What should you give your baby to drink? It’s a question that every parent has asked themselves at one point or another. Whether you’re bottle-feeding, breastfeeding, or doing both, there are plenty of options for sippy cups and other containers that hold liquids.
In this article post, we’ll take a look at some of the health drinks for a 1-year baby and how much water is enough. We’ll also talk about some common misconceptions about healthy beverages so you can feel confident in the choices you make for your little one.
1. Milk (breast milk, formula)
Milk is the main source of nutrition in a year-old baby’s daily diet. Milk provides protein, fat, and carbohydrate, which are essential for growth and development. Breast milk is especially beneficial to babies who are born preterm or at low birth weight because it contains some substances which protect their immunity systems. Furthermore, it also contains Immunol ac, milk that increases the number of infection-fighting cells.
Formula milk is a good alternative to breast milk and contains all the nutrients required for a baby’s growth and development. However, it lacks some immunity-boosting substances in breast milk.
2. Pasteurized milk
Cow’s milk is not recommended for babies younger than one year old because they are lactose intolerant which means that they cannot digest the sugar in cow’s milk easily. If your baby drinks too much whole cow’s milk, he will suffer from diarrhea and could become malnourished. He may also develop iron deficiency anemia.
This milk has too many calories, which can result in obesity if it is consumed excessively. Whole cow’s milk may be substituted with fresh pasteurized milk or evaporated milk, especially for children above one year old. However, it is still best to consult your pediatrician first before giving the following options to your baby.
3. Buffalo milk
Buffalo milk is an excellent substitute for whole cow’s milk because it contains less lactose. It has more calcium than cow’s milk, but it is still advisable to introduce your child to this type of milk after one-year-old. In India, we might have witnessed a person who visits buildings with a buffalo to give milk to children.
4. Horlicks junior
Horlicks Junior is a popular choice for children because it is flavorful and nutritious. It is a health drink powder for a 1-year baby. It contains vitamins, calcium, and iron which are very necessary for your child’s development. Horlicks Junior also contains probiotics (healthy bacteria) which help to strengthen the immune system of children.
5. Soy drinks
Soy milk or soy-based infant formula can be given to babies who can’t drink milk to provide them with nutrients and protein. However, soy products do not contain lactose, and it is important that children still receive calcium from other sources such as fish, leafy vegetables, bread, cereals, and legumes.
You may also like: Look out for these signs & symptoms of low immunity.
6. Fruit Juices
Fruit juices are healthy drinks for babies who have just started eating solid food. It is recommended to give them 100% fruit juice because it contains less sugar than other fruit juices. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has advised that fruit drinks should not replace breast milk or formula in a baby’s diet because they do not provide enough nutrients.
Water should be given to babies who are at least six months old. It is important to know that babies who are breastfed do not need any water because it can reduce the supply of breast milk.
You should always consider your pediatrician’s advice about whether your baby needs any other drinks aside from breastfeeding or formula feeding. The doctor will also advise that fruit juices should be introduced in small amounts after six months old. Hope you found our article informative!
