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Suggest Diet For A 5 Month Old Child
Question: Hi Dr. My baby is 5 month + and our Dr. Suggested that we should introduce solid food to him now. He is doing fine and having medicines like C-pink, A to Z vitamin drop. The food chart suggested that we should start with instant baby food.. So I decided to make some home made Cerelac.
I made it with the help of rice, wheat, green mong, urad dal, masour dal, channa dal, almond, casewnut, ground nut, pista nut all fried (of course without oil) then grind toghether. Then i started to give 2 teaspoon of this mix with boiled water and formula mixed with it. It's been only two days i started giving it... Should i continue the same or you can suggest and provide me a proper food chart for my baby. I am attaching the chart which i have. Mother's milk was not sufficient for him so we give mother's milk and formula alternatively throughout the day. Now i have started this diet.. Pls suggest whether it's fine or not. And also pls give me a proper food chart.
I made it with the help of rice, wheat, green mong, urad dal, masour dal, channa dal, almond, casewnut, ground nut, pista nut all fried (of course without oil) then grind toghether. Then i started to give 2 teaspoon of this mix with boiled water and formula mixed with it. It's been only two days i started giving it... Should i continue the same or you can suggest and provide me a proper food chart for my baby. I am attaching the chart which i have. Mother's milk was not sufficient for him so we give mother's milk and formula alternatively throughout the day. Now i have started this diet.. Pls suggest whether it's fine or not. And also pls give me a proper food chart.
Brief Answer:
Any sort of mashed simple food is fine
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through the details provided as well as the leaflet. Most often weaning is advised from 6 months of age, but if breast milk is inadequate, semi solids can be introduced at 4 or 5 month of age. Basically it is a transition to adult food and you can give any sort of food low on spices and in mashed food. Introduce food items one by one in order to give the child time to get use to. The leaflet summarises the points beautifully and you can follow the instructions mentioned there.
It is not mandatory to give instant baby foods, it is just for convenience. The homemade 'Cerelac' that you made is fine so long as makes a smooth paste when mixed with water. So many ingredients are perhaps not required but there is no harm if given. A simpler formula would be to boil rice mixed with vegetables and pulses and mashing it up together. You can typically begin with such foods two or three times a day and can increase it to eight times or so per day. Please note that fruits can be given in grated or mashed form and need not be boiled.
You can relax. You are on the right track to proper baby nutrition.
Wish you all the best.
If you found my answer helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Any sort of mashed simple food is fine
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through the details provided as well as the leaflet. Most often weaning is advised from 6 months of age, but if breast milk is inadequate, semi solids can be introduced at 4 or 5 month of age. Basically it is a transition to adult food and you can give any sort of food low on spices and in mashed food. Introduce food items one by one in order to give the child time to get use to. The leaflet summarises the points beautifully and you can follow the instructions mentioned there.
It is not mandatory to give instant baby foods, it is just for convenience. The homemade 'Cerelac' that you made is fine so long as makes a smooth paste when mixed with water. So many ingredients are perhaps not required but there is no harm if given. A simpler formula would be to boil rice mixed with vegetables and pulses and mashing it up together. You can typically begin with such foods two or three times a day and can increase it to eight times or so per day. Please note that fruits can be given in grated or mashed form and need not be boiled.
You can relax. You are on the right track to proper baby nutrition.
Wish you all the best.
If you found my answer helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Ok. But provide some additional information. As the home made cerelac I am giving, what should be the right quantity and frequency of this food. Should i also give some boiled water in addition to it like it mentioned in the leaflet? How long can i store this cerelac in air-tighted container as i made sufficient quantity? As it's been only two days since i have started this so called solid food, should i also introduce fruits juice now? When you say cereals pls specify which cereals should i give. Any other precautions i need to take or any other instructions you think need to be followed now pls let me know apart feom the above mentioned questioned.
Brief Answer:
Think simple, consider the suggestions in my previous answer
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
Unfortunately since I do not know the specifics of the home made cerelac (for example, how sterile it is), I cannot comment on how long you can store it without harming your child. Air tight storage should be reasonable. All I can say is, consider it like home made atta and you can store it as long as you yourself would feel safe to consume.
