Feeding your baby

A step-by-step guide
to nutritional care
Because healthy babies
are happy babies
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Breast milk is the best food for babies, and you
should continue breast feeding as long as possible.
Breast milk contains the right balance of proteins,
fats, carbohydrates and other nutrients. It also
contains antibacterial substances, called antibodies,
which help protect your infant from disease. Breast
milk, along with nutrients which your baby stores
in her body while still in the womb, provide all the
essential building materials for optimal growth during
the first 6 months of life.
Breast
feeding tips
>A vitamin D
supplement may be
recommended while
your baby is being
breast fed. Consult
your doctor.
>After 6 months of
age, breast-fed
babies may need an
iron supplement.
Consult your doctor.
Breast feeding:
a natural source of
good nutrition
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Give your baby the
best start in life
Proper nutrition is crucial to good health throughout
life but is particularly important during your baby’s
first year. Never again will growth be so rapid or
diet so influential in your child’s development. Your
baby’s diet must provide enough nutrition to ensure
a normal growth rate, and should not contain an
excess or deficiency of any nutrient. Food must also
be carefully chosen to match your baby’s stage of
development, so it is easily used by the body. Finally,
as you feed your baby, you should remember that the
eating habits established now will last a lifetime.
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Bottlefeeding tips
>Test the temperature
of milk by letting a
few drops fall on the
inside of your wrist.
>Never leave your
baby alone with a
bottle.
If you cannot breast
feed, an infant
formula will meet
your baby’s needs
Breast feeding is best begun immediately after
birth but there may be reasons why you have to
reduce or stop breast feeding after a while or
cannot breast feed your baby at all. Whenever you
start feeding your baby with infant milk from a
bottle, be confident that this is the right thing for
you to do in your particular situation. Today’s infant
milk manufacturers use scientific research to
constantly improve their products. There are also
special formulas to meet some babies’ particular
needs or for certain times during the first year of
their lives.
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Tips
for weaning
>Start with semi liquid food and
decrease the amount
of liquid as your baby grows accustomed to swallowing.
>Make sure your
child’s juice intake
is as low as possible
- fruit juice should
not replace milk and
too much of it is
unhealthy. Always
dilute fruit juice with
water during weaning.
>Never offer food in
a bottle.
When should you
give your baby solid
foods?
Introducing your baby to solid foods and fruit juices
should be a gradual process of one-food-at-a-time.
Your doctor will advise you when to start solid
feeding. It’s usually at 4-6 months, depending on the
individual needs of your infant.
At this time, your baby’s digestive tract is able
to handle solid food better. Throughout the first
year, the digestive system constantly improves its
ability to break down food. Enzyme systems become
a stronger barrier against proteins which may cause
allergic reactions.
Nature has also planned it so that at the age of 6
months, the nutrients (especially iron) which have
been stored in a baby’s body start to deplete. As a
result, they will now need additional nutrients which
breast milk or formula alone cannot supply.
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Ready, Set, Go…
but how?
Your baby may be physically ready to discover new
foods and textures but starting solid foods can be
challenging for both of you. So a lot of patience is
required! Make it fun and give your baby plenty of
time to practise getting used to this new experience.
Milupa Baby Cereals can help to make the first allimportant step much easier.
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Here are some tips
to get you started…
>Let your baby play with a spoon.
This will help him get used to the
feeling of a spoon in his mouth.
>Relax and be positive!
>Hold your baby on your lap like you
would do if you were breast
feeding, or put him in a baby chair.
>Start with a very small amount of
Milupa Starter Cereal (1-2 tsp or
5-10 ml).
>Put the spoon between your baby’s
lips so he can suck from it. Pushing
the spoon in too far could cause
gagging.
>Introduce one new food at a time
and wait a few days before
introducing something else. That
will make it easier to detect any
food allergies.
>Never force your baby to eat.
If he refuses a particular food at
first, try again in a week or two.
>Introduce new foods when your
baby is happy, hungry and not
sleepy. Postpone the introduction of
solids if he is teething or ill.
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Starter
cereals
How can Milupa baby
cereals make it
easier to start your
baby on solid foods?
