Giving babies a good start

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 322, 6 February 1990, Page 10

Giving babies a good start

For the first six months of life milk alone, the best being breast milk, and then formula milk, is the most important food to give. It provides all the nutritional requirements your baby needs.

It is important not to give your baby ordinary bottled or cartoned cows milk too soon, definitely not before six months of age and preferably not under 1 year. The reason for this is that the protein is cows milk is different to that of breast or

formula milk and it forms large curds which are difficult for a young baby to digest. These tough curds can cause damage and bleeding to the baby's delicate digestive system and can ultimately lead to severe anaemia. Anaemia is the lack of

red blood cells used to carry oxygen around the body. If the level of red blood cells gets too low heart failure can result. In New Zealand this condition is still not rare, it is dangerous to the health of young infants, and can be fatal. Cows milk also contains too much salt which can affect baby's water balance. If you are unable to breast feed your child then there are many acceptable formula milk substitutes. Your chemist, local plunket or public health nurse or community midwife can advise you about these. With bottle feeding, ensure the bottle is properly sterilised. This can be done by using a commercial sterilising liquid eg: Milton; washing bottles and teats in hot, soapy water and rinsing them well in hot clean water; or by rinsing and boiling them in a large saucepan of water (ensuring the bottle is also full of water). If baby does not finish its feed at one time the remaining milk should be disposed of. On to solids Babies cannot digest solid food properly before four months old. At about that age they often appear hungrier and are wanting to try out new tastes.

Good foods to start with are ripe, well mashed banana, apple puree or baby rice or farex mixed with breast milk or formula to a sloppy consistency. offer solids after the milk feed and only one or two teaspoons to start with. Begin virtually after the evening feed, then lunch time feed and lastly after breakfast time feed. About one month later introduce vegetables, in combinations of two to begin with, introducing new combinations three or four days apart. Do not add salt or sugar to baby's food. Babies do not know the difference and these additives can lead to health and obesity problems later. From about six months baby can be having three solid meals a day of about half to 3/4 of a cup full at each meal depending on appetite. Reverse the order now and give milk feeds after solids. Remember to decrease milk feeds as baby's appetite for solid food increases. By 10-12 months baby can enjoy the same kind of meals as the rest of the family but offer a wide variety of well mashed and chopped food. Try and make your own food for baby - it is cheaper and more nutritious than Turnpage 11

Babies

FrompagelO tinned baby food. Try offering baby water or milk in a feeding cup from about six months of age. This will get them accustomed to eventually drinking from a cup. Avoid giving your baby a bottle to take to bed as the fluid sits around baby's mouth all night and will lead to severe tooth decay and ear infections. Give the bottle before putting your baby to bed.

Helen Pocknall Public Health Nurse