About the amount of boiled water that should be mixed, it should be just enough to make a smooth semi solid paste, not too liquidish nor too hard or caky.
You can introduce fruit juices or anything else at this time, but remember to do so one at a time and let it continue for a few days first.
The precautions that need to be taken would consist of simple maintenance of hygiene.
About the foods that can be given are the following (in mashed form):
sticks of well-cooked carrot
bite sized pieces of soft fleshy fruits such as muskmelon, watermelon, cheeku, ripe papaya, pear, XXXXXXX or banana
unsalted breadsticks
boiled potato wedges
small pieces of paneer
slices of cucumber
peeled slices of apple
soft well cooked pasta shapes
bite sized steamed vegetables - such as peas, beans, cauliflower, carrot
small cubes or pieces of cheese or paneer
rice cakes or XXXXXXX idlis
lentils and other cooked pulses (preferable to avoid heavy and hard-to-digest chana dal, chhola and rajma)
dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach
soft, cooked lean meat such as chicken or carefully de-boned fish
chicken nuggets
puffed rice
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Think simple, consider the suggestions in my previous answer
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
Unfortunately since I do not know the specifics of the home made cerelac (for example, how sterile it is), I cannot comment on how long you can store it without harming your child. Air tight storage should be reasonable. All I can say is, consider it like home made atta and you can store it as long as you yourself would feel safe to consume.
About the amount of boiled water that should be mixed, it should be just enough to make a smooth semi solid paste, not too liquidish nor too hard or caky.
You can introduce fruit juices or anything else at this time, but remember to do so one at a time and let it continue for a few days first.
The precautions that need to be taken would consist of simple maintenance of hygiene.
About the foods that can be given are the following (in mashed form):
sticks of well-cooked carrot
bite sized pieces of soft fleshy fruits such as muskmelon, watermelon, cheeku, ripe papaya, pear, XXXXXXX or banana
unsalted breadsticks
boiled potato wedges
small pieces of paneer
slices of cucumber
peeled slices of apple
soft well cooked pasta shapes
bite sized steamed vegetables - such as peas, beans, cauliflower, carrot
small cubes or pieces of cheese or paneer
rice cakes or XXXXXXX idlis
lentils and other cooked pulses (preferable to avoid heavy and hard-to-digest chana dal, chhola and rajma)
dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach
soft, cooked lean meat such as chicken or carefully de-boned fish
chicken nuggets
puffed rice
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Thanks for your advice. Another question- i did not opt for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine initially as my doc suggested that Rotarix and Pneumococcal are optional but I must go for Rotarix...but the other one is not that necesaary. So I didn't opt for it. Now as i am out staion the other Doc to whom we went for vaccination is asking about Pneumococcal but as my baby is amost 6 month i am only left with two more vaccines. Sholud i go for it? If i don't go for it what are the repurcassions.. Can u pls advice in details.
Brief Answer:
A matter of choice
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking another question.
Rotaviral diarrhoea is very common in children and so it is good that your first doctor has opted for it. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is an optional vaccine and many doctors prefer to avoid the vaccine especially due to its high cost. In case you are interested to go for it, it can safely be started after 6 months of age. If you begin at 7 months, you would need only two boosters. Talk to your current pediatrician and he would guide you further about it. You can go for the vaccine if you are not hesitant about the cost. No repercussions if you do not go for it, the only thing is that your child would not be protected against Pneumococcus, but you cannot protect your child against all diseases anyway.
Wish you all the best.
If you found my answer helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
A matter of choice
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking another question.
Rotaviral diarrhoea is very common in children and so it is good that your first doctor has opted for it. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is an optional vaccine and many doctors prefer to avoid the vaccine especially due to its high cost. In case you are interested to go for it, it can safely be started after 6 months of age. If you begin at 7 months, you would need only two boosters. Talk to your current pediatrician and he would guide you further about it. You can go for the vaccine if you are not hesitant about the cost. No repercussions if you do not go for it, the only thing is that your child would not be protected against Pneumococcus, but you cannot protect your child against all diseases anyway.
Wish you all the best.
If you found my answer helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
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. Vaishalee Punj
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