My Toddler’s Growth

Nutrition for children is based on the same principles as nutrition for adults. Everyone basically needs the same kind of nutrients as it contributes to growth and maintaining strength and stability all throughout life. However, children need different amounts of nutrients at different stages in life because they have so many things in their body that are still in the process of development.

Of course as a parent, you want to provide your child with the best nutrition there is and you know that means getting them to eat a balanced and healthy diet. However, decisions get a little tough to make when you hear different sources tell you different things about the best nutrition for your child.

A great place to sort out the nutrition would be by getting the basics straight. Learn about this nutrition and how it affects your child’s growth and development from the early years of her life. The best source of nutrition that contributes to growth and development is milk – In this article we discuss how each vitamin plays a different part in a child’s development.

It basically goes without saying that the best food for a baby from the age of zero to one is mom’s breast milk because breast milk contains all the nutrients, all the vitamins and all the minerals that have a huge impact on a baby’s growth and brain development.

So, what happens when baby turns one and mom decides to switch to formula milk? This is when it is important for you to know how each and every ingredient in your child’s milk affect his growth and what sort of benefit it brings to your child.

DHA

DHA, or more scientifically known as docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, happens to be one of the good fats found in the body. The main job of DHA is to go straight to the tissues; especially the ones in the brain to keep them functioning to the best of their ability. Like our bones need calcium, you could look at DHA as a source of nutrition to the brain.

If you have a child aged anywhere from 1 to 3 years old, it is crucial that your child’s formula milk contains DHA supplement because chances are you have been passing on DHA to your child from the time you have been breastfeeding him.

Babies do outgrow the need for breast milk, but they never ever outgrow the need for DHA. It continues to be important for healthy growth and development beyond infancy, during the early stages of life; especially when the development of their brain, eyes and nervous system are going at a rapid pace.

GOS

GOS, or medically termed as galacto-oligosaccharides is a sort of prebiotic that is usually found in all child formula milk. So, if your child’s milk says it contains GOS, instead of stating prebiotics; do not worry, it is the same thing.

GOS is something contributes to the benefits of the bowel. It helps the bowel function by stimulating the growth and activity of the beneficial bacteria in the colon. It helps to increase defecation frequency; in other words, it works as a way to help your child do his business more often while preventing constipation and other stomach discomfort.

NUCLEOTIDES

Nucleotides help enhance health, prevent and treat clinical conditions. Infant formula that contains nucleotides are known to be beneficial ever since it has been found to influence lipid metabolism, immunity and tissue growth, development and repair. Most child formula milk in the market these days contains nucleotides.

Studies has suggested that babies who are being fed milk that contains nucleotide supplement have increased friendly bifidobacteria counts in faeces compared to infants being fed with formula milk that does not contain any nucleotide supplement.

Nucleotide supplemented formulas also decrease the prevalence and duration of diarrhoeal disease in children, however this was not associated with changes in faecal microflora. In other words simpler for all to understand, nucleotides help promote healthy guts in children.

IS FLAVOURED MILK HARMFUL?

Most parents probably think flavoured milk causes the nutrition in formula milk to decrease based on the things you have heard about it. There is no denying that parents tend to listen to other parents because sometimes listening to people you trust and are comfortable with is the safest way to go.

You have most likely heard things like; “it is way too sugary!” or things like “it encourages a sweet tooth!” However, these things you have heard are most probably wrong. Well, not entirely wrong because it is true that children below the age of one should not be given flavoured milk.

For children aged above one however, research shows that consumption of flavoured milk can help promote children’s consumption of milk, instead of fizzy drinks and other juices. This means it is completely fine to feed your child Vanilla or chocolate flavoured milk as it would still very much contribute to the growth and development of your child.

Your child’s milk is one of the most essential things in his life, so be sure to choose the right milk which would provide countless amount of benefits to his health and well being.