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How Would You Suggest I Introduce Four Month Old Baby To Liquids And Solids? Need Help With Food Chart
Question: Hi,
I have a 4 month,12 days old baby , he is currently only on breastmilk, What& how would you suggest i introduce him to liquids & gradually solids,could you help me wit a food chart
he was suffering from loose motions since August 4th for which he was put on Vizylac & a course of antibiotics(Zifi 50 mg) The loose motions got better but again resurfaced after the course of antibiotics .He is better now altho passes XXXXXXX (loose motions) about 5-6 times in a day.He is active, takes regular feeds & has no fever etc
Today my doctor suggested enterogermina for the next 5 days.
(I have also been consulting Dr XXXXXXX Yadav-thru Healthcare magic itself for this problem) Her advice has been very helpful , the email id thru which i sought her advice was YYYY@YYYY however since my office has tied up with healthcare magic i have now logged in thru my official email
It will be great of Dr XXXXXXX XXXXXXX can help me on my query since she knows my baby's history
Pl suggest if I should wait to switch to liquids till his motions are back to normal and the liquids /foods i should gradually start.
I have a 4 month,12 days old baby , he is currently only on breastmilk, What& how would you suggest i introduce him to liquids & gradually solids,could you help me wit a food chart
he was suffering from loose motions since August 4th for which he was put on Vizylac & a course of antibiotics(Zifi 50 mg) The loose motions got better but again resurfaced after the course of antibiotics .He is better now altho passes XXXXXXX (loose motions) about 5-6 times in a day.He is active, takes regular feeds & has no fever etc
Today my doctor suggested enterogermina for the next 5 days.
(I have also been consulting Dr XXXXXXX Yadav-thru Healthcare magic itself for this problem) Her advice has been very helpful , the email id thru which i sought her advice was YYYY@YYYY however since my office has tied up with healthcare magic i have now logged in thru my official email
It will be great of Dr XXXXXXX XXXXXXX can help me on my query since she knows my baby's history
Pl suggest if I should wait to switch to liquids till his motions are back to normal and the liquids /foods i should gradually start.
Hello XXXXXXX ,
Thanks for posting your query.
Yes , I do remember answering your previous query.
I assume your doctor has thoroughly ruled out any resistant infection which has caused the loose motions to resurface again. Enterogermina is a good probiotic and appropriately advised.
However if the child has not received any antibiotic ( like walamycin , colistop) after the course of zifi and if the child has not received a zinc supplement ( zinconia etc)
then I would really advise that a trial of both for next five days would be beneficial.
Yes , exclusive breastfeeding is the best nutrition for infants till 6 months of age hence such recommendation is followed worldwide.
It's best to start solids and other liquids after or near the age of six months and in your child it's best to start after the normal bowel pattern is established.
To start with the baby should be given 1-2 serving of solid / liquid daily in the form of cereals or fruit . You may start with rice cereal ( boiled , mashed or ground or ready made ) which is easy to digest . Raagi or naachni ( millet) in powder form given as porridge is very XXXXXXX in calcium . After a week of introducing the new food ( only 1-2 serving daily ) if you feel that the baby has tolerated it well then you may proceed to use the next item like mashed bananas , boiled mashed apples , or other fruits or fruit juices. With each new food atleast keep a gap of four days so that if any loose motion or intolerance occurs then you can pinpoint to one particular food causing it .
Thus after 7 months your baby could have 2-3 servings of solids daily in addition to breastfeeding( and if you have no other option then formula milk or canned cereals( cerelac etc). You should ideally continue breastmilk till 1 year of age after which cows milk , eggs etc can be started for fulfilling the protein requirement .
If you have any specific queries regarding diet please feel free to ask .
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Thanks for posting your query.
Yes , I do remember answering your previous query.
I assume your doctor has thoroughly ruled out any resistant infection which has caused the loose motions to resurface again. Enterogermina is a good probiotic and appropriately advised.
However if the child has not received any antibiotic ( like walamycin , colistop) after the course of zifi and if the child has not received a zinc supplement ( zinconia etc)
then I would really advise that a trial of both for next five days would be beneficial.
Yes , exclusive breastfeeding is the best nutrition for infants till 6 months of age hence such recommendation is followed worldwide.
It's best to start solids and other liquids after or near the age of six months and in your child it's best to start after the normal bowel pattern is established.
