Why is milk important for kids?
Milk is considered to be the most important meal for children especially in the first year. It is believed that children must be breastfed or bottle fed with certain formula when it comes to their main meal if they are under 12 months of age. The benefit of milk is that it is high in calcium content making it important for the growth of teeth and bones. Its protein and fat content gives the baby the necessary energy and growth for the initial years of his life. And most importantly the vitamins present in milk are also super important for the kid. This is the prime reason as to why the milk is considered important for the kids. While some kids continue to get breastfed there are certain others who like the baby bottle to have their milk.
How much milk should be given to the kids?
500 ml of milk per day is what a kid needs in an entire day. The parents should also try to include dairy products such as cheese and yogurt in their diet and then classify them to fit under 500 ml of daily intake. If the kids are only drinking milk then they could be missing out on other nutrients as well.
What kind of milk must be given to the kids?
For kids below 24 months of age must have full cream milk as it has over 4% fat content which is important for the growth and development of the baby. Then you can give toned milk to kids after they cross 24 months of age as it has 1 to 2% fat content. You must try to breastfeed your kid but in case you are not able to do so find the formula which has all the essential nutrients which can benefit the baby.
When should you start using a bottle or a cup?
Sometimes, children also get bored from breastfeed, in such a case, you can start feeding them with the help of baby bottle. The milk solutions that are sold in the market have good nutrient value but even so parents are advised to check the labels and then buy the product. It is important to know if your baby has allergies or reactions from some particular flavor and then you can avoid the products with such ingredients.
Thumb rule – Hygiene is important
If you are feeding your baby with the help of a bottle then make sure that you are cleaning those bottles regularly. These bottles are prone to bacterial contamination and therefore need to be cleaned as if this bacteria gets mixed up with milk that the baby is having, then it could lead to some serious illnesses as well. You can clean the bottles using the steps mentioned below:
- Fill in a big utensil with hot water and dishwashing gel/liquid.
- Add the bottles, nipples, rings, caps and other utensils used to prepare the milk.
- Fill in the bottles with this soapy hot water and clean it using the bottle brush. Similarly clean the nipples with nipple brush.
- Now rinse the bottles well under running water and dry them.