Milupa Baby Cereals are made from superiorquality wholesome ingredients. They provide the
recommended distribution of nutrients for your
growing baby, keeping pace with her development.
All the cereals are made without added salt or
preservatives and contain only vitamins and minerals
(including iron) which are essential for your baby’s
healthy development. Milupa Baby Cereals are
economical too. They already contain milk, so you just
need to add water.
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Cereals with
single fruits
NOTE:
Through the first year
of life, breast feeding
or infant formula will
continue to be the
basic food for your
baby. Quantities may
decrease a little at
around 9 months of
age, but no other food
can replace it.
Once your baby is eating Starter Cereals without
difficulty, it is time to add food from a new food
group: fruit and vegetables. Milupa Baby Cereals
can help your baby through this stage of nutritional
development, because they are available in a number
of varieties which include milk adapted to your
baby’s needs, cereal and one fruit (Apples, Pears or
Raspberry).
Rice Cereal is the first
solid food recommended
because it is the least
allergic of all foods.
When your baby readily
accepts Milupa Rice,
you can introduce other
foods.
The next cereal to try
is Milupa Rice & Corn
Cereals.
You can add foods from this group in any order you
wish – just remember to allow a few days between
adding something else to your baby’s diet. However,
you should not begin feeding your baby mixed
varieties until she is accustomed to the taste of
single cereals, fruits and vegetables.
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There are different
infant formulas and
growing up milk for
toddlers up to the
age of 3, as cow’s
milk does not provide
the right amounts of
nutrients for children
of this age.
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The importance of
chewing
Unlike automatic movements, such as sucking and
biting, chewing must be learned. One of the most
important functions of chewing is its contribution to
the development of speech. The tongue, teeth, lips
and facial muscles used in chewing are also used in
speaking. Chewing provides early practice for these
muscles, which is vital when your baby is learning to
talk.
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Mixed cereals with
fruit & vegetables
From 9 months of age, your baby’s digestive system
will be sufficiently developed and accustomed
to enough new foods for you to introduce mixed
vegetables, mixed fruits and mixed cereals to her
diet.
Tips for 9
to 12 months
The period between the ages of 7 to 9 months is very
important in the development of your baby’s “chewing
habits”. While you should always watch what babies
put in their mouths, it is important to encourage the
natural tendency to chew.
By carefully selecting the right foods, you can help
your baby easily discover new tastes and textures.
Try the following varieties:
>Milupa Rice & Wheat, 4 Fruits
>Milupa Mixed Cereals & Fruits
>Milupa Corn Cereal & Vegetables
>Milupa Wheat Cereals, Yogurt & Raspberry
At about 9 months of age, your baby will be ready for
the extra protein and minerals provided by meat and
meat substitutes. You can also start with other solid
foods. Yogurt, cottage cheese and ground meat are
easy additions to the Milupa Baby Cereals diet.
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> One of the easiest
ways to encourage
chewing is through
your choice of foods.
The introduction of
mashed fruit and
vegetables at this
age provides texture,
which invites chewing.
> Between 10 and 12
months, minced
meats will help to
develop the chewing
pattern. Mixing
minced meats with
pureed meats may
help your baby
accept them better.
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What’s on the menu
the first year?
4 - 6 MONTHS
Early morning • Breast milk or infant formula
Breakfast
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Milupa Starter Cereal
Lunch • Breast milk or infant formula
Supper
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Mashed or pureed fruit or vegetables
(if suitable for your baby’s development)
Evening
6 - 9 MONTHS
Breakfast
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Milupa Starter Cereal or From 6 months Cereal
Morning snack • Mashed or pureed unsweetened fruit
Lunch • Breast milk or infant formula
• Bread mixed with some breast milk or formula
Supper
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Mashed or pureed vegetables
Evening
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Breast milk or infant formula
9 - 12 MONTHS
Breakfast
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Milupa - From 8 months Cereals
Morning snack • Finger food
• Unsweetened and diluted fruit juice
Lunch
• Breast milk or infant formula
• Bread/toast with margarine, cheese spread or jam
afternoon snack• Mashed or small pieces of fruit
supper
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• Breast milk or infant formula
• Home-made or ready-made baby meal
• Yogurt or other dairy dessert
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Milupa Cereals are
available in 12 healthy
flavours
Starter cereal:
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Tips for
12 months +
>Your baby is
definitely ready to
chew. Help develop
chewing skills by only
offering food that
has been cut into fine pieces or ground.
