Importance of Infant Nutrition & Feeding

Infants are very delicate, and they have to be taken care of from the moment they start their journey in the mother’s womb. The mother’s diet, hobbies, activities, and thinking affects the child, and upon these factors, the health of the child varies as it comes in to this world. Some kids are healthier than other children, but, this does not mean that the nutrition of the child needs to be ignored as they are already healthy.

Development & Growth

Some children do not develop at the same rate as others; there are children who have special needs, and take their time in their development. The growth of an infant is truly amazing, this stage is delicate for them as in this stage they require the best care, most nutrition, and this stage helps shape their physical abilities for the future. If a child is given enough nutrients, the child will develop a strong immune system. On the other hand, let us assume there is a child who has not been given enough nutrition; he/she will most likely suffer from problems such as malnutrition, a weak immune system, and this can lead to fatal diseases, which can tamper with their physical and mental development.

When an infant is born, it is likely to gain double the weight it had been born with within 4-5 months. Let us assume the baby was 6 lbs at birth. So this means when the baby is about 5 months old, the weight should vary between 12-13. The same goes for the height of the child, if the child has been getting enough supplements, it will be reflected in his or her growth and development. This figure triples as the child turns 1 year old.

Nutritional Requirements of Infants

Babies do not have many sources of nutrition when they are born; they become dependent on their mothers for their breast milk which provides them with the supplements which they need in order to fulfill that need. The requirement of an infant are different from what we adults need and as the baby grows, the need for their nutrients and nutrition also changes. The first couple of months the baby is on the mother’s milk, but a couple months in the baby can have baby food, which is a special formula. Insufficient nutrients can create many problems for the child as it grows older, not just health wise, but also development wise.

The bone structure of the child will not be as strong as compared to a child who has their nutrition requirements met. The bones will be delicate and since the bones are not completely developed, as the child grows, chances of acquiring arthritis will also increase.

Mother’s Feed

There are many reasons why the breastfeed from the mother is very beneficial for the baby; these benefits include:

• Provides nutrition to the new born
• Offers sufficient nutrients, and helps in the development of the immune system
• Is light on the digestive system of the baby as well as the kidneys
• Breast milk protects the baby from life threatening diseases
• Mother can feed child instantly when the child is hungry
• Emotional growth and attachment develops between mother and child through this physical contact.

 

The nurses at Partners in Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home pediatric care needs including how to stay healthy at home with RN managed affordable care. We are a private duty home care agency that provides pediatric to senior adult home care services in the Orlando area, call us at 407-788-9393.