good ole fashioned healthy eating!
Variety is the spice of life
Variety in a diet refers to eating a variety of food groups but it also means variety
within a food group. With a wide array of foods from the same food group in your
child’s diet you can increase the number of nutrients baby is eating; for example,
two different types of fruit a day. A great, easy way to ensure variety is to check
that there is a good range of colours; for example, red fruits and berries (an excellent
source of vitamin C), green and yellow vegetables (high in vitamin A), wholegrain
and brown bread (high in zinc), white meat (providing protein and iron), dairy (for
calcium and riboflavin) and so on.
Select food from a wide variety of sources each day. Diets that exclude one or more
food groups are associated with an increased risk of many diseases, but bear in
mind that it isn’t necessary to eat from each food group at every meal. Eating a
little of all sorts of foods can dilute your exposure to problem food components
and undesirables, potentially reducing the risk of a reaction.
Now that you are on track with variety, don’t stop there! Keep it going by regularly
introducing new foods and meals to your child right throughout their lives.
Wholesomeness is next to goodness
Choose foods made from whole products; for example, wholegrain bread contains the
goodness of entire grain; similarly with whole bean soy drinks. A good diet should
rely primarily on food that is wholesome and resembles, as far as possible, its
original state. This can ensure your diet is rich in important nutrients and will
also limit any possible contamination from nasties. Nature has packaged food the
way it is for a reason. Why process something and then add back the ‘stuff’ that
has been lost along the way?
Unprocessed food
Ideally, a diet shouldn’t rely too much on processed food such as pre-prepared food,
fast-food, processed meat (sausages and salami), biscuits, cakes, chocolates, savoury
biscuits and chips and so on. As a general rule, the less processed a food is, the
greater its nutrient content. Furthermore, the less a food is processed, the fewer
preservatives, colours, flavours and additives it may contain. However, given the
advanced processing techniques used today, there is an increasing range of frozen
and pre-prepared produce that may be quite nutritionally sound.
How much is enough?
Again, the issue of how much should a baby eat (or drink for that matter) depends
on baby and what’s going on around him or her. While there are guides on how much
a baby should eat and drink, they are just that – GUIDES. Don’t get too hung-up on
figures; your baby’s growth and development remains one of the best guides. Baby
should be reasonably consistent with his or her growth as well as their bowel habits
and wet nappies.
What can affect baby’s eating?
There can be many reasons why a baby doesn’t take to solids, or starts solids and
then goes off them. Listed below are just a few possible factors:
- When baby starts teething. Don’t be put off if they seem to have lost interest
at this point; it is likely to be temporary.
- When baby starts to become mobile, they sometimes temporarily lose interest in
food as this new-found movement is more interesting to them. This phase will pass,
and they will be fine.
- It can take up to 10 or more tries for a baby to take to something new; perseverance
is important! Don’t confuse rejection with permanent dislike.
- Tired infants generally won’t have the inclination to eat solids; the moment has
gone. Better to avoid trying to feed a baby who is tired and irritable. Give yourself
the best possible chance for success.
Some other tips to good nutrition for babies
Breast/formula first
Feed baby breastmilk or formula before solids to ensure that they receive all their
vital nutrients and health-giving factors before filling up on solids. This will
also reduce the likelihood of baby fussing from hunger before you start out, and
sets a relaxed and positive atmosphere. At around nine months, this often reverses
and food comes first.
Liquid to puree to lumps and bumps
Baby is moving from nutrition that was completely liquid, and consistent in taste
and texture, so baby must now adapt to an entirely new experience. Food is thicker,
varies in taste and texture as well as colour. Ensure that all foods are either
cooked or pureed (by hand, blender or baby food appliance) into a smooth ‘liquidy’
paste resembling runny yoghurt (breastmilk or formula can be used to thin the food).
To check for reactions, introduce a new food once every 3–5 days.
Start as you mean to continue
Initially baby will consume only very small amounts – maybe a teaspoon or so – so
the quality of what they eat is important. Offer baby good quality food, dense in
nutrients and free from additives. This remains true even for toddlers who have
much larger appetites but still relatively small tummies.
Keep in mind that as baby becomes more independent, what counts is the food that
is offered as we have less control over what is actually eaten. Be persistent and
consistent, don’t make a fuss, and be a good role model.
Don’t miss a meal
With the hectic pace of life today, it is easy for baby to miss a meal or snack.
But try hard not to fall into this trap. A regular flow of nutrients throughout
the day will ensure that your little one has all the energy they need as well as
building blocks for their growing brain and body. Missing a meal or even being as
little as 10 minutes late can leave you with a cranky baby or child.
