The health and well-being of infants are determined in part by whether or not the child is receiving proper nutrition. The nutritional needs of babies are much different than those of adults, but they are fairly easy for informed parents to meet.
Breast-Feeding
The best food for a baby is human breast milk, which has been designed by nature to contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that a developing infant needs. The World Health Organization recommends that infants be breast-fed exclusively for six months, with no other form of food given to them. Breast-feeding should be continued for two years or even beyond along with the introduction of healthy foods into the child's diet. For those who cannot breast-feed, infant formulas provide an approximate substitute of the substances in breast milk.
Physical Development
In the first two months of life, a baby should gain about an ounce a day. He does this by eating 5 to 6 oz. of formula or nursing to fullness at the breast every two to three hours. Older infants will increase their intake of breast milk or formula and will gain a pound a week. As the baby reaches 4 to 12 months old and begins to eat limited amounts of solid foods, he will continue to grow at this rate.
Brain Development
Breast milk provides the fatty acids DHA and AA, which are important for proper brain development in the first year of life. DHA also helps vision develop properly. Infant formulas may have these fatty acids added.
Nutrients
Some specific nutrients necessary in an infant's diet include iron and vitamin D. Breast milk naturally has high levels of iron but low iron formulas can potentially put a baby at risk for anemia. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is more of a concern for breast-fed babies. Mothers who do not have enough vitamin D in their system may not be able to provide enough for their nursing infant. Supplements of vitamin D are often recommended in this case. Formulas are generally fortified with vitamin D, so no extra supplementation is needed for formula-fed babies.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods should be avoided completely when feeding infants. Cow's milk is not appropriate for infants since it contains different proteins than human breast milk or formula and babies are unable to digest this protein until they are older than 1 year. Honey may contain spores of the botulism toxin that can be deadly to babies. Peanuts and tree nuts may be dangerous for babies since the child might have a nut allergy and cannot withstand the reaction as an older child might be able to. Other things to avoid feeding infants under 1 year old are seafood, eggs and citrus fruits.
