Panikoorka, the Natural Home Remedy for Cough, Cold and Fever in children
Panikoorka plant is a common sight in most homes in the Southern states of India. You will find them in the homes where small children are there. Panikoorka is an Ayurvedic herb , the leaves are used for treating common cold, cough and fever in babies and adults. Panikoorka is a natural anti-pyretic and is most effective in children.
There are references in Ayurveda of the usage of this herb.The botanical name of Panikoorka is Plectranthus amboinicus . In India it is known as Indian borage, in Hindi known as Patta ajavayin, in Tamil – karpooravalli and referred as navaryila in Malayalam.
Panikoorka is very effective home remedy for cold, fever and cough in children. Leaves of panikoorka is squeezed and the juice is taken. A teaspoonful of Panikoorka juice when given to babies would cure their cough, cold, fever, sore throat, nasal congestion and chest congestion.
Panikoorka is a natural expectorant for children. Panikoorka is very effective for cough and chest congestion . Boil the leaves of panikoorka for 5 mins in 1 cup of water. When cool feed 2 tspn of this decoction to children for curing their cough, and bronchitis. It is an effective natural remedy for excess phlegm.
Panikoorka is used as a natural and instant First aid support . Applying the extract of panikoorka leaves on the area relieves itching, infection, insect bites and wounds . It is also used in the treatment of skin disorders, dandruff and different types of allergies.
Panikoorka helps improve lactation in nursing mothers. The health benefits will be transferred to the child through milk.
Panikoorka can be consumed in different ways to minimize the bitter taste and strong odor.The juice is extracted from leaves by placing them on a hot tava. The leaves will become transparent when hot. Remove from the tava and squeeze them with your fingers. In case of grown up you can directly squeeze the washed leaves with your fingers to collect juice.
Infants and Toddlers:
- Two three drops of panikoorka leaves juice would treat chest congestion, cough, and cold in infants. Two three drops of the juice when applied on head, would prevent cough and cold in children and adults.
- Panikoorka leaves extract can be mixed with honey and applied on mother’s breast so that infant will suck it when they drink milk. You can also apply panikoorka leaves on child’s lips.
- Panikoorka leaves extract can be mixed with powdered organic rock sugar (mishri in Hindi, Kalkandam in malayalam ) and given to toddlers for throat infection, cough and cold.
Children:
- When children complain of stomach pains, problem of worms , you can give Panikoorka leaves extract mixed with sugar three times a day.
- For relieving cough take a mix of panikoorka leaves extract, honey and lemon juice two times a day.
- Inhaling vapors with panikoorka leaves extract would cure cold and fever.
Almond Oil is Ideal for Baby Massage
Baby massage is very important for the growth and development of a baby’s body. There are a lot of oils available in the market. The recommended ones are coconut oil and almond oil. Almond oil is known as badam tel.
Coconut oil can be used on babies all round the year. Commonly used in southern states of India. Almond oil provides moisturizing effect. In winter due to external cold the new born baby’s skin become dry. Selection of oil is very critical as the baby’s skin is very sensitive and if the oil is of poor quality baby may get rashes.
Massage plays a very important role, it makes baby’s bones and muscles strong and develops healthy body. You can start massaging on baby when the new born is 10 to 15 days old. Oil massage stimulates respiration, circulation, digestion and elimination. After an oil massage and warm water bath babies will have a sound sleep. They will remain active, relaxed and cheerful. Massage is also thought to help relieve gas, colic and constipation problems; it also helps heal the infant during illness by easing congestion and pain.
Massaging encourages the bond between mother and child. The gentle strokes of the mothers hands gives warmth to the baby and the mother and baby bond strengthens. Ensure baby does not put his hands and feet into the mouth during massaging as there are chances the oil can get inside. Do not pour oil into the ears and nose while massaging. Initially baby will show dislike to massaging. But as the days go by the baby will take it as part of his exercise routine .
Almond oil is used on baby’s skin and head too. Almond oil helps hair growth and strengthens the hair roots. The skin becomes nourished and glows. Almond oil has a light, sweet scent and contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E, as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Almond massage oil is an excellent choice for use on babies because it is naturally rich in emollients and pure enough for sensitive baby skin.
Massaging almond oil on baby’s scalp will moisten the dandruff flakes and you will be able to wash it off within a weeks time. Almond oil makes the skin soft, supple and baby’s skin will glow with radiance.
