Baby’s First 6 Months: Your baby is growing fast! They’ll double their weight by 6 months and triple it by a year. To fuel this growth, they need nutrients – more than at any other time.
The best source? Breast milk! It’s packed with everything your baby needs. But formula is a good alternative if needed.
Key nutrients for your baby:
Your growing baby requires various essential nutrients for development, such as
- Calcium: Strong bones and teeth
- Fat: Brain development, energy, healthy skin and hair
- Folate: Cell growth
- Iron: Blood cells, brain development (breastfed babies need supplements)
- Protein and carbs: Energy and growth
- Zinc: Cell health and repair
- Vitamins:
- A: Healthy skin, hair, vision, immune system
- B vitamins: Energy production, cell protection
- C: Infection protection, bone and muscle building, wound healing
- D: Calcium absorption, healthy bones and teeth (breastfed babies may need supplements)
- E: Cell protection, immune system support
- K: Blood clotting
Formula for Baby’s First 6 Months
- Made from cow’s milk, fortified to mimic breast milk.
- Contains key nutrients like carbs, iron, protein, minerals, and vitamins.
- Certain formulas go further by incorporating additional elements to resemble breast milk more closely, such as:
- Essential fatty acids like ARA and DHA: Important for brain and vision development.
- Nucleotides: Building blocks for RNA and DNA, may boost immune system enhancement and digestive organ development.
- Probiotics and prebiotics: to foster “good” bacteria in the gut, potentially aiding in preventing conditions like eczema..
Special needs for Baby’s First 6 Months
- Premature or low birth weight babies: Need special formula with extra nutrients for catch-up growth.
What to avoid:
- Whole cow’s milk before 1 year: Lacks key nutrients and has too much protein, sodium, and potassium.
- Soy milk or homemade formula: May lack the balanced nutrition your baby needs.
Remember: Talk to your doctor about any concerns about your baby’s First 6 Months nutrition. They can help you choose the best option for your little one.
