Nutrition for children up to 6 months old

Breast milk is an important source of nutrition, but the nutritional content for a 6-month-old baby will be lacking if the baby is exclusively breastfed. Therefore, at this stage, children should start eating solid foods to supplement their body's needs with enough nutrients.

Children's nutrition is important to the health and development of children later. In the early years, the growth rate of tissues and organs along with the physiological and mental development of children is very fast. Therefore, it is necessary to have a reasonable diet for children to meet their needs and to prevent nutrition-related diseases.
Nutritional needs for 6-month-old babies are recommended as follows:
Energy needs: Children from 6 months of age need 710 kcal/day. Energy supply is allocated 50% for basic metabolic needs, 25% for activity and 25% for development. Protein needs: Children from 6 months have the recommended protein requirement of 21-25 grams/day. Lipid requirements: Children from 6 months have a lipid requirement of 40% (maximum 60%) of energy intake. The recommended ratio between animal and vegetable lipids is 70% and 30%. Vitamin and mineral requirements: Water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B, C, B6, B9, B12...); fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D); minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, ...)

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be supplemented with foods other than breast milk or formula when they are about 6 months old. However, breast milk or formula is still the main source of nutrition for babies.
Some things to pay attention to when starting to introduce solid foods:
At first, the baby needs to be familiar with the way of eating and the amount of food to begin with will be small. Feed your child 1 to 2 tablespoons of food and watch for signs. After the child begins to get used to the process of weaning, this time will gradually increase the amount of food in the child's meal. Divide children's meals by time. Children can be fed about 2-3 hours/time or about 5-6 meals/day.

A healthy diet will help promote healthy habits in the future. It is important when giving complementary foods to children to choose the right foods. At first, give your baby soft or mashed foods. At the same time, children should be encouraged to eat a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, milk... Stimulate children to eat by coloring their meals with foods of different colors.

Examples of complementary foods for a 6-month-old baby:
Fruits: bananas, strawberries, pears, oranges, melons, avocados. Vegetables: spinach, carrots, peas, tubers, sweet potatoes. Whole grains: Whole grain breads, crackers, pasta. Meat: Beef, chicken, pork, fish,... Milk: Pasteurized yogurt or cheese. As children get older, the amount of food will also gradually increase. Children should eat a variety of foods, especially seasonal foods.
In addition, the baby should drink water every day (120 - 180 ml), and continue to breastfeed the baby. When babies are 12 months old, they can start adding formula milk.

A healthy diet is one that ensures a balance of both quantity and quality. In addition to the foods that are good for the child's development, in the child's diet it is also necessary to avoid certain foods and drinks.
4.1. Beverages to avoid Honey: A food that can cause serious food poisoning in babies under 12 months of age. Before 12 months of age, do not give your baby any food containing honey, including yogurt with honey or cookies with honey. Unpasteurized beverages or foods (juice, milk, yogurt, cheese). These foods can put your child at increased risk of E.coli, the harmful bacteria that causes severe diarrhea.

Fortified cow's milk: It can put babies under 12 months at risk for intestinal bleeding. It also has too much protein and minerals that the baby's kidneys have to process and also doesn't provide enough nutrients for the baby.

4.2. Foods to avoid Foods with added sugar: Do not give your child foods that contain a lot of sugar, such as candy, cakes, cookies, and ice cream that contain a lot of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends babies under 24 months of age. Foods high in salt (sodium): These foods include: Canned products, processed meats (sausages, ham, ...)

When babies can't eat raw foods, parents need to keep a few things in mind when giving complementary foods to babies:
Choking hazard: Potential risk in children aged 6 to 12 months. Because at this stage your baby is learning how to chew and swallow food. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to all the foods that your baby eats. For example, some unprocessed foods, foods with special shapes, need to be cut into smaller pieces or crushed to avoid choking when eating. In addition, to prevent the risk of suffocation, it is necessary to adjust the eating position such as: sitting up while eating, avoiding eating in a stroller, ...

Introduce children to foods with different flavors and textures. This will help children develop motor skills, chewing, accepting and liking a variety of foods. Ensure 4 food safety steps: cleaning, chopping, cooking and cooling. Children under 5 are at risk for foodborne illness because their immune systems are still developing. Therefore, ensuring food safety for this age group is extremely important. Nutrition for a 6-month-old child plays a decisive role in the child's later development. Therefore, in addition to breast milk, when children are 6 months old, parents should start to supplement their children's nutrition by adding nutrients from vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs suitable for each stage of development. .
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.
References: unicef.org, cdc.gov, webmd.com