7, At what stages in a childs life do they require extra nutrients?

In the study notes provided it say’s that at the age of birth to 3 months the infant requires nothing extra / but mothers milk, and at the age of 5-6 months the need for extra nutrition arises.

In researching Infant nutrition further I have found a large volume of research that show that infants should be exclusively breastfeed for at least 6 months , (the word exclusive meaning no additional water or solid foods.)

This is the recommendation now accepted by;

World Health Organization (see app 1)

Unicef (see app 2)

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of family Physicians

American Dietetic Association

Australian National health and medical research council

Royal Australian college of general practitioners

The Canadian Paediatric Society

La lache league (international breastfeeding support and information)

Why is it important to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months

The greatest immunities occur when a infant is exclusively breastfeed, Studies have shown that a child that nurses for at least 15 weeks has a significantly reduced probability or respiratory illness during childhood. (see App;3 Wilson ’98) (see App;4 Kramer 2003)

The risk of food allergies also decreases with prolonged exclusive breastfeeding,

Why?

A infants gut is what you call “open” meaning the spaces between the cells of the small intestine readily allow intact macromolecules (including whole proteins and pathogens to pass directly into the blood stream,

This is very useful for the breastmilks benefifial antibodies to pass more directly into the bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose the infant to allergies ) to also pass right through.

and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also.

Why it may be beneficial to delay solids longer than 6 months.

Some doctors recommend delaying solid for up to 12 months if there is a family history of food allergies to give the gut time to close and mature .

(having an family member ie; mother brother but also a grandparent or infants uncle / aunt counts as a family history)

Many doctors recommend especially if there is a family history to also avoid the allergy pron food for as long as possible, high risk allergy pron food include

Wheat

Dairy (cows milk products)

Soy

Eggs

Fish

An example of this would be if an infant had a mother that was Dairy intolerant and an uncle who had a Wheat sensitivity both of these substance are best avoided for at least 12 months or longer.

The obesity link

Introducing additional foods other than breastmilk has been show increase the likelihood of childhood obesity. (see app 3 Wilson ’98) (app 5 von Kries 1999),

(app 6 Kalies ₂₀₀₅)

Milk supply

Introducing solid before 6 months can hamper the mothers milk supply , as I have already explored the benefits of breastfeeding continue far into babyhood (the WHO recommends breastfeeding till at least 2 years of age)

Because the solid food actually replace the milk in the infants diet, they do not add to the total intake,

Because infants intake of additional foods and water, they take less breast milk and the mother produces less milk and so on , this can often lead to premature weaning (before the child is actually ready to wean from milk, often the parent has to add infant formula into the baby’s /toddlers diet instead) breastmilk is the much better absorbed/ assimilated, immune boosting, nutrient rich, and gut coating option.