Feeding regimen for children under one year of age

There are times when your baby's need for milk increases rapidly, requiring you to breastfeed more often until your milk supply adjusts to your baby's greatest need. However, after two days, equilibrium should be established. Too short intervals between feedings, less than 2-3 hours, are harmful for the mother and baby in the long term. This is fraught, because the baby will have a stomach ache and will be overexcited. In this article we will tell you how to breastfeed a baby month by month.

For natural feeding

Gynecologists have concluded that the risk of breast cancer is higher in those women who refuse breastfeeding. In addition, the body’s recovery after childbirth occurs much faster if the mother feeds her baby with her milk, because during feeding, a special hormone oxytocin is produced in the woman’s body, which promotes better blood supply and tone of the uterus.

But no matter how important breastfeeding is for a mother, it cannot be compared with the benefits that mother’s milk brings to the baby. Breastfeeding has a multifaceted impact on the physiological, emotional and mental development of children, the formation of their behavior, and resistance to adverse external factors.

A worthy substitute for human milk has not yet been invented. After all, it contains the most important substances for a little person in the most precise proportions, given by nature itself.

Breast milk contains::

• proteins ideal for a child, including serum albumin and globulins;
• fats that are well digestible by the child;
• vitamins and iron necessary for a child to fully develop;
• mineral salts and microelements (calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc and others), which the child needs;
• sufficient amount of water , even in the hot season;
• special enzymes (lipase, amylase) that help break down the main ingredients of mother's milk;
• special protein lactoferrin , which binds and retains iron, which inhibits the growth of pathogenic flora in the child’s intestines;
• substance taurine , necessary for the normal construction of the retina, as well as for the optimal development and functioning of the child’s brain;
• living blood cells (neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes), which kill pathogenic bacteria in the child’s body;
• antibodies that protect the child from many infectious diseases;
• opioid substances that improve a child's sleep.

Experts are convinced that there is nothing better than mother's milk for a baby in the first year of his life. Nature itself decided the issue of human nutrition from the moment of his birth.

Feeding a baby from 4 to 6 months

At this time, breast milk or formula is still the baby’s main food, but it is at this stage that solid foods of plant origin should begin to be introduced. To begin with, you should give your baby puree from one component, for example, potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage, peaches, apples, plums. They cannot be salted or sugared; they must contain only vegetables or fruits and water.

In addition to such purees, you can start giving your baby juices, preferably freshly squeezed, prepared at home. Be sure to start with very small portions and gradually increase them. In addition, it is necessary to dilute the juice with water in a 1:1 ratio. For initial complementary feeding, green apple juice is best suited.

Dynamics of the chemical composition of human milk during its maturation (per 100 ml)

Comparison of the composition of breast milk and adapted formula

Based on materials from www.AskDrSears.com

Lactation and early breastfeeding

For subsequent successful breastfeeding, it is advisable to carry out the first attachment in the first 30 minutes after birth, when the baby’s reflexes and the sensitivity of the nipple-areola complex are the highest. In these first minutes of his life, the baby receives only a few drops of colostrum, which contains valuable nutrients and protective factors.

The first application to the breast does not perform any significant nutritional function. The average amount of colostrum supplied to the baby is about 2 ml. At the same time, even this droplet plays an important role in the development of the protective functions of the little person’s body, and in addition, it is an important point in stimulating lactation and ensuring its success and duration.

During the first 0.5-2 hours after birth, most newborns are able to independently find and grasp the areola of the mother's breast without the help of the mother.

Early latching of a baby to the breast not only stimulates the formation and secretion of milk, but also contributes to a faster passage of the placenta, the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in women in labor, as well as the formation of normal intestinal microflora, an adequate immune response and the acceleration of the discharge of waste accumulated during the period in the womb in newborns .

There are a number of contraindications to early breastfeeding on the part of the mother and on the part of the child. Recently, delivery by caesarean section with a successful outcome has been excluded from these lists. The baby is put to the breast within a few hours after the anesthesia wears off. During the first day this is done several times.

Free feeding from the first day of a child’s life is important for complete lactation Free feeding means putting the baby to the breast as many times and at such times as the baby requires, including at night. Night feedings are an excellent means of maintaining lactation, since it is at night that the pituitary gland produces more prolactin, the main hormone that stimulates lactation, than during the day.

Expressing breast milk may be advisable only in the early period of establishing lactation, in the absence of the possibility of “free feeding” of the child or if the baby is unable, for one reason or another, to effectively suck colostrum or milk. Indications for expressing breast milk also include illness of the mother, temporary separation of mother and child, study or work of the mother. In other cases, there is no need to express milk or colostrum.