It is recommended to take your pediatricians advice in case you want to shift to a new oil. Use oil in its pure form to avoid contamination and addition of minerals in the oil.
Do not mix different varieties of oil to massage the baby. Wash the oil completely during the bath to avoid any remnants on the baby making it uncomfortable and sticky. Read the instructions mentioned on the label pack. Also consult the elders in the family for guidance.
The prominent oils used in different parts of India are Olive oil, Sesame oil, Ghee in addition to coconut oil and almond oil. Almond is the king of nuts and therefore the price of oil is higher than the other oils used for babies. A little more care to the baby’s skin and hair will have long lasting results. Baby skin care has to begun from the early days itself , never know your baby may grow up to be a famous personality.
Dispensing and Preparing Formula for baby
Baby is fed with formula when breast milk is insufficient or to manage the frequency when mother is out for work or an errand.
Use boiled water for mixing formulas this will ensure your baby does not get infections and is healthy. Continue this practice as long as you are using a bottle for feeding. Need to be cautious on healthy hygienic practices.
Babies will not wait when they are hungry. They will cry loud such that the neighbours also will realize the presence of the baby.
Procedure to mix formula milk:
Wash your hands Always read the label instructions mentioned on the formula pack. Boil water in a clean vessel. Let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes extra. Then leave the vessel for cooling until lukewarm. Now transfer the water into a feeding bottle which is clean and sterilized. Dispense the formula powder into the feeding bottle that has water. Tighten the nipple and cap of the bottle. Shake the bottle thoroughly.
Check for any lumps in the bottle, it will prevent flow of milk.
You can store boiled water in a flask sufficient for the next feed to avoid being away from the kid for long. You can plan for the night feed in this manner.
Water is the main source for bacterial contamination and as babies are very delicate they are infected quickly. It is a painful process for both mother and child therefore follow hygiene practices.
Check for the right temperature:
Check for the temperature of baby formula prior to feeding the baby. Sprinkle some milk from the bottle nipple onto the inner side of your wrist. It should not feel hot on your skin upon contact , you should feel similar to body temperature, not too hot that the baby will be affected.
How long can we store the formula milk:
It is recommended to use the mixed formula milk in an hour’s time. If the external weather is cold, it is advisable to warm the milk and then feed the baby. Do not serve left over milk beyond recommended duration, it may grow bacteria and your child may fall sick.
Heating the baby formula:
You can lightly heat mixed baby formula in the microwave too, use a separate clean vessel for that purpose. If the milk is too warm and the baby is shrieking with hunger, immerse the vessel partially into a bucket of regular water. This will bring down the temperature and you can feed the baby quickly.
Caution while dispensing baby formula:
- Use the scoop as supplied in the baby formula pack.
- Do not heap the scoop while dispensing baby formula Fill up to the scoop tip only.
- Do not compress the baby formula in the spoon . Normally dip and scoop out quantity.
- Follow right dilution of baby formula. Adding more water to the dispensed quantity is unhealthy as adding more baby formula to the water. This may cause indigestion, constipation and your baby may have colic problems.
- At all times follow manufacturer’s instructions mentioned on the pack. Read label, check for product expiry etc while purchasing baby formula.
Tips for Baby Carrier Wearing safely
There are many advantages by using the baby wearing sling. The bond between mother and child is strengthened. You can watch your baby during this duration closely. Safe for women travelling in bikes and busy roads. The new mom can feel confident latching her baby close as she is not yet comfortable carrying baby by herself.
I’ve seen many moms doing shopping , operating the washing machines with the baby in the carrier.
There are few safety guidelines you need to abide to ensure you and your baby are happy using it. Practicing safety will prevent any incidents that you will have to live with for life.
Baby carriers allow parents to be hands-free to do other things … but you must always remain active in caring for your child.
Upright and Wrapped Tight:
Upright is best for baby’s brain development, hip development (legs out straddled around the baby wearer’s body), breathing, spine development, and visibility. When leaning forward you should be able to easily kiss baby’s forehead. Carrying baby upright allows baby to move his or her head easily without having to work against gravity. Babies carried upright show much better head control earlier than those not carried or carried in a cradle carry, which is considered a forced position.
A baby carrier should give baby the in-arms secure feeling. The carrier needs to embrace baby tightly. When leaning forward baby should not fall into the fabric of the carrier but rather baby wearer and baby need to be one movement. If baby falls into the fabric your carrier needs to be tightened.
