Oats as First Foods for babies....

Oatmeal or Oats makes a yummy & nutritious food for babies. Infact, its goodness makes it amongst the better first food (grains) too.Oats are high in fiber, calcium, protein & even traits of Vitamin B, B6, magnesium & phosphorus reducing an chances of constipation and is also one of the least allergic foods. However never to forget the Four-Day Rule before serving anything new to our lil angels.

I usually use instant Quaker Oats for our house and do not get into other details of another hundred type of oats available in the market.

For Nevan, he is a man of variety so I have to innovate myself and make his food with different flavors for him to eat them on a daily basis.Oats to babies 6m+, personally I started with them when he was around  6 1/2 months.


Oatmeal for Babies (Basic Preparations):

1. Dry roast oats in a small quantity over the gas. ( However you can roast them in 3-4 drops of ghee once your baby is 8m+).
2. Grind them to make 'Oats Powder'
3. Make this powder once a week and keep it handy for quick recipes (Extremely important for working moms).

Oatmeal for Babies in Formula Milk:

1. Add oats powder & water and cook over the gas for a couple of minutes.
2. You can make the oats as per the desired consistency by adding water.
3. Remove from fire & add formula powder.

Oatmeal for Babies in Regular Toned Milk:

1. Add oats & milk and cook for a couple of minutes.
2. Attain desired consistency by adding milk.

Oats with Fruits: Nevan loved banana's & pear's; and I did not want to take the risk of rejection of oats from him so I cleverly introduced oats to him with his favorite fruits for good 10 days before he developed a flavor for them. Additionally this also helped me give him a fruit per day along with oats.

So you can add Oats with Mashed fruits like banana, chickoo, avocado or with Pureed fruits like Apple Puree, Pear Puree, or with other fruits like Blueberry's, Peach, Apricot, etc.

Oats & Prunes: On days when Nevan is constipated, I add mashed Prunes to his oats too (do read the post on Constipation).

Oats Vegetable Upma: Add boiled vegetables to oats and cook over gas. Add coriander leaves, roasted jeera, salt for taste. Vegetable like Bottle Gaurd, Ridge Gaurd, Potato, Sweet Pumpkin, Carrot should be started with; then tomato, brocalli, beans, peas, etc should be followed as the latter are difficult to digest.

Oats Kheer: Cook Oats in milk or water as desired and add little cardamom & cinnamon for flavor. Keep consistency in check.

Oats with Egg (for 9m+): Heat a little oil in pan, add oats along with veggies or fruits of your desire. Then add two egg yolks (whisked separately in a bowl). Gently scramble & fry the mixture until the yolks are fully cooked. The Scramble can either be cut into small pieces for the baby to have it easily, you can even serve it with a fruit puree as a dip. Else can be made in a pureed form for easy gulp down.

Hope this helps you guys to feed oats to your lil one's !!!

LIST OF FIRST FOODS for your BABY....Introducing Semi-solids Part 2

I don’t believe there is any magic age when babies are ready to start solids. Being ready is an individual thing and it happens at different ages for all babies. Plus I also took into consideration when I was ready to start on this journey....coz in the end it's me who has to manage the affair's on a daily basis.

To begin with, do read the Four-day rule before introducing any external food for your baby. And for the first few months, you might end up finding yourself WEARING more of baby's first foods than he actually eats....so enjoy that too!

Also note no matter what's on the menu, the texture of your baby's first foods should be super smooth and practically dripping off the spoon. As your baby becomes a more experienced eater (usually within a month of starting), gradually reduce the liquid you add and thicken the texture.

A handy list of the FIRST FOODS (in the order to serve) is as follows:

1. Lentil Soup (Dal ka Pani): Refer here for recipe here
2. Mashed Banana/ Chickoo: The easiest to serve & feed as they can simply be mashed (with a fork or hand) and served without any cooking. Also the easiest to carry in your diaper bag as they can be served as instant snack to the baby even while your shopping in the mall!
3. Mashed or Pureed Avocado: Avocado is high in water content, proteins & mineral. It can be scooped out & mashed & served; they too do not require any cooking.
4. Lentil & Rice water: After Lentil soup, its next in line. Rice makes it rick in protein & starch.
5. Apple / Pear Puree: These fruits are great for introducing flavor to the baby's bland (taste) life....They need to be peeled & cut into small pieces before steaming them and making a puree of a desired consistency by adding boiled & cooled water.
6. Mixed Vegetable Clear Soup: Start by giving clear soup & gradually move on to giving boiled & mashed vegetables. You can start with vegetables like - carrot, beetroot, bottle gourd, sweet pumpkin, ridge gourd. And in a second phase add- peas, beans, capsicum, tomato, onion.
7. Sweet Pumpkin Puree: Simply pressure cook pumpkin & attain a desired consistency & feed.
8. Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup: Pressure cook & blend to attain the desired consistency before feeding.
9. Curd: Curd can be served to all babies 6m+; it should be home-made curd & at room temperature. It can be served as it is or by adding some fruit flavor. Do not mix any sugar/jaggery to the curd & serve.

Also, simultaneously introduce water as introduction of semi solids might lead to constipation. You can begin with 2- 4 spoons of boiled & cooled water & gradually increase quantity according to requirement & weather conditions.

If your baby rejects what you've got, try again tomorrow and the next day and the next. Some babies need to be introduced to a new food four or five (or more!) times before they'll accept it, so perseverance is key.

Bon appétit!

Introducing Semi Solids.....Part 1... Dal ka Pani (Lentil Soup)

Exclusive breastfeed for babies until 6 months from their birth is the ideal thing as per medical sciences, health veterans, etc. I too agree to it but then every child and every mother are different, the situations are different, the requirements of each child differ and the produce of every mother varies.....so in a simple line,   "Heaven won't come down, if you do not abide by it".

I did not believe in exclusive breastfeed concept since the time of my pregnancy. I had various reasons for it (which we shall discuss some other time!) but however Nevan was on a single bottle feed (more for habit & less for the need)since his early days. Not that I did not want to feed him, coz even today after completing 9 months too he is on a few breastfeed sessions in a day and I plan to wean him only when he wants to.

However, I began semi-solids for him at 5.5 months. A little earlier than the benchmark, because he wanted some thing more, I am a working  mom and could not fulfill his complete needs, he was a big baby.....so I began with Dal ka Pani.

And out little duckling, moved on from the world of milk, milk and more milk to the new and wonderful world of food!!!

Split yellow mong dal (Mong-Dhuli) Dal ka Pani

Ingredients:
2 table spoons split yellow mong dal, washed properly
Water to wash & cook
Turmeric - a pinch
Cooker to steam
Salt - a pinch (Optional)
Ghee- a pinch (Optional)

Method:
1. Wash the dal properly with drinking water
2. Put the dal in cooker with some water.
3. Add Turmeric & ghee & salt
4. Steam the dal by giving around three-four whistles.
5. Mash the dal once its steam and cool
6. The consistency can be maintained by adding boiled water

For the first timer's, give your little one 4-5 spoons for Dal ka Pani and keep your camera's ready to capture the first reaction :)

Other pointers:

• The consistency can be a thicken-d as the baby grows
• Gradually, steamed & mashed vegetables can also be added to dal to make it more filling for the baby
• Lastly, I personally did not add Ghee & Salt till 8 months as I did not want him to develop any flavor.

Your baby's First High Fever....

Your baby's first high fever might not be as traumatic for your little one as for you as a parent. I mean, definitely the baby is the sufferer and he/she will have to bear the brunt of a high fever but the trauma with which the parent goes through is at a different level altogether.

Nevan had his share of fevers post vaccinations, during common cold, etc but he had his first high fever on Friday (4th July); I don't know if you
all will believe into it or not but when I got ready for work on Friday morning there was something stopping me to go to work that day. I just didn't feel like leaving my room, so I pinged my boss I'll be a little late and made Nevan ready, fed him and then left. May be the motherly instinct was knocking me but with a job, it mostly gets curbed instantly!!!

I called his babysitter thrice between 10am-12noon and she was also wondering if I have gone nuts. And then I got a call from her around 3pm saying that Nevan has 101 fever. Thankfully my in-laws were around and they gave him the initial Crocin-drops dose. I moved out of office as soon as possible just to reach home to a cranky baby with a hot body and a crying face. The look on his face made my heart sink but now that I am a mother I had to be strong. My hubby was busy that evening and the whole of Saturday (having his 24 hours emergency duty, he is a doc at a govt. hospital) so I knew I will have to handle it all....

So I took him to the doctor immediately, who said it most probably is an airborne viral/flu and nothing serious to worry as he was not showing any other symptom. By the time I got home and fed him and checked his fever, I panicked by seeing my digital thermometer just not stopping....finally it stopped at 102.4......like 102.4 fever, are you serious, he is not even 9 months and how is he gonna cope up with it???

Anyways, again I got myself together and took off his clothes and just gave him a quick shower. That helped in cooling him down a degree or two and then I changed him and started sponging him. The temperature didn't go down, even after couple of hours and his body has started aching with pains. We gave another dose of crocin on a four hourly interval but the temp didn't go below 100. We then called his pedia who prescribed 'Meftal - drops' (they are sepearte from Meftal-Spas drops for kids) as an add on as the temp was too high to be controlled only by Crocin-drops. The whole night passed by sponging and giving him a body massage and finally on Sat morning at 6am the the temp finally went down.

But Sat again was tough as the temp was coming every 5 hourly and Nevan had zero energy and was lethargic to even sit. I made him sit in between to give him water and as I turned to get the bottle he fell on his side on the bed....it was so painful to see that my lil pumpkin couldn't even manage sitting by himself.

The fever went down by Sunday morning but Sunday morning he developed loosies coz of medicine. Ufff..... then started home remedies for that and till evening they got under control.

All in all, it was a very tough weekend and I thank God that it just passed!!!

Three things I learnt during this fever trauma were:

• The armpit temperature measuring thermometers are better than all others devices including the forehead & ear thermometer.
  
• Sponging is an instant help in case baby has high fever.
• Make your child drink as much liquids as possible to flush out the effects of medicines.

