A baby will grow more rapidly in the first year of his/her life than at any other time. By the time he/she is a year old, the birth weight will have tripled. This early period is a time that is important for their developing mind and body. During infancy, babies begin to learn to use their senses and their muscles begin to develop. They begin to communicate, and connections in their brain form.

Proper nutrition is a key to all these exciting changes!

Reasons for Good Nutrition

• Good nutrition for infants is essential for normal growth and development.
• As a new father, being involved in your infant’s eating habits will help him/her develop healthy attitudes toward foods, themselves, and others.
• Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged two—19 years are obese. Since 1980, the prevalence of obesity in children has almost tripled.
• Children that are obese are more likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, they are likely to have breathing problems and joint aches.
• Obese children are at greater risk of social and psychological problems, such as discrimination and poor self-esteem, which can continue into adulthood.

What Should Babies Eat?

For the first four to six months of a baby’s life, his/her primary food will be breast milk or formula. These foods are rich in calories and nutrients. Babies need many more calories for their body size than older children and adults. Fats and cholesterol, vitamins, minerals, protein, and carbohydrates all have essential roles in growth and development.

• Fats and cholesterol are essential for proper brain growth.
• Vitamins and minerals help babies develop good eyesight, a healthy immune system, and good overall health.
• Protein helps muscles to grow and develop properly.

Breast milk or formula provide all the nutrients a baby needs for growth in the early months of life, and they continue to be a primary source of nutrition even after other foods become part of his or her diet.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Exclusive breastfeeding is ideal nutrition…. for the first six months after birth”. The next section will discuss breastfeeding in more detail. 

Breastfeeding

A new dad might think that his role in breastfeeding is a minor one but that is not the case! Studies show that the attitude of the baby’s father is the most important factor in whether or not a mother begins and continues to breastfeed. Although you can’t breastfeed your baby, you should learn more about breastfeeding so that you can be supportive of your partner’s decision.

The benefit for your baby

Breastfeeding gives your baby the best start in life. Not only is breast milk completely natural but it provides all the nutrients your baby needs for healthy growth and development. 

Breast milk also has the following benefits:

• It is easy for babies to digest and contains antibodies, which help support their growing immune system.
• Contains friendly bacteria, which then help your baby’s body to fight off bugs and potential infections, helping your baby to grow up happy, healthy and ready for anything!
• Contains fatty acids that help your baby’s brain develop.
• Breastfeeding can help to protect your baby from chest and ear infections and some allergies, like asthma and eczema.
• Research also suggests that breastfed babies go on to have healthier blood pressure as children and are less likely to become obese adults.

The benefit for you and your partner

• Breast milk is free and it’s always at exactly the right temperature.
• Breast milk is readily available, whenever and wherever you are; there is no need to sterilize bottles.
• When your partner breastfeeds, she reduces her risk of developing pre-menopausal breast and ovarian cancer and fractures from osteoporosis.
• It helps use up any extra pounds your partner may have gained during pregnancy.

Women.gov can give you more tips on breastfeeding. http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/

Bottle Feeding

If your partner chooses to formula feed your baby, you’ll have plenty to think about. For a start, you’ll need to learn how to sterilize the equipment and make up a bottle. You’ll also need to know how to give your baby his/her bottle, and how often, and how to cope when you’re out and about.

How to make formula milk?

To make up a bottle of powdered formula, follow the instructions on the packet carefully. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Boil tap water and leave it to cool for no longer than half an hour.
• Pour the required amount of water into the bottle.
• Add the right number of scoops to the bottle with the scoop provided, using a clean knife to level it off.
• Put on the teat and cover and give the bottle a good shake until all the powder has dissolved.
• Test the temperature by tipping a little milk out of the teat onto the inside of your wrist. It should feel just warm, not hot.

Remember the following when feeding a baby from a bottle…

Always sterilize all feeding equipment before you use it.

• This will help to kill any germs that can make your baby ill. You can do this by washing all bottles, teats, retaining rings and caps in clean, hot, soapy water, and then sterilize them. The best way to sterilize them is to purchase an electric steam sterilizer, or a microwave sterilizer. If you are not able to purchase one, then boil the equipment in a pot on the stove for at least 10 minutes.

Remember,

• Take turns on night duty with your partner. Or try splitting the night up – one of you gets up from bedtime ‘til 3 am, and the other does the 3 am – 8 am shift.
• Handle some of the bottle-feeding during daytime. It will help you to bond with your baby. 

Sharing the responsibilities not only helps you gain confidence as a parent but also helps your partner out.

Visit WebMD to find out more information on bottle-feeding. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/supplemental-feeding-14/slideshow-bottle-feeding

What Do They Eat As They Grow Older And Bigger?

4 to 6 months:  parents often begin to gradually introduce solid foods, beginning with cereal. Consult with your healthcare provider for the best way to do this.

About 7 months: vegetables are often added to the baby’s diet in addition to cereal.

After this:  your baby’s diet expands rapidly. Babies often begin to be interested in chewing about this time, and if they have a few teeth they can begin to manage soft foods like cooked potatoes and carrots, bananas, or cooked fruit.

A baby can begin to eat many of the same foods that adults around him/her eat. However, anything that can be a choking hazard should be avoided. The majority of choking injuries and deaths in childhood are due to food items.

Examples of choking hazards are

• Hot dog slices
• Whole grapes
• Peanut butter
• Candies
• Nuts
• Uncooked carrots