Make sure baby’s face is visible to you at all times. Take time to snuggle baby frequently and gently check on baby’s breathing.
Make sure your baby can breathe:
No baby carrier can ensure that your baby always has an open airway – that’s your job. As such, never allow a baby to be carried, held, or placed in such a way that his chin is against his chest, as this can restrict his ability to breathe. Newborns lack the muscle control to open their airways. Newborns need good back support in carriers so they don’t slump into the chin-to-chest position. Also never allow your baby’s head and face to be covered with fabric – always make sure your baby has plenty of airflow.
Never jog, run, jump, or do any other activity that subjects your baby to similar shaking or bouncing motion:
This motion can do damage to the baby’s neck, spine and/or brain. Never ignore baby’s safety and health.
Use only carriers that are appropriate for your baby’s age and weight:
Frame backpacks can be useful for hiking with older babies and toddlers but aren’t appropriate for babies who can’t sit unassisted for extended periods.
Front packs usually have a weight range of 8 to 20 pounds; smaller babies may slip out of the carrier, and larger babies will almost certainly cause back discomfort for the person using the carrier. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for purchase and usage.
Never use a baby carrier when riding in a car:
Soft baby carriers provide none of the protection that car seats provide.
Inspect your carrier regularly to make sure it’s sound: Monitor regularly the condition of the baby wearing sling prior to usage. Check the fabric, seams, and any buckles or fasteners.
Check baby’s position in a mirror:
When using carriers out and about, check the baby’s position with your hands, and use reflective surfaces – such as car or store windows – as mirrors. If you’re with someone else, have them check the position is okay.
Avoid slippery surfaces:
A fall can become too risky for you and the baby. Avoid climbing ladders with a baby on a sling. There are few activities that are avoided when pregnant eg: skating, climbing ladders, jumping, the same is applicable for a mother with a baby sling.
Be aware of what your baby can reach:
Babies are very curious and can try to touch unique colors and articles that come in their reach. Be alert , as the baby on your back can reach things you can’t even see.
Don’t put loose items in the carrier:
Do not put loose items inside the baby wearer sling. The item can prick your baby or can be a choking hazard too.
Protect your baby from the natural elements:
Over dressing baby in summer is not required. The dressing will lead to over heat for the baby in a baby sling. Cover baby for sun protection.
Never use a baby carrier when cooking in the kitchen:
Babies can get exposed to hotter surfaces, and the fumes during cooking. If the space in the kitchen is small the baby will try to pull articles and the risk is high.
How to Clean and Sterilize Bottle Feeding Equipment
Your baby’s health is in your hands. You can keep your baby free from sickness and infections by cleaning and sterilizing feeding accessories. Your baby will not get affected by external germs that are present in the surroundings. A few techniques to be applied .
Cleaning of feeding equipment
- Wash the feeding bottle and accessories immediately after use. This will remove the foul smell that emanate when milk stales.
- Wash your hands too.
- Do not leave the nipple of the bottle in the open after feeding. Attracts flies and germs.
- Rinse the bottle , cap, nipple thoroughly in water and then use a bottle brush to remove any residue. Focus on the groves at the neck of the bottle as there is high chance of milk settling out there.
- Use mild liquid detergent to clean the bottle.
- Check the nipple for any damages. Wash nipple inside out and ensure water flows from the hole of the nipple.
- Complete rinsing of bottle , cap and accessories in hot water too.
Why to Sterilize the feeding equipment
Sterilization is a very critical activity. Sterilizing feeding bottles and accessories ensure all germs and bacterial are killed. Sterilization is effective if proper cleaning is done.
Babies are very delicate and have an immature immune system. Babies cannot fight germs as easily as grown up’s do. An illness that could cause a minor inconvenience for an adult could be very serious for a little baby.
It is advisable to sterilize bottles used for feeding i.e water or baby formula until baby is nine months old. Once baby is crawling and moving around you can wash the containers immediately after use and dry it in sunlight to avoid infection.
How to Sterilize the feeding equipment
After cleaning feeding bottles, nipples and caps place them into a clean bowl. Fill water in it such that the accessories are immersed. Boil the water in the bowl.
Ensure no contact of plastic to the sides of the bowl, shape will get distorted. Decrease the flame and continue further boiling for 5 more minutes. Leave the lid on the bowl during cooling also.
