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Infant diet – Supplementary diet for the infant- Diet for babies who have been weaned

Infant diet  – Supplementary diet for the infant

Infant diet supplementary diet ….What foods can be given to an eight to ten months old baby as a supplement to or substitute for mother’s milk?  Is it advisable to give new-born baby any milk other than mother’s milk.  These are questions that demand careful for consideration. If the mother is not in good health,if she is unable to produce milk,or adequate amounts of milk,or if her breasts milk is abnormal is some way,it becomes necessary to give the baby milk from other sources.

Mother’s milk is the best food for the baby on all counts.  But after four to five months,the need for supplementary diet often arises,because of the growing nutritional requirements of the baby  and also in part because of the decreased production of milk in the mother’s breasts.  If the baby has been underweight from the time of its birth,it needs additional supplies of iron,calcium,and vitamin D right from the age of one month.  

infant-diet-infant-with-mother

Infant diet – Diet for babies who have been weaned

A.  During the third and the fourth month

The baby should be given a small ripe banana after mashing it well.  Baby Porridge prepared from koovapodi (Arrowroot Powder),ragi,kannak kaya ,broken wheat,Njavara rice or red rice,sooji can be given in amounts ranging from two teaspoonfuls to half a cup

How to prepare porridge for infants babies? Where do we get baby care home made powder ? Mashed fruit such as papaya,mangoes,chikoos (seasonal fruits) boiled apples etc., can also be given in reasonable amounts.  Some people prefer baby foods prepared from cereals such as Cerelac,Farex,Nestum Lactogen etc., The powder are no doubt convenient to use,but they have tendency to make babies rotund and overweight.  They also make a heavy burden on the fiance of the parents.

Ragi Tone- An ideal and natural Ragi based nutritional food supplement

B.  During the fifth and sixth months

In addition to the above diet,soft boiled vegetables like potatoes,carrots peas etc., can be cut into small pieces or mashed up and given to the baby.  In accordance with its preferences.  But excess should be avoided

Read More Baby Care – The daily routine of the baby

C.  During the seventh and eighth months

The above diet can now be added rice gruel or khichdi with ghee and curds,Kheer,dal,and bread or chapattis soaked in milk or dal too can be given.

Baby Bath and Baby Massage  – Traditional way

D.  After teething

Once the baby has acquired some teeth,reasonable quantities of biscuits,pieces of carrots,ripe bananas and such other additional to its diet are permissible.

Great care must be taken to see that cups,saucers,bowls spoons,etc., used in serving food to the child have been cleaned thoroughly,with boiling water and good cleaning powders.  Ashes from wood or dung stoves are permissible cleaning agents,but clay or street dust should not be used by any means,as these involve the risk of infection,and may cause vomiting diarrhea and dysentery

Read More -Sleeping habits – Newly born babies and premature or weak babies

It would be erroneous to image that is only milk,milk powders,fruits and fruit juices that can nourish the child ad give it energy.  These are rather costly items of food,and not every family can afford them.  Simple food,properly prepared and served,in the right amounts,can do as mch for the development of the child and sustaining its energy as the costlier varieties of baby foods and fruits

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