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WEANING FOODS AND BALANCED NUTRITION FOR YOUR CHILD

• What is Weaning

• Why weaning ( Why semi solid diet ) ?

• What does my child gain from  weaning diets ?

• When do I start weaning ?

• Which foods ?

• When to give what ?

(While we have tried to keep the content international in application – the prime readership is designed towards India. Hence , some phrases and ideas may be unfamiliar for some regions of the World.For clarifications please feel free to e mail Dr Jindal. Printouts may be taken but the copyright rests with the Site and misuse is prohibited.The Site owns no responsibility for any mishap occurring out of application as such or from misinterpretation of the information. You are advised to meet your local Pediatrician for endorsement of the information before application.)

What is Weaning :

Weaning ,as the word indicates , is the process of transition from a purely milk based intake of the child ( i.e. weaning away from ) to a semi solid diet for the child.

Why weaning ( Why semi solid diet ) ?

Though mother’s milk ( or any other form of milk ) is sufficient for the newborn baby it starts getting insufficient in some essential elements of nutrition beyond some 6 months of age .

These vital elements include :

Vitamin D                                            Iron

Vitamin C                                            Trace metals and Trace elemen                         

The addition of a balanced mix of semi solids shall take care of these inherent deficiencies of milk and move towards a comprehensive nutritive status of the child.

What does my child gain from  weaning diets ?

1             Nutritional balance ( as outlined above )

2            The child’s tummy will now be comfortably full and the previous cycle of milk feed – urination – tummy empty – cry – and over again , shall now be improved.

3            This will form a stepping stone for your being able to graduate to more dietary items.

4             The child’s self confidence shall improve

5              You also shall thoroughly enjoy displaying your child’s graduation from a
“ continuous milk sucking calf “ to a  “ maturing “ child !!

When do I start weaning ?

There is no hard and fast rule to it. As a general guide – one may start at the age of some 6 months  of age.

Your child has by now progressed from the early infantile reflex behaviour of  “ suck and then swallow “  to a more mature activity of  “ chew and swallow” – though this is grossly inadequate compared to the older child or adult. Since he chew and swallow , it is natural that now he can accept some semi solid diets.

Which foods ?

The basic idea is to introduce the most easily digestible form of food i.e. carbohydrates
( citrus fruit juice) , then move on to proteins ( Daal Ka Paani / Daal Soup/ a soup of Pulses ) and finally add fats.

Another basic idea is to begin with liquids and then gradually introduce semi solids.

You may do well to take these dietary suggestions purely as a general guide. Please use all your imagination and creativity to add / delete / postpone the ideas suggested. Believe me , it is very had to go “ absolutely wrong “ so long as you are using your common sense in day to day matters – child rearing is no different !

When to give what ?

: 6 months :

•  Citrus fruit juice ( mausami – sweet lime  or orange )

• begin with a spoon or two a couple of times a day – gradually build up and increase as per his taste.

• if you feel the juice is too thick – dilute with some boiled cooled water

• if you feel the juice is “ too cold “ , since the fruit has been in the refrigerator or if the weather is cold – you may keep it on the gas stove for a few moments , just to ‘ remove the chill ‘ out of it. Please make sure you do not heat it or else the Vitamin C shall get destroyed.

• Daal ka Paani (  Daal soup / a soup of Pulses )

• The supernatant fluid floating over daal while you are cooking it is what we mean by daal ka paani

• Preferably use Moong or Arhar ki daal

• You may add some salt or haldi ( turmeric ) as per child’s taste

• Begin with the clear , watery soup of daal and later on you may add some mashed daal into the soup.

• A couple of spoons a couple of times  a day and then increase

  Chawal ka Maand ( Rice Soup ) :

•  You may keep the consistency as per the liking of your child.

• You may add some daal ka paani to it.

• With time , you may add some rice also to make a thin gruel.

• You may add curd and / or daal for taste and variety.