>Give your child bread
crusts, cut-up fruit
and small pieces of
slightly cooked
vegetables.
Time for growing up
milk & new textures
Milupa Toddler Cereals are specially formulated for
12 months and up. They are made from wholesome
ingredients and contain essential vitamins and
minerals including iron. Milupa Toddler Cereals
already include growing up milk, so all you have to do
is add water.
By 12 months, most babies will be drinking from a
cup and are also more interested in self feeding.
Encourage them to do it... even if it is messy!
Always keep an eye on your baby to prevent choking.
> Rice Cereal
> Rice & Corn Cereals
From 6 months:
> Oatmeal Cereal, Apples
> Rice Cereal, Raspberry
> Wheat Cereal, Pears
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From 8 months:
Wheat & Rice Cereals, 4 Fruits
Mixed Cereals, Fruits
Corn Cereals, Vegetables
Wheat Cereals, Yogurt & Raspberry
From 12 months:
> Rice Cereal, Yogurt, Apples & Bananas
> Rice Cereal, Yogurt & Fruits
> Wheat & Rice Cereals, Biscuits & Fruits
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Tips for
healthy diet
To eat a healthy,
balanced diet, a
toddler should have
each day:
>bread
>potato, rice, pasta
or beans
>vegetables
>fruit
>cheese or other dairy
products
>meat, fish, poultry,
eggs or vegetarian
substitutes
>margarine and
unsaturated fats
>liquids
Milupa cereals offer
excellent value
Tips for
fussy eaters
A Milupa Baby Cereal is more than just cereal.
Every pack contains milk that ensures the perfect
balance of nutrients required for proper growth and
development. With most other infant cereals, you
must add breast milk, infant formula, juice or milk to
be nutritionally complete. As Milupa Cereals contain
milk that provides the vitamins and minerals a growing
infant needs, you only need to add water.
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Toddler nutrition
(1-3 years)
Toddlers should be eating with the family, but you
will still need to make sure they eat the right foods
at the right time. It is also important that they drink
plenty of growing up milk – but give it to them after
their meal. Otherwise it will fill up their tummy too
much and there’ll be no room left for food.
Amounts will vary,
depending on what you
are cooking that day
and your child’s size,
appetite and willingness
to eat!
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Does your toddler
have an irregular
appetite?
Toddlers’ appetites can change from day to day. They
may only want small portions or even refuse to eat
at all. Don’t panic! As growth slows down, your child’s
appetite will drop off. If experiencing normal growth,
there is no need to worry. Your baby’s appetite tends
to stabilize at around 2 years of age.
One thing you can do is to serve smaller portions at
a time and then add more if your baby is still hungry.
While your child’s diet should now include a variety
of fruits, vegetables and meats, there is still good
reason to offer extra nutrition to fill the gaps. Milupa
Toddler Cereals are an excellent choice for this.
They also provide a good source of iron, which is so
important in your toddler’s diet.
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>Arrange for your
child to eat with
other children.
>Involve your toddler
in preparing the meal.
>Make eating fun,
make shapes on the
plate, sing songs
about it.
>Praise your toddler if
she eats well.
>Offer healthy finger
foods.
>Make sure there’s a
relaxed environment
with no distractions
like TV or toys.
>Never rush meals,
know when your child
has had enough and
remove uneaten food
without comment.
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We hope this booklet will be of
use to you during the fascinating,
if sometimes frustrating process
of feeding your baby and young
child.
For more information about Milupa products and their use, contact our consumer service:
MILUPA, 2300 Monterey Road, Laval, Quebec, H7L 3H9 TEL: 1-866-335-9080 or visit our website:
www.milupa.ca
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