Excerpts of LiveChat with Khyati: Mom-Baby nutrition: Part III

Q. Hi my kid is 2.5 years old. He doesn’t want to eat food with little bit of spice. What to do?

A.  I always advise moms to start making the child a part of the dining table as soon as he sits upright, this will help him /her to see and learn what the family eats.

Q. My girl is four months old and due to drop in her weight, her pediatrician recommended to start with fruits till 15 days and then with semi solids however forbidden for juices and dal water or rice water. I can see a chart in Babychakra given by Ms Khyati rupani wherein dal water and kanji were also mentioned. Is it okay to introduce that also?

A. Babychakra has my article on pre weaning – like I just said, please try with a few drops and then see how it goes, you are the best judge for the amount to be given to your baby.

Q. I have read somewhere – lemon works wonders for common ailments, also helps in case of stones, cysts etc. How far is that true? When and in what form should it be taken?

A lot of our scholars were vegetarian, a lot of our warriors too were vegetarian   so relax – there is enough nutrition filled food even in veg

Q. One more question…how good is cerelac for a 10 month old infant? I would be traveling in March end. Please suggest some baby food which can be given to infants with hot water?

A. Here is a recipe for home-made cerelac which u might like to try –
INGREDIENTS: Rice: Moong dal – 3:1 ratio (mix 3 parts of rice to 1 part of dal), Milk – ½ cup, Water – ¾ to 1 cup, Jaggery – ½ tsp [Optional]. METHOD: Soak both the ingredients in water for 45 minutes, rinse and dry them in sunlight till crisp. Dry roast both the ingredients. Let them cool for few minutes. Then roasted ingredients can either be ground to a powder form by blender or mixer grinder. Make Rice and dal in 3:1 ratio, store it in an air-tight container and use it to prepare your baby’s food (equivalent to Cerelac available in the market). In a pan, take ½ cup of formula milk. Add ¾ to 1 cup of water in it. Then add 2 tbsp of this powder. Mix it without lumps. Cook them in a low flame till the mixture is completely cooked. Add Jaggrey [optional]

Q. Please suggest must-have vitamins for tots and their common sources. My baby is 21 months old and only 9.4 kg, height is also average 82 cm. Please suggest food to improve her overall growth and development.

A. We, dietitians, are not supposed to prescribe any over the counter drugs or supplements – but it will be beneficial if he is taught good eating habits. Cheese, paneer, nuts, ragi porridge are your best friends.

Also read more about: LiveChat with Khyati: Mom-Baby nutrition: Part I, Part II, Part IV

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