Diet during infancy

1. 1

2. Objectives
- State the effect that inadequate nutrition
has on an infant.
- Discuss positive aspects of breastfeeding
and bottle feeding.
- Describe when and how foods are
introduced into the baby’s diet.
- Describe inborn errors of metabolism and
their dietary treatment.
2

3. Breastfeeding:
- Is the feeding of an infant or young child
with breast milk directly from female
human breasts.
- Breast should be offered every 2 hours in
the first few weeks.
3

4. - The infant should nurse 10–15 minutes on
each breast.
- Breastfeeding is also beneficial to
mothers (less risk of breast cancer and
osteoporosis).
4

5. Advantages of Brest feeding:
1- Provides infant with temporary
immunity to many infectious diseases.
2- It is economical, nutritionally perfect,
and sterile.
3- Breast milk is easily digested.
4- Breastfed infants have fewer infections.
5- Breastfeeding promotes oral motor
development.
5

6. Colostrum:
- Is thin yellow fluid first secreted by the
mammary gland a few days before and
after childbirth.
- Contains up to 20% more protein, more
minerals and less lactose and fat than
mature milk
- Contains immunoglobulin's representing
the antibodies found in maternal blood
6

7. Indications of adequate nutrition
include:
- The infant has six or more wet diapers
per day.
- The infant has normal growth.
- The infant has 1–2 bowel movements
per day.
- The breast becomes less full during
nursing.
7

8. Bottle Feeding
- Formulas are made from modified cow’s
milk to resemble breast milk in value.
- Synthetic formula made from soybeans
may be used for allergic infants.
- Formula must be prepared with the
correct amount of water to prevent health
complications.
8

9. - Cow’s milk can cause gastrointestinal
blood loss in infants and should not be
used.
- Use consistent temperature for formula.
- The infant should be held in a semi
upright position.
9

10. Nutritional Requirements of the Infant
- Base of infants’ diet is breast milk or
formula.
- Except for Vit D, breast milk provides all
the nutrients an infant needs for the first 4-
6 months of life
10

11. - Essential vitamins and minerals can be
supplied in breast milk, formula, and food
- Infants are born with a 3-6 month supply
of iron
- A vitamin K supplement is routinely given
at birth.
- Nutritional needs depend on a child’s
growth rate.
11

12. Feeding Schedules
Babies should be fed on demand, in other
words whenever the baby is crying.
This is about every 2 hours in early weeks
extends to 4 hours after about 2-3 weeks
12

13. Supplementary Foods
- Early feeding of foods other than milk
may lead to allergies
- Solid foods should not be introduced
before 4 to 6 months of age and should be
done gradually.
13

14. - Solids should be started with iron-
fortified rice cereal.
- Cooked and pureed vegetables, then
pureed fruits, egg yolk, and finally, finely
ground meats.
14

15. - Honey should never be given to an infant
because it could be contaminated with
Clostridium botulinum bacteria.
- When the infant learns to drink from a
cup, juice can be introduced.
15

16. - Juice should never be given from a bottle
because babies will fill up on it and not get
enough calories from other sources.
- Avoid foods on which the child can choke
such as hot dogs, nuts, grapes, popcorn,
small candies and tough pieces of meat or
vegetables
16

17. - By age one year most babies can eat foods
from all food groups.
- Avoid excess sugar and salt.
- Help children develop an active lifestyle
and healthy eating habits.
17

18. Infants with special nutritional needs:
- Premature infants
- Children with cystic fibrosis
- Failure to thrive
- Metabolic disorders such as
(Galactosemia and Phenylketonuria)
18

19. Premature Infants:
- An infant born before 37 weeks of
gestation
- The sucking reflex is not developed until
34 weeks of gestation.
- Infants born earlier will require total
parenteral nutrition, tube feedings, or bolus
feedings.
19

20. Cystic Fibrosis
- An inherited disease in which the body
secretes abnormally thick mucus and
decreased production of digestive enzymes
and malabsorption of fat.
20

21. Recommendation: 35%–40% of diet
should be from fat and digestive enzymes
can be taken in pill form
- Digestive enzymes and fat-soluble
vitamin supplementation at meal times
21

22. Galactosemia
- A condition in which there is a lack of the
liver enzyme transferase.
- Transferase normally converts galactose
to glucose.
- The amount of galactose in the blood
becomes toxic.
22

23. - Results in diarrhea, vomiting, edema, and
abnormal liver function.
- Cataracts may develop, galactosuria
occurs, and mental retardation occurs.
23

24. Diet therapy:
- Exclusion of anything containing milk
from any mammal
- Nutritional supplements of calcium,
vitamin D, and riboflavin
- Infant receives lactose-free, commercially
prepared formula
- Lifelong elimination of lactose in diet
24

25. 25

26. Phenylketonuria (PKU)
- Infants lack the liver enzyme
phenylalanine hydroxylase, which is
necessary for the metabolism of the amino
acid phenylalanine.
- Infants are normal at birth, but if
untreated become hyperactive, suffer
seizures, and become mentally retarded
between 6 and 18 months old.
26

27. Diet therapy:
- Commercial formula Lofenalac
- Regular blood tests
- Synthetic milk for older children
- Avoidance of phenylalanine
- Lifelong diet therapy
- Hospitals are required to screen newborns
for PKU before discharge.
27

28. Foods allowed for PKU: fats, sugars,
jellies, fruits, vegetables, cereals, special
phenylalanine-free synthetic milk
Foods not allowed for PKU: meats, fish,
poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts, dried
beans and peas, commercially prepared
products made from regular flour
28

29. Conclusion
- Babies must have adequate diets so that
their physical and mental development are
not impaired.
- Breastfeeding is nature’s way of feeding
an infant.
- Formula feeding is also acceptable.
- Some infants have special nutritional
needs. 29

30. Thank
30