Food and drink for babies 6 to 24 months old

Children aged 6-24 months are in a period of strong development both physically and mentally, so a reasonable and healthy diet is considered a "golden key" to create a premise to help children grow up. holistic development of the child. In general, food choices at this time need to ensure that they provide the child with essential nutrients and energy.

Health care professionals recommend that babies should be introduced to foods other than breast milk or formula when they are about 6 months old. However, every newborn is different, so mothers need to watch out for signs that their baby is ready for solid foods, such as:
Baby is already able to sit on his own without needing get help from a friend The child already has good head control The child knows to open his mouth and lean forward when he sees food being brought close In general, when practicing solids, you don't have to give Babies eat foods in a certain order. You can start introducing solid foods to your baby around 6 months of age. When your baby turns 7 or 8 months old, you can offer a variety of foods from different food groups. Foods that you should choose for your baby to start solids usually include meat, infant cereals, protein sources, fruits, vegetables, cheese and yogurt.
If you feed your baby infant cereal, you should use a variety of other cereals from oats or barley, instead of just giving your baby rice cereal. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that rice cereals should not be given to babies entirely because they can make them more susceptible to arsenic poisoning, which can lead to some serious health problems. children's health.

First of all, mothers should let their children try foods one by one. This will help you see if your child has a problem with that food, such as a food allergy. In general, it's a good idea to give your baby about three to five days apart before trying new foods. This method will help your baby learn to eat easier and gradually get used to more new foods besides breast milk or formula.
However, you need to be aware of the foods that are most likely to cause the following allergies in babies, including eggs, milk, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and wheat. In particular, if your child has a family history of food allergies, you should consult a nutritionist about what foods should and should not be eaten, in order to avoid dangerous reactions to your child. children's lives.

Initially, you should give your baby pureed or mashed foods with a smooth texture to make them easier to eat. It will take some time for babies to adjust to the texture of new foods, and many children may even vomit, cough or spit food out. Until your baby's chewing skills are more developed, you can transition your baby to eating thicker foods first.
It's important to give your child foods with textures appropriate for their developmental stage, as some foods can pose a choking hazard. To avoid the risk of choking, mothers should prepare foods that are easily dissolved with saliva and children do not need to chew much. It's best to give your child small portions and encourage them to eat slowly, while always observing and paying attention when they eat.
Here are a few ways to help you prepare the right foods for babies 6-24 months old, including:
Mix breast milk, formula or water with cooked cereal for a smooth and easy consistency. swallow for the baby. Puree or puree fruits, vegetables and other foods until they have a smooth texture For hard fruits or vegetables, such as carrots or apples, should be cooked to easier to puree or grind. Cook foods until you can easily mash them with a spoon. You should remove all skin, fat and bones from poultry, meat and fish before cooking. Remove seeds and pits from fruit before cutting them into small pieces Cut soft foods into thin slices or pieces For cylindrical foods like sausages, you should cut them into short slices instead. because it is made into round pieces, as it can easily cause choking in the child's airway. Cut spherical foods like cherries, grapes, tomatoes, and berries into small pieces Cook and finely grind whole grains of barley, wheat, rice, and other grains.

For babies from 6 to 12 months old, breast milk or formula is still considered the main source of nutrition for the baby, but at this time solid foods will gradually make up a larger part of the diet. children's daily life. When weaning your baby, it will be difficult for you to guess how much food you should give your baby, on the other hand, a baby's belly from 6 to 12 months old is still very small and can't hold too much food. Therefore, you need to note a few things as follows:
Start feeding your baby in small amounts: At the first weaning times, mothers should only try to feed their babies 1-2 spoons of solid food and monitor. Watch your baby's cues to see if he's still hungry or full after eating. Gradually replace breast milk and formula: Once your baby gets used to solid foods, you should increase the amount of solids your baby offers to make them a more important part of his daily diet. . Feeding time: You should give your child food or drink every 2-3 hours, or 5-6 times a day, depending on the specific case. In general, children should eat about 3 main meals and 2-3 snacks per day to ensure adequate supply of essential nutrients to help children develop comprehensively.

You should form a healthy eating habit for your child right now so that he can develop to the fullest extent and ensure his overall health. To achieve this, you should choose foods that are suitable for your child's ability to eat.
You should encourage your child to eat a variety of fruits, berries, meats, whole grains, yogurt and cheese. Besides, when preparing food, you should try to create many eye-catching colors to make the food more attractive, helping the baby to have an interest in eating. Here are specific foods that you should give your child regularly, including:
Vegetables: Such as peas, cooked spinach, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes Fruits: Strawberries , oranges, bananas, avocados, pears, and melons Meats: Such as chicken, lamb, beef Whole grains: Crackers, wholemeal bread, and pasta Milk: Yogurt or pasteurized cheese When babies turn 12 months old, they will be able to eat a wider variety of foods. At this point, parents should continue to make other healthy food choices and allow children to choose what foods to eat. Children aged 6 - 12 months should drink:
Water: From 120 - 180 ml a day Milk: Breast milk, formula or fortified cow's milk Foods and drinks that infants should avoid
*Types foods to avoid for babies:
Here are some foods and drinks that can be harmful to babies' health, including:
Honey: Honey should not be given to children under 12 months old as it can lead to serious food poisoning. Some foods containing honey should also be eliminated from your baby's diet, including cereals with honey, honey yogurt, honey crackers. Unpasteurized food or drink: It can increase the risk of E.coli infection in children. This is a type of bacteria that can lead to severe diarrhea. Unpasteurized foods or drinks, such as yogurt, milk, juice, or cheese. Cow's milk supplement: You should also not give this food to children under 12 months old because it can lead to extremely dangerous intestinal bleeding. In addition, cow's milk supplements also contain too many minerals and proteins, causing the baby's kidneys to work too hard to handle it.

*Foods that should be limited for children:
Here are some foods that you should limit or give your child only a small amount, including:
Foods high in sugar: Wallet such as cakes, candies, cakes or cookies. These foods high in sugar are not good for the health of babies under 24 months of age. Foods rich in salt: For example, processed meats, or canned products. *What drinks should be limited for children to use:
Here are some drinks that parents with young children should limit their children's use, including:
Juice: Children under 12 months of age 100% juice should not be consumed, especially juices with added sweeteners. Ideally, you should give your baby fruits instead of drinking juice from them. Children over 12 months of age should have about 4 ounces or less of 100% juice per day. Cow's milk: Don't let your baby eat too much cow's milk because it can make it difficult for the baby's body to absorb the necessary amount of iron from other foods. Soda, sugary drinks or flavored milk: These drinks all have large amounts of added sugar. Nutritionists recommend that children under 24 months old should not drink any drinks with added sugar. For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
The period of baby eating solid foods is an extremely important period to help children develop comprehensively. Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiencies, causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption, etc. If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with supportive products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.

Reference source: cdc.gov