Diet of an infant at 9-12 months

At this time, the baby switches to five meals a day and the bulk of it should already be solid food. Milk, as the main component of the diet, loses its importance by nine months. At this time, during the day there should no longer be a single full meal consisting of milk or artificial formula.

Women who fed their baby with breast milk rather than formula for up to nine months begin to notice a significant decrease in lactation at this point. For most young mothers, the secretion of the mammary glands ends much earlier. This is due to the baby's reduced need for liquid food.

How to tell if your baby has enough milk

It is important to remember that breastfeeding is also communication between mother and baby. Therefore, it has long been noted that children who grew up on breast milk are healthier, more sociable, active and even more talented than their peers who grew up on artificial formula.

For the first six months of life, a baby can only eat mother’s milk; his digestive system is not yet adapted to process any other food. Only in the second half of the year does it come time for additional complementary feeding.

For feeding children in the first months of life, a free feeding regime is recommended. The child himself determines the frequency of breastfeeding, and the number of feedings can be up to 12 or more times a day! The baby sucks out 80% of the required milk in 8 minutes, but the total duration of feeding can be 20 minutes.

How can you tell if your baby is getting enough food? Experts recommend paying attention to the following criteria:

• in the first month the child should gain 600 - 800 grams in weight;
• frequency of urination at least 6 times a day;
• stool frequency corresponds to the number of feedings (6-10 times) in the first month of life;
• the child is calm, maintains intervals between feedings of 2 or more hours.

The only element that would be a good idea to add to your baby’s diet is vitamin D. Unfortunately, there is not enough of it in human milk, and a lack of this vitamin can lead to the development of rickets. But it should be remembered that any innovations in the baby’s diet should first be discussed with a doctor.

Additional soldering

For successful breastfeeding, especially in the first days, it is extremely important to avoid supplementing the baby with water, glucose, etc. Breast milk contains up to 80-90% water, and with a sufficient level of lactation, it fully meets the baby’s fluid needs. Supplementing a baby with milk can create a false sense of satiety and cause him to refuse to breastfeed.

"Foremilk" and "hind" milk

In the first days after birth, the mother feeds the baby in one feeding with one breast. After the “arrival” of milk, you can feed the baby each feeding from both breasts, so that feeding is pumped from the breast from which it began, and the baby receives not only “front” milk, but also “hind” milk, which is twice as high in fat content .

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Feeding a baby up to three months old

In the first days of life, the best food for a child is mother's milk. Its production by the mammary glands begins to occur from 1 to 3 days after birth. If for some reason it is impossible to carry out natural feeding, then the infant is transferred to artificial feeding.

Breastfeeding baby

Before the immediate flow of milk, the breast secretes colostrum. This liquid has a special nutritional value, and it is this liquid that creates the conditions for the development of the newborn’s digestive system. Babies often don't get enough of it because colostrum is produced in small quantities. To compensate for insufficient nutrition during this period, babies in maternity hospitals are supplemented with infant formula.

After milk begins to flow, the mother must follow a special diet to ensure that it is safe for the baby. In addition to the need to control nutrition, you need to follow special rules for feeding your baby:

• feeding should be done on demand, not on a schedule;
• it is necessary to attach the baby to the breast correctly, in a comfortable position and with maximum contact with the mother’s skin;
• do not give your child a pacifier or a bottle with a nipple;
• It is imperative to put the baby to the breast at night;
• It is not advisable to express milk;
• The newborn should be applied to each breast in turn.

Following these recommendations will allow you to maintain lactation for as long as possible. The longer the period of natural feeding, the stronger the child’s immunity will be.

Artificial feeding of an infant

Artificial feeding is a diet in which formula milk predominates over breast milk. It is extremely undesirable to transfer a child under three months of age to such food, but there are cases when the mother is completely unable to breastfeed:

• complete absence of lactation;
• serious diseases of the mother's kidneys and heart;
• infections that can be transmitted through milk to a child;
• taking medications, the active substances of which can get into the nutrient fluid;
• mother's aversion to breastfeeding;
• the child’s inability to accept lactose, inability to digest mother’s milk (phenylketonuria).

In all these cases, it is worthwhile to establish constant feeding of the baby with formula milk, without alternating with natural milk. Partial replacement of breast milk must be done if the baby does not get enough to eat, that is, not enough milk is produced. This can be determined by four main characteristics:

1. Monthly weight gain is below normal.
2. The child urinates less than eight times a day.
3. The baby is acting restless.
4. Daytime sleep is superficial and short-term.

It would seem that there is nothing complicated: if the child does not get enough to eat, then you just need to supplement him with the required amount of artificial formula. But with mixed feeding, even those children who have not experienced digestive problems may experience colic and increased gas formation. Therefore, many mothers with a lack of breast milk prefer to completely replace it with milk formulas.

