Infancy and

Nutrition
Prepared by: FE ANN V. VILLAFUERTE
During Infancy, when do you
start to prepare food for your
baby?
 Introduction

Nutrition during infancy lays the foundation

for health.
Proper infant nutrition is very important for
the first year of life due to rapid growth and
development.
Too much or too little of any food or fluids
can potentially lead to health problems.
 What is Infancy?

The term infant is derived from the Latin

word infans, which means “unable to speak.”

Infants are defined as the ages from 1 month

- 12 months.

Newborn ages from 0 - 1 month

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the most natural and normal way

of providing all the required nutrients to the infants
that are essential for their healthy development
and growth.
 Growth and Development of
the Infant

Birth weight doubles by 5 months and triples

by 1 year
Height increases about a foot each year
Teeth erupt at about 6 months and may have
6-8 teet by 1 year
By 1 year, infants are able to feed themselves
 Infant Nutritional Pattern

FROM BIRTH - 1 MONTH

Eats every 2 - 3 hours, breastfeed or bottle
2-3 ounces (60-90 mL) per feeding
 Infant Nutritional Pattern

FROM 2 - 4 MONTHS
has coordinated suck-swallow
Eats every 3-4 hours
3-4 ounces (90-12 mL) per feeding
 Infant Nutritional Pattern

FROM 4 - 6 MONTHS
Eats 4 or more times everyday
4-5 ounces (100-150 mL) per feeding
 Infant Nutritional Pattern

FROM 6 - 8 MONTHS
Eats baby food such as rice cereal, fruits and vegetables
Eats 4 times daily
6-8 ounces (160-225 mL) per feeding
 Infant Nutritional Pattern

FROM 8-10 MONTHS

Enjoy soft finger foods
Eats 4 times daily
6 ounces (160 mL) per feeding
 Infant Nutritional Pattern

FROM 10 - 12 MONTHS
Eats most soft table foods with family
Uses cup with or without lid
Attempts to feed self with spoon though spills often
Eats 4 times daily
6 - 8 ounces (160-225 mL) per feeding
 NUTRITION FOR GROWING
BABY

Some of the nutrients babies need to grow and stay healthy

include:
Calcium
Fat
Folate
Iron
Protein and carbohydrates
Zinc
 NUTRITION FOR GROWING
BABY

Babies also needs vitamins such as:

Vitamin A Vitamin B12

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) Vitamin C.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) Vitamin D
Vitamin B3 (niacin) Vitamin E
Vitamin B6. Vitamin K
 10 FOODS BEST FOR INFANTS

Breastmilk Cereals Rootcrops Fruits Yellow

Vegetables

Egg Legumes/ Meat/ Other foods Water

Beans Fish like Biscuits
 Introduction of Solid foods in Infancy
Recommendations

Introduce rice meal at 4 - 6 months

Introduce fruits and vegetables at 6-8
months
Introduce meats at 8-10 months
Use single-food prepared baby foods rather
than combination meals
 Introduction of Solid foods in Infancy
Recommendations

Most importantly, introduce a new food at a

time, waiting at least 3 days to introduce
another because if a food allergy or
intolerance develops, it will easy to identify
Avoid carrots, beets and spinach before 4
months of age
 Introduction of Solid foods in Infancy
Recommendations

Infants can be fed mashed portions of table

foods such as carrots, rice, and potatoes
Avoid adding sugar, salt and spices when
mixing own baby foods
Avoid honey until 1 year of age.
Feeding Problems during
Infancy

Parents should be mindful of certain feeding problems that

may arise during infancy.
Certain foods are choking hazards, including foods with skins
or foods that are very small, such as grapes. Other examples
of potential choking hazards include raw carrots and apples,
raisins, and hard candy.
Parents should also avoid adding salt or seasonings to an
infant’s food.
 Feeding Problems during
Infancy

Feeding problems occur when babies;

refuse food,
eat small amounts of food,
eat a limited variety of food,
have problems digesting food,
With infants who are still on breast milk or formula, this
can mean things like ineffective sucking, spitting up too
much, or refusing the nipple or bottle.
Reference: