Child Feeding Ages And Stages

Nutrition during infancy and childhood is one of the most important factors determining the normal growth and development of a child.

Nutrition in infancy and early childhood is one of the most important factors determining the normal growth and development of a child. Some diseases later in life can be the result of poor nutrition in early childhood. Under normal conditions during this period, the newborn triples its weight and doubles its height from the moment of birth.

The quality and quantity of food

The quality and quantity of food are particularly important factors in the first twelve months of life. The peculiarities of the feeding of the infant are determined by the higher nutritional requirements, the immature digestive and excretory systems, the lack of teeth and some peculiarities of the metabolism.

It is considered that the optimal amount of nutrients (carbohydrates and fats) supplies half of the energy needed by the infant from carbohydrates and the other half from fats. A similar ratio between the amount of nutrients and the amount of energy supplied is also found in breast milk.

The need for protein

The need for protein is also higher, and its balance with respect to all essential amino acids is particularly important. The standard for essential amino acids is the protein in breast milk. Modern infant milks contain protein from specially processed cow's milk or soy protein with the addition of methionine, an amino acid particularly important for growth processes. Soy milks are intended for infants with milk protein intolerance. They contain added sucrose and glucose, but not lactose, because intolerance to milk sugar is often a complication of milk allergy.

The digestibility of protein in infant formulas is high and close to that of breast milk. It is believed that with adequate protein intake, a healthy newborn is not at risk of insufficient intake of most vitamins and minerals. The most common nutritional deficiency at this age is iron deficiency, especially after 6 months of age because milk is a low-iron food. Mother's milk has advantages in this regard, from which, regardless of the low iron content, it has better absorption. In the first months of life for naturally fed children, it is recommended that the only liquid be mother's breast milk.

Adapted foods for children - advantages

Specially produced foods for early childhood have the advantages - of suitable consistency, enriched with some vitamins and iron, low content of table salt. After reaching 1 year, children eat 5 times a day with three main meals and two snacks. The transition period ends after teething and getting used to solid food. At this age, a lasting relationship has been established between the excessive consumption of refined sugar and the occurrence of dental caries.

Proper nutrition in the first year of life is particularly important for the individual because there is evidence of its relationship with some diseases in adulthood: obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Adequacy and variety are what should characterize nutrition after 1 year, so as to guarantee an optimal rate of growth and development. A healthy child eats the usual family food.

Types of nutrition in children

According to the type of food, feeding is: natural, mixed and artificial: in infancy.

Natural feeding - with it, the human child accepts only species-specific and only appropriate mother's breast milk. An essential element of natural nutrition is feeding - the introduction of new foods, consistent and mushy, thus aiming to teach the child to chew. Feeding is necessary because around 4-6 months the child's energy needs increase, and the mother's breast milk maintains its constant and unchanged composition. It is through feeding and giving new foods that these additional needs are met.

The mode of natural nutrition (breastfeeding) in the first month is 7 times in 3 hours with a mandatory 6-hour night break. In the second month, breastfeeding is 6 times in 3 hours. On day 25-26, vitamin D prophylaxis for rickets begins. In the second month (after 45 days), the giving of freshly squeezed and strained fruit juice begins, and more often this begins with carrot juice. The first dose is usually about a tablespoon in the morning between two feedings. It should be known that fruit juice has no nutritional value and giving it is not nutrition. From the third to the fifth month, the feeding regime is the same, and at the end of the 4th, 5th or 6th month, feeding is started. The first feeding may be a well-boiled and mashed potato, a pea-sized amount of butter, about 5 grams of sugar for sweetening, and a little fresh milk for dilution. The consistency should be liquid mushy, but it should not be poured into a bottle but should be given with a spoon so that the child begins to learn to chew. In the following months, lactic acid, instant porridges, etc. will be introduced. It is important to know that after each feeding, the child stands up and leans on the mother's chest, looks forward, and waits at least 10 minutes to exhale the swallowed air, after which it is left in the crib, necessarily on one side. In the seventh month, popara prepared from breadcrumbs, cheese, and cow's butter, slightly sweetened and poured with tea (preferably from chamomile or rosehips), is squeezed to absorb the liquid, after which the popara is well rubbed. Soon after the introduction, the particles should be cooled to a larger size so that by the eighth to ninth month the child can learn to chew. Then it is possible that the first teeth appeared - 4 or 5 in number. Breastfeeding in the morning at 6 a.m. remains, at 10 a.m. it's time to breastfeed, 12:00 p.m. is puree, and soup with mashed yolk can now be added, 5:00 p.m. sour and ready-made porridge, 7:00 p.m. is the last feeding. Freshly squeezed juice can be given between meals. From the ninth to the twelfth month, the diet is the same, but an attempt is made for a menu - first soup, second puree (dish) and dessert - grated fruit.