Wash your hands before removing bottles and other accessories from the water. Use tongs to pick the bottle from the bowl if hot.
Remove the bottle and place it on a clean tissue paper or SS rack. Once it is dry place the nipple inverted and close the cap . Effective for four to six hours when dry and there is no moisture.
Watch out in case of feeding bottle nipples:
Latex nipples are softer and more flexible, but they don’t last long . Silicone nipples are firmer and hold their shape longer. You can choose latex, silicone, or rubber nipples. Replace the nipple upon deformation of shape or expansion.
Your baby is in safe hands upon following all the instructions. You can enjoy motherhood as the days go by.
Cleaning your house without Harsh Chemicals…Safe for baby
You may have come across few house cleaning products being very strong smelling and pungent when the cap is opened. It makes you cough or sneeze. Just imagine the load on your baby who is lying in the cradle or may have started to crawl around.
Harsh household cleaners can affect a baby’s eyes, airways, skin, and more. Infact elders have problem like itching or hand becoming rough and dry. To keep away the odors you may use a room freshener.
You can keep your house clean , spic and span and at the same time relieve yourself of the worry that the child will get affected.
Few safety measures to be followed.
- Keep your stock out of the reach of children. Preferable keep in lock and key. You may have across news regarding babies accidently tripping the container or consuming it due to attractive colors. You can imagine the risk in case of ingestion due to its strength and composition.
- Close the caps of the containers tightly to avoid leakage if tripped. Keep cleaning accessories away from the common rooms. Use separate cleaning buckets for diluting cleaners and mopping the room.
- Do not carry the baby in the course of your cleaning activities. Wash your hands thoroughly and then carry the baby.
- Plan your cleaning activities such that baby does not get disturbed. Do not do cleaning activities with the baby in the room. Ventilate the room befor baby is brought in. This will prevent harsh chemicals come into contact.
Common problems associated with Household cleaners:
Household cleaners with harsh ingredients not only kill germs and remove tough stains, they can affect your baby’s health in a number of ways.
Breathing problems. Powerful fumes from household cleaners can irritate your baby’s airways, making allergy or asthma symptoms worse.
Eczema. A baby’s skin is sensitive, and studies have found that irritants and allergens in household cleaners and detergents can cause skin irritation.
Allergies. Some researchers believe that having a home that’s too clean can increase the long-term risk of allergies in a child. It’s called the hygiene hypothesis. For the child’s immune without some exposure to germs, a child’s immune system might not develop normally. Instead, it becomes hypersensitive and begins to overreact to harmless allergens, like pollen or dander.
Eye irritation. Household cleaner fumes can also irritate your baby’s eyes, causing redness and watering. If accidently is splashed directly into the eyes, some cleaners can cause serious damage.
Unknown health effects. Few household cleaners have fragrances that contain chemicals like phthalates . Some studies have found a possible connection between phthalates and disrupted hormone levels.
Phthalates are mainly used as plasticizers for plastics. It increases the softness, flexibility and better processing of plastics
To be cautious, many parents try to reduce the use of household cleaners that contain harsh chemicals.
Tips for Baby-Safe Cleaning
Every woman wants to have their house spic and span, sparkling clean. There are lots of good ways to practice child-safe cleaning. You need to make a balance between cleaning your home and the safety of your baby. There is no need to break your back and clean every inch of your home.
Allocate time for getting things organized, away from the floor. Minimize dust entry and remove unwanted things in the room. They actually collect dust and becomes impossible to clean.
Opt safer household cleaners. Select household cleaners that are less caustic and friendlier to both the environment and the body. Look for “green” and “nontoxic” cleaners, or products that say, “petroleum-free,” “biodegradable”, “phosphate-free”, “Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) free”, or “solvent-free.”
Less is more. Household cleaners can be diluted with water and it cleans quite effectively. Diluting a cleaner is an easy way of making it less harsh and better for child-safe cleaning. Diluting a cleaner will have cost benefits too. The only caution is not to retain the diluted cleaning solution. It will not be effective for later use.
Avoid the antibacterial soap. Despite the popularity of antibacterial soaps, plain old soap and water will get the germs off just as well. Antibacterial soap not only contains chemicals you don’t need, but in the long term it may increase the risk of creating tougher, resistant bacteria. Your child will not have resistance to external conditions and will fall sick when exposed to climatic changes
Preferably use natural cleaners available in the kitchen – baking soda , lime and vinegar. In case you engage a cleaning service or a maid to do the task, explain them the cleaning resources and the areas to avoid any confusion and incidents.
