Infant Nutrition

Infant nutrition is critically important, as an infant typically triples his birth weight and increases his length by 50% in the first year of life alone! Without proper nutrition, this stage of enormous growth can be jeopardized. With this in mind, answer the questions below.

What are the energy (kcal) and protein requirements for an infant from age 0-6 months and 6 months to 1 year? How does this compare to your energy and protein intake? You will need to figure out your kcal and protein intake as g/kg/day in order to make this comparison.

The diet of an infant, prior to solid food introduction, consists of either breast milk or formula. When mothers make the choice of what to feed their child during this time, what factors come into play? For example, some cultures may be more accepting of breast feeding than others.

At what point is solid food recommended to be added to an infant's diet? Nutritionally speaking, why is this? Each infant is different, so how can it be determined when a certain infant is ready for solid foods?

During the first year of life, what are appropriate foods and beverages to serve to an infant? Are there any foods or beverages that should be avoided during this time?