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Cant remember if you registered*Information for Healthcare Professionals only. Breastfeeding is best for babies.
Breastfeeding is best for babies.
Information for Healthcare Professionals only.
Important notice: We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age. We also recognise that breastfeeding is not always an option for parents. We recommend healthcare professionals to inform parents about the advantages of breastfeeding. If parents consider not to breastfeed, healthcare professionals should inform parents that such a decision can be difficult to reverse and that the introduction of partial bottle-feeding will reduce the supply of breast milk. Parents should consider the social and financial implications of the use of infant formula. As babies grow at different rates, healthcare professionals should advise on the appropriate time for a baby to begin eating complementary foods. Infant formula and complementary foods should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.
The importance of calcium in the diet of young children
September 2023
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and has many important functions, including structural (bone and teeth), neuromuscular, enzymatic (cofactors and coagulation factors) and signaling functions. The important role of calcium in bone mineralisation is well-known and most of the calcium in the human body is found in the skeleton. Bone formation requires adequate calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D, and dietary intake of these nutrients are important throughout life, but especially during the developing years.1 This article will focus on the importance of adequate calcium intake in young children from the age of one to five years.