If you are planning to remove cobwebs that got accumulated, cover all furniture and baby items. Dust thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner. Otherwise the dust will spread from one surface to the other. Change all bed covers where the baby will come into contact.
Stop dirt from getting in the house. Place a huge door mat to wipe your feet as you come in the house, it will keep out dirt as well as any contaminants from outside. The better option will be to place a shoe rack outside to prevent dust and contaminants coming into the house. You are confident to make your baby move around inside the house.
When you make a transition to child-safe cleaning routines, there’s one thing you might miss: that clean smell. The fact is the smell is just chemically produced. “Real clean doesn’t have a scent.”
When you start practicing the simple cleaning methods your house will be clean but will not smell as if you are in a garden. Your bathroom and toilets will be clean but not antiseptic as an operation theatre. You are doing your best in a safe manner to keep your child free of infection.
How to Handle the New Born Baby?
Tender Care for your New Born Baby
The baby’s parents are very anxious to receive the baby. After nine months of pregnancy, the mother and father are looking forward to that first look of the baby. They will be selecting names for their little child…a girl or a boy. The mother feels all the movements and is longing for the baby, inspite of the daily changes she goes through. When the baby is born, the parents have to take care of the tender baby. The baby was in the womb all these days , carrying the baby safely is the priority.
Gentle Care is Very Essential for New Born
You need to bring in awareness for yourself and later inform all near and dear ones. You need to handle baby with care. The do’s after feeding, bathing practices, changing diapers, breastfeeding hygiene and schedule, bottle feeding cleaning aspects, dressing a baby, needs to be followed with utmost care. You do not want the baby to suffer due to negligence. The information can be taken from your elders, relatives and friends who have years of experience in baby care and know how to face difficult situations also.
Do not touch your baby too frequently
You should be very careful, and try to avoid touch your baby by anyone. Insist to wash hands before carrying your baby. It is advisable because new born baby can get infection quickly as resistance power is low. Sometimes people hold the cheeks of babies in the midst of the work. Avoid holding the baby frequently. Do not use the same bed. Keep footwear outside the room to avoid infection.
Support baby’s head while Carrying Baby
While carrying baby, you should keep your hand below baby’s head to support your baby’s head and neck, which is called cradling. You should always give support to baby’s head and neck while carrying or lie baby down. You should keep one hand under his head while carrying baby. It will take at least 4 to 5 months for the head to stabilize.
Don’t raise your baby or play as a Toy
Don’t play with your new born baby like throwing in air, or raising the baby above shoulder levels. This is very dangerous as it affects gravity and if you are unable to hold the baby back it could be fatal. This may cause severe injuries too. At times the milk taken will be vomited by the baby due to the jerking action. Discourage anyone doing this with any baby no matter how important or elderly the individual is.
Breast Feeding – Very Essential
Breast milk is the best for new born baby; therefore always insist to feed your baby when she needs to have it. Breast feeding within one hour of birth will be very beneficial for health of baby. Follow hygiene practices .Maintain a gap of 2 to 3 hours if the baby is bottle feed such that baby is hungry for the next feed, if not the baby will only crave for mother’s warmth and attention. Mother’s milk contain more nutrition and very light in digest.
Right Way of bathing New Born Baby
Take guidance from your doctor for proper care of the umbilical cord. It falls off automatically after a few days, but you need to care the umbilical cord of baby unless it will not fall off. You can bathe your baby with warm water and a good gentle soap. Keep all items handy prior to bathing the baby. Wrap the baby in towel soon after bathing to protect from cold. Wipe the soft portion on the head gently. Baby can be fed and will soon have a nice nap. You can sponge baby based on the external weather conditions.
Change Diaper at regular Intervals
Changing the diaper when baby has passed poo or pee is essential. The dampness and the excreta will lead to small rashes. Avoid baby rash. Do not keep single diaper for more than three to four hours. Apply rash cream to protect your baby from any rashes due to diaper. Use good quality wipes for your baby. In case of cotton diaper cloths, ensure soft material. Powder the area too. You need to soak them in antiseptic liquid. Keep a good stock of diapers, wipes as baby will not stop crying when she makes wet. Application of petroleum jelly is good to avoid rashes.