Towards the end of the year, the child only tries to feed himself with a spoon under the control of the parent, and an important event is undertaken - weaning from breastfeeding since breast milk has already played its important role. Evening breastfeeding is replaced by fermented milk, and after 12 months fresh, slightly sweetened milk can be offered.

 

PREMIUM CHAPTERS ▼

Feeding the child from 1 to 3 years. (PREMIUM)

In this period, transitional food is given, which is different from liquid - mushy infant formula, but it is not the rough and solid food of adults, and the size is a cube with dimensions of 5 mm. Foods are more consistent, such as sausages and preserves, but be careful not to be spicy! Dishes should not be greasy and with a lot of spices, nor oversalted. 500 ml should be taken daily. fresh and yogurt. By the second year, he should give up diapers. The characteristic is that a whole slice or piece of food should not be given, but cut into small pieces. Carbohydrates should not be at the expense of pasta, not to overdo it with candies, chocolates, etc. Here, useful habits are introduced and mastered - washing hands, using utensils, keeping clean. In general, the food must be prepared and served in an attractive way, always be hot, the atmosphere is calm and the child knows that it is mealtime. A whole hard-boiled egg is introduced.

 

 

Periods in childhood (PREMIUM)

Child development from birth is a continuous process of improvement, development, physiological and anatomical growth. The pace is intense, the process is continuous, because towards the end of 18 (in Bulgaria) i.e. at the end of adolescence, a mature, properly and well-formed individual - male or female - has formed.

The WHO states and it is accepted that intrauterine human development is part of childhood because it is very important for human development in general. Thus, childhood covers the period from the fertilization of the ovum and the formation of the zygote to adolescence in our country. The separation of periods is required by the different age moments, as the child undergoes various changes in his development. There are seven periods:

 

1. Intrauterine development (pregnancy), is divided into: embryonic from 0 to 3 lunar months and fetal from 4 to 10 lunar months. The period is characterized by rapid and rapid development and growth, because of the micron size of the ovum, at the end of a normal pregnancy, the full-term newborn has an average weight of 3.75 kg. and a height of about 50 cm.

2. The newborn period from birth to 28 days, is also divided into two sub-periods: the first from 1 to 7 days and the second from 8 to 28 days. This period is also one of the rapid and exuberant rates of growth and development, very important for adapting the newborn to completely new living conditions. It is important that the child is raised in the family by the mother.

3. Breastfeeding period from 2 to 12 months. At the end of it, the child walks and talks, the baby teeth sprout, the child knows how to chew, and all new solid foods are introduced - vegetable puree, milk-fruit sour, porridge, etc. During this period, the child should not overeat, because the fat cells are formed and accumulated in terms of quantity and quality, and thus obesity can develop, which is especially dangerous in the following periods, because it is a prerequisite for the development of hypertension, diabetes, etc. Prevention started from birth with an anti-hepatitis vaccine, until 48 hours B is done. C. _ G. _ vaccine, as well as one against polio.

4. Early childhood from 1 to 3 years or also called nursery age. The child can now be raised in a group. He improves his upright walking, his speech, and towards the end even whole sentences. In terms of diseases, the leading ones are: pneumonia, gastrointestinal disorders, infectious diseases, etc.

5. Preschool age 4 to 6, the pace is steady although not as intense. Towards the end of the 5th year, it can be said that the child resembles a reduced adult, because the morphological and functional development of the internal organs and systems has been completed, and the development continues in terms of volume and dimensions. Endocrine diseases and distortions of the musculoskeletal system are added to the diseases. Towards the end of the 5th year, the replacement of milk teeth, 20 in number, with permanent teeth begins.

6. School age. It is early from 7 to 12 years old and late from 13 to 15 years old. Here the child is subjected to intensive educational influence and training at home and at school. Children enter puberty, for girls 8+2 years, and for boys 10+2 years. Transport trauma, smoking, alcohol, drug experiments, often running away from home, etc., become more common.

7. Adolescence from 16 to 18 years - a difficult age for educational influence, ends puberty and puberty. In girls, there is the release of an egg with ovulation, and in boys, ejaculation with the release of viable sperm. At this age, there is a high risk of unwanted pregnancy, promiscuous sexual contact, and suicide attempts.

 

 

In order for a child to grow up healthy and well developed, it is necessary that the environment in which it develops is calm and natural. The good upbringing and hygiene habits that will be taught to him by his parents will be important for his further development as a person in society.