Appropriate Foods at 1-1 ½ Years:
By this age one should aim at feeding the child food prepared for the family, although it may still have to be softened and mixed with yoghurt to make it less spicy. By this time the mother produces about 500 ml breast milk so the bulk of the energy has to be supplied from solids. The mistake that most mothers make is that they give a variety of foods but in very small quantities, which does not contribute enough energy and nutrients to the child. Both anemia and vitamin A deficiency are common in children of this age group therefore every effort should be made to give the child 2 to 3 tablespoons cooked green leafy vegetables and or 2 to 3 small pieces of liver 2 to 3 times a week. Moreover good sources of vitamin C such as oranges, guava, tomatoes, mangoes, papaya should be given with the same meal since vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron.

General Guidelines Regarding Weaning

1. Modifying food from the household pot It is important to keep the socioeconomic status of the family and the availability of different foods in mind. Mothers should not be recommended foods that they cannot afford as then they will lose confidence in their own ability to feed the child appropriately. As far as possible, regular family food should be given to the child after softening and mashing it, rather than expecting the mothers to cook special foods. The food should be soft but not watery. Initially the child might spit out food. This does not mean that the child does not like it. Learning to swallow semi-solid foods is difficult for a baby who only knows how to suck. One or two teaspoons should be given initially so that the child gets accustomed to swallowing food of a different consistency. As the child grows the consistency should be modified from semi- solid, mashed and finally solid foods.

Addition of oil:
Some oil in the food is good for the baby as it increases the energy density of the food. A shortage of energy is the biggest problem faced by children. Most foods are bulky and the child’s capacity of intake is small. This results in the consumption of a very small amount by the baby. This means that child needs to eat more often than adults in the family to ensure optimum nutrient intake. Addition of oil to the diet also helps to boost the amount of calories in a food item.