WEANING(tips on starting food at 6months)

Once your baby has settled into a good breast feeding routine, here is no need to introduce him to any solid food till he is 6 months old. By then, his nutritional needs would have grown and you will find it difficult to sustain him on milk alone. At this stage start him off gradually on solid foods. Being fed solid food is a whole new kind of experience for the baby. It is also a major step towards eventual independence. And you will be filled with a new joy when baby takes his first tiny teaspoonful of kheer or khichdi.
Stimulate the baby’s sense of taste slowly, for his taste buds are unsullied. To him sugar is sweeter and salt is saltier. Keep it that way, for the eating habits you get him used to in early life will stay with him forever.
WHAT TO FEED
Most babies are inadequately fed due to our ignorance of nutritional requirements. All of us have certain beliefs regarding food for children. Often, many mothers feel that bananas cause phlegm, that cereals are bad for liver, that orange juice makes the child prone to coughs and colds etc. All these beliefs are baseless and wrong. No item of food is bad for the child unless he is sick or has an allergy to a particular type of food. There are a variety of foods to choose from and an appetizing meal can be made by blending different kinds of food to suit your baby’s palate.
HOW TO START
When baby starts his adventure with solids, do not introduce him to too many flavors at once. He might reject everything. Give him a small teaspoon of semolina porridge to start with or pureed fruit. Cereals and fruits are also good beginners. Whatever you serve baby at this stage, it must be soft and completely mashed.
Sometimes the baby may spit out his food. But this is not necessarily because he does not like the taste; it could be because he is rolling the food around in his mouth, savoring the flavors with his tongue.
Let him get used to these first solids. Introduce new foods once at a time. Any new food must be given to the baby for a week or so at a stretch; that is long enough to discover any allergic reactions. If the new food upsets him in any way, do not give it to him till later. Reactions in a baby are usually temporary.
BABY’S NUTRITION IN THE FIRST YEAR
Milk, either breast ore bottle, will remain baby’s major source of nutrition during his first year. This should be supplemented with solids, opening up a new world of tastes and flavors for the baby. Begin with the blandest foods and gradually introduce the spicier ones. The order of starting solids is largely a matter of personal preference. A common starter is a single grain cereal, usually rice. Other cereals may be introduced next, or you could use one of the many pre-cooked cereals available in the market. Pureed vegetables and fruits can also be given. Mashed bananas and apples are among the favorite first foods given to the babies, especially as they are easily digested and babies seem to like them. If you have a blender, you could puree most fruits and vegetables and give them to your baby as a semi-solid. Pulses can also be given in the same way.
Do not add too much salt or sugar to the food. Too much salt can cause dehydration, while sugar encourages a “sweet tooth” with all its attendant problems later in life. A baby’s palate is far sharper than yours and he does not need extra salt or sugar. Sometimes a child may refuse solids altogether. This is usually due to a change in routine. If your baby refuses a solid food, never try and force him to eat it. The texture and taste of solid food is very different from milk, and swallowing it involves a different kind of technique from sucking which he is used to. Do not worry if he does not seem keen on food; NEVER force it on him. Instead, try something else- a different cereal or a different pureed fruit. If he still refuses, leave it and try again after a few days.
Before you offer any food to the baby, make sure there are no lumps. Babies have as much difficulty with lumpy foods as they have with foods that are too sticky or watery. Also make sure that the food is neither too hot nor too cold. Let your baby sample each new food and get used to its taste and consistency. If he takes a little more, give it to him, gradually increasing the amount to suit the baby’s appetite.
Try not to give baby any food that is fattening. For instance, too much butter or ghee, cream or sweet custards will make the baby fat. And fat babies, however cuddly or bonny , often end up as chubby children and later as obese adults. Generally build up the baby’s experience of new foods. By the time he is six months old, his diet can include small amounts of meat ,fish and chicken as long as they are well cooked and soft. You can also give him yoghurt- which is good for him- and a number of household foods, such as khichdi,uppama,idlis, and dals. Blend a variety of foods including different vegetables and fruits, to make his favorite”pish-pash”.
At about the same age, you will find that baby begins to put things in his mouth on his own. You can now introduce him to foods which he can hold and chew. Everything will taste better to the child who can feed himself. It will also make him feel more adept and independent. All babies love the traditional rusks. Give him big, fat bread sticks he can hold on to or chunky pieces of fruit and vegetables such as apples, bananas and carrots.
Chewing more solid food will help him to develop healthy gums and teeth. This can be a source of great comfort to baby, especially when he is teething. Finger foods play a large part in a baby’s diet at this age, but you must watch him while he is feeding himself- he could gum a toast finger into soggy bits and then find difficulty in swallowing it. For the same reason, never give a baby nuts, melons, corn, potato chips or chocolate. Expect change in the frequency of your baby’s bowel movements at this time. This may come about due to a variation in his feeding pattern or, more likely, because of what he puts into his mouth, which, at this stage, is anything and everything that catches his eyes and fancy. When you are weaning your baby to solids, don’t get carried away with fantasies of building a 6feet 3inches he-man. Nutritional obsession will get you weighing and measuring foods and then this can drive both you and your baby crazy. Even a baby gets put off by seeing too much food on his plate.
