KID'S HEALTH
Most of the parents wonder when they should start giving their babies solid food. Other parents might suggest they start it early so that it helps the baby sleep whole night. Grandparents may advise as early as after one month from the birth, since they did the same with their own babies. But, unlike common belief that giving babies solid food so early is harmless, medical researches prove that the baby is not ready to digest solid food until he nears his half-birth day. According to World Health Organization, only breast milk is ideal diet for infants in first six months. Later babies may be given supplementary diet or extra breast milk till he is two year old.
Before six months babies' digestive system is not strong enough to digest solid food. Tongue of your child pushes anything out from outside like food. This is called 'extrusion reflex' which saves child from suffocating due to things from outside. There is a lack of important enzymes in intestines necessary for digestion; therefore, digestive system cannot deal with some types of food properly. Solid food before six month leads to allergies and indigestion, as well as insufficient intake of breast milk necessary for baby's health.
If you offer a baby solid food before he is prepared for it, he will decline. It sets up a trying stage for having food next time. If you have inherited allergies to food, it would be better to wait until the baby is of six months.
Do not take much time to introduce solid food. Babies of more than six months are more stuck to their own way and less flexible. So they are not willing to accept new tastes and properties of solid food. Recently, there is no evidence that delaying more than six months to start solid food saves your baby from food allergies, asthma or eczema.
when your baby is able to hold his head upright in sitting position, give him solid food. If he is not able, wait until he is able to. Similarly, if a baby cannot sit on a chair even with the support of pillows and blankets, wait for some time until he can sit. Then you should introduce solid food. If a baby stops spitting out edible items, try to give him some rice cereal mixed with formula milk or breast milk. If, after trying multiple times, he spits put the food, it signifies that he not yet ready to take solid food.
If he has become able to move food back and forth with his tongue, he is ready to take solid food. Initially it will take some time. Your child protrudes lower lip and tries to take spoon in his mouth. Your child shows interest in food, picks up forks and breads, points out to food and when you take a morsel he looks at you curiously. Solid food first time may be a memorable moment. But it is more than moving a high chair and making a video clip. If you take it as a happy and entertaining moment, better you think over the necessity of setting an appropriate time to start.
Keep in mind that you should make your child practice to accept the taste and properties of solid food for a few months before starting solid food. As long as your child takes milk, it is not as much important how much solid food he takes. First a few diets would be no more than one or two teaspoons. Take your time off when your child is happy and active; not tired or in bad mood. Feeding takes time, so don't set such timing when you are busy with household chores. If your child feels hungry anytime, you may give him food.
Initially, give him small quantity of formula milk or breast milk, so that he should not grow impatient. Do not give too much of milk, though it will satiate his hunger. Give him only one fourth of a spoonful. Put a spoon on his lips and see how he reacts. If the child opens his mouth, you may put the food into his mouth so as he could easily swallow. Food may also come out of the mouth of child. If it recurs, try to notice whether the child is ready to take solid food, if not try after some time. If he swallows more than spits out, it indicates your child is ready to take solidfood.
In the beginning give solid food only once. When the child is accustomed to it, give twice and after a few days thrice a day.
If the child is going stubborn, moves away his face, tightens his lips, spits out food or scatters it around, all it indicates that he is no more hungry. Stop feeding and do not force him to have food.
Give your six months child any of the following food once a day:
Iron rich baby cereal made of rice or barley or its types. Cereal would be in form of broken peels. You may mix it with mother's milk or formula milk. A tea spoonful may be given.
Pulp of chicken and mutton Crushed hard yolk Well boiled beans, pulses and Kabuli chickpeas Vegetable pulp like pea, pumpkin pudding, sweet potato, carrots, cabbage, broccoli or green beans. Before your child gets addicted to sweet fruits, it is wise to introduce vegetables. Babies are generally more inclined to green and yellow vegetables like pumpkin pudding, sweet potato or broccoli in comparison to green beans. It is not necessary vegetables should be fresh. They could be crushed, frozen or canned. Avoid adding butter and salt to the food of your baby. When your baby has started taking vegetables in his diet, add fruits to diet. Well crushed banana or apple jam may be a good choice. Meanwhile, you may give him fruity cereal too. Introduce new food one by one, taking a little time between one food and another and observing adverse reactions like diarrhoea, vomiting or red spots. If your child is allergic to any food, it will help you identify which food is the cause.
When you start giving your child solid food, continue giving milk as usual, be it of mother or formula milk. With the time intake of solid food will increase and intake of mother's milk will decrease accordingly. This is natural way to stop breastfeeding. If your child takes formula milk, make sure he takes at least 480 ml. daily as long as he is one year old.
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