7 foods to increase your babys weight

Deciding on food for your little one is a challenge in itself. Especially as toddlers are unable to consume hard foods and most of their diet is in the liquid form. With all these preconditions, finding food items to increase your baby’s weight has just gotten harder. Having your baby gain weight could also help boost their immunity. Here are 7 food items that could help in fattening your baby up.    

1. Breast milk

The most common item on this list is obviously breast milk. All children below 6 months of age should most definitely be fed their mother’s milk as there is nothing more nutritious or healthy. To increase the quality of milk in lactating mothers, it is advised for the mothers to add items like almonds, chickpeas and lentils in their diet. After six months, your job gets easier as you can start feeding your baby semi-solid and solid food along with breast milk.

2. Bananas

Bananas are known to be high in potassium, carbohydrates and have more than a hundred calories. They are a huge source of energy and your baby will enjoy eating it It’s also a food item you can grab on the run. Bananas can be fed to your baby in the form of a milkshake, banana cakes, puddings and the like, whichever your baby is most comfortable with.

3. Ghee

Ghee is another food item that can increase weight in your baby. Their fat content and nutritional value is high. Start off with using desi ghee or ayurvedic ghee. It’s a very subjective food item so if you notice some irritation in your child such as rashes and allergy then it would be advisable to stop. You can switch to another brand of ghee or use homemade ghee. Ghee sometimes kills appetite so it should be used in moderation. Since your child has no way of telling you, you as a mother are the best judge of the quantity of ghee to feed your child.

4. Cream Yoghurt

This is one of the most healthy options for weight gain in your child as it is a rich source of calcium, fat and nutrition in one. Since this is a fermented product, it is safe to feed your child as some doctors advise against feeding babies cow’s milk at an early stage. Yoghurt helps build immunity and helps in cases of indigestion and loose motion as well. Avoid flavored yogurt as they have high sugar content.

5. Dal

Lentils are a great source of protein, calcium and healthy fatty acids. Try to avoid mixing dal with curd as it reduces its nutritious value. Serve it in the form of idli which makes for a very healthy breakfast as well. A simple khichdi would suffice as an entire meal for your child. Maybe you could try adding different vegetables to experiment with the taste.

6. Potatoes

Potatoes are one of the most starchy of foods which makes for quick weight gain. It is also the most popular component in Indian cuisine so it can be introduced in your child’s diet without much fuss. Potatoes are also easily mashable and digestible so consumption shouldn’t be a problem either. Avoid frying potatoes in the form of french fries as this is not the most healthy option. Even frozen food such as smileys are very high in preservatives and can be avoided.

7. Oats and Ragi