Here are some important stations in this journey of digestion:
Mouth: The Beginning of the Journey
Owing to limited stomach capacity of your toddler, try to give 6–8 small meals of nutrient dense foods throughout the day instead of 3 large meals.
Chewing by teeth and swallowing with saliva help break down the food and make it mushy and easy to swallow. Not just that, your baby’s saliva also starts breaking down certain nutrients.
Oesophagus: A Bridge between the Mouth and the Stomach
Tongue pushes the swallowed food into oesophagus, a tube which joins mouth to the stomach. Near to oesophagus is the windpipe, which is the airway for breathing and is protected by a flap called epiglottis to prevent choking while eating.
Stomach: Where all the Churning Happens
Soft lumps of food now enter the stomach, which has three functions—storing the food, churning the food with the help of digestive juices and emptying the liquid mixture into small intestine. Toddlers have small tummies so give them nutrient-dense foods rather than only fatty and sugary foods.
Small Intestine: The Absorption Junction of Nutrients
In this long curled up tube, most of the nutrients are absorbed from the food into the blood.
Large Intestine: The Last Stop
The large intestine is fatter than the small intestine. Water and remaining minerals are absorbed in the large intestine. All the undigested food is stored here until you go to the toilet.
Try not to force your child to eat, as he or she knows when he or she feels hungry or full. Take care of your child’s digestive system by providing nutritious, fibre-rich foods and adequate water.
A healthy digestive system means a healthy growing kid!!!
0 reviews