Nutritional guidelines for babies part 2

Finger Foods for Balanced Nutrition

The Bread and Cereal Group: teething biscuits, dry, unsweetened cereal without nuts, honey or dried fruit, bagel (stale ones make good teething rings), toast, graham crackers, whole grain crackers, pasta, mini sandwiches filled with cottage cheese and grated apple

Fruits and Vegetables: banana slices, ripe papaya sticks, avocado slices, soft cooked apple wedges, soft cooked sweet potato sticks, orange sections with membrane removed

Protein Food: chopped cooked egg yolk, shredded cheese pressed into a ball for easy pick up, cubes of soft cheese, tofu sticks, pieces of tender cooked flaked fish, scrambled egg

Dairy foods: grated cheese, cubes of soft cheese, lumps of cottage cheese

Nutrient requirements, seven to twelve months

• Protein -- 14 grams

• Iron -- 10 milligrams

• Calcium -- 600 milligrams

• Vitamin A -- 375 RE

• Vitamin C -- 35 milligrams

Baby's Daily Feeding Guide

Birth to between four and six months

• Breastmilk or formula (breastmilk on demand; 16-32 oz. formula until four months, 24 - 36 oz. formula four to six months)

Four to six months (if solids are started)

• Breastmilk or formula (breastmilk on demand; 24 - 36 oz. formula)

• Iron-fortified rice cereal two times a day

• Vitamin C- and A-rich strained fruits or veggies

Six to nine months

• Breastmilk or formula (breastmilk on demand; 24 - 32 oz. formula)

• Iron-fortified baby cereal, 1/2 cup a day

• Soft mashed, ripe or soft-cooked fruits or veggies

• Strained meats and combination dinners, tofu (if not sensitive to soy) Ten to twelve months

• Breastmilk or formula (breastmilk on demand; 16 - 24 oz. formula)

• In addition to cereal, add toast, bagels, crackers, dry cereal, whole grain bread, pasta, rice, cooked grains, muffins (if not sensitive to wheat)

• Fresh, peeled ripe, soft-cooked fruits and veggies

• Add egg yolk, yogurt and soft-cooked beans

On the matter of how much: Each baby is different so leave the decision of how much to eat upto them. Because only they know when they are hungry and when they are full, and because they can't communicate that too clearly, provide a good variety of wholesome food on a regular basis and then let them decide how much they will eat. Over the course of the day they will eat what they need, although their intake from one meal to the next may vary dramatically. At the minimum a one year old should be getting the following to meet those nutrient needs listed earlier: two cups of breastmilk, formula or milk (full fat), four servings of one to two tablespoons each of fruits and vegetables (one with vitamin C and one with A), two servings of meat or equivalent of one to two tablespoons each, four servings of breads or cereals, each about 1/4 an adult serving, and one must be an iron fortified cereal.

On the matter of fat: Although lowfat diets are recommended for adults, the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Heart Association Nutrition Committee and The National Cholesterol Education Program agree that fat and cholesterol should not be restricted in the diets of children from birth to two. Dietary fat supplies concentrated energy, provides the essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic (necessary for proper neurologic development) and is a carrier of fat soluble vitamins. Infants have a difficult time eating enough lowfat foods to meet their caloric needs because their stomachs are so small.

article source : parenting.ivillage.com