Did you know that your infant’s digestive system can influence the development of certain diseases in the future, such as diabetes?
Holding your newborn for the first time will be one of the biggest joys you’ll ever experience. But with a new baby comes a responsibility to make sure they’re healthy, robust and with a reduction in body fat levels.
A baby’s digestive system is more vulnerable than an adult’s. So you need to give them essential vitamins and minerals to boost their defences and support their growth and development.
Want to know more about keeping your child’s gut health in top shape? Read this guide and discover some vital tips for you to properly nourish your baby. Just remember, at the first sign that something is wrong, take your baby to the health care center to have an experienced medical professional tell you if they are sick, need to take any medicine, or make any changes to their diet or daily care.
1. Limit Processed Foods
Chips and soda may be okay in moderation for adults. However, babies need nutrient-rich foods to maintain a healthy gut and grow stronger. If your baby’s still bottle feeding, try to get more information on baby formula that’s nourishing and meets their exact nutritional needs.
Avoid feeding them too many processed foods like sugar, if any. It may cause them to become hyperactive, restless, or even develop an addiction to it over time.
2. Avoid Overfeeding Them
As cute as chubby babies are, overfeeding your infant can have severe consequences if you aren’t careful.
Aside from causing digestive discomfort in babies and unhealthy weight gain, overfeeding doubles your infant’s chances of developing further health complications like heart disease when they get older.
Always give your infant the exact amount of formula they need to ensure their healthy growth.
3. Offer Your Baby Lots of Fluids
Proper digestion in babies requires lots of fluids to have regular bowel movements and avoid uncomfortable bloating and constipation.
Along with their usual formula or breast milk, always give them regular sips of water throughout the day.
4. Give Your Baby Good Bacteria
Babies need good bacteria to support their developing digestive systems.
To keep the gut bacteria healthy, include lots of fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-rich grains in your baby’s diet. Giving them regular pre and probiotics with their meal also helps healthy bacteria that support digestion develop normally. It’s also important that your baby receives scheduled immunizations, as well as physicals and exams from your pediatric care specialist.
5. Get Your Baby Moving
Now that you know what to feed your little one, encourage them to move around, play outside, and enjoy some basic exercise to get their digestive tract moving.
If your baby hasn’t learned how to walk yet, try regularly massaging their stomach or moving their legs.
6. Limit Your Child’s Antibiotic Usage
Whenever your baby gets sick, it’s understandable that you want to nourish them back to health as soon as possible by giving them antibiotics.
But antibiotics can also kill the good bacteria your infant needs to have a healthy gut. Try to save antibiotics for more serious situations to avoid disrupting your infant’s digestion.
A Healthy Baby Digestive System Lets Them Live a Happy Life
A strong baby digestive system is critical for your infant to live a comfortable and healthy life.
As long as you follow our tips, you’ll have no issues keeping your baby’s digestion in great shape. Applying for your MMJ card can be daunting so let DocMJ help with the process.
And if your baby needs pediatric otolaryngology services, then make sure to visit an ENT specialist for professional services.