The relationship between nutrition and infant development is symbiotic--good nutrition leads to healthy infant development and the rate at which an infant develops determines what they eat, how they are fed and their nutritional requirements. Malnourished infants can face permanent physical and cognitive impairments. Parents and caregivers need to be sensitive to the nutritional needs and developmental readiness of an infant at each stage of growth to support adequate nutritional intake and overall health.
Newborns to 5 Months Old
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends breastfeeding for the first year of life. Breast milk provides all the nutrients an infant needs for the first 6 months of life and thereafter the diet can be supplemented with solid foods. Newborns up to 5 months have sucking, rooting and gagging reflexes and will reject solid foods. Infants at this age signify hunger by sucking on their hands, fussing or crying and smacking their lips. Infants who are getting enough nutrition will regularly soil diapers, gain weight consistently, wake up for feedings and be satisfied after each feeding.
4 to 6 Months Old
Four- to 6-month old infants will start moving their tongues and exhibit fewer sucking reflexes. At this age, an infant will start sitting up on her own, control their head and muscles and show an interest in solid foods. She will also open her mouth to a spoon and tolerate pureed and strained solids. Infants at this age need 550 to 700 calories and 9g to 13g of protein a day. Breast milk or formula should still be the primary source of energy; solid foods should only complement the diet.
5 to 9 Months Old
Five- to 9-month old infants can sit up on their own, grasp foods with their whole hands and crawl. They will reach for food, put things in their mouth, drink from a cup with assistance and show signs of chewing. An infant at this age will exhibit food preferences, close his mouth when offered unwanted foods and tolerate mashed foods. Five- to 9-month old infants need 650 to 850 calories and 9g 14g of protein a day.
8 to 12 Months Old
Eight- to 12-month old infants stand with support, wave, respond to their names and crawl without difficulty. She will have improved hand to mouth coordination, pick things up with her thumb and index finger and get her first teeth. Infants at this age will experiment self-feeding with a spoon, hold a cup by themselves and tolerate ground, chopped and appropriately-sized soft foods. Dry and hard foods should not be offered because they pose a choking risk. Daily calorie needs increase to 750 to 1,000 and protein to 10g to 15g per day.
Dietary Components
Carbohydrates provide energy and help the body utilize protein and fat. Protein promotes muscle and tissue development, produces enzymes, hormones and antibodies and regulates body processes. Fat insulates and protects organs, creates fat stores, helps resist infections and is necessary for brain development and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Breastfed infants get 50 percent of their energy from fat. The American Academy of Family Physicians does not recommend restricting fat during infancy because of the immense rate at which infants grow and develop.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says infants do not need vitamin and mineral supplements unless prescribed by a physician; excessive amounts can be toxic and in some cases fatal. Nestle Nutrition does not recommend added sodium and sugar for infants.
Considerations
Food should be sized and shaped appropriately so infants can easily pick them up to feed themselves. Foods that pose a choking risk for infants include hard or dry foods, tough chunks of meat, fish with bones, nuts and seeds, hard candies, dried fruit and chewing gum. While self-feeding can be a messy process, children should be encouraged to eat on their own to develop their feeding skills.