Correct attachment to the breast

The effectiveness of the entire feeding procedure for both mother and baby depends on how exactly the mother gives breast to the baby. The necessary conditions for proper feeding technique are the correct position of the baby at the breast, the correct grasp of the breast by the baby, a comfortable position for the mother, and skin-to-skin contact during feeding.

The correct position of the baby at the breast is characterized by the following signs:

• the child’s head and body are in the same plane;
• the child is in an elevated position (to prevent swallowing air along with milk);
• the baby's chin touches the mother's chest;
• the mouth is wide open, the lower lip is turned outward.

The child must grasp not only the nipple, but also the areola. The nipple and areola should actually fill the entire oral cavity of the child. A good deep grip provides the baby with sufficient ease of sucking, and for a nursing woman it is the main guarantee of the safety of the nipple and areola.

Scheme for introducing complementary foods during breastfeeding

No matter how beneficial mother's milk is, the need gradually arises to expand the baby's diet. Growing by leaps and bounds, the body requires more and more energy, nutrients and microelements (protein, iron, zinc, etc.). In addition, the baby’s digestive system and chewing apparatus must gradually prepare for “adult” food.

Most researchers agree that complementary feeding should be introduced no earlier than 4-6 months. Although a baby can only feed on mother's milk up to 6 months.

The food given to the baby as complementary foods should contain enough iron. Iron, which is contained in ordinary foods, is absorbed much worse than that contained in breast milk. Lack of iron can lead to the development of anemia.

Gradually, the range of “allowed” foods increases, and by the 8th month, complementary feeding can be done twice a day. The more solid food there is, the less the baby receives easily digestible substances contained in mother’s milk.

Expanding the diet requires a lot of attention and patience from the baby’s parents. After all, day after day the digestive system is being prepared so that the baby can eat “like an adult.” Some children already by the 9th month switch to independent, “adult” nutrition, others will complete their transition only at the beginning of the second year of their life.

When should you introduce the first complementary foods?

As a child grows up, it becomes necessary to introduce solid food into his diet. This is due to the absence in milk and mixtures of those substances and elements that become necessary for a baby from the age of three months. In different cases, the timing of introducing complementary foods may vary, it depends on the baby’s willingness to eat from a spoon.

Even doctors cannot say exactly at what time it is time to start introducing solid food into a child’s daily diet. Only the mother can make such a decision, since she is the one who spends all the time next to the baby and can notice changes in his behavior. But some general behavioral guidelines in this matter still exist:

• the child already knows how to hold his head up;
• the baby opens his mouth when a spoon with food is brought to him;
• closes lips when a spoon of food enters the mouth;
• knows how to swallow food;
• turns away from the spoon when full.

Usually, additional food products begin to be introduced when the baby reaches the age of 4 months. Moreover, with artificial feeding, complementary feeding should begin a little earlier than with natural feeding.

How to choose formula for artificial feeding. Complementary feeding table

Artificial feeding is used in cases where the mother's milk is completely absent or insufficient. When artificially feeding a child in the first months of life, one cannot suddenly or too quickly switch to a qualitatively new diet, since adaptation of the digestive system and metabolic processes occurs under great stress.

It is best to replace breast milk with adapted formulas (i.e., formulas that are as close in composition to human milk as possible). These formulas are intended for feeding a child from the first days of life until one year.

The use in recent years of a new generation of adapted milk formulas, which are as close as possible to the composition of human milk, has made it possible to significantly reduce the adverse effects of artificial feeding, in particular regarding the physical development and morbidity of infants.

When choosing the most appropriate formula for feeding a particular child, you should consider:

• Child's age. In the first 2-3 weeks of a child’s life, it is preferable to prescribe unleavened formulas, and then combine fresh and fermented milk formulas. The most appropriate is their equal ratio in the diet. An excess of fermented milk mixtures in the diet can cause (or intensify) regurgitation and disrupt the acid-base balance in the body.
• The degree of adaptation of the mixture. The younger the child is, the more he needs the most adapted mixtures. In no case should a child under 5-6 months be prescribed “follow-up formulas,” kefir and other unadapted fermented milk mixtures, or whole cow’s milk.
• Individual tolerance of the mixture.

One of the conditions that ensures the normal development of a child with artificial feeding is feeding according to appetite. At the same time, feeding hours are observed, and the amount of food at each feeding is given to the child as needed. Do not force the entire prescribed amount of formula or withhold a small additional amount.

Depending on appetite, the child may eat more than the norm at one feeding, and less at another, but he must receive the daily norm. The child's weight should be checked every month.

*Depending on the child’s health condition and the degree of adaptation of the human milk substitute used in his diet.

