breastfeeding – Baby Creysi

Stop there! Foods that babies should not eat

Posted on 22/03/2022 - 16:19 by Astrid Rivera Reynoso

Your little one grows every day, and with it, his needs increase. Little by little, he will need to have more food besides breastfeeding. A balanced diet is very important to start establishing healthy habits in children. We tell you the foods that babies should not eat.

Breastfeeding during the first six months of life is essential for development. Still, after that age, it is necessary to start complementary feeding, the gradual consumption of solid foods, since energy and nutrient needs increase as one grows.

You must be careful with certain foods because their ingredients can affect your little one’s health or are more difficult to digest, causing discomfort in your baby.

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When starting complementary feeding, you should include all food groups. Photo: Pxhere

Healthy habits from a young age

Your child’s first two years are very important; a balanced diet will reduce the risk of suffering from malnutrition and developing chronic diseases such as obesity, explains the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Few children receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary feeding. In many countries, less than a quarter of children aged 6 to 23 months meet age-appropriate criteria for dietary diversity and meal frequency”.

A balanced diet in the first 24 months is crucial to maintain the necessary iron reserves for the neurological development and proper growth of the child; it is very difficult to reverse the deficiencies of energy, proteins, vitamins, and inorganic nutrients that occur during this stage, warns the Medical Gazette of Mexico.

The first two years of your child's life are very important for establishing healthy eating habits. Photo: Pixabay — The first two years of your child’s life are very important for establishing healthy eating habits. Photo: Pixabay

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Forbidden foods for babies

The eating habits that you teach your children from an early age will influence their growth. For this reason, pediatric neonatologist Laxmi Chowath advises parents not to add salt or sugar when preparing baby food and warns that babies should not consume canned products due to their high salt and sugar content.

The Nemours Kids Health organization recommends not giving your baby these foods:

Added sugars and sweeteners without calories: Their consumption can cause problems such as obesity, diabetes, or tooth decay.
High sodium content: Two-year-old children should not have more than 2 grams of salt daily.
Honey: It can cause botulism, so it should wait until after a year.
Unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese: Young kids may have trouble digesting these.
Cow’s milk or soy drinks: Do not give these products until 12 months; they contain proteins and fats that make digestion difficult.
Grapes, popcorn, and nuts: Due to their size, they can cause choking.
Fish: The contaminants in the sea, such as mercury, can harm your baby’s health. It is recommended to wait after two years to start its consumption.

Sugar and salt can affect your baby's health; avoid their intake. Photo: Pixabay — Sugar and salt can affect your baby’s health; avoid their intake. Photo: Pixabay

It may interest you: Keto diet for children: is it good?

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Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: here

Keto diet for children: is it good?

Posted on 22/02/2022 - 14:50 by Astrid Rivera Reynoso

This eating plan has become a trend in recent years and is very popular among celebrities. Low carb intake accelerates weight loss, but is the Keto diet recommended for kids?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet in which the body produces small fuel modules in the liver called ketones, which are used for energy. According to Top Doctors Spain, ketones are an alternative fuel for the body, used when there is a shortage of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

“The entire body switches its fuel supply to run almost entirely on fat. Insulin levels become very low, allowing fat burning to increase dramatically. The body is in a state of ketosis when it produces ketones”.

The Keto diet consists of low carbohydrate consumption. Photo: Pixabay

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A healthy relationship with food

The Keto diet is indicated for particular cases, both in adults and children; it is recommended for children who have epilepsy, so it cannot be applied to every child, details the nutritionist Rosa Ávila.

The restriction of food is not healthy on a physical level since children need to consume all food groups for their development; in addition, by prohibiting products with sugar or junk food, curiosity is aroused, and they likely consume them in secret so that it is necessary to maintain a balance.

“It is a diet you cannot follow in the long term; zero sugar diets are not recommended for children either. It is not advisable to exclude food groups such as meat or carbohydrates; children need all food groups because they serve a function”.

The specialist highlights that to have a healthy diet, it is necessary to adapt the foods made at home and try to include at least three food groups in each meal.

“Diets should not be maintained long-term. To make it easier for moms to incorporate fruits and vegetables, you have to adapt the foods they usually eat and thus modify their meals”.

Consumption of all food groups is important for the development of children. Photo: Pixabay

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Negative effects

If your little one follows a Keto diet, he could have low blood sugar, dehydration, and fatigue. He may also have nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or abdominal pain explains Drugs.com.

Keto diet vs. epilepsy

This type of eating plan is used to treat epilepsy in some children. It is an alternative when medications do not work or have adverse side effects, details the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In these cases, this feeding mode consists of a proportion of 3-4 grams of fat for each gram of carbohydrate and protein. About 90% of calories come from fat, requiring you to eat more fatty foods, such as butter and cream.

The research Epilepsy, cognition, and ketogenic diet published in the Journal of Neurology reveals that the ketogenic diet is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for epilepsies that do not respond to pharmacological therapy; in addition, it shows no adverse effects on cognition or behavior and improves mood, as well as social interactions.

