Focusing on baby nutrition won’t just keep your baby growing and happy. Knowing what to do and what not to do with your baby’s diet can create long-term habits and tastes that will last a lifetime.
Babies don’t just need to grow. They need the right nutrients and diet to learn how to stay healthy as they grow into children and adolescents.
In fact, the right nutrition can make a major difference in how your baby will respond to food in adulthood.
Unfortunately, it seems almost impossible to know the best and worst approaches. This person gives you one set of advice and that person says the opposite.
There are so many baby myths out there that we all need to forget about.
Don’t worry. We can help.
We’ve put together the ultimate list of do’s and don’ts of baby nutrition to answer all your questions about healthy growth and a great diet.
Let’s get started:
Don’t Get Overwhelmed
First off, there is a lot of information out there. You have a healthy baby and are trying to get the best diet and nutrition to help them grow.
Getting overwhelmed can make things confusing. Make sure that you have help.
Where is the best help when it comes to raising a healthy baby?
Do Get Help
And we mean the best type of help. Make sure you have a trusted doctor in your corner to help guide in terms of weight gain and development.
They are the experts. With any questions or concerns you have, it is ok to seek medical advice.
And one thing many doctors are advising today is for parents to think about allergy prevention when it comes to baby nutrition.
Do Think About Allergy Prevention
Some parents are so concerned about keeping their babies safe they miss the boat when it comes to food allergies.
New research suggests that it is imperative you start experimenting with feeding peanut-based foods to your baby at around 6 months of age.
Doing so may help babies develop a deadly peanut allergy. While there are signs to watch for — including eczema and hives — trying some peanut early on may save your child’s life down the road.
Some expert advice regarding peanut allergy prevention includes:
- Try the first feeding of peanut products at home
- Don’t try when baby is already sick or ill
- Check with your doctor
- Watch for choking
- Look for signs of hives around the mouth
- Start with other solid foods first
- Begin with watered down peanut butter
- If there is no reaction after 10 minutes try some more
Pediatricians used to recommend waiting until your child was 3 years old. Research has updated the best practices though.
Still, because so many children have suffered fatal sickness with peanuts parent can be wary of trying. But doctors warn, even if there is a family history of peanut allergy it’s an even bigger reason to start early.
While you need to be careful to stomp out some allergies, there are still foods babies should avoid.
Do Avoid Certain Foods
There are a number of foods that can be unsafe for babies in their first year.
These include processed meats where the salt content can be unhealthy for your baby.
Instead, you should use natural sea salt to give your baby the minerals they need.
And variety is a great thing for babies. More about that later.
But choking hazards are something to watch closely for as your baby grows. Too much too soon is definitely a bad thing.
That said, you can’t be afraid to try new things. While your baby is less than 7 months old it will be acquiring a palette that can follow for their entire life.
Do Be a Taste Maker With Baby Nutrition
Try new things when it comes to baby nutrition. Experts suggest that your baby will develop their palette based on their mother’s nutrition habits before they are even born.
And while they are developing there is a great opportunity to shape their tastes for a lifetime. Don’t be off put by seeing your baby make a face at a new vegetable or food offering.
Even a taste can be good for them in developing lifelong healthy eating habits.
Experts disagree with the World Health Organization’s recommendation that babies should be breastfed exclusively until 6 months of age. This misses the opportunity for creating solid diet habits.
It also may ruin the chance to develop an immunity to dangerous allergies.
There are many new developments in nutrition. It’s important not to be misinformed.
Do Get Solid
Doctors now recommend solid foods be introduced as early as 4 months old. And the science backs up this suggestion.
Babies who start eating solid foods at 4 months old have a reduced risk of allergies and asthma. They also have higher iron levels than babies who are only breastfed.
Use natural foods as you try. This can include:
- Plain Yogurt
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Beans
- Whole Grains
Experiment with different combinations and try something new often. To avoid processed foods with heavy preservatives, sugar, and salt, you can even make your own baby food.
Don’t force your baby. Just introduce the tastes.
You may be surprised at the things your baby loves!
Don’t Be Misinformed About Baby Nutrition
Opinions about babies and how to raise children correctly can run to absurd extremes. The one problem with being a parent to a new baby is everyone wants to offer your advice on exactly what to do.
Baby nutrition requires you staying ahead of the research and ahead of the trends. We even know parents who get the latest information before their doctors do.
Finding a trusted source to stay informed on the latest information can help. That was you won’t have to argue with your in-laws during every visit!
You’ll stay informed about baby nutrition. Smart parents lead to healthy babies.
Do Know That Formula is Your Friend
Baby formula can get a bad rap. There is so much misinformation that mothers are nearly bullied into breastfeeding at this stage.
Avoid the bullying and the misinformation. Baby formula is a great help to mothers and babies alike.
In fact, baby formula is a must for some mothers with health issues and other concerns.
Your baby can get a variety of food and nutrients with a number of different baby formula options. If you are considering introducing new foods baby formula can be a great way to start the variety early on.
This isn’t yesterday’s formula anymore. With organic options and different milk types, there is a great formula for your baby’s needs.
Also, your baby grows fast. You can change the formula you use to match the changes in their dietary needs.
But even with formula don’t make the mistake of skimping on quality.
Don’t Skimp On Quality
So many of us are focused on eating healthy and paying attention to our own diet. But when it comes to a baby we forget how delicate their digestion is.
Too often we see parents who skimp on quality with baby formula. It’s just as important, if not more so, to feed our babies healthy ingredients.
Changes in formula ingredients can make babies sick. But with organic formula, you can rest assured that you are only getting the healthiest nutrition for your baby.
Do Focus on Variety
Too many of us stay focused on one type of food or formula when it comes to baby nutrition. When we find something that works we want to stick with it.
Unfortunately, that is not always the best for your developing baby. Scientific research shows that babies benefit from meat, foods with allergens, and a wide-range of different tastes as they develop.
You aren’t just satisfying your baby’s insatiable need to eat and grow. Paying attention to baby nutrition means creating the foundation for lifelong help in staying healthy.
There is a worldwide obesity epidemic. And there is a myriad of health issues that can easily be avoided with healthy eating.
But these patterns are hard to break in adulthood.
Create variety for your baby and it will pay off. Mixing breastfeeding, formula, baby food and solids plays a great part in the lifelong health of your child.
Don’t fall into a rut with one type of food or formula.
Do Find The Best In Baby Nutrition
We can help.
Formuland Inc. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction possible. We provide quick, expert assistance to all your questions and concerns and can help you bring a great variety of nutrition and tastes to your baby as they develop.
You owe it to your growing baby to invest in the very best. We have a wide range of products that include organic brands and goat milk formula, which is excellent for baby health.
You’ll get the best products and service with Formuland Inc. and we will keep you up to date on the latest nutrition trends. Don’t wait another day to get the best nutrition for your growing baby!
Click here now to discover some of the benefits of HIPP Organic Formula and Products for your baby.