** 2 weeks after the introduction of juice.

*** If necessary, earlier administration is possible (from 6 - 7 months)

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Feeding your baby in the first three months of life

Regardless of what feeding you choose, there are approximate daily nutritional requirements. It is more convenient to present them in the form of a feeding table for the first days of life and months:

There may be slight discrepancies with actual liquid food intake. This is due to the fact that the milk formula requires a little more, since it is not completely absorbed by the body. In this case , artificial feeding usually occurs less frequently, since the mixture takes longer to digest.

Lactation and nutrition of a nursing mother

Every nursing mother should understand that the nutrition and development of her baby depends on what she eats. Therefore, during the period of breastfeeding, the mother’s diet should take into account both the needs of the woman’s body and the relationship between the mother and her baby.

Experts say that nutrition for a nursing mother should provide:

1. Satisfying all the mother’s physiological needs for energy and essential substances.
2. Additional supply of energy and nutrients necessary to produce sufficient quantities of milk with high nutritional value.
3. Preventing the intake of products containing obligate allergens and compounds that can cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract (essential oils, fatty acid peroxides, etc.) into the body of infants with the mother’s troubles.

Therefore, the diet of a nursing mother is not much different from the diet of a pregnant woman. The diet of both should include all the main food groups - meat and meat products; milk and dairy products; bread, cereals, pasta; vegetable oils; vegetables, fruits, juices; sugar and confectionery.

It is preferable to use various types of meat (beef, lean pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, rabbit), but not sausages, frankfurters or wieners. Low-fat varieties of fish (pike perch, cod, carp, hake, etc.) are very desirable. Cottage cheese and cheese should be widely used, due to which it is most advisable to increase the amount of protein in the diet.

An excess of whole cow's milk in the diet can cause allergic reactions in children, so it is recommended to replace it with various fermented milk products (kefir, yoghurt, fermented baked milk, etc.).

Since many nutrients penetrate through the intestinal mucosa of women into the bloodstream, and from there into human milk, it is necessary to avoid large amounts of salt, essential oils, and foods containing obligate allergens in the diet of women. The diets of nursing mothers should not include onions, garlic, canned snack foods, chocolate, nuts, honey, eggs, shrimp, large amounts of citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries. It is especially important to avoid drinking alcohol even in the smallest doses and smoking.

Obligate allergens include the following products:

• Honey
• Nuts
• Citrus
• Strawberry
• Chocolate and chocolate products
• Red apple varieties
• Tomatoes, pineapples
• Smoked meats, caviar
• Canned food
• Fish, eggs
• Fresh milk

With the help of diet, nursing mothers can regulate the amount of milk. To stimulate lactation, specialists from the Danone Institute recommend making and drinking drinks yourself from carrots, lettuce seeds, caraway seeds, anise, dill, and dandelion leaves.

The mother's drinking regime is extremely important for maintaining full lactation. She should drink at least 1000 ml of liquid in addition to the usual volume in the form of tea, juices, drinks, etc.

Menu for a child at 7-8 months

By seven to eight months, it is worth continuing to eat vegetable and fruit purees, gradually increasing their thickness. This product should already completely replace one feeding of liquid food per day. In addition, part of one feeding with milk or formula should be replaced daily with a small portion of porridge, and another with cottage cheese.

Thus, by the end of the eighth month, with five meals a day, only two meals remain completely dairy. It is also worth introducing porridge and cottage cheese gradually, starting with small portions.

In addition to these products, you need to start giving your baby meat purees from lean poultry breeds, such as chicken or turkey, as well as egg yolk and wheat bread. These components should be included in the diet no more than twice a week.

When to wean

If both mother and baby want to continue breastfeeding, then in combination with complementary feeding this can last up to 1.5-2 years. However, often children themselves begin to refuse the breast when their own “I” begins to form. In the third year of life, continued breastfeeding would already interfere with the normal development of the baby’s personality, so further feeding is no longer advisable.

By the beginning of the second year of life, the baby had done a lot of work: he learned to eat. After all, for 9 whole months before his birth he did not have to put so much effort into being well-fed. Moreover, some children have already taken their first serious steps towards feeding on their own by 12 months - just like adults!

How to properly introduce new ingredients into an infant’s diet

Of course, the baby’s first solid food is one-ingredient purees. They need to be prepared from fresh ingredients and brought with boiled water to the required liquid consistency. Of course, you can buy purees in the store, but it’s better to use home cooking.

It is better to introduce new food into the diet in the morning, then if a gastric upset occurs, the malaise should go away by night's sleep. Initially, unfamiliar food should be given in very small portions, gradually increasing their volume if the child tolerates the product well. New products must be introduced gradually, at intervals of several days. This technique will allow you to timely identify your baby’s allergies to any ingredients and eliminate them from the diet.