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A balanced diet is essential for the development of your little one. Do not forget to receive advice from a professional so that your child has adequate nutrition.

Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: Here

Baby feeding: 6 months

Posted on 01/02/2022 - 19:00 by Astrid Rivera Reynoso

Time flies by, it seems like yesterday when your little one was a newborn, and now he has passed the first semester of his life. The transition to solid foods characterizes the baby’s feeding at six months.

In the first months, breastfeeding plays a vital role in the nutrition of our baby. As they grow, their needs increase, so they should start consuming other foods after six months of life.

Adriana Rihani Suárez, a nutritionist and member of Top Doctors Mexico, explained that complementary feeding is the process that begins when breastfeeding is not enough to cover the nutritional requirements for infants; therefore, it is necessary to introduce other foods without giving up breastmilk.

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New stage, new food

She stressed that the consumption of solid foods by our little ones should be little by little and according to their age, implementing them in the following way:

Six to seven months: meats, vegetables, fruits, and cereals with iron.
Seven to eight months:
Eight to 12 months: egg, fish, and dairy
One year: Citrus fruits and whole milk.

“It is favorable for the baby to start with the following textures: from liquid to mash and then introduce purees, crushed, finely chopped and finally in small pieces”.

Dr. Adriana Rihani Suarez

Starting at six months, babies should start with solid foods. Photo: Pixabay

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Healthy baby, healthy child

The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that babies of this age should consume 200 kcal per day, just from food two or three times a day, and then gradually increase the frequency and amount of food. So, she recommends the following:

Continue breastfeeding. At least until two years of age to ensure optimal growth and nutrition.
One new food at a time. This way, you will identify if he has an allergic reaction or if the new food causes discomfort.
Try a different food each week to give your little one time to become familiar with the taste of the new food and accept it.
Do not add salt or sugar. It’s best to let him know the natural flavor of food. Otherwise, he will get used to intense flavors and keep looking for them.
Avoid industrialized mash. These foods contain high amounts of added sugars and salt, which will distort his taste and food preferences.
Let him play. Babies must use all five senses to learn to enjoy food to know all the textures, smells, flavors, colors, and noises that can be made with different foods.

The senses help your little one to know the food. Photo: Pixabay

The international organization indicates that the transition from exclusive breastfeeding to complementary feeding is a phase of “great vulnerability” because the child can develop malnutrition if good habits are not followed.

The Alliance for Food Health explains that complementary feeding is a fundamental stage in forming habits since it is when babies create their food preferences, which will continue throughout their lives.

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What foods can’t my baby eat?

Some foods can be very heavy for our little ones or cause an infection. The National Library of Medicine recommends avoiding the following foods:

Honey: It can have a toxin that causes botulism in babies, so they should not eat it before their first birthday.
Cow’s milk: It does not contain all the nutrients that babies need and cannot be digested; Its consumption is recommended after a year.
Unpasteurized drinks or foods: Such as juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese, as they can cause infection by E. Coli, a bacterium that causes severe diarrhea.
Candy, popcorn, nuts, and grapes: Due to their size, they can cause suffocation in babies of this age, so their consumption is recommended after three years.
Industrialized juice: This product should not be consumed before the first year of life due to its high sugar content.

Foods with a lot of sugar can affect your baby. Photo: Pixabay

Remember that the diet at this stage will mark your baby’s habits and tastes for his entire life.

Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: Here

7 snack ideas for kids: healthy and cheap!

Posted on 20/09/2021 - 12:14 by Ligia Oliver

The time between breakfast and lunch is very long, so our little ones need a healthy snack that provides energy to both the brain and the body so that they can achieve all the functions of their physical development and learning. Whether they are in-site classes or online, it is very important that your children have a snack. Take into account some recommendations:

A snack is a light meal, not a main meal, so it should have fewer calories and be smaller than a normal meal.
The snack does not replace breakfast. Children should have breakfast daily, and eat it during the first two hours after waking up.
This snack must consist of four axes: Natural water. A portion of fruit and vegetables, food of animal origin, oilseeds or legumes. A serving of cereal.
We suggest the following meal schedule: Breakfast 7:00 a.m. Snack 10:30 a.m. Lunch 15:00 p.m. Dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

7 healthy snack ideas for children

Preparing these snacks will also mean savings in your pocket; each one has an approximate cost of 13 pesos per person compared to the bought ones that can cost around 20 or 30 pesos. These are the suggestions given by the Ministry of Health:

Healthy menu 1

Taquitos of jicama lettuce and grated carrot with panela cheese (3 pieces of lettuce, ½ cup of vegetables and a slice of cheese).
1 cup of papaya cut in pieces.
1 cup of homemade popcorn.
This menu has an approximate cost of 13 pesos per person.