Give him a little at first, and then, when he has finished, give him more. Do not expect baby to finish all his food in a particular time. Some babies learn to feed themselves through a meal quite quickly, others take their time. However, this is a good time to lay down some rough rules for your baby. Food is not a plaything and eating should be an efficient job, completed in a calm, pleasant atmosphere without you having to coax him to take” one more bite for mummy”. Babies are smart, and if your baby discovers he has a hold on you where food is concerned, you will be cajoling him to take” one more bite” for the rest of his childhood years. Instead, use positive discipline and congratulate him when he finishes with a hug and a “Good all gone”. When he starts fiddling with his food, it’s time to take it away.
By the time the baby is one year old, he should be eating all the food that is cooked at home-softened and without spices. He should have his own plate now- heavy enough so it won’t slip- and a cup to sip from. You could hold the cup for him; if it is too heavy with liquids and won’t tip over; he might be able to do it himself. Put a fat rubber band round it, so it won’t slip through his fingers. Baby will also make a grab for the feeding spoon. Give him one to hold, so you can feed him with yours. Make sure he sits up to eat. A baby on its back is likely to inhale and choke on food.
Once baby is happy with his solids, you can replace some of his milk intake. When you do this, you may find that he drops from 4 to 3 feeds a day. As he eats more and more solid food, he will be less hungry at milk-feeding times. If you are nursing he will suckle less. Your body will respond with less milk and the weaning process will be gradual and painless for you. Baby will triple his birth weight by the end of his first year. Continue to give him five small meals a day; a full breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an after nap snack and dinner. Plan your baby’s menu carefully; let him widen his discovery of tastes with variety, thus making meals a happy, nutritious experience for him.
COOKING FOR BABY
All baby food, to start with, must be hand mashed, blended, ground or liquidized. Fruit and vegetables can be blended, raw or after cooking. Meats have to be cooked for easier blending. Most foods need water or some other liquid, like milk, juice or stock, added to them to get a good consistency- especially when the baby is very young. Cooking for the baby does not require the skills of a gourmet cook. All it takes is common sense, fresh and wholesome ingredients, scrupulous hygiene and love for your baby.
STARTER FOODS
CEREAL AND GRAIN
ü Infant pre-cooked dehydrated cereals: These require no cooking; just add water and stir. Very convenient, can be mixed with fruit to enhance flavor.
ü Other cereals: Semolina, ragi, oats, wheat, and rice- must be cooked and ground. Serve mixed with milk and sugar or honey.
FRUIT
ü Apples, bananas, pears, mangoes, and peaches, papayas: fresh fruit can be ground or cooked or mashed.
ü Dried fruits- for example, figs and apricots- can be soaked or cooked, then ground. They are slightly laxative and come in useful especially when the baby is constipated.
VEGETABLES
ü Carrots, green beans, peas, potatoes, spinach: Cook, then mash or grind. Can be mixed with meat for a complete meal.
MEATS
ü Chicken, liver, lamb, fish: Cook, then grind. Can be given fresh each day. Chicken stock makes a nutritious soup base. Give after removing fat (leave in refrigerator and skim the fat off the top).
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND MISC. FOODS
ü Yoghurt: An excellent instant meal for the baby- very good for lunch. Also good when traveling. Yoghurt mixed with fruit or honey makes a delicious dessert.
ü Eggs: Cook and mash. Give yolk only, around six months. Useful source of vitamins, proteins and iron.
ü Paneer: Mash or grind.
ü Puddings, custards, soft gelatin desserts, kheer and ice-cream: Give a teaspoon at first. All contain proteins.
DRINKS
ü Water: Always boiled and cooled.
ü Milk: Preferably breast milk, or infant formula, upto one year of age. Then regular milk.
ü Fruit juices: Blend apple, pineapple or orange and dilute with water.
ü Buttermilk: Blend one part fresh yoghurt with 3 parts of water. Good source of Vitamin B. Feed with a small spoon or cup. Never put sugary drinks in a bottle for the baby to suck.
FINGER FOODS
Start around 4-7 months. These foods initiate self-feeding. Make baby sit up while eating and watch for choking initially.
ü Rusks
ü Hard thick bread sticks
ü Hard biscuits
ü Bits of cheese
ü Idli
ü Banana
ü Thick chunks of carrot
ü Whole peeled apple
SOME RECIPES
v A COMPLETE BABY MEAL- This is a basic recipe for baby pish-pash. You can make your own variations.
