How good is the eating habit for a 1 year old child?

Your child is 12 months old. Congratulations to you and your baby to have spent the first year of life with so much joy and laughter. Now, mom, please practice the eating habits shared by experts of aFamilyToday Health to help your baby develop faster and healthier.

Stop your baby from bottle feeding

Infants can sleep while drinking bottle milk, juice, soft drinks or other sugary liquids so the risk of tooth decay is very high. These bottles should be discontinued when your baby is about one year old.

When your baby is 18 months old, you should completely stop bottle-feeding. The earlier this is done, the easier it is for the baby to quit. If you breastfeed your baby, avoid bottle-feeding. You can feed your baby from a cup between six months and one year of age. If your baby asks for a bottle, limit the amount of water in the bottle.

It all sounds so simple, but getting rid of the habit of bottle feeding is not easy. To help your baby get used to, moms should give him a bottle in the middle of the day before, then evening and morning, and finally at bedtime and should limit the amount of milk or water in the bottle.

If your baby refuses to drink filtered water at first, practice with diluted formula or other types of water a week or two in advance and then change it back to filtered water.

When your baby is too young, you often give him a bottle and lull him to sleep. But as an adult, the habit of bottle-feeding will prevent your baby from learning to sleep on his own. If your baby wakes up and cries for a short time, let him cry until he or she goes back to sleep on its own. After a few nights, your baby will probably forget the bottle-feeding routine.

You can give your baby a drink or a snack before bed and remember to clean his mouth before going to bed. In fact, this can help your baby fall asleep easier. You can give your baby a light feed, cow's milk or other drinks, even juice or another nutritious food. If you usually use a bottle to feed your baby, replace it with a cup gradually.

Whatever snacks, remember to feed them all and then clean their teeth with a cloth, gauze or soft toothbrush. You can both let your baby sleep on your lap and clean your baby's mouth. If you do not clean the leftovers or the liquid that gets on your baby's teeth, tooth decay will develop conditions. If your baby wants to be comfortable falling asleep, offer him a hug in a soft toy like a stuffed animal or a pillow.

Cut back on sweets

Like other children, many babies are born to love sweets and are quite sensitive to sweet foods and drinks. However, you should limit your baby's sweets and provide a diet supplemented with foods rich in nutrients to promote baby's growth and not cause tooth decay.

Practice self-feeding

By the time your baby is 12 months old, he is just getting used to drinking from a cup, spoon feeding and sucking on his fingers. By the time your baby is 15 months old, he or she will have clearer perceptions such as feeding herself food into her mouth when hungry. Your baby will naturally fill a spoonful of food and put it in his mouth. You should let your baby use dishes and plastic cups to avoid spilling, especially when unfamiliar babies tend to throw these items when bored. You need to have a light conversation so that your baby understands that you shouldn't. Also, show your baby how to use the objects on the table. When the baby is 18 months old, he or she can use the spoon and plastic cup when he wants.

You can learn more about 1-year-olds topics:

Raising a one-year-old child with Western weaning

Meat, starches and dairy products for children 1-2 years old