Preview

The Importance Nutrition in Infancy and Childhood

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
839 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Importance Nutrition in Infancy and Childhood
Ever since I found out I was going to be a mother, I began to hear so many things about the importance of nutrition when it came to my unborn child. After I had my child, I was informed by everyone from my mother, to my sisters, to my grandmother, to the pediatrician how important it would be for me to keep my child health and nutrition played the biggest role in doing so. Nutrition is very important in that it encourages breast feeding, the best way to feed your infant, and ensures that your child will avoid malnutrition, and discourages childhood obesity in toddlers.
When I had my newborn in my arms, the first thing the nurse told me was “I’m not sure if you decided to breast feed but it’s the best way to feed him, hands down”. While I was pregnant, I had learned so much about breast feeding and how it would be the best form of nourishment for my baby. I was amazed when I learned of how many benefits there were to breast feeding. Breastfeeding not only was the best way to feed my baby but it kept my baby from being susceptible to so many illnesses; “Diarrhea, respiratory infections, otitis media (an infection of the middle ear), and staphylococcal, bacterial, and urinary tract infections” are examples of some of these illnesses (Papalia, 2008, p. 147). I made it very important to me to research breastfeeding and find out everything my child would gain. I was amazed at how many health benefits there are to babies who are breastfed. When I breastfed my son I felt closer to him and was proud that I was giving him the best form of nutrition possible.
Malnutrition, the insufficient or imbalanced, consumption of nutrients is a something that could affect the child if they do not receive proper nutrition. According to the text, malnutrition in early life is widespread- and often fatal; Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of deaths of children globally, and many children are reversibly damaged by age 2 (p. 148). In order to prevent underweight,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Breastfeeding is the most importance nutrition a newborn can receive. The benefits of breastfeeding are tremendous. The Surgeon General states, “Breastfeeding protects babies from infections and illnesses that include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia, breastfed babies are less likely to develop asthma, children who are breastfed for six months are less likely to become obese, and breastfeeding also reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)” ("Fact sheet," n.d., p. 1).…

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    434 topic 1/ dq-2

    • 596 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Breastfeeding is an optimal approach in providing the nutritional requirements as well as well as providing immunity and positive long-term benefits. Breastfeeding provides the infant with all the necessary nutritional requirements for infants up to six months. For infants greater than six months in an addition with the introduction of solid foods is “an ideal feeding program” (American Dietetic Association, [ADA] 2009). Breastfeeding is lower in the United States than in other countries. One of the reasons is the increase in accessibility of formula. “Breastfeeding rates declined sharply because of the widespread belief that pasteurized cow’s milk eliminated the differences between human and cow’s milk feeding” (Wolf 2003 [as cited in ADA, 2009]). Many organizations are in support and promote breastfeeding for example, Center for Disease Control and Healthy People with goals of increasing the rate of breastfeeding mothers. Multiple benefits result from breastfeeding for both infant and mother. The ADA (2009) list multiple benefits; for example, bonding between mother and infant, essential nutrients, immunity properties, decrease in allergies and other intolerances, decrease in sudden infant death and long term affect of decrease in type 1 and 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and high cholesterol. There are also positive effects for the mother. For example, low risk in chronic diseases and other physical benefits as well as financial. The benefits are overwhelming for both mother and infant. In regards to benefits to society, according to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (2014), breast-feeding can reduce infant mortality, less medical cost, more productive work force and good for the environment. It is our responsibility to assist and educate new mothers on the benefits by promoting and encouraging short…

    • 596 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Booooooooo

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Infants and children who do not get the right type or amount of calories and nutrients…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Breastfeeding is the best nourishment for newborns, infants, and toddlers. The Surgeon General has started an initiative to educate and promote breastfeeding to new mothers and their family support system. Womenshealth.gov states, “the experience of breastfeeding is special for so many reasons – the joyful bonding with your baby, the cost savings, and the health benefits for both mother and baby” ("Benefits," 2014, p. 1). Educating women and their families is the most important outcome in this process.…

    • 1107 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Cyp 3.2 1.1

    • 2456 Words
    • 10 Pages

    A child’s diet is vital for ensuring that they develop properly. There are various conditions that may occur in childhood that are directly linked to a poor or unbalanced diet, including:…

    • 2456 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In toddlerhood through adolescence, having the proper nutrients plays a huge role in immunity, growth patterns, and brain development. Because toddlers are very vulnerable to health threats and are in need of this, it may harshly affect the overall development within this age group and during the teenage years. This example, impacts development because without this necessity it cannot occur correctly, if at all.…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Nutrition is key to an infant’s growth. There are two ways that a newborn can be fed, breastfeeding and or formula fed. Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for an infant. Every time a child nurses they are receiving exactly the nutrients they need with no added fillers that come in some formulas. Breastfeeding may not be for all mothers, some aren’t capable whether it be from stress or illness or even choice. Every parent must do what they are comfortable with. For the first six months doctors recommend that babies stay on a liquid diet until their digestive systems are…