Choose Comfortable Dress for Infant
You should choose comfortable clothes for your baby that is easy to wear or remove. Preferably use cotton material. Sometimes the neck will be small and therefore it will not enter over the head easily. There should not be any hooks, buttons or bulging knot on the back or front. This will irritate and pain the baby also.You need to be careful while selecting clothes.
Sleeping Time
Sleep time is very important for the baby, growth and development happens during sleep. Ensure to lower music and unnecessary sounds, a peaceful atmosphere will ensure no disturbance and baby will have sound sleep. The sleep patterns also change as baby is growing. Baby born in the day time tends to sleep mostly in the day and slowly the cycle will turn to sleeping for longer duration in the night. Baby will be active and happy with sufficient feed and good sleep . You will become familiar with baby’s moods and patterns.
Communicate with educative toys
Provide good toys which make sound and check if the baby’s eyes and ears are responding. Please ensure the material of make meets standards and they are safe to play with. You can keep the baby engaged with good music, songs and hanging toys on the cradle. This will enable child to identify things in the surroundings. Communicate with baby regularly and build relation.
Remember, new born baby is very delicate, you should gently handle the baby and provide surrounding for a healthy growth. You need to practice good hygiene for yourself and the baby to keep away from infections. Baby senses all things around and get active with sounds, colors. Your tender care and affection will keep your baby healthy and happy.
How to Make a Cloth Diaper for the Baby?
Your new born baby’s arrival is near and you have to make a few arrangements to welcome the little one into this world. Most importantly you need to plan for baby’s clothes.
In India new born babies are not given new clothes to wear in the first few days. There could be allergy due to dust or contact of chemicals during the process of manufacturing dress materials.
The clothes are washed prior to usage for baby. It is economical to use homemade cloth diapers in the initial days because baby will pee and poo several times . It is easy to make a diaper with cloth. There is no designing aspects involved. It is simple method.
Just follow the instructions for making homemade cotton cloth diapers:
- Cotton cloth is recommended for cloth diaper.
- You can choose baby colors for diapers like baby pink, baby yellow, sky blue and leaf green.
- Cut the cloth to square pieces of 50 cms i.e ½ a meter.
- Hold two opposite edges to form a triangle.
- Stitch the corners completely such that it is a double clothed triangular cloth piece.
- Now place a small loop on the first opposite edge of the cloth.
- Your cotton cloth diaper is ready for use.
- Place the cotton cloth diaper below the baby’s bums.
- Take the edge of the cloth from the left side thru’ the loop and tie it with the right side edge. Tie the cloth diaper twice to ensure it doesn’t come off.
- It is convenient to make and use. It is ideal for babies.
This pattern is ideal for a girl child. For the boys the pee will mess the surrounding area as it is not confined inside the triangular cloth. In such instances you can make the cloth wider with two loops to keep the diaper intact.
This is easy to dry also unlike the thick cloths. You can make diapers at home with reuse material like old cotton T shirts , dhothi ,etc. The advantage is it is soft and smooth for the baby. During travel these can be disposed off.
When baby is lying on back you can use cotton inserts for higher absorption of pee.
In India the summer months are hot and humid. Baby will be restless with the synthetic diapers . The conditions may not be economical to use ready made diapers round the clock. You can opt for the cloth diapers.
Cloth diapers can be used upto 9 months. By now baby has turned over, crawled and trying to stand by holding objects. As baby is growing you can go in for knickers.
Refer this video for making diapers from re-use dress material…safe for the baby too.
Your Baby’s First Taste of Solids
As your baby is growing up you need to introduce suitable food at the right time in addition to mother’s milk to provide required nutrition to keep your baby bubbly and active. The systematic process of change in food is known as weaning.
It is recommended to start with semi solid foods after baby is 4 months old. Depending upon the baby’s health and nutritional needs, doctor may suggest to begin at 6 months also. Consult your Pediatrician prior to making any change.
- Go slow… when you start new food.
- Pick a time of the day when the baby is active. You need to ensure that the baby is hungry, there is a good time gap for the next frequency of meal. If the baby is fed with formula or breast milk and the gap is less she will refuse to taste even.
- Make the baby sit in a comfortable position i.e in your lap or the baby chair, with good support.
- Normally the baby’s first food is a cereal cooked along with formula or milk. Initially the baby is given very little quantity and gradually based on acceptance level and appetite the quantity is increased.
