| Good
Nutrition Makes a Difference |
Keeping your
child healthy includes giving her
healthy food to eat. Here are some tips to follow: |
| • |
Human milk provides ideal nutrition
for your baby. |
| • |
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended
for your baby
for at least the first six months of age. Doctors recommend
that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months. You can
start iron-enriched cereal and other solid foods around 6 months
of age. |
| • |
If you decide not to breastfeed,
it is best to give your baby infant formula with iron for the
first 12 months. |
| • |
Breastfeeding can continue as long
as desired by mother and her baby. |
| • |
Most infants can start drinking from
a cup between 9 and 12 months. |
| • |
Between one and six years, growth
usually slows down. Your child may start to eat less. This is
normal. Talk with your doctor or clinic about your child's growth
and eating habits. |
| • |
Offer healthy meals three times a
day, as well as healthy planned snacks. Examples: fruits, vegetables,
and cheese. |
| • |
Variety is the key to good nutrition.
Offer new foods. |
| Why
Breastfeed? |
Breastmilk
is the best start you can give your baby!
The benefits of breastfeeding are many. |
| For Baby– |
| • |
Breastmilk gives perfect
nutrition. |
| • |
Breastmilk prevents illness in a
way no formula can. |
| • |
Breastmilk protects against diarrhea,
allergies, colds,
flu, ear infections, and other serious diseases. |
| • |
Breastmilk is easy to digest. |
| • |
Breastfeeding provides a special
time between baby
and mother— time for touching, rocking, talking, and
cuddling. |
| For Mom– |
| • |
Breastfeeding gives a special time
to relax and really
enjoy your baby. |
| • |
Studies show that mothers have earlier
return to pre-
pregnancy weight. |
| • |
Breastfeeding helps the uterus return
to pre-
pregnancy size. |
| • |
Nighttime feedings are quick and
easy. |
| • |
Breastmilk is always available at
just the right
temperature. |
| • |
Breastmilk is free. Formula is costly. |
| • |
A healthy baby often means the mother
takes less sick
time from work. |
| • |
Feed on demand—when your baby
shows signs of hunger.
If your baby seems fussy, is sucking on his fist, is rooting
(turning his head and mouth towards the breast) or it has
been more than two hours, he may be hungry. |
| Signs
your baby is getting enough milk: |
| • |
Can hear baby swallow
while nursing. |
| • |
An alert, bright-eyed infant. |
| • |
A baby nursing every two to four
hours, or six to 12
times in 24 hours. |
| • |
Six to eight very wet cloth diapers
or five to six wet
disposable diapers in 24 hours after the first few days. |
| • |
Returns to birth weight by two to
three weeks, and
regular weight gain thereafter. |
| • |
Baby seems satisfied between feedings. |
| • |
Two to 12 stools in 24
hours after mother's milk is in. |
Call
your baby's doctor or breastfeeding
consultant for help if... |
| • |
Your infant sucks only
briefly, very softly, or irregularly. |
| • |
Your baby has yellowish skin or
eye color, and is getting more yellow. |
| • |
You have severe, or constant, nipple
or breast pain. |
| • |
Your baby fights the breast or cries
after a minute or two. |
| • |
Your baby has less than six wet diapers
a day after mother's milk is in. |
| • |
Your baby has little or no daily
stool, or has dark green-black stools (after three days of age),
or there is blood in the stool. |
| • |
Your baby seems weak, tired, or not
interested in feeding. |
| If You Bottle Feed... |
| • |
Use breastmilk if possible by hand
expressing or
pumping breast milk. |
| • |
If you cannot use breastmilk, use
iron-fortified formula
for the first 12 months of life. |
| • |
Always hold your baby when you give
a bottle. |
| • |
Hold bottles, do not prop them up.
Propping a bottle
could cause choking. |
| • |
Avoid putting a baby down to sleep
with a bottle. This
can cause ear infections and tooth decay. |
| Starting Solid Foods
|
| |
The following chart suggests when
to introduce solid foods
during the first year. Talk to your doctor or clinic about
starting your child on solids.
| 4-6 months: |
infant cereal (rice) from spoon |
| 6-8 months: |
mashed and strained vegetables
and mashed fruits or ground beef,
pork, chicken, turkey, egg (yolk
only!), fruit juice (in cup, no more
than 4 ounces) |
| 8-12 months: |
finger foods that melt in the mouth
like graham crackers, infant
cookies, rice, noodles, cooked
vegetables (peeled), soft fruits,
pieces of cheese |
| 10 months: |
finely chopped table food, beans,
bread, noodles, fish, cottage
cheese or yogurt |
At 1 year: |
whole egg, whole milk in a cup
Note: No lowfat milk for the first two years. If you want
to use 2% milk, check with your doctor. |
Note: No lowfat milk
for the first two years. If you
want to use 2% milk, check with your doctor. |
|
| Remember! |
| • |
The most common things
that children choke on are foods. Examples: popcorn, nuts, seeds,
corn, raw carrots, raisins, chips, lollipops, and hard candy.
