02.21. APPENDIX 03 - THE GROWING CHILD

APPENDIX THREE - THE GROWING CHILD

It is an awesome and sacred responsibility that falls upon a mother when God gives her a child to nurture and bring up. Neglect or carelessness on her part may handicap her child (physically, mentally or emotionally) for the rest of its life. How careful therefore a mother needs to be to discharge her responsibilities with the utmost care.

Such a word of warning is particularly needed in our day when there is an increasing tendency on the part of many mothers to leave their children in the care of `ayahs’ and to concentrate on earning additional income for the family. The effects of such neglect of the children are often seen only in later years when things become impossible to correct.

There is no more sacred duty we can fulfil as mothers than to bring up our children in spiritual, mental and physical health.

Diet

If your baby is on breast milk, he will need only vitamin and iron drops, and fruit juices in addition, during the first three months. When he is three months old, you can introduce him to solid foods. The first solid could be cereals. Tinned cereals of various types are available in the market. One of the cheapest cereals may be a ragi preparation: Place 2 teaspoons of ragi powder in a thin cloth, tie the cloth and squeeze it repeatedly in a cup of water until all the cereal is extracted. Only the husk and roughage will be left in the cloth. Add a cup of milk to this liquid in the cup and boil, stirring well, till it turns dark brown. Add sugar and serve it warm to the baby. This is most nutritious. When he is four months old, very ripe mashed bananas can be added (half to one teaspoon to begin with). Other fruits such as apples, may be cooked and mashed. You could also use a mixture of several cereals like rice, ragi, wheat, maize, dhal (lentils), green-gram, powdering them, after washing and drying them. This powder can then be made into a porridge. A daily diet for a six-month old could be somewhat as follows,  6-7 am: Breast milk or bottle feed.

 9 am : Orange juice (or tomato or other fruit juices). Vitamin and iron drops. Cereal or idli, followed a little later by breast milk or bottle-milk. Vegetable soup can be prepared by pressure-cooking different vegetables, including greens. This liquid can then be given along with the solids.

 1 pm : Cooked, mashed vegetables like carrots; bottle-milk.

 4 pm : Hard biscuits.

 6 pm : Cereal, fruits (such as plantains), breast milk or bottle-milk.

 10 pm : Milk (if he is hungry)

Meat and fish can be added when the baby is a year old. Although meat and fish broth can be given even earlier, along with mashed vegetables, it is better to give curd (yogurt) and other milk products. This is because proteins from meat and fish are a greater strain on the baby’s kidneys at an early age. So, vegetable proteins such as those found in beans and lentils, are better. By the time your baby is one year old, he should be able to eat two small idlis for breakfast, rice, dhal and vegetables for lunch and dinner, in addition to milk. If cow’s milk is given, 300 ml. a day is adequate.

Don’t use any drugs, especially antibiotics, without a doctor’s advice.

Feeding The Baby 1. It is not necessary to give solids before the baby is three months old.

2. Solids should be started one at a time, in very small quantities, and increased gradually.

3. If he is interested, offer fluids in a cup after six months. (Don’t be discouraged if he spills it! He will learn!!)

4. If any new food causes a digestive upset (vomiting, diarrhoea}, stop it and stop all solids as well. You should then wait for a while before re-starting any solid foods.

5. If the digestive trouble persists, then consult a doctor.

6. Give him a bottle-feed only after he has had the solid food, as otherwise he may refuse the solids.

7. Don’t force the child to eat if he is not interested. He may like a change in diet too. Try to make mealtimes interesting. Avoid too many sweet foods, since they spoil the appetite and damage baby’s teeth.

8. Remember that during the second year, babies don’t grow or gain weight as much as in the first. So don’t be worried if you don’t see much growth in the second year.

Toilet Habits

Conscious control of the bladder and bowel may be developed only after the second or third year. But you can save yourself from messy napkins by putting him on the pot immediately after a feed. You may be able to anticipate a bowel movement if you watch him carefully. Teach him early to use the toilet or pot and not to pass motion or to urinate in the open.

Summer Care In warm summer months, a diaper and thin cotton dress is sufficient to cover the baby - and a cotton blanket at night. Avoid over-dressing him in summer. When out in the sun, protect his eyes from the direct rays of the sun. If you notice any prickly heat rash, use a bland lotion or ointment like zinc-oxide cream.

Just like adults, babies too need extra fluids in summer. So give him plenty of sweetened water with a small quantity of salt in it. Remember that when the baby has diarrhoea, he loses more fluids. Notify your doctor if your baby has diarrhoea. This is a more serious matter if it happens in the summer months.

It is best to use boiled water always for the baby - since many germs spread through water in tropical countries like ours. So if you are traveling with a baby, ensure that you carry sufficient boiled water with you.

Winter Care

Avoid exposing your baby to the cold and to draughts. Use cotton under-clothing and woollens on top. Blankets should be light and warm. Ensure that clothing is not tight around his neck. Use long-sleeved garments and pajamas to protect his legs. Remember that a baby loses more heat from his limbs than from his head. So use pajamas and socks when it is cold. It is useless putting a warm cap on his head, if you keep him bare below the waist!

Check near the folds (neck, thighs and arm-pits) to see if there is any rash. (This should be done in summer months too.) Babies feel comfortable if you put powder on those areas. Take special care to keep diaper areas washed and dry always. By using proper clothing, your baby can be protected from pneumonia and lung infections. You must ensure that his dress is appropriate for the climate and that he is comfortable, clean, dry and able to move his limbs without any hindrance.

Provide good restful sleeping conditions - at all times.

Teething The first tooth may appear by six or eight months. Usually the lower two front ones appear first. Normally the baby may be irritable and disinterested in food at such a time, because of sore gums. Many babies may have constant watering from the mouth at such times. In such cases use a bib. You should ensure good oral hygiene and care of the teeth. Wash his mouth after every meal or give him boiled water to drink after a meal.

Hygiene Teach your child good hygienic habits from an early age and he will grow up to appreciate cleanliness.

Pray with him and sing hymns to him even when he cannot understand a word of what you are saying. Such practices will make a deep impression on his subconscious mind. As he grows up he will learn the value of spiritual hygiene as well.