- You can start with vegetable soups.
- When a baby is on breast milk additional water will not be required. If the baby is on formula milk additional water should be given in small quantities. Try to slowly stop the baby having from a milk bottle as the upper and lower teeth will be protruding forward as baby grows.
- You can give fruit juices, filter all fibrous material and seeds as it may choke and baby will vomit what she had previously also. It is painful to see the little one cough and the eyes become watery.
- Burp the baby after feeds . A good practice for ensuring baby food will not be wasted.
- Keep a towel handy for cleaning all spills. The baby’s lips should be wiped with wet cloth to avoid darkening. The baby should be wet sponged after meals. If baby is not cleaned, the food substances will dry up and could be chance for attracting insects. In India we observe a trail of ants on the baby’s cot due to the sweet smell.
Dip all baby clothes in Dettol antiseptic liquid (follow label instructions for dilution). This will prevent rashes and foul smell from the clothes.- Preferably dry baby clothes in sunlight.
- While feeding the baby be close by , do not leave the baby unattended.
General watch outs based on my experience:
- When you are planning to go out with the baby take extra set of diapers, towel, formula milk, water, poly bags to dump in soiled items.
- If weather is cold ensure baby is nicely tucked in warm clothes. Cover ear, head, legs and hands as baby will catch cold if exposed to cold
- If you are out on a hot day, be extremely careful of the scorching heat. Use an umbrella or a nice sunlight protection.
- Ensure medication of baby is kept in a cool place, away from sunlight. Ensure proper labeling.
- I’ve observed mothers carrying small babies and sipping hot tea, the baby will be attracted to the cup or coffee mug in your hand and will want to grab it. Accidently it may spill also. Beware of such incidents.
- Do not carry baby in the midst of your home chores. For example if you are chopping onion and carry the baby with the same hands, gradually baby will develop a nausea feeling to the smell. I know children who have grown up and detest onions in the food they eat.
Bringing up a baby is a huge responsibility and you can manage it wonderfully with the support of your family.
Wheat flour porridge
Wheat flour porridge
Porridge is a healthy diet for small babies. As they are not onto regular food wheat flour porridge is ideal for digestion. It is also said that wheat flour porridge removes excess phlegm accumulated for the baby. It is a light meal and delicious too due to its sweetness. You can avoid sugar if baby takes it plain. Add a pinch of salt.
I recommend sugar as it tastes good with wheat flour. Try this out.
Ingredients :
- 2 teaspoons of ghee
- 5 teaspoons of wheat flour
- Pinch of elaichi powder ( cardamon)
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 cup of milk
Procedure :
- Heat ghee in a kadai. Reduce the flame.
- On a low flame add wheat flour and roast well till you get the smell of cooked atta.
- Mix in elaichi powder and sugar.
- Take ½ cup milk and mix the atta . Ensure there are no lumps and the powder is thoroughly mixed.
- Boil the remaining milk and gradually add the atta mixture to it.
- Keep stirring continuously, till the mixture is cooked and pasty. Watch out for any lumpy formation.
Feed the baby when warm enough that the baby can take into his mouth. If your baby has a liking to this meal you can prepare the same with Rava also.
Gradually you can add mashed banana / mashed apple / cheeku ( sapota) and make the meal more enjoyable. The baby will be delighted with new and tasty food.
Mixed vegetable soup
Soup is a favorite drink among little children and your baby may long to have a cup of the mixed vegetable soup. This is a combination of pulses and fresh vegetables. Baby is getting introduced to new flavours, changes of taste – bland, sweet, salty, sour, spicy too. The changes in diet also changes the stool condition.
Baby may have constipation at times and then you can go in for liquid food to soothe the baby. Hope this baby food recipe will be baby’s best choice.
Ingredients :
- 2 teaspoons of moong dal(split Green gram with outer cover stripped)
- Few pieces of carrot, potato, cabbage, bottle gourd and mint leaves
- 2 pinches of salt and 2 cups of water
Procedure :
- Wash Moong dal . To this add pieces of carrot, potato, cabbage, bottle gourd and mint leaves (washed prior to chopping)
- Add 2 cups of water, salt and pressure cook till dal and vegetables are done.
- Now strain this using a strainer. You can make the soup thick by mashing the veggies or serve it as liquid only.
If your baby has enjoyed it , then next time you can try using fresh sweet corn or tomato too.