If you have any doubt about a food, choose something else. |
| • |
Avoid hot dogs and whole grapes,
or cut them up into small, wedge-shaped pieces so that your
baby will not choke on them. |
| • |
Buy plain baby/toddler meats, plain
fruits and plain
vegetables. Also mash up table food until it is smooth—
not too lumpy or stringy. Avoid mixed baby/toddler food
dinners and desserts because they are not as nutritious. |
| • |
Talk with your doctor or clinic if
you are thinking about
any special diet for your child. Examples: vegetarian or
lowfat. |
| • |
Do not give your baby pop, tea, coffee,
or other caffeinated or
artificially sweetened foods |
| • |
Do not give your baby cow's milk
until she is one year old. Then offer whole milk until she is
two years old. |
| • |
Too much fruit juice can cause diarrhea
and tooth decay. Give
no more than four ounces per day. |
| • |
Do not give honey until 1 year of
age. It can cause botulism
(food poisoning). |
| • |
Talk with your doctor about vitamins
and fluoride for your child. |
| Toddlers
and Preschoolers |
| |
Good nutrition directly
affects your child's learning, motor development, and general
health. Remember to have foods from the five food groups every
day.
| Grains: |
Six or more servings.
Examples:
rice, pastas, cereal, bread. |
| Vegetables: |
Three or more servings. Examples:
carrots, broccoli, peas. |
| Fruits: |
Two or more servings. Examples:
apples, bananas, oranges. |
| Milk: |
Three to four servings. Examples:
yogurt, cheese, milk. |
Meat/Protein:
|
Two to three servings. Examples:
fish, chicken, eggs, peanut butter. |
| |
|
| |
Six Tips for Feeding Children:
1. You decide which foods to offer and when and where
to serve them. Plan meals and snacks two to three
hours apart.
2. Let children decide what and how much to eat. Never
force a child to eat.
3. Serve meals family-style and let children serve
themselves.
4. Give children child-sized eating and serving utensils.
5. Eat with children. You will teach them how to use
utensils and eat unfamiliar foods. They will learn to
chew and swallow properly.
6. Turn off the TV and radio. They are very distracting
to young children while eating. Mealtime is family
talk time.
|
| Snack
Attack! I'm Attack! I'm still Hungry |
| |
Most young children need
regular, planned snacks between
their meals. Children have small stomachs. Think healthy!
What is going to help their teeth and bodies grow? |
| Snacks
are O.K. if– |
| • |
They are nutritious food
from the Five Food Groups (grains, vegetables, fruit, milk,
meat/protein). |
| • |
They do not interfere
with eating well at mealtime. |
| |
You, the caregiver, show
healthy snacking by what you eat. |
| • |
Healthy snacks are bagels,
bread sticks, fruit, pretzels,
vegetables, crackers, peanut butter, cheese, yogurt. Your child
will imitate your behavior, good and bad! |
| Picky
Picky Eaters! |
| • |
Most children will have
foods that they like more than others.
If your child seems especially picky about foods, try– |
| • |
Having your child help
prepare the food. |
| |
Serving the food when
he is hungry and not already full
on other things. |
| • |
Giving the food a funny
name. Example: Broccoli can
be called baby trees. |
| • |
Serving the food another
way. |
| • |
Making interesting shapes
with foods. Example: Make
a critter salad using different vegetables and fruits for
the legs, arms, body, and head. Raisins can be eyes,
nose and mouth! |
| • |
Including at least one
or two foods he likes at every
meal. |
| • |
Serving the food again.
Children may need to try new
foods many times before they like them. |
| • |
All children have foods
they do not like. Avoid forcing,
punishing, or bribing. Do not let meals become battles. A
child can always wait until the next planned snack or meal.
Set limits; then be positive, helpful and consistent. Talk
with your doctor or clinic if you have concerns. |
| Take Time
for Take Time for Breakfast! |
| |
Breakfast should include
at least three of the five food
groups. |
| Studies
have shown that if your child eats breakfast, he will– |
| • |
Make fewer mistakes in
school. |
| • |
Have greater physical
endurance. |
| • |
Be more creative. |
| • |
Work faster. |
 |
| |
|
::
Introduction
Nutrition
