Baby care

Breast milk is the perfect food for a baby, it contains all the nutrition your baby needs for the six months, with the added bonus of antibodies and other properties important to baby’s health and development. Health authorities recommend that you breastfeed your baby for at least six months if possible.

1. Infant formula is the only suitable alternative to breastmilk. It is modified to meet baby’s needs and must always be mixed according to the directions on the container.
2. Babies don’t need to start on other foods until they are ready which is normally around the age of six months. The ideal first food is a baby cereal mixed with baby’s regular milk, followed by fruit and vegetable purees introduced one at a time. In the beginning baby needs to be offered his regular milk (breast or formula) before he is offered solids.
3. Introduce lumpy foods after three to five weeks of pureed food. Gradually make it more and more lumpy because this will help baby learn to chew even if she has no teeth. Add finger foods to baby’s diet around about eight months. By the time baby reaches her first birthday she should be eating regular family food with some modifications. Ready made baby food in cans, jars or frozen is ideal as an occasional meal but is not suitable for everyday use.
4. Keep meal times relaxed, offer baby a variety of healthy choices and never force him to ‘eat up’. If he is hungry you can always offer him more.
5. Babies don’t need sugary foods, salty, fatty foods or fast foods. Low fat foods are also not acceptable, baby needs nutritious choices.
6. Soft drinks are not suitable for babies or toddlers. Milk and water are all baby needs with occasional juice drinks, watered down 50/50. At meal times baby should be offered water to drink.
7. Iron and calcium are important nutrients in a baby’s diet. Iron can be found in breast milk, lean meat, chicken, eggs, fish, legumes, fortified baby cereals, wholegrain cereals, dried fruits and dark green leafy vegetables. Calcium is found in breast milk and infant formula, dairy products, calcium fortified soy products, tinned sardines and salmon.
8. Learn to read the labels on food you buy in the supermarket. Ingredients are listed in order with the greatest quantity first. If you find ingredients you would not normally put into your baby’s meal then don’t buy the product.
9. Be careful when you prepare the family’s food. Always wash your hands before handling food and keep raw and cooked foods separate. You can find out more about hygiene and food

Brest Milk – Best for kids’ Brain

Which milk is most beneficial and valuable? Many may think of cow milk or goat milk. Wrong. The best milk is breast milk which is beneficial especially for young babies. Breast milk contains essential ingredients for growth and development of babies. Breast feeding means mothers can spend more time with their babies strengthening the deep ties between them. Breast milk makes babies strong and healthy both mentally and physically. Babies who are fed with breast milk are lively and playful with strong immune system. They are intelligent and their development on language are faster than children who are not fed with breast milk.

Breast milk is considered a large capital for baby's brain development. Nature has allocated cow milk for its calves; goat milk for baby goats and breast milk is for human babies.

Breast milk contains essential fat which will coat the baby nerves in the brain encouraging a network that helps baby to response effectively to stimulant. Protein in breast milk will further reduce allergy. Nutrients in breast milk will decrease a chance for baby against infections. Babies are strong and healthy without any chances to get very sick. All these benefits are not found in animal's milk.

Exercise during pregnancy prepared me for a sound delivery. However, I was worried as I did not have enough breast milk. I ate anything that support production of breast milk: - our Thai vegetable soup ( chicken with ginger. I drank 4.5-5 litres of clean water. After 2 weeks, my breast milk was normal. I did everything for my child so that he would be breast fed. I want to give him the best of everything. I know how beneficial breast milk is for babies. I have spent a lot of time with my baby. We have had a very strong connection. He was always in good mood. His eyes sparkle. He could develop very well especially with language. My baby is intelligent and sharp".

Any mothers who are pregnant or are still giving powdered milk or cow milk to your babies, may be this is the time to pay attention to this natural behaviour. It is most possible the next "Genius", may be very near you-your very own child.

Food for baby

Each baby is different: some may need food mother milk other than milk sooner than others, and as there is no Baby it is hard to tell the nutritional requirements of any given baby. Babies typically move to consuming baby food once nursing or formula is not sufficient for the child's appetite. Babies do not need to have teeth to transition to eating solid foods. Teeth, however, normally do begin to show up at this age. Care should be taken with certain foods that pose a choking hazard such and hot dogs, popcorn, grapes, and hard candy. No salt should be added to baby food as babies´ kidneys are not ready for salt^]

Babies should begin eating liquid style baby food, sometimes mixed with rice cereal and formula. Then as baby is better able to chew, small, soft pieces or lumps may be included. Care should be taken, as babies with teeth have the ability to break of pieces of food but they do not possess the back molars to grind, so parents should carefully mash or break baby food into manageable pieces for baby. Around 9 months of age, babies may begin to feed themselves (picking up food pieces with hands, using the pincer grasp- thumb and forefinger) with help from parents.

It is often recommended to give a baby solid food at around 6 months of age, but babies differ greatly. The only good way to know when to introduce baby food is to watch for signs of readiness in the child. Signs of readiness include the ability to sit without help and the display of active interest in food that others are eating. A baby may be started directly on normal family food if attention is given to choking hazards. Because breast milk takes on the flavor of foods eaten by the mother, these foods are especially good choices.