Baby Health

Healthy Nutrition For Your Baby

Every new parent wants what’s best for their newborn including good nutrition which affords parents the opportunity to give their baby a healthy start in life.

Many times, parents don’t consider how much of an influence this can have on their child’s health from immune system development through adequate nutrition. This article will give basic tips for parents in order to aid in the healthy development of an infant’s immune system through pregnancy and into the first year.

Pregnancy: Women should keep in mind that what they eat has a direct effect on their unborn child. Having a good source of minerals, vitamins and other assorted supplements as well as maintaining proper hydration will keep mom-to-be remain healthy.

Supporting an infant’s immune system and its development is something that experts recommend and they also state that eating protein-rich foods like lean meats, soy, legumes and foods like broccoli, blueberries and red potatoes which are rich in antioxidants.

The First Year: Prior to giving birth, babies develop and receive antibodies from the mother. Antibodies from the mother provide the baby’s initial immunity, but it declines rapidly after birth. As a baby develops, they begin to take on their own antibodies as the mother’s begins to decline.

Breast-feeding is another highly recommended way for passing on the immune protection in the form of antibodies to the infant after birth. It is advised that a mother should breast-feed for at least the first year of life.

Antibodies help keep an infant healthy; this is the position of Bridget Swinney, dietician, mother and author of “Healthy Food for Healthy Kids: A Practical and Tasty Guide to Your Child’s Nutrition.” According to Swinney, if a mom opts for infant formula or supplements it, she should look for an iron-fortified formula that is pretty close to breast milk such as Similac Advance.

Infant formulas offer specific breast milk nucleotides which are compounds, and clinical research has shown that Similac Advance’s blend of nucleotides helps in the development of the infant’s immune system.

Lisa is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses. Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company, public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa’s blog from her website.