Your baby's nutritional needs
Because babies grow so rapidly, they need a nutrient-rich diet compared to older children and adults.
Why?
- Their diet in the early years impacts growth and development for life
- It influences the risk of developing conditions in adult life like obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes
- The risk of childhood conditions like diarrhoeal disease, dental cavities, iron and vitamin D deficiencies
Dietary requirements in infancy
Protein
- Protein needs are high in infancy
- Protein influences a baby’s growth rate
- Protein must supply all the essential amino acids for growth
- However, too much protein puts a strain on the kidneys as the excess must be excreted
Fats
- Your baby needs a high fat diet because they’re growing so quickly
- 50% of the calories in breast milk come from fat
Fluids
- Water is needed for growth and all body processes
- Infants lose proportionally more fluids through breath and sweat than older children
- Very young babies are not able to concentrate their urine very efficiently, and need more water in order to excrete waste products
Vitamins and minerals
For healthy development infants need
- Iron, for growth and healthy blood
- Zinc, for enzymes and immune function
- Calcium, for healthy teeth and bones
- Vitamin D, for calcium and phosphorous absorption to support healthy teeth and bones
- Vitamin A, for vision
- Vitamin C, for healthy connective tissue, antioxidant protection and iron absorption
Feeding
It’s best for your baby to have only breast milk for their first 6 months. 6 months is the recommended age to start them on solid food
Why breast is best
- Breast milk is made up of the exact mix of proteins and nutrients your baby needs
- It’s full of antibodies giving added protection against infection
- It reduces the risk of asthma, eczema and other allergies
- It’s sterile
- It’s easy to digest
- It’s available on demand at exactly the right temperature
Infant formula
Most infant formulas are based on cows' milk protein but with some major changes:
- The protein content is reduced
- Whey/casein ratio in First milks is increased
- Milk fat is replaced by vegetable oils
- Carbohydrate (usually lactose) is added so it’s at similar levels to breast milk
- Levels of other minerals, vitamins and trace elements are adjusted
- Additional substances found in breast milk are added (e.g. nucleotides and omega 3 & 6 long-chain polyunsaturates (LCPs))
The ingredients, nutritional composition and hygiene standards of formula milks are strictly regulated by EU and by UK and ROI legislation.
What’s in formula?
From birth onwards
- First milks: whey-dominant formulas to resemble breast milk. Have a whey/casein ratio of approximately 60:40
- Specially tailored formulas to help suit baby’s feeding needs, such as milks for hungrier babies, which are casein-dominant formulas. They have a slightly higher protein content and a whey/casein ratio of 20:80, similar to cows' milk
From 6 months
- Follow-on formulas: higher protein content and higher iron content than first and are designed to complement the weaning diet
From 1 year
- Toddler milks: similar to cows' milk in their protein composition but fortified with additional minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamin D and iron.
Fluids for your baby
- Healthy breastfed or bottle-fed babies do not require any additional fluids before 6 months unless they experience excessive fluid loss (e.g. because of diarrhoea or vomiting). In this case, give them cooled boiled water
- Fruit drinks and juices aren’t needed. If babies have them, they should be used sparingly and well diluted (1 part juice to 10 parts water)
- Tea and coffee inhibit iron absorption and aren’t recommended for infants
Good diet
- The usual healthy eating guidelines do not apply to children under 5 years. Infants need a nutrient-dense diet that is relatively high in fat and low in fibre
- It’s a good idea for toddlers to move towards a wider range of foods, having 3 meals plus 2 snacks per day
- Try to give them foods and snacks that are low in salt and sugar
Commercial or home-cooked baby food?
Advantages of home cooked:
- Fresh ingredients
- Tailored for your baby
- Often cheaper
- You know exactly what’s in it
- It’ll be easier to introduce them to family meals later
Advantages of commercially prepared:
- Convenient
- Hygienically prepared
- May offer a greater variety of foods than eaten at home
- Some nutrients may be higher e.g. iron
- Often lower in sodium than adult food
Foods to avoid when weaning
- Gluten before 6 months, in foods containing wheat, oats and barley
- Soft-cooked eggs before 12 months
- Honey before 12 months
- High fibre foods or those containing bran. Fibre increases the bulkiness of foods and can restrict energy intake. Fibre reduces absorption of certain minerals. You can give a mixture of wholemeal and white cereals (bread, pasta, rice) from 9 months
- Salty foods or added salt
- Heavily spiced or rich foods
Introducing foods
If there’s no family history of allergies, you can introduce these foods from 6 months:
- Fish and shellfish
- Egg
- Citrus fruits
- Seeds
- Wheat and gluten
- Nuts and peanuts (not whole nuts) because of choking
- Ordinary cows’ milk can be introduced, but only as a food ingredient e.g. in yoghurt, custard, cheese sauce, etc
- It’s still wise to introduce these foods one a time and in small amounts so you can watch for any signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction
- If there’s a family history of allergies, speak to a healthcare professional before you begin weaning
Behaviour that can lead to nutrition problems:
- Still exclusively breastfeeding or bottle-feeding after 6 months
- Drinking cows’ milk as a drink before 12 months old (can lead to iron deficiency)
- Prolonged contact with sugary food and drink (can cause dental problems)