Your baby's first year: Diet, sleep and care tips

With a loud cry, a newborn is born. Faced with such a new member of the family, many new parents will feel at a loss. The first year after the baby is born is the golden period of growth and development. Eating, drinking, defecating and urinating all need careful care. They will also cry from time to time to express their needs. Therefore, the baby's diet, sleep and daily care are very important. The more you know about newborns, the fewer "pitfalls" new parents will step on. So, what aspects should parents pay attention to in the first year after the baby is born? How to take care of a newborn baby? Let's discuss it together.

1. Dietary recommendations for your baby’s first year

0-6 months:

Breastfeeding: Breast milk is the best food for babies and can also provide immune protection. It is best to start breastfeeding within 1 hour after the baby is born and can continue for 6 months.

Formula feeding: If breast milk is insufficient or you are unable to feed your baby with breast milk, you can choose infant formula. Choose milk powder suitable for your baby's age and prepare it according to the recommendations on the package.

6-8 months:

Introducing complementary foods: Complementary foods can be gradually introduced when the baby is about 6 months old. At the beginning, you can try non-dairy pureed foods such as rice paste, porridge, and rice flour, and then gradually introduce vegetable puree, fruit puree and other foods.

Food texture: When you first introduce complementary foods, the texture of the food should be a paste or puree, and you can gradually transition to soft and solid foods. Be careful to ensure that the food does not have too much fiber to avoid making it difficult for your baby to swallow.

The order of adding complementary foods: starch (grains), vegetables, fruits, and animals.

9-12 months:

Gradually diversify: At this stage, the baby's diet should be gradually diversified, including a variety of vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, grains and dairy products. The texture of the food should gradually transition from paste or puree to chunks and finger foods that the baby can grasp with his hands.

Adapt to family diet: After one year old, babies can gradually start to eat food that is close to adult diet, but make sure the texture and taste of the food are suitable for the baby's digestive system, and still pay attention to the production principle of less oil and less salt.

Note:

Avoid adding sugar, salt and oil: Babies under one year old should have a light diet, without salt, less sugar and less oil, because the baby's kidney function is not yet fully developed.

Be careful about food allergies: When introducing new foods, pay attention to whether your baby is allergic to certain foods. It is best to introduce only one new food at a time to determine whether it causes an allergic reaction.

During the feeding process, parents should promptly perceive the hunger and fullness reactions of infants and young children, and respond appropriately to the baby. Parents should patiently encourage and assist the baby to eat, help the infant and young children learn to eat independently, observe dining etiquette, and gradually form a healthy dining pattern.

2. Sleep recommendations for your baby’s first year

Sleep is very important for newborn babies. Good sleep is good for the baby's health and growth. Here are some suggestions for baby's sleep:

0-3 months:

Sleep cycle: The sleep cycle of newborns is usually about 20-25 minutes. The sleep cycle is short and they need frequent naps, so provide them with a quiet and comfortable environment.

Distinguish between day and night: Newborn babies often need to be fed at night, so help your baby distinguish between day and night, maintain a bright and active environment during the day, and a quiet and dim environment at night.

3-6 months:

Cultivate sleeping habits: Try to establish a sleep schedule for your baby so that he or she gradually starts to fall asleep and wake up regularly, helping your baby adapt to a fixed sleep schedule.

Regular bedtime activities: For example, changing diapers, reading stories before going to bed every time, etc., to help your baby relax and develop regular sleeping habits.

6-12 months:

Establish a fixed sleep schedule: At this stage, establish a fixed sleep schedule, including naps during the day and sleep at night. The baby will gradually adapt to the schedule and form a regular sleep cycle.

Sleeping environment: Provide your baby with a quiet, dark and comfortable sleeping environment, ensure the room temperature is appropriate, and ensure the bed is safe.

Other notes:

Safe sleeping position: Babies should fall asleep independently on a flat and safe bed, and avoid sleeping on soft surfaces, quilts, or pillows to reduce the risk of suffocation.

3. Daily care for your baby in the first year

Body hygiene: Room temperature: 26~28 ℃

Bathing regularly: Use warm water and baby bath gel suitable for baby's skin to gently scrub the baby's body. Make sure the water temperature is moderate (add cold water first, then hot water, and maintain the water temperature at 37~39℃).

Washing your hair: Wash your hair once a week, choose a shampoo specifically for babies, gently massage your scalp, and then rinse with warm water.

Pay special attention to the prevention of skin rash: clean the baby's buttocks in time when changing diapers to prevent diaper rash and eczema.

Nail trimming:

If the baby's nails are too long, they may scratch themselves, so they need to be trimmed regularly. You can use special baby nail clippers or nail files to trim the baby's nails. Choose to trim the baby's nails when the baby is quiet or sleeping to avoid accidental injuries caused by the activities of the baby's hands and feet.

Caring for a newborn baby is not just about diet, sleep, etc. It also includes habit formation, vaccinations, early education, etc. It is a complex task, in which parental care and companionship are also one of the most important factors in the baby's growth process. The suggestions in this article are for reference only. Each baby's needs and development process may be slightly different. If you have any questions about your baby's diet, sleep, and daily care, it is recommended to consult a professional doctor or health care worker.

(Li Xiaoyu, Shijiazhuang Maternal and Child Health Hospital)