A big part of the preparation of helping your little love get the sleep they need happens during the day!
That’s why we’ve partnered with dietitian Sarah Why who’s answers YOUR questions on all things baby’s and eating.
If you want to be part of our next Q&A with a specialist, make sure you follow our Instagram here!
- Is it better to do BLW or just feed them baby food?
The choice is up to the parent/carer. As long as baby is being fed in a safe and confident way, the eating experience will be overall positive.
Introducing solids aims to meet the growing needs of the baby and different textures helps to build sensory knowledge and motor skills when chewing.
It's not one or the other, you can choose both. Pick the option you understand, related to most and makes you feel confident with food!
- My son only wants to eat the same thing every day, is that ok? How do I fix that?
Firstly, with my clients that are parents/carers I do a fact check as often us parents have different expectations to our children. Remember eating is a process that is learnt and 'fixing' the problem needs in-depth consideration and we don't want to cause more resistance to new food.
Imagine yourself in your kids’ shoes analogy… Consider the range of colours and food groups the accepted food is coming from. If this is limited in colour e.g. 1 colour and only 6 accepted foods, seek professional help.
- How do you go about feeding your baby things like egg, nuts etc in case of allergies?
When introducing an allergen, try a small amount during your babies longest wake window so you have monitor signs and symptoms.
Make a plan if there is a known family history of food allergies.
- Are there good foods to eat through the day that will help my baby sleep?
If baby/toddler is on solids, selecting balanced snack and meal options, limit high sugar drinks and timing their last feed.
Evidenced that protein and carbohydrates support falling asleep faster and longer deep quality sleep.
Some ideas can be:
- Bananas, which are high in both potassium and magnesium which help with relaxing your muscles and promote better sleep.
- Green Yogurt, which is great source of protein, along with berries which provide antioxidants.
- Whole grain crackers with cheese (yum!) The combination of these two things provides both complex carbohydrates and protein, a great balanced snack for your little love!
Breast milk or formula will naturally induce sleep.
- How much protein should my child be eating? (2 years)
Very easy for kids to meet their protein targets as its typically 1g of protein for every kg of body wt. e.g. 14kg 2yo will need 14g of protein which would look like ...
Remember, protein doesn’t just come from meat! Some other things you can give your kiddo to help reach this goal are:
- Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are excellent sources of protein
- Quinoa: Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids.
- Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is rich in protein and can be a delicious snack
- Eggs: Eggs are a versatile protein source.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds are excellent sources of protein. However, be mindful of choking hazards, especially for younger children.
