یکی از مهمترین چالشهای هر پدر و مادری در سال اول تولد فرزندشان، تغذیه نوزاد است. تغذیه نوزاد، پایههای سلامت جسمانی او در سنین بزرگسالی را میگذارد. بهطور کلی، در 6 ماه نخست تولد، باید از شیر مادر و یا شیر خشک برای غذای نوزاد استفاده شود. با ورود به 6 ماهگی، مصرف غذاهای جامد نیز مجاز میشوند.
شیرخواران از یک سالگی به بعد، علاوه بر غذاهایی که خوردنشان را در سال اول زندگی یاد گرفته اند، باید از غذاي سفره خانواده نیز استفاده کنند. این کودکان رشد سریع دارند و مقاومت کافی در مقابل بسیاري از بیماري ها را هم ندارند و دندان هایشان نیز کامل نشده است. بنابراین باید در غذا دادن به آن ها، دو شرط اساسی زیر را رعایت کرد:
– غذاهایشان کم حجم، پرانرژي و زود هضم باشد.
– به دفعات زیاد در اختیار آنان قرار داده شود.
علاوه بر این، میزان رشد و فعالیت کودکان در سنین یک تا دو سالگی با کودکان سه ساله و بیشتر با هم فرق دارد و باید هنگام تغذیه آنان، این موضوع را نیز در نظر گرفت.
الف. Feeding a one- to two-year-old child
As it was said, this child has fast growth and a lot of activity, and as a result, he needs more food. But on the other hand, the volume of his stomach is small and his teeth are not perfect, so it is necessary to pay attention to the following points in feeding him:
- In addition to using breast milk, feed him 5 to 6 times a day.
- Give him cereals that the child is able to chew, such as rice in the form of different pieces mixed with vegetables, legumes and soft meats.
- If the child is constipated, in addition to vegetables (potato, carrot, pumpkin, green pepper, leafy greens, etc.) in preparing his soup, use peach, apricot and plum leaves in small quantities.
- Prepare the child's food clean and fully cooked and give it to him after cooling.
- Keep the rest of the food in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Help the child to eat by himself and make sure that he doesn't just eat stew and meat broth.
- Before you add pepper, spices or spicy seasonings to the family food. Take away his food.
- Add a little liquid oil or butter to the baby's food to make it stronger.
- When you want to give meat, chicken or fish to a child, cut it into pieces and take the bones and blades.
- Always give him liquids with a spoon or a cup.
How to wean a child:
In principle, it is better to wean the child gradually, thus first stop breastfeeding in the morning, and after one or two weeks, stop breastfeeding in the afternoon and finally at night, and when the child wants to breastfeed, do not force him away from you because the child may become nervous and upset.
Feeding a 3 to 5 year old child
After the age of two, as the growth slows down, the child's appetite also decreases. Therefore, according to the growth process of the child, the demand for food also changes. Although the amount of energy intake varies from one food to another, the total daily food intake of a child is constant. A child needs 1,000 kilocalories of energy at one year old and 1,300 kilocalories at the age of three.
Child food plan
In the child's food plan, 5 main food groups should be used, i.e. bread and grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products, and meat and its substitutes.
Energy:
A child needs energy for growth, play and other physical activities, to fight against infectious diseases, which can be provided by consuming sugary, starchy substances (bread, rice, etc.) and fats (butter and oil). Also, after illness, the child needs more energy to compensate for the lost weight.
Protein:
The child is growing and needs protein to build and maintain muscles, bones and other body tissues and to resist pathogens, which can be met by consuming animal protein sources such as red and white meat, milk, yogurt, cheese and eggs or plant proteins such as beans and grains (such as lentils and bread, rice milk)
Vitamins and minerals:
A child at this age needs various vitamins and minerals to maintain health and increase resistance to infections, and by daily consumption of food sources containing them, he can meet his needs, such as vitamin A, which is found in foods such as butter, liver, fruits such as apricots, cantaloupe, peaches, green and yellow vegetables such as carrots, squash, spinach and parsley.
Vitamin C (the most important sources of vitamin C are foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, parsley and cabbage). Calcium and phosphorus are found in foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream.
Vitamin D is provided by placing the child's hands, feet and face in direct sunlight for 10 minutes daily, and good sources of iron include red and white meat, legumes such as beans, lentils, and vegetables such as spinach and parsley.
The correct food pattern for children:
A suitable meal plan for children under 5 years of age should contain all the main food groups daily, including bread and cereals, fruits and vegetables, milk and vegetables, and meat and substitutes.
number of meals
The child should eat at least 5 meals a day, including three main meals and two snacks. A child's breakfast is his most important meal and its consumption makes him learn better and be more attentive. The child's meal plan should be adjusted in such a way that he eats breakfast with other family members in order to develop the habit of eating breakfast.
Snack
A snack is a short meal that is given to a child between two main meals. Since the child's stomach is small, but his need for energy is high, his needs are not met by eating three main meals. It should be remembered that the snack has only a small contribution in meeting the child's nutritional needs and will never replace the main meal. Therefore, snacks should be given to the child between the main meal so that there is a gap of 2-3 hours from the main meal.
Snacks such as pasteurized or boiled milk, bread and cheese, dates, biscuits, fruits and nuts such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, raisins, dried berries, etc. are suitable for feeding a child. Giving snacks such as puffs, ice cream, chips, etc. whose nutritional value is low, it should be avoided because eating these foods reduces the child's appetite and makes him unable to eat the main food.
Important behavioral points in child feeding
- The child should be in a comfortable position while eating and the food should be close to him so that the child can eat easily without being pressured.
- Plates and eating utensils should be unbreakable. Because if the dish is broken, the child may feel sad or the parents may get angry.
- The color of food affects the child's appetite and interest in food. Eating foods with green, orange and yellow colors is interesting for him. For example, you can use green leafy vegetables or carrots and tomatoes.
- Use natural fruit juice instead of industrial fruit juice, because artificial fruit juice has added sugar, color and flavoring.
- Eating at a certain time stimulates the child's appetite.
- A child's tiredness is the most important factor in destroying his appetite. It is better to feed the child after resting.
- It is very important to give the child enough time to eat, it is better to avoid haste while eating.
- Giving monotonous and repetitive food causes the child to dislike it. Even if the child's favorite food is given to him one after another, the child refuses to eat it.
- The child should be introduced to different types of food. It is better for an older member of the family to eat the new food first to be an example for the child.
- Immobility, insufficient sleep and the child's illness cause the child to lose appetite and not eat.
Some important tips for child food hygiene:
- Hands should be washed before and after preparing food.
- Foods should be cooked well. Because heat destroys pathogenic microbes and the risk of possible food contamination due to heat is eliminated.
- Baby food should be prepared fresh for each meal, and the time between the time the baby food is cooked and the time it is fed to the baby should not be long, because there is a possibility that microbes will multiply in the food.
- Cooked food should be stored properly. The remaining food should be cooled immediately and kept in a closed container in the refrigerator.
- Healthy and clean food should be used in the preparation of baby food.
- Use healthy water for drinking and preparing food.
- Food should be kept away from the reach of insects and rodents. For this purpose, food should be kept in a container with a lid and away from the reach of animals and insects, because animals carry pathogenic microbes.