    • 665 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The most beneficial and natural act a mother can do for her child is breastfeeding. It has been proven that through breast milk health benefits pass from mother to child. From the exclusive nutrients in mother’s milk, which have been shown to prevent a number of childhood diseases to antibodies and protect an infant at birth. With breastfeeding a mother can affect the present and future health of her baby.…

    • 2229 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Babies' who are breastfed are less likely to get sick. Breastfeeding achieves a nutritional balance that formula cannot. Children need more nutrients in their first stage of life. Babies' are less likely to spit up. Parent's can become frustrated if babies spit up all the time, especially in public. It has been proven that babies who are breastfeed have less ear infections and digestive problems.(Why breastfeeding is important. A federal government website. (September 24, 3013). This is because of all the nutrients babies get in breast milk. It has also been proven that later in life your child is less likely to have diabetes, asthma or allergies. Breast milk helps babies' immune system become healthier. (Why breastfeeding is important. A federal government website.(September 24, 3013) As much as mothers want their child to be healthy and have all the nutrients they can get, it is important that the mother's stay healthy too. In order to stay healthy breastfeeding mother's need to eat well because whatever they eat will also be consumed by their babies. Breastfeeding helps new mothers back down to pre-baby size, due to uterine retraction while breastfeeding.…

    • 771 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Breastfeeding is widely regarded as the ideal nutritional system due largely to the diverse advantages for both mother and child (Gibson-Davis & Brooks-Gunn, 2006). Based on information found in the Health Promotion Model proposed by Pender et al., breastfeeding is not regarded as a health promoting behavior (Faraz, 2010). A health promoting behavior can be defined as a continuous, modifiable, long term behavior that helps to prevent illness and maintain wellness (Faraz, 2010). More importantly, to maintain optimal nutrition, The American Academy of Pediatrics Work Group proposes exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life (Schlickau & Wilson, 2005). Faraz (2010) points out that “in the United States, breastfeeding rates have been reported as increasing in recent years; however, it is unclear from these statistics whether women are exclusively breastfeeding and for how long. In 2006, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported breastfeeding rates as high as 76% in White women and 81% in Hispanic women in the United States.” Furthermore, the National Immunization survey has reported exclusive breastfeeding rates of Hispanic women in the United States as 30.9% at 3 months of life and 11.3% by 6 months of life (Faraz, 2010).…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Breastfeeding Benefits

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The health benefits of breastfeeding are well known and pediatricians now recommend that breastfeeding be the main source of nutrition for the infant for the first year. The advantages of breastfeeding are so well established scientifically that it is recommended that breastfeeding continue well into the second year of life.…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Breastfeeding

    • 1567 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Despite these barriers, breastfeeding offers a multitude of health benefits to both infant and mother and is an essential step in the process of growing a healthy baby. Breast milk is the perfect source of nutrition for a baby, it contains just the right balance of nutrients to help an infant grow into a strong and healthy child, with many different advantages which cannot be replicated by any laboratory formula. According to The World Health Organization (WHO) breastfeeding is recommended as the only form of food or drink until a baby reaches six months of age, and it adds that breastfeeding can be a supplemental food source for children up to two years old and older. Not only does breast milk give infants all the nutrients they need for healthy development, it also contains antibodies that help protect them from common illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea, the WHO says.…

    • 1567 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Breast-feeding has been shown to be really healthy, not only for the mom but for the baby as well. Breast milk provides the baby with nutrients that are needed to grow. The Department of Health says that breast milk protects the baby against many different things. For example, breast milk protects against allergies, diseases like diabetes and cancer, and against infections. Some up sides of breast feeding for a mom are weight loss. In the article that the Department of…

    • 1109 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Parents care for a child should begin from the moment of conception. For Every child that is born, the mother has the choice to bottle feed or breastfeed her baby. The benefits of breastfeeding are not just in the first year; many of the benefits last a lifetime. However, many parents do not know how beneficial breast milk is for a child. These days, mothers use busy schedules as an excuse not to breastfeed their baby. For years, doctors and specialist have researched which is better: bottle feed or breast feed. Breastfeeding does not only benefit the baby but it also benefits the mother. The benefits of breastfeeding are so numerous that mothers should never consider feeding formula to their baby.…

    • 2072 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Breastfeeding is a tool, gift, and experience that a lot of mothers disregard, overlook and dismiss. This paper is aimed at proving the significance of this vital act of love. Breastfeeding not only provides vital nutrients, it also fosters many health, economic and emotional benefits. The advantages of breast milk will clearly outweigh any inconvenience some may complain of.…

    • 1841 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics