New Delhi, May 14 (IANS). Children develop properly only when their diet is correct and balanced according to their age. Often parents think that milk alone is enough for small children, but after 6 months of birth, milk alone does not provide complete nutrition. In such a situation, solid and nutritious food is also required. This is called supplementary food. This is very important for the physical and mental development of the child.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development posted on its official social media account X that when a child turns 6 months old, the needs of his body start increasing. At this time, he should be given light and nutritious home-made food along with milk. It can include rice, khichdi, green vegetables, curd, ghee and a little amount of oil along with thick pulses. Apart from this, yellow and orange colored fruits and vegetables like banana, papaya, carrot and pumpkin are also very beneficial. All these things provide essential vitamins and energy to the child.
In the beginning the child should be given food in very small quantities. Start with about 3 to 4 teaspoons and see how baby responds. If the child is eating and digesting well, the quantity can be gradually increased. Generally, a 6 to 7 month old baby can be given a small bowl of food twice a day.
As the child grows, his appetite and needs also increase. A child of 7 to 8 months can be given two bowls of food a day. For a child of 9 to 11 months, this quantity can be increased to three bowls. Whereas a child of 12 to 24 months can be given four to five bowls of light and nutritious food a day.
Along with this, it is also important that parents understand the signs of hunger of the child. Every child’s appetite is different, so instead of feeding him forcefully, he should be given food after understanding his signals. Food should be fed to the child in a playful manner and with love, so that he takes interest in eating.
Young children should be fed milk first and then given solid food. With this the child gets both types of nutrition.
–IANS
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