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Liquid
Supplements | | Milk
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| It
is usually extremely difficult and impractical to continue to exclusively breast
feeding your baby beyond 4 to 6 months. However,
if you feel comfortable nursing beyond 1 year, feel free to do so. But do remember
to start additional foods at the appropriate time because research shows that
babies who are weaned later have a harder time adjusting to weaning.
By the
fourth month, your baby's digestive system will have become stronger and you can
safely start on undiluted milk, if you're not breast feeding and your baby is
on diluted cow's or buffalo's milk. This will
also be the right time to reduce the number of breast feeds and substitute them
with fresh milk (cow's or buffalo's) gradually. Do remember to boil the milk before
giving it to your baby. This will not only destroy the disease causing bacteria
but also soften the proteins present in it, making digestion easier. Most mothers
prefer to start feeding milk using a training cup or a spoon instead of a bottle.
Start with a few teaspoons at a time and slowly increase to about half
a cup. Top |
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| | Fruit
and Vegetable Juices | |
| A well-balanced
diet is most important, especially during these initial months. Your little
one is growing now and will need vitamins and iron to make her strong. Fresh fruits
and vegetable juices of carrots, oranges, sweet limes, muskmelon etc.
Are rich storehouses of vitamins A, B and C as well as iron and are the
best foods to supplement a milk diet. However, most pediatrician recommend that
fruits like custard apple, pineapple, grapes, watermelon and guavas should be
avoided till your baby is one year old. To begin
with, introduce your baby to a single fruit or vegetable juice at a time. This
will help you to identify your baby's likes, dislikes and allergies, if any. Follow
this with a combination of 2 to 3 fruits or vegetables, once baby has adjusted
to a single fruit. Try Papaya and Muskmelon Juice after the baby is six months
old and has adjusted to both the fruits individually. Start
with a few teaspoons and gradually increase the amount to about half a cup per
day. Sometimes,
your baby will screw her face and spit out some juice. It is possible that she
may not like the tangy taste of citrus fruit juices. Try juices or purées of non-acidic
fruits like muskmelon, banana, chickoo etc. Straining these juices is essential
to make digestion easier. It is better to avoid mushy vegetable juices like tomatoes
as they may contain some indigestible shreds even after you strain them as these
may be difficult for your baby to digest, especially till she is 6 months old.
Stay
away from myths and superstitions. A prevalent notion that fruit juices must be
warmed before feeding to prevent your baby from catching a cold is completely
erroneous. Warming or heating will destroy the volatile vitamin C present in them.
Before you start preparing your baby's meal, do remember to wash and sterilise
all the utensils and pots you use. Top |
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| | Vegetable
Soups and Dal Water | |
| Strained
dal water is the best one to begin with, especially moong dal as it is easier
to digest. Start with Moong Dal Water. Later, you can start on a combination of
green leafy vegetable soups and dal water. Begin with thin soups such as carrot,
pumpkin, bottle gourd etc. Begin with strained soups and dal water initially.
As your baby grows older and is about 7 months old, you can start on unstrained
soups and dals. Later on, you can add other green vegetables to your baby's diet.
These are a good source of iron, calcium and vitamin C. Begin
with one type of vegetable or dal and gradually accustom your baby to a combination
of these vegetables and dals. Try vegetable variations like Beet and Carrot Soup.
A wide variety of soups and juices will help your baby savour and develop a palate
for foods other than milk. Top |
| | Semi-Solid
Supplements Babies
are most likely to take to semi-solid foods with gusto, savouring this addition
to their regular diet of milk, soups and juices. It is also quite possible that
they may resist these changes, resulting in a messy meal and splattered clothing
and furniture. Do not be alarmed by this as your baby may resist new tastes initially.
It is a natural process where she is trying to adapt to new foods and to
learn the skill of swallowing foods other than liquids while also adapting to
newer flavours. It
is not essential to follow a strict drill or order in which to introduce the supplementary
foods. However, the best semi-solid supplement for your baby initially, is a single
cereal, pulse or a mashed fruit or vegetable. Rice
is the most common cereal to begin with, as it is nutritious and easiest for babies
to digest. Gradually, try a combination of a cereal and pulse, such as
rice with moong dal in the form of khichdi. Your baby would best accept a well
mashed khichdi thinned down with warm water, which will be easier for her to swallow
and digest. Serve Moong Dal Khichdi and see your baby happily gurgle it down.
Other
cereals such as wheat, ragi, bulgur wheat etc can be added as baby starts accepting
semi-solid foods. Cook and puree these cereals with milk to form a smooth creamy
consistency that is balmy for your baby’s tongue. Add a teaspoon or two of butter
or ghee to these foods, as these are a rich source of vitamin A. A great start
could be made with the Jowar and Ragi Kanji, which is an unusual and yummy combination
to initiate your baby to this diet. Begin
with one to two teaspoons and gradually increase the quantity to about half a
cup. Once your baby accepts these changes, it is time to introduce her to mashed
fruits and mashed dals as well. Most
babies will love the sweet taste of fruits and welcome this innovation in their
regular diet. A mashed banana (diluted with a little milk) makes an excellent
meal. Chickoo, papaya and ripe mango
can also be great additions. Introduce stewed fruits like apples a week or two
later. Remember
to begin with a single fruit or vegetable and gradually accustom your baby to
combinations. By
the end of the fifth month, most babies readily accept more variety and can be
served boiled and completely mashed vegetables like carrots, potatoes etc. Ensure
that these vegetables are properly cooked and blended to a semi-solid consistency
so that they are easy to swallow. To
meet the increased demands of calories and protein of your growing baby, you can
also start with malted porridges that are made with different grains like wheat,
ragi, bajra, jowar etc. The process of malting involves soaking the grain overnight
to allow it to germinate, then drying it in the sun and then milling it into a
flour. This conversion makes thinner porridge and enables your baby to eat more.
This process converts the starch present in these grains to amylose due to the
increased production of an enzyme called amylase and hence it gets the name Amylase
Rich Food (ARF). Flip
the pages and try Malted Magic. These are great to carry with you if you are going
to be traveling with your baby as it makes a nutritious and hygienic meal for
your little one. You can also add these flours to baby's milk shakes, soups, and
dals to make her meals more nutritious.
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