A big spoonful of help

Macronutrients are essential nutrients that aid in the process of growth and development of your child. The three types of macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They make up a major part of the food that we consume. Out of these, proteins participate in important biological process. This makes proteins vital for your baby’s health and nourishment. It is important that your infant's diet contains an adequate amount of proteins. This makes proteins one of the most important nutrients your baby needs.

At the onset of summer, you realise that your baby’s craving for food reduces considerably. The summer heat makes her grumpy and she refuses to eat. Lack of nutritious food intake could become a cause for constant worry, as it most certainly will affect your little one’s health.

As your bundle of joy reaches 6 months of age, complimentary food in the form of mashed or pureed becomes a part of their daily nutrition intake. These soft lumps or puree food help the baby to develop chewing skills and strengthens the tongue, which aids in speech development.

 It is recommended that babies be breastfed up to the age of 1 year. Due to change in dietary requirements from 6 months onwards, babies need to be given solid food.

Along with consuming breastmilk, your child needs food rich in sodium, zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamins, and minerals. Micronutrients are essential for growth and development of your child’s body. These can be incorporated into your child’s meal plan in the form of these 5 food types.

While it is necessary to provide your child with essential nutrients like iron, sodium, etc, ensure that they get adequate amounts of macronutrients like carbs, fats, and proteins. However, you must watch out for the signs of an overdose of these macronutrients. If given in excess quantities, they can have serious consequences on your child’s health.

Babies need fats in substantial amount until the age of 12 months. This time period is extremely crucial as every stage of this 12 month period is contributing to the child’s normal growth which includes cognitive development such as perception, thought, memory, language, and physical condition.

During initial stages, an infant’s only source of food is the breast milk. Starting at the age of 6 months, the infant is ready for solid food intake as it is essential for proper growth and development. An important nutrient to add to your infant’s diet is carbohydrates. Digestible carbohydrate like lactose is present in a variety of baby foods, including breast milk, and serve the following purposes for your infant.

Feeding your newborn baby is a task which needs serious and focussed attention from you as a parent. Feeding if done with due consideration and awareness helps to establish a deeper, emotional bond with your ‘bundle of joy’.