Giving A Baby The Healthy Foods They Need To Grow

A newborn baby’s diet not only effects their infant growth and development, but can have long lasting effects into their toddler years.  A parent’s checklist should include items that paediatricians and dieticians recommend for a healthy baby’s diet.

For the first four months of a baby’s life, doctors suggest they avoid anything other than baby formula or breast milk.  In 2001, the World Health Organization even declared that new babies should be fed breast milk exclusively for the first six months of their lives. 

When you begin feeding your baby actual food, there are some items that are particularly beneficial for their healthy development.  Squash, spinach, broccoli and mandarin oranges are rich in folate, iron and all of the nutrients essential for a growing newborn’s health.  Prunes and lentils also promote healthy digestion in babies.

There are also some types of foods that should be slowly introduced into your baby’s system.  If you want to include foods like strawberries, peanut butter, chocolate and fish in your baby’s diet, do so slowly.  Many children develop high risk allergic reactions to these types of foods.

There are also foods with excessive salt and sugar that can lead to the development of diabetes later on in life, which can be difficult on your child’s kidneys later in life.  You should also avoid feeding them any type of milk besides breast milk and baby formula.  Babies younger than 12 months cannot digest cow’s milk, rice milk and soy milk.