HEALTHY BEGINNINGS
nosh magazine
7 TIPS FOR
Emily Greenfield provides parents with advice about common
nutrition issues.
TIP 1: Coffee and breastfeeding
TIP 6: Food containing alcohol
La Leche League states that the amount of caffeine in five or fewer
cups of coffee (less than 750mL) will not pose a risk to the
breastfed infant. However, cigarette smoking may compound the
effects of caffeine in breastfed infants, so mothers who choose to
continue smoking during breastfeeding should limit their
consumption of caffeinated beverages.
When asked if it’s okay to feed your toddler a stew or something that
has been cooked with about a cup of red wine in it, the answer
depends on how long the stew is cooked for. About 3/4 of alcohol is
lost after an hour of cooking and almost nothing is left after two hours.
TIP 2: From bottle to a sippy cup
F
A sippy cup can be introduced from six months of age, to teach
infants the skill of sipping from a cup. From 12 months of age, the
preferred drinks of water and full fat milk should be offered in a
cup rather than a bottle. Try gradually eliminating the bottle by
introducing a cup for one of the daytime feeds. After a week of
this, you can then work on replacing the other day time bottle with
a cup and then finally replacing the night time bottle.
TIP 7: Fruit juices
Fruit juices should not be given to infants under 12 months of age
and should not be considered as a replacement for fruit at any age.
Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits over whole fruit for infants
older than six months and children. Overconsumption of fruit
juices and drinks have been linked to obesity, under-nutrition,
decreased appetite and a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms. N
TIP 3: First foods
As long as iron-rich foods are included in first foods, “solids” can
be introduced in any order and at a rate that suits your infant.
Iron-rich foods include iron-enriched infant cereals, pureed meat,
poultry and fish (all sources of haem iron), or cooked tofu and
legumes. Vegetables, fruits, and dairy products such as full fat
yoghurt, cheese and custard can then be added.
TIP 4: No honey?
Honey should not be given to infants aged under 12 months of age,
because it can contain the spores of clostridium botulinum,
which cause infant botulism. This illness can hamper an
infant’s ability to move, eat and breathe.
TIP 5: Raw egg yolks
Infants should not be fed raw egg yolks due to the
small risk of salmonella poisoning. Cook all eggs
thoroughly until the white is set and the yolk
begins to thicken.
Emily Greenfield, APD
Learn more about Emily: website | profile
Emily is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who believes improving food and nutrition in
infants and children is the key to a healthy future. She is mum to one toddler and
understands the nutritional challenges faced by busy parents today. To help families make
better food choices, Emily translates current nutritional research, guidelines and news
into practical advice and delicious healthy recipe ideas.
www.n4foodandhealth.com
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