A special note on iron
At around six months the store of iron your baby was born with begins to get a little
low. Your baby needs a good supply of iron for development and healthy growth. This
is why baby cereal fortified with iron is recommended from six months.
Messy but fun
Food should be a positive experience. Encouraging baby’s enjoyment in eating may
mean getting in ‘boots and all’ and letting baby feel the food, mix it around on
their highchair table, some may even like to wear it: personally I thought my son
suited red beetroot horns sticking out of either side of his head.
Having introduced the idea of fun, saying mealtimes are going to be messy affairs
is probably an understatement. Set baby up in a comfortable and easy-to-clean space
ie a highchair (or similar), with a bib (I like to try to match the bib colour to
the food to hide those hard-to-remove stains). It’s also handy to have some baby
wipes or a soft damp face-washer close by.
Take your time
Introduce new foods one at a time, trialing it over a 3 to 5 day period. So if baby
has a reaction to a food it is easier to determine the culprit.
Babies have personalities too
They each have different bodies, personalities, preferences, abilities, skills and
tolerance levels. Some babies will take to a spoon very quickly while others may
need practice over several attempts/days. Some babies will move quickly from being
fed to preferring to feed themselves.
Warm, hot or cold?
Room temperature is most babies’ preference in terms of food temperature, although
some may prefer it slightly warmer, for example, at body temperature (given milk
straight from the breast is at this warmth). Place baby’s bowl into a bowl of hot
water to warm it to the desired temperature. Take care when using a microwave oven
as they tend to heat foods unevenly – suddenly hitting a hot spot of food can be
distressing and burn baby’s soft mouth.
What do babies on solids need to drink?
Babies’ kidneys are not as adept as adults at handling the waste products from the
digestion of food. As baby begins on solids, it becomes increasingly important to
monitor the amount of water your little one is drinking, particularly in the case
where milk feeds are being replaced by solid foods. Water is best, other fluids
such as juices and cordials are not necessary. Young children don’t have fully developed
thirst cues so it is important to offer your little one a drink at regular intervals
all day. Ensure that drink bottles and cups are placed in easy-to-see and reachable
positions for toddlers and check the levels throughout the day.
What about fruit juice?
Usually parents give fruit juice to children to assist with their dietary intake
of vitamin C. While milk, fruit juice and water are the three most popular fluids
for children under one, water is the preference. Fruit juice doesn’t afford any
particular nutritional benefits for babies (and should not be given to babies under
six months) compared to breast milk or formula. While some intake of fruit juice
is fine (in moderation), excessive intake can lead to gastric upset, loose stools
and may interfere with your child’s appetite and in severe cases their physical
development. Dietary guidelines recommend that children:
- Are not given any fruit juice before six months of age.
- Are not given juice in bottles or other vessels that pour easily, allowing a child
to drink juice over the day.
- Are not given juice at bedtime.
When can cows’ milk be offered?
Generally it’s best not to introduce cows’ milk as a drink until after baby is one
to reduce the risk of allergy or the displacement of breast milk, formula or meals.
At what age should we swap to reduced-fat milk?
Reduced-fat products including milk are not recommended for young children. At around
two years your little one can share the reduced-fat dairy products that the rest
of the family uses, although it is not absolutely necessary to use these products
for toddlers, especially if they are getting their nutritional needs meet by a wide
range of foods. Remember to look for the quality of fat because not all fat is bad
and in fact even saturated fat in the right amount is important for growth and development.
Alternatives to cows’ milk
We know that formula or breast milk provides a child under the age of one with most
of their nutritional requirements. So milk substitutes to replace breast milk or
formula is not recommended at this stage, however small amounts are fine and can
help with variety, for example as an additional drink or in cooking or on cereals.
Offer after meals so baby doesn’t fill up on a drink.
Milk alternatives can be a great option after the first year; many are fortified
with calcium to make up for any shortfalls (generally if you check the 100ml column
calcium should be 100mg, McVeagh and Reed, 2001). Such drinks also offer a variety
of fluids and nutrients, and may benefit children who are lactose intolerant or
have other allergies and sensitivities.
Milk alternatives include:
- Soy, a number of which are now fortified with calcium (opt for those made from
whole soybeans)
- Nut, such as almond milk (high in essential fats and calcium)
- Oat (notably low-glycaemic index and reputed to be good for the nervous system)
- Rice (can be quite sweet)
Home-made vs. commercial baby foods
Few of us can argue that commercially prepared baby foods are convenient, hygienic
and increasingly nutritionally sound. Nevertheless, we should be selective when
choosing commercially prepared baby foods, opting to use them occasionally and being
sure they are age-appropriate, contain quality ingredients, have minimal or no additives
or preservatives and contain no salt or sugar (albeit it in the form of fruit juice).
