Nutrition In Infants And Toddlers
Nutrition In Infants And Toddlers
Nutrition entails supplying materials (food) needed by human beings to live. Infants and toddlers should be provided with the best nutrition as they grow fast. The brain of infants and toddlers grows fast and also the bodies. Providing proper nutrition ensures the child gets the best start in life. However, most mothers do not provide proper nutrition to children and this affects their growth negatively. Mothers can feed toddlers and infants on a wide range of foods including breast milk, formula milk and solid food. Though the foods are important for the child’s growth, some foods do not provide the child with right nutrients (Murtaugh, Lechtenberg, Krinkle & et al, 2011).
Breast milk is the suitable diet for infants. Breast feeding a child has various advantages, but most mothers do not. United Kingdom has a high number of mothers who breastfed their children. The breastfeeding rates in UK in 2000 were low as many parents did not support breastfeeding of infants. However, the number of mothers breasting has increased greatly since 2000. This is according to an infant feeding survey conducted by the office for national statistics. The office for national statistics conducts a survey every five years to determine the rate of breastfeeding in the country. The number of infants’ breastfed at birth in the country increased by 7%. In addition, the initiation rates in Northern Ireland Scotland increased by 8% compared to 7% in England and Wales. Scotland recorded the highest increase in the rate of breastfeeding from birth to 9 years in 2000. The rate of breastfeeding at 4 years in Scotland increased, but breast feeding figures at 6 and 9 remained constant.35% of babies in UK get breastfed exclusively during the first week. 26% of the babies get breast fed exclusively for the first 6 weeks and 7% at 4 months. In addition, 3% of babies get breast fed at 5 months. The breast feeding rate in UK increased to 81% in 2010 (The baby friendly initiative, 2012).
WHO revised its breastfeeding guidelines in 2001 to encourage breastfeeding among mothers. WHO recommended exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months during an infant’s life. Many countries including UK supported the resolution and have encouraged breastfeeding of infants. Breastfeeding an infant for 6 months is nutritionally sufficient. Breastfeeding is the best kind of nutrition for infants as it offers all the nutrients an infant needs. Mothers can breast feed their children after six months as they give them other appropriate sold foods. Mothers introduce solid food at six years (WHO, 2012).
Studies from different countries have proved that breastfeeding for 3 to 6 months has benefits. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of diseases among infants. Infants’ breastfed for six months have a lower risk of having gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. Alsop, breastfeeding reduces the risk of having pre-menopause breast cancer and obesity. Breast feeding infants for six months promotes growth as it ensures the infants grow healthily. Breastfeeding offers all nutrients an infant requires to develop for the initial 6 months (WHO, 2012).
Apart from breastfeeding, mothers give infants and toddlers formula milk. Mothers should select the best formula milk for their babies in order to meet their nutritional needs. There are different types of formula, but the most popular ones are manufactured from treated cow’s milk and fortified with iron. Formula milk does not meet the needs of the baby, and this affects his or her development. Formula milk does not have all the important nutrients for growth like breast milk and this affects the child development. Formula milk does not reduce the risk of diseases such as gastrointestinal infection, respiratory infections and obesity. Therefore, children breast fed on formula milk before 6 months are likely to suffer from such diseases. Formula milk does not enhance immunity like breast milk and makes the babies vulnerable to infections (Murtaugh, Lechtenberg, Krinkle & et al, 2011).
The nutritional needs of infant and toddlers change as they grow. Breast milk alone can meet the needs of a child up to 6 months. However, breast milk cannot satisfy the nutritional requirements of the baby after six months. Also, breast milk cannot meet the energy requirements of the baby. Thus, mothers should introduce suitable and nutritious complementary foods from 6 months. Introducing nutritious foods such as solid food help in physical and cognitive development. Parents can give children a wide range of foods such as carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, fruits and vegetables. The diet given to infants and toddlers should be balanced to ensure the children get all the valuable nutrients needed for growth. Introducing solid foods early can reduce the valuable nutrients that infants get from breast milk and formula milk (Murtaugh, Lechtenberg, Krinkle & et al, 2011).
Infants and children who get the proper nutrition and acquire good eating habits from the begging develop a strong nutritional foundation. Hence, parents should ensure children get appropriate nutrition and acquire good eating habits to establish a clear nutritional foundation for the future (Pipes & Trahms, 1997).
Students can use different sources when writing their presentation on nutrition in toddlers and infants. Books, articles and websites provide sufficient information about the topic. The sources provide clear information that students can understand. I used books and websites when writing my presentation. Examples include http://www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/About-Baby-Friendly/Breastfeeding-in-the-UK/UK-Breastfeeding-rates/,http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/ among others
Reference
Murtaugh, M.A., Lechtenberg, E., Krinkle, U.B., & et al. (2011). Nutrition Through the Life Cycle. Cengage learning
Pipes, P.L., &Trahms, C.M. (1997). Nutrition. WCB
The baby friendly initiative. (2012). UK breast feeding rates. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/About-Baby-Friendly/Breastfeeding-in-the-UK/UK-Breastfeeding-rates/ on 11/12/2012
WHO. (2012). Breastfeeding. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/on 11/12/2012
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