Dietary Guidelines for Weaning and Infancy

The first few months of feeding our infants is simple as it is basically about milk, breast milk or formula milk and cereals. After 6 months the new mother is so confused as everyone is making some suggestion and promising good health or great growth with that one particular food. Here are some guidelines and tips. Breakfast can be a commercial cereal like Cerelac,Nestum, etc., or ragi porridge and milk may be introduced.

Egg yolk may be introduced after 7 months. It must be a boiled egg that is fully cooked and mashed. Half boiled or raw egg cannot be digested and is just thrown out of the body. Idli, dosa and upma can be given for breakfast from the 7th or 8th month. Please note egg alone does not constitute breakfast. Egg must be given along with a carbohydrate food like bread, idli, etc.,

Lunch must be a balanced meal of rice, dhal and vegetables well cooked and mashed together. Dinner can be a cereal meal till 8 or 9 months and then changed to a meal similar to lunch.

Boiled chicken and fish may be added to the lunch after 8 months. Whole egg can be introduced in the diet after 9 or 10 months. Butter and Ghee can be added after the baby is 9 months. Before this it is taxing to the digestive system to digest these fats. By 10 months small pieces of fruits and boiled vegetables may be given as finger foods cut into finger shaped sticks, which they can hold and eat on their own. Biscuits also may be eaten on their own, under supervision.

Caution!
Great care should be taken to keep all utensils and one's hands very clean and to use properly boiled and cooled water while preparing juices. Please wash hands and fruits thoroughly before preparing and feeding the child. Do not get into the habit of grinding food in a mixi. After 6 months of age the food should be very well cooked and soft and can be mashed with a fork and fed in a semisolid consistency. The baby should get used to different textures in the mouth, that is why we avoid grinding in a mixi.

Diet plan for Infants 1-2 years of age?
Morning 1 glass milk,
Breakfast Idli 2 + Sambar; or
Dosa 1-2 + Sambar; or
Ragi / Oats porridge with milk, or
Bread 1-2 slice + Egg cooked 1 no.
11 am: Mashed banana 1 no. or Mosambi juice 1 glass
Lunch: Rice ½-3/4 C + Dhal ¼ C + Veg ¼ C + Curd ¼ C, or Non-veg 1 piece
4 pm: Milk 1 glass + Biscuit 1-2 nos.
6 pm: Apple ½ no.

Dinner: Rice ½ C / Chapati 1 + Dal ¼ C + Veg ¼ C,

Bedtime: Milk ½ - ¾ C Cup= 225 ml or 8 oz

What is the Ideal Weight range for Infants?