Nutrition for babies under 1 year old: Did you know?

If you are a parent for the first time, surely your baby's eating will be the source of many things that make you wonder and worry. How much milk should your baby drink? Should wake up sleeping baby to eat? When can baby start to eat solids? To find answers to the above questions, let's learn about the nutrition of babies under 1 year with aFamilyToday Health!

Schedule for babies to eat according to age

Your baby's stomach is about the size of a marble and can only hold 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of liquid. As your baby gets older, his or her stomach will gradually stretch and grow with time.

Below is a typical meal schedule for babies under 1 year old.

Suggestions about when you should feed your baby under 1 year old

Every baby is different, but breastfed babies generally require more frequent feedings than bottle-fed babies. This could be explained by the fact that breastmilk is easier to digest and makes the baby much more hungry than formula. Mom needs to remember a few things about nutrition for babies under 1 year old.

For breastfed babies

According to La Leche League International , you should start breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth. Then, your baby should continue to feed about 8 to 12 times a day, for the first few weeks after birth. This can make mom quite tired.

It is important not to let your baby fast for more than 4 hours. You may need to wake your baby up if necessary, at least until breastfeeding is well established and weight gain is reasonable.

As the baby grows and the mother's milk supply also increases, the baby can suckle more and faster in one go. The average is based on the age and frequency of breastfed babies :

♦ 1 to 3 months: Your baby will suckle 7-9 times every 24 hours.

♦ 3 months old: Feeding takes place 6-8 times in 24 hours.

♦ 6 months old: Your baby will suckle about 6 times a day.

♦ 1 year: Breastfeeding can be reduced about 4 times a day. Eating solids when the baby is about 6 months has partly provided more nutrition for the baby.

The above scale is for reference only. Different babies will have different characteristics and preferences, and other factors can also affect the frequency of feeding your baby.

For a bottle-fed baby

Like a breastfed infant, a bottle-fed baby with formula (if the mother has no milk or little milk, needs extra feeding) should also be fed according to the baby's needs. On average, each mother breastfeeds should be about 2 to 3 hours apart. A typical bottle feeding schedule might be:

♦ Infants: every 2-3 hours

♦ Children 2 months old: every 3-4 hours

♦ Children 4 to 6 months old: every 4-5 hours

♦ Children over 6 months old: every 4-5 hours

For both breastfed and bottle fed babies

There are a few things that parents need to keep in mind in the diet for babies under 1 year old who are breastfeeding and bottle feeding :

♦ Do not allow babies under 1 year of age to absorb liquids other than formula or breast milk, including juice and cow's milk. They don't provide the right nutrients and can upset your baby's tummy. As for water, you can give it to your baby when he is about 6 months old.

♦ Do not add baby cereal to the bottle as the cereal can create choking risk for your baby. In addition, the baby's digestive system is not mature enough to digest grains. Baby should only eat when the baby is about 4-6 months old. In addition, this can cause your baby to overeat.

♦ Do not give any type of honey until the child is younger than 1 year old. Honey can be dangerous for the baby, often poisoning in babies.

♦ Do not impose your expectations on your baby because each baby has different characteristics. Children will usually have different dietary needs depending on their age. If your baby has conditions such as reflux or is not growing rapidly, you can see your pediatrician to learn about the appropriate feeding schedule and amount.

How do I set up a meal schedule for my baby under 1 year old?

This is one of the issues questioned by many parents. There are many points you need to keep in mind to be able to feed your baby effectively. First, parents should focus on understanding the signs that the baby is hungry, such as:

♦ Baby feels around mother's chest to find nipples.

♦ Baby put his fist in his mouth.

♦ Baby chews or licks lips.

♦ Your baby fussy a lot (do not wait until the baby is very hungry to breastfeed).

When your baby is several months old, you can gradually set up a sleep / feeding schedule that works for you both.

For example, a 4-month-old baby wakes up every 5 hours after a feed. That means if you feed your baby at 9pm, he wakes up around 2am. But if you feed your baby at 11 p.m., your baby can sleep until 4 a.m. Develop a scientific parenting plan that can help you sleep well at night.

What if the baby is constantly hungry?

In general, if your baby seems hungry, feed him. Your baby will naturally need to eat more often during growth, usually around 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.

Some babies will also eat more often during certain times and less at other times. For example, babies often eat in the late afternoon and evening, and then sleep longer at night without eating. This is more common in breastfed babies than in bottle-fed infants.

How to start solids?

Weaning is a very important nutritional issue for babies under 1 year old. Your baby may be ready for solids when:

♦ Children at 6 months old.

♦ Children have good head and neck control.

♦ Children seem to enjoy what their parents eat.

♦ Children try to reach for food.

♦ Children weighing 6kg or more.

What are the foods to start weaning babies? The order of weaning baby foods is not really that important. The only rule to remember: Eat one food for 3-5 days before getting used to another. If your baby has any food allergic reaction (rash, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.), you will know which foods are causing this condition.

When your baby is about 8 to 10 months old, gradually switch from pureed foods to thicker ones (eg mashed bananas, scrambled or cooked eggs, chopped pasta…).

Baby food should not include added sugar and salt. In addition, at this stage, you should not feed your baby anything that might choke him, including:

♦ Hard foods: popcorn or nuts

♦ Hard, fresh fruits. Should be cooked soft or cut into very small pieces

♦ Any meat that has not been thoroughly cooked and chopped

♦ Monolithic cheese

♦ Peanut butter

When your baby is nearly 1 year old, he or she should eat a variety of foods and drink about 120ml of solid food with each meal. Continue to breastfeed or feed your baby.

* Breast milk is the best food for babies and babies