Introduction
The nutrition of the baby is ensured by special baby food or infant food. It is subject to strict regulations and contains all the necessary ingredients that the baby needs to grow up. Baby food must therefore contain neither bacteria nor harmful substances.
In addition, certain maximum amounts of fat and carbohydrates may not be exceeded, and certain minimum amounts of minerals and vitamins may not fall below. The most natural food is breast milk, which is better suited to the baby’s needs than industrially produced food. Industrially produced baby food can be divided into initial food, follow-on food and supplementary food, depending on the month of life in which it is fed.
First year – an overview
In the first year of life, babies need a very special diet, because during this time a lot of energy and nutrients are needed for development and growth. In addition, the digestive system is not yet sufficiently and fully developed, so that a slow approach to the many different foods is essential. After birth, most babies obtain their nutrients from mother’s milk through breastfeeding.
In the first four to six months of life, breast milk can cover the baby’s entire requirements with the exception of vitamins K and D. Additional food or fluid intake is therefore not necessary. Milk production is stimulated by the baby’s sucking reflex. Breast milk has a protective and anti-inflammatory effect on the baby’s immune system.
The risk of diarrhoea, middle ear infections, sudden infant death and overweight in later childhood can be reduced by breastfeeding alone. Positive effects on the mother’s health have also been described. Most relevant is the reduction of the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
Breastfeeding can also establish and strengthen the mother-child relationship. Partial breastfeeding with supplementary feeding of infant formula is also possible. If breastfeeding is not possible or desired, there are fortunately industrially manufactured alternatives.
These can also be fed if sufficient weight gain cannot be achieved through breast milk alone. Cow’s milk serves as the protein source of this infant formula. In the long run, breast milk does not contain enough iron, so that after the first six months of life at the latest, an additional supply of supplementary food is necessary.
Breastfeeding can, however, be continued until mother and child wish to stop. The supplementary food, initially in the form of vegetable, potato and meat porridge, covers the child’s increasing energy and nutrient requirements. In the first months of life, the digestion and digestive tract are not yet sufficiently mature.
For example, there is no intestinal flora yet. Many of the digestive enzymes are also not yet formed. Therefore, babies in the first phase of life should only be given special infant formula or breast milk.
In the first weeks of life, most babies are fed up to 12 times a day at the breast or bottle. During this time, breast milk contains all the important nutrients in the necessary composition that the baby needs for healthy growth. Adaptation to the special needs of the infant happens all by itself.
In the first months of life, breast milk also provides the baby with a good immune defense and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Diseases and allergies can thus be prevented. The vitamins K and D that are missing in breast milk must be supplied separately.
The pediatrician provides all relevant information on this. If breastfeeding is not possible or desired, industrially produced starter foods can be fed. Although these are not the same as breast milk, they come close to it and meet strict requirements that cannot be guaranteed by a self-prepared formula.
The composition of the starter foods is therefore also in line with the baby’s needs. Staple foods called “Pre” are very similar to mother’s milk, as the protein content has been adjusted accordingly. Moreover, they contain only lactose as a carbohydrate base.
On the other hand, starter foods with the number “1” contain small amounts of starch in addition to lactose, which has a very satiating effect. Their protein content is similar to mother’s milk and they contain lactose as the only carbohydrate. When partially breast-feeding, first the breast and then the bottle can be given.Breast milk, Pre or 1 foods are very well suited as baby food in the first months of life and beyond for the first year of life.
At the earliest after the completed fourth month of life, the baby’s diet can be extended. Many recommendations even refer to the fifth month of life as the earliest time. The milk meals are gradually reduced and replaced by the so-called supplementary food.
However, the baby should not be overwhelmed. If there is the impression that the baby is not yet ready, the breast or bottle can continue to be given until the seventh month at the most. If this type of food intake is no longer sufficient for the child, complementary feeding can be started.
Supplementary food includes vegetables, fruit, potatoes, any form of grain or meat. However, the food is not all fed at the same time from the 4th month onwards, but is gradually increased at certain times. Breastfeeding or the administration of initial food can also be passed on until the end of the first year of life, for example as breakfast.
For many parents and pediatricians, the fourth month of life is too early to start with supplementary feeding. This decision should therefore be made individually and in consultation with the pediatrician. Starting from the 6th month, feeding of supplementary food has usually already begun.
The introduction is typically between the 5th and 7th month of life and becomes necessary because at this age the nutritional requirements can no longer be covered by breast milk or bottles alone. The baby’s first food is a vegetable porridge made from carrots, cauliflower or broccoli, for example. The quantity of the porridge is gradually increased and gradually supplemented with additional ingredients.
After a week with vegetable porridge, potatoes can be added. After that, you can try adding meat, which can be replaced by fish every two or three weeks. The choice of porridge should be as varied as possible.
At the end of the first month with supplementary food, the porridge has usually replaced a whole milk meal at noon. However, some children adapt to it faster than others. The follow-on foods already mentioned are considered to be a supplement to the supplementary diet.
They are offered with the designation “2” or “3”. However, it is not necessary to feed follow-on formula as a milk diet. The baby receives all necessary nutrients even without this follow-on formula.
However, it is important to know that the follow-on formula may be given from the 6th month of life at the earliest and is in no way a substitute for breast milk or the initial formula in the first half of the year. About one month after the introduction of the first porridge, a further milk meal in the afternoon or evening is replaced by a milk-cereal porridge. This can also be mixed with fruit or vegetables.
When preparing your own milk porridge with fruit or vegetables, only pasteurized or ultra-high temperature whole milk, longer fresh ESL or UHT milk with 3.5% fat, and infant milk may be used. Raw or preferred milk poses considerable health risks for the baby. From the eighth month of life, sometimes even from the seventh month of life or when teething, the range of foods available is also expanded to include foods with a firm consistency.
When preparing paps yourself, for example, solid pieces can be mixed in over and over again, so that slow habituation and chewing exercises occur. The milk-free cereal-fruit porridge is again added about a month later, again replacing a milk meal. This porridge is available as a ready-to-eat product and can also be easily prepared by the customer.
For this, cereal flakes are boiled in water and swollen. Afterwards the mixture with fruit is added. From the 11th month of life or between the 10th and 12th month of life, the child begins to participate in the proper family meal.
Beverages, such as milk and water, can be drunk from a separate cup. However, whole milk is not recommended during the entire first year of life because it lacks important nutrients. During this time, the child develops its own taste and eats some foods rather than others.
You should also leave it up to the child how much he or she wants to eat. From the first year of life, children usually eat the same foods as adults. Nevertheless, there are some things to consider.
For example, dairy products should not necessarily be given in the first year of life.In addition, even after the first year of life, attention should be paid to a healthy and balanced diet for the child. This includes cooking with fresh ingredients. Each dish should also include a vegetable or fruit side dish so that the child gets enough vitamins.
Meat is particularly important for the iron balance. A vegetarian or vegan diet should not be forced upon the child during its growth and development. If such a diet is nevertheless desired, it is essential to consult the pediatrician to prevent malnutrition.
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