Unii Baby Nutrition Expert Dr. Venita Patel: “This is how to introduce new foods to your baby…”

Unii Babies

Unii Baby Nutrition Expert Dr. Venita Patel is an NHS community paediatrician and registered nutritional therapist with over thirty years' experience. She’s helped hundreds of parents with their babies' eating and can support you anywhere and supports them 24/7 at unii.com through her Baby Nutrition Journey video course. She joined host Dr. Saranya Ravindran in Unii Babies’ London studio to talk about baby nutrition from pregnancy through the first year of life, covering everything from gut health to allergies, feeding routines, and the best food and drink choices. Don’t miss this essential episode of Unii Babies!

00:00 Intro
01:45 Dr. Venita’s typical days as an NHS paediatrician and registered nutritional therapist
03:10 What inspired Dr. Venita to become a community paediatrician
03:45 Why Dr. Venita went into nutritional therapy
04:28 What is the difference between a dietitian, nutritionist, and nutritional therapist?
05:58 How becoming a mum changed Dr. Venita as a doctor
07:15 The baby nutrition questions she gets most often — vomiting, reflux, colic, and constipation—and her approach.
08:45 What would Dr. Venita do to help with baby nutrition information if she were a world leader?
09:51 The importance of a baby's first 1000 days for their nutrition
10:58 The best source of baby nutrition
11:46 Baby gut health: microbiota and oligosaccharides
13:30 Baby gut health and Caesarean section
14:44 Symbiotics and baby gut health
15:44 Preventing mastitis with probiotics
17:20 Where can we get gut information about gut health in pregnancy and for our baby after birth?
17:56 Can you wean your baby earlier than six months?
18:42 Baby allergies and weaning
20:00 Genetic inheritance of allergies
20:26 Your baby’s first meals
22:17 Iron consumption and babies
23:38 Starting your baby on fish—types and precautions
24:23 Vegan and vegetarian diets for babies
25:13 Introducing cow’s milk to your baby’s diet
25:53 The best fruits and vegetables for weaning
26:47 Is “five a day” manageable for babies? Do you need to peel fruits and vegetables?
28:15 Homemade vs. shop-bought food for babies
30:00 Organic vs. inorganic food for babies
30:40 Restricting salt and sugar for babies
31:30 The health benefits of seasoning baby food with spices
33:00 The best food textures for babies—how can they help with your baby’s development?
35:00 The best supplements for babies
36:23 Picky eating and food refusal
37:20 How dummies impact weaning
38:18 Do you need a feeding routine for your baby?
39:29 Including a baby in family meals
40:23 Where should parents go for baby nutrition help?
41:05 Baby-led weaning: Pros and Cons
42:51 Babies and water
43:59 Babies and healthy fats
44:58 Supplements Omega 3 for Baby
45:25 Babies watching you eating
46:31 The benefits of letting your baby play with food
47:26 How do I know if my baby is eating too little or too much?
48:45 Mistaking your baby’s feeding cues
49:44 When should you worry about your baby’s weight?
51:05 Signs of nutritional deficiencies
51:54 Food disrupting sleep and food diaries
53:28 Dr. Saranya’s quick quiz: Expose the Expert

Watch Dr. Venita Patel’s Unii Baby Nutrition Journey here: https://unii.com/en/journey/baby-nutrition

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