It’s a crucial period for parents to take care of their new-born’s food till they turn one year old. Here are some tips about it.
Adequate nutrition is necessary to ensure better growth and development of a baby from birth. Inappropriate nutrition may lead to malnutrition in the baby.
Let’s discuss some healthy food for infants as per their age categories.
Up to 6 months:
As Breast milk is the most nutritious food, it is recommended to breastfeed the infant for the first 6 months. Water, Cow/buffalo milk should be avoided.
6-12 months:
Beyond six months it is insufficient for an infant to meet the growing needs with breast milk alone. The next main ingredient is the staple cereal of the family. Other than that porridge made of semolina, atta, ragi, and millet can be included in the list. The baby needs to be fed 5-6 times per day other than breast milk.
This porridge can be made by mixing a small quantity of roasted cereal flour with water and boiling it. Adding some ghee and jaggery enhances its taste. The consistency should be thick to make it more nutritious.
Other recipes such as boiled pulses, carrot, potatoes, spinach, idli with ghee, small pieces of roti with milk, kichadi with vegetables, dhokla, etc can be introduced slowly to the child. Fruits like bananas, chikoo and apples can be mashed and given to them.
After one year
After a year the child can practice eating all food items but not too hot, too cold, and too spicy. These foods include:
Fruits: Oranges, berries, mangoes, avocados, etc cut into small pieces.
Vegetables: These include all the vegetables that we eat. It should be well boiled and given. It’s best to start with vegetable soups.
Protein: Lentils, Beans, Tofu, Boiled meat etc.
Grains: Millet and Oats. Peanuts should be well boiled and smashed.
Foods to avoid:
- Peanut butter
- Overconsumption of fresh juices. (Only 4 ounces of fresh juice can be given)
- Salt and sugar
- Raw Vegetables
- Bread
- Cheese
- Tea/coffee
- Energy rich salted snacks