Snack idea 2

Nopal (prickly pear stems) cooked with panela cheese (½ cup of nopales and a slice of panela cheese).
4 whole grain crackers.
1 orange.
This menu has a cost of 15 pesos per person.

Kid snack 3

Fruit with yogurt and sesame seeds (1 cup of papaya with 4 teaspoons sesame seeds and a half cup of sugar free yogurt).
½ cup grated carrot.
14 pieces of natural unseasoned peanuts.
This recommendation has a cost of 15 pesos per person.

Healthy lunch for children 4

Beans and tortilla shells (mashed beans with 3 corn shells).
Cooked nopales salad (1 cup).
2 prickly pears.
This preparation costs 18 pesos per person.

Menu 5

Quesadilla: corn tortilla and panela cheese (1 pc)
1 cup of apple cut in small pieces.
½ tcup of jícama
14 pieces of natural unseasoned peanuts.
It has a cost of 20 pesos per person.

Snack idea for kids # 6

1 medium size fruit cut in small pieces (or ½ cup of fruit cut in small pieces).
100 grams of vegetables.
½ sandwich with a slice of bread with cheese, turkey ham or some other protein such as tuna.
Water (avoid the consumption of sugary drinks or soft drinks).
Cost: 20 pesos.

Snack #7 for your little ones

1 boiled egg.
100 grams of raw carrot sticks.
1 tangerine.
14 pieces of almonds.
Water.
Cost: 25 pesos.

Remember that cravings prevent children from concentrating on their tasks, reduce physical performance and capacity to learn.

This is a guide issued by the IMSS for the correct nutrition of children and adolescents. It might be useful.

Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: Here

What to eat and what to avoid if you are breastfeeding

Posted on 03/05/2021 - 13:30 by Ligia Oliver

By: Nutritionist Raquel Pérez de León

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Most women can breastfeed without any problem; however, as in pregnancy, it is necessary to take care of your diet.

Feeding your baby on demand ensures that he gets everything he needs throughout the day to be healthy and grow well. This means that the volume of milk will not be affected by what you eat; yet, its composition can be altered.

So, if your dietary fat intake is deficient, the concentration of fatty acids in milk will also be low. And the same happens with some minerals such as selenium and iodine, vitamins A, D and B complex. In general, the content of carbohydrates, proteins, calcium and iron is quite constant regardless of the mother’s diet.

According to the Official Mexican Standard 043:

A complete diet is one that includes all nutrients. To achieve this, it is important to include in each meal, at least one food from each group of the Plato del buen comer (Plate of Eating Well):

Fruits and vegetables. All kinds and fresh ones. Remember to vary the colors, as each color of fruit or vegetable provides different vitamins and minerals.

Legumes and foods of animal origin. This includes high-quality proteins, such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs and legumes (beans, broad beans, lentils, chickpeas).

Avoid refined flours and opt for healthier carbohydrates such as brown rice, corn tortillas, oatmeal and whole wheat bread.

Fats are also important. Do not forget to include them in your diet, especially vegetables: avocado, olive oil, almonds, peanuts and walnuts.

Experts from the Mayo Clinic recommend a diet that is as varied as possible, since the consumption of different foods during breastfeeding will change the taste of breast milk but, this will teach your baby different tastes, which can help him accept solid foods more easily later on.

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Avoid These Foods While Breastfeeding

A cup of coffee a day may be safe; however caffeine can pass into breast milk and if you drink more than two or three cups, your little one could have trouble sleeping.

No level of alcohol is considered healthy for your baby. If you happen to drink any alcoholic beverage, you would have to wait at least four hours. If you don’t let that time pass, the alcohol in your blood will pass into your breast milk.

You should only avoid the one that contains high concentrations of mercury, especially swordfish, tilefish, shark and mackerel, as they can be dangerous for the development of the baby.

Adequate energy intake and a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and animal products help ensure that women face pregnancy and lactation without deficiencies.

Spanish Association of Pediatrics

Water, vitamins and minerals

Water represents between 85 and 95% of the total volume of breast milk. Studies have shown that forcing fluid intake will not increase milk production. Of course, you will be thirstier and you will need to drink more water than before: around three liters a day.

It is important that you know that even if you take care of your diet, it is very difficult to meet all the vitamin and mineral requirements for your health and your baby’s.

It is best to continue with the multivitamin that you have taken during pregnancy. Consult it with your doctor, but remember that this will only be to complement your diet; you must eat varied, adequately and balanced.

Get down to it and recover your weight

Did you know that to produce 100 ml of milk you need 85 kilocalories? During pregnancy your body accumulated extra fat reserves, which will serve as energy for this new stage.

If you eat right, breastfeeding can help you recover your weight. A healthy woman can lose up to a pound a week and, in turn, supply enough milk to support a growing baby. If you submit to rigorous diets, the only thing you will achieve is that your body has no energy and you stop lactating.

Now you know, focus on making healthy decisions and eating a complete, sufficient, balanced and varied diet.

Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: Here

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