Solid Feedings
Breastmilk is the best milk for babies and can be given until 2 years old. However, when the infant can no longer be satisfied with milk intake, other foods may be added. This is complementary feeding. Chronologically, cereals, fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish or meat are given. New foods are introduced singly and in small amounts to detect allergy. There is no evidence to show that early introduction of beikost or weaning foods is advantageous.
Foods given to younger infants are selected on the basis of what is soft and can be mashed. This will include yellow and fleshy vegetables like squash, carrots, papaya, upo, sayote. Fruits are selected in the same manner. Also very important to consider is to monitor for signs of any allergic reactions to food being introduced. That is why, one should not be in a hurry to introduce different kinds of food to younger infants and children.
Weaning foods are grouped as follows:
I. Leafy and yellow vegetables
– malunggay, ampalaya, kamote, sayote, sitaw, saluyot, kangkong, petsay, lettuce, squash and carrots
II. Vitamin C rich foods
– cashew, guava, guyabano, ratilis, pomelo, papaya, durian, orange, atis, strawberry, mango, melon, tomatoes
III. Other fruits and vegetables
– okra, raddish, banana and banana buds, mabolo, pineapple, chico, watermelon, avocado, patola, eggplant
IV. Fat- rich foods
– butter, enriched margarine, lard, coconut milk, coconut, coconut oil, nuts
V. Protein- rich foods
– all kinds of whole milk, beef, lean pork, sausage, ham, liver, egg, chicken, shrimps, all kinds of fish, shellfish, dried beans and nuts
VI. Energy foods
– rice and rice products, corn, tubers, bread, sugar, candied fruits
Feeding younger infants and children is not an easy task. One has to be patient and to be innovative. But, we should not forget also that babies can develop a taste for what at the beginning was refused. Mothers should be aware of this and should be patient to continue introducing the foods many times until tolerated and to give up only after sufficient trial. As what our pedia gastroenterologist consultant stated Dr. Felizardo Gatcheko said and I quote, “introduce the food 100 to 200 x”, end of quote.