Baby Nutrition in the first year: What to feed your baby now!

 

Whether you’re a first-time parent or a seasoned caregiver, figuring out why your baby is crying can feel like a guessing game. Fortunately, paying attention to your baby’s daily eating schedule can help reduce a lot of the guess work, in case of loose motion newborn babies’ refreshing wipes are recommended.

Following a feeding schedule, you might be able to figure out, that to avoid some of the fussiness associated with hunger, it will be more convenient to state whether the child is more likely to be wet or tired instead. It would be advised not to formulate a plan for the infant, prefer to eat on demand for the child, just after the meal it is advised to clean the face with baby refreshing wipes.

How often should the baby eat?

Each baby is unique, but one pretty consistent thing is that breastfed babies eat more frequently than bottle-fed ones. That’s because breast milk is easily digested and empties from the stomach a lot quicker than formula.

Breastfed babies

There’s no rest for the weary. The baby should have begun being nursed within 1 hour of birth and be provided about 8 to 12 feedings daily in the first few weeks of life. As,the baby grows and your milk supply amps up, your baby will be able to take in more milk in less time per feeding. You might notice a predictable pattern.

• 1 to 3 months  – 7 to 9 feedings per day
• 3 months         –    6 to 8 feedings per day.
• 6 Months         –    Your baby will be fed around 6 times day.
• 12 months       –  4 feedings per day with the introduction of a solid meal to fuel your baby’s additional nutritional needs.

Bottle-fed babies

Bottle-fed newborns should eat on demand, On average, that’s about every 2 to 4 hours. A working and effective feeding cycle look like:

• New born:  every 2 to 3 hours.
• At 2 months:  every 3 to 4 hours.
• At 6+ months: every 4 to 5 hours.

General meal plan post 6th month

Avoid giving liquid other than formula or breast milk to babies under a year old, including juices and cow’s milk. It is advised not to add cereal to a bottle. Avoid giving honey until 1 year, as it can be dangerous for a baby.

Premature babies are likely to follow feeding patterns according to their adjusted age. You may need to work with the doctor on the appropriate feeding schedule and amount they should be eating.

The baby will automatically eat more frequently during a growth spurt, which typically occurs around 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.

Some babies will also “cluster feed” meaning they’ll feed more frequently during a certain period and less than others. Ex- your baby may cluster feed during the late afternoon and evening and then sleep longer at night.

This is more common in breastfed babies than in bottle-fed babies.

Beginning of solid food

The baby is all set for solid food past the 4th to 6th month:

• Shows interest in what you’re eating.
• Reach for food.
• Shows a steady head control.

It is recommended to stick with one food for 3 to 5 days before offering another. As the baby grows, move from pureed baby food to ones that have more texture ( mashed banana, scrambled).

There is a variety of food on offer for the baby at this stage, don’t feed your baby anything that could be a choking hazard, including:

• Cheese cubes.
• Peanut butter.
• Hard foods, such as nuts or popcorn.
• Hard fresh fruits, like apples; cook to soften or chop into very small pieces.

Wrap

Most babies are pretty good judges or when they’re hungry and when they’re full- and they’ll let you know it. Just the right choice at right time with paying attention to their cues . Post meal it is recommended a gentle clean up from extra clean baby wipes.

Source: https://sceptreorganics.com/baby-nutrition-in-the-first-year-what-to-feed-your-baby-now/