Avoid feeding your baby solely on commercially prepared foods. This can cause problems
such as:
- A reduction in variety of taste, nutrients and textures: Infants who eat home-made
foods tend to get a wider variety of tastes, foods, nutrients and food textures.
- Exposure to hidden sweeteners: Fruit juice or skim milk is often used to sweeten
a product (even those labelled ‘no added sugar’). This is why some babies develop
strong preferences for commercially prepared baby foods.
- Preference for softer and smoother texture: For obvious safety reasons, manufacturers
of commercial baby foods generally produce foods that are softer and smoother in
texture than home-prepared meals. An over-reliance on soft food for too long can
slow the progression to meals. Increasingly lumpier-textured food is given at around
seven months, leading to finger foods at around nine months. Lumpy food is best
for normal development (including speech), growth and dentition. Also, lumpy food
appears to be important in avoiding food fussiness later.
- Confusion about quantity: Quantity can be confusing: the use of a jar may suggest
it is the ideal serving for all babies and be confusing for some parents who are
left wondering if they should feed their baby more or if their baby should have
eaten the whole jar (or two).
- Choices based on adult preferences: Marketing of baby foods is sometimes aimed
at us, with terms such as ‘dinner’ or ‘dessert’ reflecting our eating patterns.
Mix it up as much as possible and leave the habits to form later.
Strategies for incorporating commercially prepared baby foods
Ensure you use home-prepared foods first when starting solids; in fact, they should
be used most of the time. Save pre-prepared foods for when it is difficult to access
home-made foods, such as when you are out or running late. Sometimes baby foods
can be used as a quick and convenient sauce for other foods such as pasta or rice
where the sauce the rest of the family is eating is not appropriate (for example
when dad has made one of his famous hot curries).
Foods not suitable for infants and toddlers
The following is a guide to foods that should be avoided and for how long:
- Honey should not be given to children under 12 months due to high amount of simple
sugars and spores of potential bacteria (Clostridium botulinum). While this bacteria
is harmless to adults, in children under one it can cause constipation, changes
in appetite, lethargy, and even changes in sucking, resulting in dehydration and
pneumonia. It appears that Australian honey is relatively safe with only a few cases
being reported, but it is always best to err on the side of caution.
- Tea contains tannin which has a strong drying effect on the body’s liquid stores
and therefore reduces iron-absorption.
- Nuts should not be given to infants due to the risk of inhaling and possible allergy.
Nut pastes are a better form of introducing nuts. These can be given safely; however,
avoid introducing peanuts in the first year, and first three if there is a family
history of allergy.
- Small, hard foods should be avoided as they pose a risk of choking, eg. nuts,
seeds, popcorn, whole grapes and whole beans.
- Spinach, which contains oxalic acid, may also be a problem until later in the
first year.
- Wholegrain products are not suitable for babies due to the seeds, although light
wholemeal bread is fine.
- Soy, cows’ milk, goats’ milk, almond milk or oat milk are not suitable formula
substitutes, although fine for cooking or small drinks from ten months. Alternative
fluids as drinks are fine after the first year.
- Low-fat or fat-reduced products are not suitable for children under two years
as they do not provide enough of a child’s energy needs.
- Caffeine-containing drinks such as tea, coffee, cola, caffeinated drinks or drinks
with Guarana are not suitable for children.
- Sugar and salt should not be added to food for children; this includes breakfast
cereals, porridge, and baked goods. Read labels to check for these additives. •
Fruit juices are not recommended (unless well-diluted) as they pose a risk of tooth
decay and diarrhoea (especially apple juice).
- Fizzy drinks or soft drinks contain a lot of sugar and some contain artificial
sweeteners; none provides any nutritional benefit.
- Avoid the use of margarine; butter is nutritionally a far better choice. Adult
concerns regarding the composition of fat in butter are not relevant for young children.
A great additional option is avocado or nut spreads.
A final note
Remember, babies’ growth and developments are important indicators of how your baby
is going. Well-meaning comments and advice from friends and family can sometimes
make even the most confident mom question her abilities, but be assured by taking
your cues from the one who knows best: your baby!
This information has been provided by Leanne Cooper from Cadence Health. Leanne is a qualified nutritionist and mother of two very active boys.
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What do I Feed My Baby
eBook by Leanne Cooper
Guiding you and baby through solids to meals.
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