Baby Nutrition Care

Fish oil, which contains Omega-3 fatty acids, is one of the supplements that can provide us with a number of benefits. Its benefits on the heart have been proven by the Eskimos, whose diet comprises largely of the fatty fish found in their Arctic habitat. It has been found that heart disease and cholesterol problems are practically non-existent amongst the Eskimos, a fact that has been attributed to their Omega-3 fatty acid rich diet.

There has been a lot of information in the press regarding the lack of omega 3 fatty acids in our diet. Omega 3’s are present in oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon and sardines. These fatty acids are essential, as the body cannot produce them itself and has to obtain them from dietary sources. They are particularly important in the last 3 months of pregnancy for the healthy development of baby’s brain, eyes, immune system and nervous system. Some researchers also maintain that a lack of Omega 3’s during pregnancy can increase the chances of suffering from postpartum depression or the baby blues after baby is born.

The benefits of fish oil for the baby’s brain development do not end with childbirth, either. Many very well-controlled, double-blind studies have confirmed that babies who receive breastmilk enhanced with the brain-buillding omega-3 fat, DHA, will have higher IQs and a much lower incidence of learning disabilities, including autism and mental retardation, compared to babies who consume only “standard” breastmilk. The lack of DHA in infant formula is also believed to be the primary cause of higher rates of cognitive delay among formula-fed babies.

For the best growth and development of our babies, pregnant and nursing women need adequate amounts of omega-3s. This means encouraging pregnant and nursing women to eat fish regularly. It also means that young children need to consume foods with omega-3s. Infant and baby foods must include a source of omega-3s.

Lactose intolerance is a condition in which the body is not able to easily digest foods that contain lactose, or the natural sugar that is found in dairy products. Lactose intolerance is not the same as milk allergy. Milk allergy is due to a problem with your body’s defense system, called the immune system. Once lactose is in the body, it needs to be broken down into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose, to be absorbed into the blood stream.

There is an enzyme called lactase which is responsible for breaking down the lactose. Many people have a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally made by cells lining the small intestine. Without this enzyme they can’t break down milk sugar into simpler forms that can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Lactose intolerance is not very common in toddlers under two years of age, unless the toddler has a lactase deficiency because of an injury to the small intestine. A rare cause of lactose intolerance is called congenital lactase deficiency. Toddlers with this condition do not produce any lactase.

Your toddler may need to take a calcium supplement if he/she doesn’t get enough of it from the diet, since milk and foods made with milk are the most common source of calcium for most people. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium, therefore, your toddler’s diet should provide an adequate supply of vitamin D.

There are many of nondairy foods that are rich in calcium. These include :

• Green vegetables such as broccoli and kale.

• Fish such as salmon and sardines.

• Yogurt

Sources of vitamin D include eggs and liver. Sunlight is also a good source of vitamin D.

It is very easy for a toddler to get constipated. This common disorder is popular among toddlers who consume lots of milk, and dairy products while leaving out fruits and high fiber foods. Constipation is generally described as the infrequent passage of stools (bowel movements) or the passage of hard stools. Any definition of constipation depends on how often the toddler normally passes stools and the normal consistency of his or her stools.

How should we help our toddlers to relieve constipation? One of the solutions is to add more fiber foods to your toddler’s diet. Here are some of the high fiber foods recommended for your toddler.

1. Apples – Apples are rich in vitamin C and consists of about 5g of fiber for an unpeeled whole apple. Bear in mind that do not peel the apple for your toddler as this will cause it loses about half of its fiber.
2. Whole Grain Cereal – Whole grain cereal would be a great choice as a breakfast cereal for your toddler. In this case, you should choose whole grain cereal that is calcium fortified and has added fiber.
3. Vegetables – Most vegetables are good sources of fiber. Vegetables like cooked carrots, corn, peas, baked potatoes are high in fiber and are good in helping constipation relief.
4. Oatmeal – Oatmeal is a high fiber food that is good for your toddler. In this case, you should make some oatmeal foods and snacks such as oatmeal cookies and oatmeal bars for them.

In conclusion, you should try to make a good habit for your toddler to take more high fiber foods instead of high fat foods. This will prevent he/she from suffering obesity problem when he/she grows up.

Vegetables are great solid food options for babies.  Pureed or cut up as finger items, they deliver high amounts of nutrition that your baby needs for physical and mental development.  While most babies take to new food extremely well, quite a few will probably refuse to eat them.  It’s hard to figure out why they won’t either – could be the taste, the smell, the texture – there’s really no way of knowing for sure since your baby won’t exactly have a verbal opinion about it.

If you’d like to entice your baby to consume some of those greens and other healthy options, there are a few things you can do to alter the presentation to hopefully find that magic preparation that gets them to change their mind.

1. If your baby won’t eat the pureed vegetables you’ve prepared for their meals, try stirring reasonable amounts of it into some other food items that they like such as pasta, soups or cereals.

2. Instead of preparing your baby’s food with water, try a tastier broth like chicken stock.  It should both smell and taste more appetizing, increasing the likelihood they’ll take to it.

3. If your baby likes muffins or similar soft breads, try using grated vegetables as part of the baking ingredients.

4. Babies love finger foods – it’s plenty of fun, after all, to take food yourself and pop it down your mouth.  You can try slicing your cooked veggies into bite sized pieces and serve them before their actual meals.  Let them play with it a couple of times and see what happens.

5. Top vegetable meals with grated (even melted) cheese.  Babies usually enjoy the taste of cheese (perhaps  a few of your other dressings will work as well) and might be persuaded to eat their veggies that way.

When you find your baby taking well to a particular vegetable preparation, don’t keep serving them the same thing. Babies greatly benefit from experiencing and learning about different tastes and textures so do provide them with variety occasionally.

Generally, cheese is not only safe, but is a healthy food for babies.  It’s packed with calcium and is a great source for vitamins A, D and B12.  For vegetarian families raising children on a meatless diet, cheese can prove a great alternative source for vitamin B12, a nutrient commonly derived from meat sources.

Babies like it too.  Most cheese products come with a rich and full flavor, allowing it to be incorporated into many tasty meals.  Even better, it’s very easy to prepare.  You can:

• cut up firm cheeses and serve as finger food or mix them into meals
• grate it and stir into rice, pasta, soups, cereals and other dishes
• grill it and serve with bread
• mash it and mix with fruit purees like avocado
• incorporate when baking soft snacks like cookies and muffins

Most babies should be able to handle cheese made from pasteurized milk as early as the sixth month.  If a history of dairy allergy is present in your family, however, make sure to consult your child’s pediatrician first.  Bear in mind, though, that cheese is usually free from the milk protein that causes dairy allergy so it might not even be that big a concern.

Great cheeses you may want to consider for your baby’s diet includes swiss cheese, cheddar, parmesan, romano, colby, mozzarella, cream cheese, cottage cheese and romano.   Heavily processed cheese products found in groceries, while fine, usually has plenty of emulsifiers, additives and enhancers.  During their early years, it might be best to focus their diet on full-flavored “real” cheeses.