Wrapped in the same warm bundle of joy with a new baby is a tremendous responsibility. Helping an infant grow to be healthy and free from injury into the teen years is an awesome task. Feeding Baby Safely Prepared by Kathleen Meister, M.S., a freelance medical writer and former ACSH associate. Both commercial and homemade baby foods can be safe and nutritious if used appropriately. While good nutrition is important throughout life, it is particularly essential from birth through the growing years, to allow the brain, the other organs, and the bones to reach their full potential.
Experts debate the healthiest amounts and types of foods for infants and children.
Reports in the media often contradict one another. Milk and dairy products are good sources of high-quality protein and several vitamins, and they are the best food source of the mineral calcium, a nutrient often not plentiful enough in the American diet. It is difficult to obtain an adequate supply of calcium from non-dairy sources, and it requires heavy reliance on foods not favored by most Americans. The question of whether certain fatty acids should be included in infant formula is highly controversial.