Q: I have a seven month old baby boy (born on 18th September 2001) and would like to have your recommendations on the diet support required and the frequency of intake. We are strict vegetarians. I am giving below the present diet scheme we are administring to the baby
0730 Hrs: Dry grapes juice, 5 table spoon ful0800 Hrs: One mountain banana
1030 Hrs : boiled rice paste (Boiled rice soaked for a few hours, and ground into a paste and made into noodles and dried in sun. Fully dry noodles are again soked in water and cooked into a paste).
1300 Hrs : 50 mL water
1330 Hrs : orange juice
1430 Hrs: Carrot cooked in milk
1700 Hrs : Cerelac
2000 Hrs : a glass of milk.

In between the above, three to four times mothers milk is being given. I request you to check on the list above and suggest changes / additions.

A:A child needs a balanced and adequate diet to supply the nutrients and energy need for growth. Although the calorie and protein intake appears to be fine, it would advisable to add some variety to the diet both in texture and foods selected. Instead of giving only rice paste to your baby it would be advisable to give some sort of paushtik khichri lightly mashed (not paste) of some sooji, ragi, dalia oats preparation with green leafy vegetables, carrots etc added to it. Feeding only mashed/soft foods will cause difficulty for the child to adopt to regular food. Remember the child at one year age should be eating the same food as you cook for the family but slightly softened.