He may not be six months old yet, but you just know that your baby is ready for solid foods. Milk isn’t enough to keep him through the night, when it was fine a few weeks ago. He can definitely sit on his own, and he can’t take his eyes off your spoon when you’re eating, he makes you feel guilty for not sharing. In fact, once in a while in a while, he gets feed up with you, he tries to reach the food himself, so he can have a taste too. Yes, he is definitely ready. And despite recommendation, you are not putting off solids until he is six months old.
So, off you checked for what you need. Baby spoon and bowl – checked. Bibs to catch most of the food that dribbles out of his mouth – checked. Paper bib for emergency – checked. Funky bandana bib for best – checked. Food processor – checked. Little Tupperware for storing baby food in batches – checked.
Now, the only question left, and the most important of all – what should you feed your baby? What are the essential nutrients that babies need in their diet?
Iron – You may have noticed that many formula milk and baby foods are fortified with iron. That’s because, apart from its important role in the making of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, iron helps in the development of your baby’s brain. Iron deficiency in babies can affect the development of their spatial skills, a part of the memory that stores information related to their environment, and is vital for getting around spaces and places. According to a research published in the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, the concentration of iron in breastmilk decreases during weaning. So, it is important that you give your baby foods that are good source of iron.
Zinc – Like iron, zinc is another type of metal that is vital to the human body. It is an important micronutrient for breaking down and absorbing protein. It is also vital for cell growth and differentiation, a process in which less specialised cells changed into specialised cells. It is also important to the function of the immune system. If your baby has low zinc level, he is at risk of gastrointestinal infections and his immune system is weakened.
Calcium - As we all know, Calcium is the foundation of healthy bones and teeth. Your baby’s body uses this element to build strong bones. If your baby has low calcium level he is at risk of developing Rickets, a disease characterised by softening of the bone that results to bowed legs, stunted growth, and in severe cases, muscle pain and weakness.
Vitamin D – This Vitamin is important for Calcium absorption. If your baby lacks Vitamin D, he will not be able to properly absorb the Calcium from the food he eats. Our body produces enough Vitamin D with the help of sunlight. So, in the summer, taking your baby for a walk in the morning when the sun is not too strong will do the trick. However, in winter, there is not enough sun to help the body produce Vitamin D. Although, ensuring that your baby gets enough vitamin D isn’t a major problem as long as your baby still takes formula milk with his meals, as formulas are fortified with Vitamin D.
Other essential nutrients your baby needs are Vitamins A, Nutrients Vital to Your Babies Growth
He may not be six months old yet, but you just know that your baby is ready for solid foods. Milk isn’t enough to keep him through the night, when it was fine a few weeks ago. He can definitely sit on his own, and he can’t take his eyes off your spoon when you’re eating, he makes you feel guilty for not sharing. In fact, once in a while in a while, he gets feed up with you, he tries to reach the food himself, so he can have a taste too. Yes, he is definitely ready. And despite recommendation, you are not putting off solids until he is six months old.
So, off you checked for what you need. Baby spoon and bowl – checked. Bibs to catch most of the food that dribbles out of his mouth – checked. Paper bib for emergency – checked. Funky bandana bib for best – checked. Food processor – checked. Little Tupperware for storing baby food in batches – checked.
Now, the only question left, and the most important of all – what should you feed your baby? What are the essential nutrients that babies need in their diet?
Iron – You may have noticed that many formula milk and baby foods are fortified with iron. That’s because, apart from its important role in the making of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, iron helps in the development of your baby’s brain. Iron deficiency in babies can affect the development of their spatial skills, a part of the memory that stores information related to their environment, and is vital for getting around spaces and places. According to a research published in the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, the concentration of iron in breastmilk decreases during weaning. So, it is important that you give your baby foods that are good source of iron.
Zinc – Like iron, zinc is another type of metal that is vital to the human body. It is an important micronutrient for breaking down and absorbing protein. It is also vital for cell growth and differentiation, a process in which less specialised cells changed into specialised cells. It is also important to the function of the immune system. If your baby has low zinc level, he is at risk of gastrointestinal infections and his immune system is weakened.
Calcium - As we all know, Calcium is the foundation of healthy bones and teeth. Your baby’s body uses this element to build strong bones. If your baby has low calcium level he is at risk of developing Rickets, a disease characterised by softening of the bone that results to bowed legs, stunted growth, and in severe cases, muscle pain and weakness.
Vitamin D – This Vitamin is important for Calcium absorption. If your baby lacks Vitamin D, he will not be able to properly absorb the Calcium from the food he eats. Our body produces enough Vitamin D with the help of sunlight. So, in the summer, taking your baby for a walk in the morning when the sun is not too strong will do the trick. However, in winter, there is not enough sun to help the body produce Vitamin D. Although, ensuring that your baby gets enough vitamin D isn’t a major problem as long as your baby still takes formula milk with his meals, as formulas are fortified with Vitamin D.
Other essential nutrients your baby needs are Vitamins A, B, C and E.B, C and E.