•  

• Readymade Weaning Foods :

• This may be your individual choice.While some parents prefer to adhere to natural foods others do not  mind the convenience of these readymade foods.

• One good thing about these readymade foods is that they allow you to have wide variety of ingredients which may be difficult for you to manage and then to make the food tasty too – a convenient,balanced and tasty mix .Your concerns about any preservatives are best answered by yourself !

• Some commonly available brands are First Food Powder ( Wheat or Apple ) ; Cerelac ( several flavours ) , Farex , Nestum Rice , Easum.They are usually palatable and children usually take to them quite readily.

  You may add some 4-5 spoons of water to a scoop of the powder. You may adjust the “ thickness” of the mixture by adjusting the water added.

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• The powder already contains milk and simple addition of water is what is needed. You may , however , dissolve it in milk if you wish. It shall make no difference to the child.

• Curd / Curd Banana mashed :

Fruits :      Banana ; Mango ( as a pulp or as a mango – shake with milk ) ; Apple

stew  ; Papaya ; Cheekoo ; Grape juice

These can be given mashed and may be made into a fruit – mix as per taste.

: 9 months – 1 year :

• Custard with / without fruits.Spinach curry / spinach and tomato soup or juice.

• Mixed seasonal vegetable soup ( carrot , spinach , tomato , lauki – sweet gourd ).

• Tomato juice / soup.Khichri ( a gruel of rice and pulses ) with / without curd.sooji ka upma / halwa.

• Moong ki daal ka cheela.mashed boiled potatoes.apple stew.porridge.

• Chawal ke pohe.chawal ki kheer.

: 1 year onwards :

Your child may now take almost all that you cook for your regular meals. It is obvious that  spices shall have to be minimized and some of the foods that you as adults are making for yourself may not agree with the child.

 Egg :

• as a scrambled preparation or as an omelette or boiled.

• contrary to common belief : there is no real difference between desi egg   ( brownish at the shell) and the “ farmi” ( farm derived) egg – you may choose the white shelled commonly available egg.

• it is usually good to begin with the yolk ( yellow central part ) and then add on the white albumin. The protein in the while albumin may occasionally cause egg allergy.

• Roti with seasonal vegetables and curd

• Bread with / without butter

• Meats / fish

Commonly faced problems :

• My child does not take solid/semi solid foods at all :

• this is a period of change for the child and it is quite natural for there to be some resistance.Have patience.

• Do not  get  obsessed with a particular food item – avoid it for a few days and then re-try

• Do not , at any cost , try to force feed and “ somehow manage to get it down his throat”

• Patience , your imagination and innovation and the faith in yourself and your child that shall  sail you through.

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• My child vomits out whatever I give him :

• This is a usual problem , and like most other things, gets over on its own.

• Try giving small amounts and more frequently.

• Try placing food at the back of the tongue than at the front. The swallowing activity being still immature , the child finds it difficult to make a morsel of the food in his mouth ( as we adults do ) and then swallow.By placing at the back of the tongue you are saving him the labour of morselling the food.

• Try making the food more liquid.

• My child does not open his mouth properly – how do I feed him then :

• Try using a smaller spoon

• Using a butter spreader or an ice cream stick often helps.

• My child wants milk also :

• Fair enough on his part . He has been on a milk diet for several months and he is accustomed to milk being available at the fixed time.He has gotten accustomed to this pattern – the change shall disturb his routine for sure.

•  Try fitting the solid food schedule into his pattern. Let him have a small milk feed and then introduce the semi solid.

Caution :

• Be slow and steady and have patience

• Do not try two different items in one day. In case one of them does not agree with the child , you would not know which one it is.

• Do not be over enthusiastic and try to cover great mileage in a few days only

• Consult your local Pediatrician in case of any specific food allergy, upset tummy and other problems which you feel are wide away from your expectation of a normal child.

 : BALANCED DIET AND NUTRITION CHART :