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When the baby grows, s/he will begin to spend more time away from the mother. At the time, it will be very difficult to make sure that s/he is eating the right food in order to get required nutrition. Since it won`t be easy for mom to teach about healthy and unhealthy eating habits, it`s best to introduce nutritious food at an early stage.

First and foremost, mommy must set a good example for the baby to follow. Since babies learn by following their mothers, it`s important for moms to include fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. In case the baby sees the mother munching junk food, s/he is more likely to develop unhealthy eating habits. It`s important for mothers to remember that their babies respond to what they like.

Develop a habit of drinking lots of water – it flushes out toxins, regulates body temperature, facilitates digestion process and carries essential nutrients to cells. When the baby is six months, introduce water with meals and give him/her 2-4 ounces of water with each meal as water intake becomes quite important to digest solid food. Also, one should always prefer water to fruit juices as they are high in sugar.

Because the baby has a small tummy, s/he should be offered six small meals during the day a opposed to three large meals. A baby`s appetite often fluctuates, therefore s/he should not be forced to finish everything on the plate at one go. Having a schedule for the baby to eat will help her/him get used to a routine. If the baby eats slowly, the mother should not impose a faster eating habit. Rather encourage the slow eater so that s/he enjoys the experience. Shoveling food in is not a healthy habit and mothers should always discourage such habits.

It is true that every mother wants her baby to eat healthy foods, but she can`t deny the fact that one day or the other her baby will be tempted to eat junk food. Outside influence will make her/him want to eat foods that are very high in fat and sugar. She would definitely want to ban unhealthy foods, but we are all aware that this will make the child crave more for such foods. Instead of banning certain foods, moms should allow these sugary foods, but in moderation.

As long as junk food is consumed occasionally and in little amounts, moms have nothing to worry about. As the baby grows, s/he should be taught about nutritional values of all kinds of food so that s/he naturally limits the intake.

Tags : Women, eating, breakfast, diet, food