Age-Appropriate Nutrition and Exercise: A Brief Guide for New Moms
Summary: Many children face the agonizing effects of child obesity and physiological ailments due to poor nutrition. What most parents do not understand is that children cannot be just fed anything that has a label of ‘good nutrition’ on it. Children require diet according to their age; only age-appropriate nutrition can help children grow into strong individuals.
Being a new mother can be quite challenging, especially in the early stages when your child is only a few months old. Most new mothers find it hard to follow a proper nutrition plan for their babies, which can, in the long run, affect the baby’s health. Below, we will discover the right nutrition and exercise guidelines for new moms.
Nutrition for the Babies
4-6 months
For the first 4-6 months, rely on single-grain cereals. Cereals are rich in fortifying iron and other essential nutrients that help with the overall development.
6-8 months
The staple food for 6-8 months old child should include:
- Pureed fruits such as bananas, apples, pears, prunes and apricots
- Yogurt
- Pureed vegetables such as avocados, peas, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes and squash
- Protein: Cooked chicken and boneless fish
8-10 months
For 8-10 months old babies, use the diet plan mentioned below:
- Egg: only yolks, no whites in breakfast
- Fruits and vegetables: Mash a variety of vegetables and fruits and use them throughout the day.
- Cooked pasta and rice once or twice a week
- Dairy: Small amount of pasteurized cheese or cottage cheese
10-12 months
10-12 month of children are old enough to have high calorie foods, but make sure that everything is in balance; do not let your children devour just about anything. Unless your kid has allergies, he can eat about anything. Introduce all kinds of fruits and vegetables in the first few years; this is usually the time when children develop a taste for certain foods.
Physical Activity for Babies
There is a very wrong conception regarding keeping the newborn babies in one place until they are old enough to walk. Research shows that children should be exposed to physical activity by the time they are 2-3 months old. There are very specific types of physical movements that can help babies get the physical strength that require for proper growth. Introduce your baby to all kinds of indoor activities until he is old enough to use the outdoor playground equipment.
By the time your baby is 2-3 months old, make sure that he has ample opportunities to reach, grab, pull and push. One way to ensure that is through age-appropriate toys. Here are some of the things that you can do to get your baby moving:
- Buy age-appropriate toys for your baby. The toys should encourage the babies to reach for objects and have certain physical movements.
- Throughout the day, move the legs and arms of your baby in gentle motion.
- Engage your baby in supervised floor activity.
- Once your baby learns to move around, increase the time for physical activity and introduce more active toys.
- Get a baby stroller and let your child develop motor skills.
- Once a week, hang out in the nearest playground and engage your child with pre-school playground equipment.
Being strapped into a car seat, or being glued to a single place for long periods of time is not good for your baby’s health. Movement is essential for both cognitive and physical development of your baby; therefore, make sure that your child gets ample activity before he starts school.