Contents
- Vitamins, specific needs for children
- Baby under 6 months: milk, a source of vitamins
- Baby from 6 months: the first vitamins provided by food
- Baby 7-8 months: vitamins from milk, meat, fish and cheese
- Baby between 9 and 12 months: vitamins from dairy products, vegetables and cereals
- At the age of 12 months: full of vitamins
Vitamins, specific needs for children
Vitamins and minerals are necessary for the growth and health of children. They are provided by mother’s and infant’s milk from birth and via a balanced diet as soon as food diversification begins, from the age of 4 months. Vitamin A participates in bone growth and the proper functioning of the immune system, vitamin C facilitates the absorption of iron and helps immune system function, vitamin D promotes healthy bones and teeth and helps assimilate calcium, vitamin K plays a key role in blood clotting and B vitamins help in the functioning of the nervous system and in the formation of blood cells.
Baby under 6 months: milk, a source of vitamins
Breast milk or 1st age milk contains all the necessary elements the good development of the child with:
– calcium, for the building and maintenance of bones and teeth.
– you fer which participates in the defense of the organism against infections, in particular of the ENT sphere. It is essential for the formation of red blood cells.
– trace elements such as copper, zinc and magnesium which contribute to the proper functioning of the brain and to the building of bones.
– 15 vitamins, including the precious vitamin D which participates in the absorption of calcium by the body.
Vitamin D and vitamin K: an essential supplementation.
Vitamin K, produced by bacteria in the intestine, is essential for blood clotting. This is why infants are supplemented from birth with vitamin K.
Vitamin D, which helps assimilate calcium and strengthen bones, is also provided to infants as a supplement to their diet. The recommended dosage is: 1-000 IU / d in case of breastfeeding, dosage to which the French Pediatric Society (SFP) recommends adding in case of artificial breastfeeding (infant formula): 1-200 IU / d additional if the milk is enriched with vit. D, or an additional 600 – 800 IU / d if the milk is not enriched with Vit D. Always on advice and prescription from the pediatrician.
Baby from 6 months: the first vitamins provided by food
The 2nd age milk remains the irreplaceable complete food of the child at the starting stage of dietary diversification. It brings, among other things, the calcium and iron essential for the baby who has exhausted the reserves stored in utero. It contains in addition, fifteen vitamins with imposed contents of vitamins A, C, E and D. Cooked fruits mixed in compotes can be given at the time of food diversification. They bring vitamin C, even if it is provided in sufficient quantity by the 2nd age milk. Orange-colored fruits (apricots, mango, melon, etc.), such as carrots, are rich in provitamin A (beta-carotene) which promotes growth and helps to better resist infections. The vegetables, offered in purees, starting with sweet flavors (carrots, green beans, zucchini, leek, pumpkin, etc.) are also rich in vitamin C. However, there is no need to force the doses. Milk remains the essential “dish” for all meals.
Baby 7-8 months: vitamins from milk, meat, fish and cheese
2nd age milk remains essential for its richness in vitamin D. Do not hesitate to use it to cook its purees or its first small creams. Meat, fish and eggs are entering your baby’s diet. These sources of protein also provide different vitamins and minerals.. Mostly from fer and vitamin A (in the cooked egg yolk. You can give it half of it from 7 months and the yolk of a whole egg from 8 months). But the amounts should not exceed 15 to 20 grams per day.
A little cheese: grated in mash or soup, but also Camembert or regional cooked cheeses. It is an additional source of calcium. Raw fats – butter and vegetable oils eaten raw – are a good source of Vitamin E.
Baby between 9 and 12 months: vitamins from dairy products, vegetables and cereals
Growth milk (from 10 months) can replace 2nd age milk, even if you can give it up to 13 months. It is especially interesting for its iron intake (at least twenty-four times higher than cow’s milk). It is also enriched with vitamin D, and vitamin E, often deficient in the young. Also think about natural dairy products, rich in calcium and “fortified” or not according to the needs of your baby. The first raw vegetables (around 10 months), for their part, will provide your child with vitamin C. We start with the most tender vegetables: grated carrots, peeled and seeded tomatoes and cucumber.
Cereals are also important. They contain group B vitamins (B1, B2…) whose role is multiple: to improve the transformation of food into energy, the production of red blood cells, etc.
At the age of 12 months: full of vitamins
Your child can eat just about anything. Variety and balance are essential to provide it with all the nutrients it needs. Growth milk is recommended for its intake of iron and vitamin D and it is preferable to whole UHT cow’s milk. And make sure that your child has at least one source of calcium, therefore a dairy product (yogurt, cheese, etc.). Fruits and vegetables (5 per day) are rich in vitamins, in particular C. As for meat and fish, valuable for their iron content, they are now on the menu of its main meal.
Finally, dried vegetables (from 18 months), such as split peas or lentils, are rich in group B vitamins and especially iron.