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What Type Of Food To Feed The Baby Initially?
Question: Hi Doctor, we have a baby boy, who is now 6-months 15 days old (name XXXX). Now we are little concerned about his diet. Actually, we are alone so we are not aware of the type of food that we should feed the baby. Just couple of days back, we started with Cerelac (rice flavor), but the baby's expression is like as if he is feeling a bitter taste in his mouth and starts crying, he is pushing out by his tongue. He is not even ready to intake water as well, but twice he did eat a very small amount of banana (semi solid type). So doctor, we kindly request to you to guide us like:
1. What type of food that we have to feed the baby at initial stage and their timings.
2. About liquid, semi solid and solid types.
3. In how many days we should introduce the new food.
4. About what kind of soups, fruit juices and their quantity, etc.
5. What type of food that we should not give the baby initially.
6. Quantity of water intake and when?
7. Can we feed the paste of nuts (Kaju, Badam, ect.).
8. Any other vitamins to improve immunity system?.
and doctor, will the baby be able to digest the food? and what are the changes we will notify once the baby starts taking intake, about his growth, skills, and importantly changing in stool, he passes his stool for every 4-5 days. So doctor please give us a very brief instructions about this so that we see our baby always healthy, not only ours, but others too.
Thanks.
1. What type of food that we have to feed the baby at initial stage and their timings.
2. About liquid, semi solid and solid types.
3. In how many days we should introduce the new food.
4. About what kind of soups, fruit juices and their quantity, etc.
5. What type of food that we should not give the baby initially.
6. Quantity of water intake and when?
7. Can we feed the paste of nuts (Kaju, Badam, ect.).
8. Any other vitamins to improve immunity system?.
and doctor, will the baby be able to digest the food? and what are the changes we will notify once the baby starts taking intake, about his growth, skills, and importantly changing in stool, he passes his stool for every 4-5 days. So doctor please give us a very brief instructions about this so that we see our baby always healthy, not only ours, but others too.
Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Relax, be slow gradual & 1 at a time.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
As infant is just 6 month and 15 days old, I suggest you to relax and go slow on introducing too many items/solid feeds. Try to understand that baby is not used to digest anything than mother milk at this age and so it wont be that easy for every baby to easily accept new feed. so in beginning anything that is in different taste or feeling may be pushed out by the infant with tongue.. till the time baby gets used to it.
Here are my answers to your questions:
1. What type of food that we have to feed the baby at initial stage and their timings.
== 6month to 8 months: liquid feeds with milk like consistency like juices, soups, flour based porridges; later thicker soups,pulpy juices, porridges, dalrice and by 10 month: mashed solid feeds. initially only one new feed at a time not more than 2 times a day and not more than few spoons, which gradually increased to not more than one bowl a day; and can think of new feed item after 15 days.
2. About liquid, semi solid and solid types.
== as above
3. In how many days we should introduce the new food.
A new feed will take upto two weeks to set and another new feed to be started only after 2 weeks, to avoid confusion.
4. About what kind of soups, fruit juices and their quantity, etc.
usually after one week of tasting introduction of feeds; the quantity of a feed should never be more than 10 times body weight in mililiter per feed, unless infant demands more.
5. What type of food that we should not give the baby initially.
avoid something that needs to be chewed, has nonuniform constituents and has high condiments /spices.Avoid heavy proteins, dry fruit. Can go for cereal based feeds with liberal ghee /oils and salt/sugar to taste
6. Quantity of water intake and when?
during a feed water may be offered in between or as and when felt like , preferably after feeds.
7. Can we feed the paste of nuts (Kaju, Badam, ect.).
== No. will cause many issues including constipation.
8. Any other vitamins to improve immunity system?.
not exactly if you are following above. Its always better to continue calcium carbonate and vitamin D as recommended by doctor.
and doctor, will the baby be able to digest the food?
== yes, if phased in slow;y and smoothly like above.
and what are the changes we will notify once the baby starts taking intake,
=== more trhan 8-10 urine in a day and monthly weight gain at least 200-400 gm.
about his growth, skills, and importantly changing in stool, he passes his stool for every 4-5 days.=
==== he has early constipation which may need evaluation /treatment. most babies overcome this by stopping animal milk/kaju/badam/daal/ and adding calcium carbonate syrup.
So doctor please give us a very brief instructions about this so that we see our baby always healthy, not only ours, but others too.
== I hope this satisfies your concerns.
Thank you
Relax, be slow gradual & 1 at a time.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
As infant is just 6 month and 15 days old, I suggest you to relax and go slow on introducing too many items/solid feeds. Try to understand that baby is not used to digest anything than mother milk at this age and so it wont be that easy for every baby to easily accept new feed. so in beginning anything that is in different taste or feeling may be pushed out by the infant with tongue.. till the time baby gets used to it.
Here are my answers to your questions:
1. What type of food that we have to feed the baby at initial stage and their timings.
== 6month to 8 months: liquid feeds with milk like consistency like juices, soups, flour based porridges; later thicker soups,pulpy juices, porridges, dalrice and by 10 month: mashed solid feeds. initially only one new feed at a time not more than 2 times a day and not more than few spoons, which gradually increased to not more than one bowl a day; and can think of new feed item after 15 days.
2. About liquid, semi solid and solid types.
== as above
3. In how many days we should introduce the new food.
A new feed will take upto two weeks to set and another new feed to be started only after 2 weeks, to avoid confusion.
4. About what kind of soups, fruit juices and their quantity, etc.
usually after one week of tasting introduction of feeds; the quantity of a feed should never be more than 10 times body weight in mililiter per feed, unless infant demands more.
5. What type of food that we should not give the baby initially.
avoid something that needs to be chewed, has nonuniform constituents and has high condiments /spices.Avoid heavy proteins, dry fruit. Can go for cereal based feeds with liberal ghee /oils and salt/sugar to taste
6. Quantity of water intake and when?
during a feed water may be offered in between or as and when felt like , preferably after feeds.
7. Can we feed the paste of nuts (Kaju, Badam, ect.).
== No. will cause many issues including constipation.
8. Any other vitamins to improve immunity system?.
not exactly if you are following above. Its always better to continue calcium carbonate and vitamin D as recommended by doctor.
and doctor, will the baby be able to digest the food?
== yes, if phased in slow;y and smoothly like above.
and what are the changes we will notify once the baby starts taking intake,
=== more trhan 8-10 urine in a day and monthly weight gain at least 200-400 gm.
about his growth, skills, and importantly changing in stool, he passes his stool for every 4-5 days.=
==== he has early constipation which may need evaluation /treatment. most babies overcome this by stopping animal milk/kaju/badam/daal/ and adding calcium carbonate syrup.
So doctor please give us a very brief instructions about this so that we see our baby always healthy, not only ours, but others too.
== I hope this satisfies your concerns.
Thank you
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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