(Pictures Courtesy: Google Images/Corbis)

King of the fruits.....MANGO

MANGO........

For me, the love for this fruit is like AAM-SUTRA (and I am sure there are many who are already imagining it with the read)

(Source: Watsapp)

And I wanted Nevan too, to be equally passionate and maddened about Mango as I am. But unfortunately babies do not run around our whims & fancies....when Nevan was served the mashed Mango Puree for the first time he rejected it out-rightly & I was super sad!!!

But then I remembered the little spider's story from my childhood & followed his learning's "Try, Try & Try till you Succeed" so I kept on giving him mangoes to play rather than to eat till one fine day he started liking it & EUREKA EUREKA EUREKA......

                   

"Mumma....I will take a Mango Spa, Eat my bowl but not your favorite fruit"

The above pictures are of one of the trial sessions, which finally led to him liking the king of the fruits. And now he has Mango Shake/Smoothie in the evenings on a few days.

But now I follow this for all New Foods, I do not get defeated by his initial rejection but give it at attempt till he likes it....well that doesn't mean I always win...as I am still trying to make him like 'Watermelon' and he is continuously rejecting it trial after trial.

What about your little ones & their liking for new fruits???

Is your baby Teething???

Babies can start teething anywhere from 3-4 months to some cases where the first teeth show their glimpses only after the first birthday celebration. But there are some signs which assure that they are on their way.

When Nevan started teething, he changed from a good-boy baby to an all-time troublesome chap. It took us (me & my hubby) five days to understand why is he behaving in this weird manner and then bingo...another couple of days and we had our 'New Comers'. Well there are some kids who are brave enough to take this in their stride and show no different behavior and you suddenly discover a white tiny thing in their mouth.

Teething overall is a very painful process, imagine as an adult something cutting through the skin and coming out; it would be maddening. And I really applaud how our lil champs take this law of nature and grow on.

Out of my experience, I have listed down Ten symptoms showcasing the presence of teething process:

1. Drools all over: When your baby starts drooling more than he/she usually was, that means teething is getting triggered from within......I sometimes wonder, where does Nevan store so much of drool inside his little body!!!
2. 'Crankiness' on my mind: When your good baby turns into a lil monster who wants things his way, wants to be carried around always, is ready to shout and cry for every small thing and has suddenly developed the biggest attitude problem.....you need to 'Just keep calm and check his mouth for some whites'.
   
3. Am hot hot hot.....Fever: With all the pain and crankiness also sets in some low grade fever. It might differ for all babies but you can feel the body temperature of the baby soaring upside. To add on to it, my grandma says, that if you feel that the baby's head is emitting some heat that's a sure shot indication of teething. ( Old mamma's belief.....after all we can't ignore them all)
4. I wanna eat it all up: When teeth start making their way out everything starts making it's way in (inside baby's mouth). Just anything the baby can lay his hands on, ends up straight into his mouth. So Nevan is happy to chew on all the things....including his toe's thumb!!! Give cooled teethers to your baby for immediate relief.
   
5. Red is the color in vogue (in my mouth): I believe, red & inflamed gums are the actual certain signs of baby teething. The area of teething is usually red, swollen or seems bruised. It can further be associated with faded white lines which ensures that a tooth is on its way. But it may still take a few more days for it to actually erupt.
6. Oh these Sleepless nights!!!: The teething fairy not only works all day but also all night, hence the pain and the discomfort might affect the night sleep of your lil one (even if he slept well at night previously). Try and soothe the baby back to sleep as much as possible.
7. Before mamma starts pulling my ears, let me try it on my own: Our gums, ears & cheeks share a same nerve pathway, so when the gums are in pain the baby feels the irritation in his ears & cheeks too. Hence you will notice a teething baby will keep on pulling his ears and also rub his face (cheeks, chin, etc) trying to soothe himself.
   Ear pulling & crankiness are also symptoms of ear infection, pls consult your pediatrician in case of any doubts.
8. Potty Potty Baby.....: Diarrhea is a very common symptom in teething. Again the impact may vary from child to child so much so that some may not have it at all...but diarrhea must be catered to very cautiously with consultation of pediatrician.
   
9. Rash: The prodigious amount of drools from your baby's mouth usually leads to a rash. The rash develops due to contact of saliva with the skin around cheeks, chin and neck. Patting the drool may avoid it to an extent, moisturize the area in case of excessive dryness.
10. Am on hunger strike: The simplest and quickest way to sooth a crying & cranky baby is by feeding him either through bottle or breast-feed. however the sore gums make sucking a difficult process. Even for a semi-solid baby, eating or swallowing becomes a concern with all the discomfort in their cheeks. Hence, the child is unable to sooth itself completely by feed and the not so full tummy's instigates it further.

The baby goes through a very painful process while teething, so just take it all with lots of patience and love (not that we won't but being new parents sometimes takes a toll on us....so hang it on Mumma & Papa, there are still many things to come!!!)

If there is any other point which I may have skipped out, pls keep me posted about your suggestion.

Pictures: Courtesy - Google Images