Boy Drinking Milk

Kids Need Calcium… and So Do You!

November 15, 2023 General /Family

Calcium is a mineral that helps build and maintain strong bones and healthy teeth. It also helps the heart, muscles, and nerves in the body function properly. If you drink milk and eat foods like yogurt, cheese and even broccoli, then you and your family are well on your way to consuming the recommended amount of bone-building calcium you need each day.

So, how much calcium do you actually need each day?

  • ✓ Children ages 1 to 3 need 700 mg
  • ✓ Children ages 4 to 8 need 1,000 mg
  • ✓ Children and teens ages 9 to 18 need 1,300 mg
  • ✓ Adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, need 1,000 mg
Girl drinking milk

While all those numbers may seem like a lot, consuming the recommended amount may be easier than you think! Here are some great calcium-rich options:

Food Serving

Milligrams (mg) of calcium

Food Serving

yogurt
1 cup low-fat yogurt

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

350

Food Serving

orange juice
1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

350

Food Serving

milk
1 cup low-fat milk

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

300

Food Serving

cheddar cheese
1 ounce cheddar cheese

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

200

Food Serving

fresh kale
1 cup fresh kale

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

100

Food Serving

tofu
3 ounces tofu

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

65

Food Serving

cooked broccoli
1 cup cooked broccoli

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

60

Food Serving

orange
1 orange

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

50

Food Serving

cooked beans
1/2 cup cooked beans

Milligrams (mg) of Calcium

40

If you or your child have trouble getting enough calcium from the foods you eat, talk to your healthcare provider. They may recommend a calcium supplement. Always talk with your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements.

Feeding a 6-7 Month Old

Feed solids with a spoon and from a bowl, never from a bottle.

Feeding a 10-12 Month Old

Breast milk is the most important source of nutrition for your baby, even after you start offering solid foods.

Feeding a 8-9 Month Old

Feed solids with a spoon. Never put cereal in a bottle.

Tips

Mom new born home

Breast milk and formula feeding:

Around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age, babies may experience a growth spurt when they feed more often.

As they grow babies can hold more milk, so feedings may become further apart and take less time.

To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.

Start offering whole milk when your baby is one year old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months and beyond.

feeding solid foods

Feeding solid foods:

Wait to offer solid foods until your baby:

  • Can sit up and hold up their own head.
  • Opens their mouth when they see food.
  • Can close their lips around a spoon.

To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.

Try one new food at a time. Wait 5 days before trying another new food to watch for allergies. Food allergies may include wheezing, rash, or diarrhea.

Introduce peanut butter around 6 months. Spread a small, thin smear of peanut butter or nut butter thinly on a cracker.  Watch your baby for any reaction for the next 2 hours.

Babies under one year should NOT have honey due to the risk of botulism. Also, babies should not have foods that can cause choking like nuts or whole grapes.

All babies are different. Talk with WIC or your baby’s healthcare provider about your baby’s needs.

Feeding Cues

Feeding a 4-5 Month Old

Before teeth come in, wipe gums with a soft, clean wash cloth after each feeding, especially before bed.

Feeding a 0-3 Month Old

Newborns have tiny tummies and need to be fed often. In the first few weeks, you may need to wake your baby to feed if they sleep longer than 4 hours.

Growth Spurts

Many babies are fussy during a growth spurt and will want to nurse longer and more often. This is called cluster feeding. This is your baby’s way of helping you increase your milk supply so that you can keep up with their needs. Remember, the more your baby nurses, the more milk your body makes.

Growth spurts can happen at any time, and every baby is different.

They often happen at these ages:

two-three-weeks

2 to 3 Weeks

6 Weeks

three-months

3 Months

six-months

6 Months

What foods can I get?

Authorized Food List
Authorized Food List

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