Infant nutrition

and Sabine Schrör, medical journalist Updated on

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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Sabine Schrör is a freelance writer for the medical team. She studied business administration and public relations in Cologne. As a freelance editor, she has been at home in a wide variety of industries for more than 15 years. Health is one of her favorite subjects.

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Infants need special nutrition. On the one hand, because the digestive functions are not fully developed before the first year of life. On the other hand, because the tiny ones need a lot of energy and nutrients in relation to their body weight.

For the first four to six months, breast milk is the best food for the baby. It contains all the nutrients the child needs to grow and develop the brain, supports the child's defenses and protects against allergies. If a mother cannot or does not want to breastfeed, special infant formula is the best alternative.

From the fifth, at the latest from the seventh month, babies need a daily porridge meal in addition to milk so that they are adequately supplied with nutrients and energy and are full. Since the stored iron is running low at this age, the first meal should be a meat-containing vegetable and potato mash. The body can use the iron contained in meat particularly well.

In the next month, a milk and cereal porridge is added to ensure the child's calcium supply. And finally, a month later, a cereal and fruit mash is added.

From the first year of life, the children can gradually be introduced to normal family meals.