To start with the baby should be given 1-2 serving of solid / liquid daily in the form of cereals or fruit . You may start with rice cereal ( boiled , mashed or ground or ready made ) which is easy to digest . Raagi or naachni ( millet) in powder form given as porridge is very XXXXXXX in calcium . After a week of introducing the new food ( only 1-2 serving daily ) if you feel that the baby has tolerated it well then you may proceed to use the next item like mashed bananas , boiled mashed apples , or other fruits or fruit juices. With each new food atleast keep a gap of four days so that if any loose motion or intolerance occurs then you can pinpoint to one particular food causing it .
Thus after 7 months your baby could have 2-3 servings of solids daily in addition to breastfeeding( and if you have no other option then formula milk or canned cereals( cerelac etc). You should ideally continue breastmilk till 1 year of age after which cows milk , eggs etc can be started for fulfilling the protein requirement .
If you have any specific queries regarding diet please feel free to ask .
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi dr,
I have relocated to Kolkatta from Mumbai on Aug 15th, thats the time when baby's motions resurfaced, i consulted my doc over the phone who suggested not to give any medications & i followed the same
Today i had to give my baby his vaccinations -- rotarix, pneumococal & Pentaxim thats when this new doc advised me Enterogermina fr his motions, he really dint do any check on his history (so im not sure if he has ruled out any resistant infection)
I have 2 questions
1. Can i start the pro biotic today itself ? (since baby had his vaccinations today)
2 Since you are suggesting a zinc supplement along with enterogerminam could you help me with the dosages of zinconia i shud give my baby
I have relocated to Kolkatta from Mumbai on Aug 15th, thats the time when baby's motions resurfaced, i consulted my doc over the phone who suggested not to give any medications & i followed the same
Today i had to give my baby his vaccinations -- rotarix, pneumococal & Pentaxim thats when this new doc advised me Enterogermina fr his motions, he really dint do any check on his history (so im not sure if he has ruled out any resistant infection)
I have 2 questions
1. Can i start the pro biotic today itself ? (since baby had his vaccinations today)
2 Since you are suggesting a zinc supplement along with enterogerminam could you help me with the dosages of zinconia i shud give my baby
Hello,
Thanks for the follow up.
Ideally vaccinations should not be given especially oral one ( rotarix ) if baby is having diarrhoea . The reason is that vaccinations are effective if the baby's immune system is good and the oral digestion and absorption of the vaccine is adequate .
But if the baby is recovering from a previous bout of diarrhoea and the doctor on examination finds the baby healthy and fit for vaccinations it can be given.
So most probably your baby is recovering from the previous bout of diarrhoea if the doctors examining him find no findings suggestive of infection or weakness.
So yes you can go ahead with giving him probiotics and zinconia ( usually given as 2.5 ml twice daily ) for 5 days. If still after that you feel the stools have not returned to normal get him reexamined by the pediatrician for a suitable course of antibiotic .
Please remember that rotarix too may cause some change in the stool consistency and frequency but still everything should be back to normal by 5 -7 days.
In future please try to postpone vaccination after consulting the said doctor in case your child is not well (like having fever , diarrhoea , cough etc) . A gap of a week won't harm the vaccination schedule .
As of now I do feel that within a week your child should regain his normal bowel pattern with only supportive therapy as advised.
So please do not worry.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Thanks for the follow up.
Ideally vaccinations should not be given especially oral one ( rotarix ) if baby is having diarrhoea . The reason is that vaccinations are effective if the baby's immune system is good and the oral digestion and absorption of the vaccine is adequate .
But if the baby is recovering from a previous bout of diarrhoea and the doctor on examination finds the baby healthy and fit for vaccinations it can be given.
So most probably your baby is recovering from the previous bout of diarrhoea if the doctors examining him find no findings suggestive of infection or weakness.
So yes you can go ahead with giving him probiotics and zinconia ( usually given as 2.5 ml twice daily ) for 5 days. If still after that you feel the stools have not returned to normal get him reexamined by the pediatrician for a suitable course of antibiotic .
Please remember that rotarix too may cause some change in the stool consistency and frequency but still everything should be back to normal by 5 -7 days.
In future please try to postpone vaccination after consulting the said doctor in case your child is not well (like having fever , diarrhoea , cough etc) . A gap of a week won't harm the vaccination schedule .
As of now I do feel that within a week your child should regain his normal bowel pattern with only supportive therapy as advised.
So please do not worry.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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