In a covered vessel boil 1 cup water, 1 chicken breast and 1/4 cup rice for 15 minutes. Add 3 whole peeled carrots and 100 grams of green beans. Simmer for an extra 15 minutes. Grind or blend the meat and rice with enough stock to make it moist. Mash the carrots and then the beans. Serve all together. As the baby gets older and can chew better, you can grate the chicken instead of blending it.
v APPLE PUREE- Peel and core a small apple. Simmer in a little water until soft. Mash with a fork or blend. Most babies like this without any sugar.
v MANGO RICE -Mash half a mango with 2 tablespoon of cooked rice. Add milk to make it smooth and ½ teaspoon of honey, if desires.
v KHICHDI- Slightly fry 5 teaspoons of rice and 2 teaspoons of toor dal or Bengal gram dal in 1 teaspoon of ghee. Add water and cook till sloppy.
v UPMA- Roast 1 cup of suji. Heat 2 teaspoon of ghee and fry ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds and a pinch of salt. Add 3 cups of water. When the water starts boiling, add suji and cook till the water is absorbed and the suji is done.
v RICE KANJI- Wash 2 tablespoons of rice and cook in 1 cup of water till done. Mash and serve.
v VEGETABLE BROTH- Roughly chop 2 carrots, a few beans and 1 tomato. Combine with 50 grams of split masoor dal and cover water. Simmer for 40 minutes. Liquidize till smooth. Serve.
v CARROT PUREE -Peel and slice carrots, simmer in boiling water until soft. Drain and mash or blend.
v SUJI KHEER-Boil ½ liter milk with 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey. Add 4 teaspoon roasted suji and cook till smooth.
v RAGI PORRIDGE-Cook 3 teaspoons of ragi in ½ cup water and ½ cup milk on a slow fire. Stir so that no lumps form. Add sugar or powdered jaggery.
v EGG CUSTARD-Heat without boiling ¼ liter of milk. Mix slowly into one beaten egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Strain and reheat, stirring the custard until thick. Chill.
v VANILLA CREAM- Mix 2 teaspoons corn flour with a little milk. Boil ¼ liter milk. When boiling, pour the corn flour mixture into the milk, along with 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of butter. Cook slowly, stirring all the time. Add ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence. Chill.
v RICE PORRIDGE- Cooked rice 5tsps, sugar 2 tsps, milk ½ liter. Boil all ingredients till rice is softened. Serve.
v DALIA PORRIDGE- Wheat dalia 5 tsps, sugar 2 tsps, water 150 ml, milk 60 ml. Roast dalia for a few minutes and cook it in water till soft. Add milk and sugar to it.
v POHA WITH CURD- Rice flakes or poha 4 tsps, curd 5 tbsps, oil ½ tsps, salt turmeric.
Wash the poha well and soak it in ½ glass of water to which 1 tbsp of curd is added. Heat the oil and add poha, salt and turmeric. Stir on low fire for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix curd and serve.
v BREAD PUDDING- Bread 1 slice, milk ½ cup, and sugar 2 tsps, a drop of vanilla essence.
Add a drop of vanilla essence to milk and sugar. Soak the bread in it. Mash the bread and serve either in semi-liquid form or somewhat thickened.
v TOMATO SOUP- Soak 2-3 tomatoes in hot water. Peel, crush and strain. Add a pinch of salt and ½ tsp of sugar. If the soup is thin, add ½ tsp of corn flour mixed in 2 tsps of water to it. Boil till the soup thickens. If the soup is sour, add a little milk to the soup.
v BANANA CURD- Mix 2 parts of curd with half a mashed banana and serve.
v CURD WITH MILK- Blend ½ cup of milk with 1/4 cup of curd and a spoonful of sugar to make a delicious drink.
v BENGAL GRAM DAL KHICHDI- Rice 50 g, green gram dal 25 g, roasted Bengal gram 50 g, green leafy vegetables 25 g, oil 1 teaspoon, salt to taste. Boil and mash rice and green gram dal. Boil mash and strain the spinach. Add this spinach, powdered Bengal gram and salt to the rice-and-dal mixture and cook for a few minutes. Season with oil.
v WHEAT DALIA KHICHDI- Wheat dalia 50 g, lentil 50 g, potato in amounts desired, green vegetables in amounts desired, oil 3 teaspoons, salt, onion 1 small, ginger 2 g, bay leaf and cardamom 1 each. Clean and wash dalia and lentils separately and cut vegetables. To boiling water add onion, ginger, bay leaf, cardamom and dalia. Cook until half cooked. Then add lentils and vegetables and cook until soft. Season with salt and oil.
v SWEET DAL- Rice 30 g, red gram dal 60 g, spinach 30 g, jaggery 60 g. Roast and powder rice and red gram dal. Mix the two and make a batter with cold water. Boil, mash and strain spinach. Mix the batter and spinach puree with jaggery syrup and cook for a few minutes.