Which milk is best for your baby?

Hyderabad: A new born brings bundle of happiness and positivity in a family and also along with him or her comes string of responsibilities and parenting worries. What to feed, how much to feed when to feed are nagging questions that makes new parents anxious.

We bring to you our expert Dr. Vijayanand Jamalpuri, Consultant Neonatologist and Paediatrician, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad useful and effective tips on how and what to feed to your infant.

He says. “The doctors as well as WHO recommends that for the first 6 months, mother’s milk is essential for the baby and it's the only diet for them, since their tummy is not yet ready for solids. Therefore, the breast milk is loaded with all the essential nutrients, all that is required in the initial stages.

It also helps the baby to fight infections and allergies. It not only provides these benefits, but also creates a bond between the mother and the baby. The best gift provided to the baby at the time of birth is mother’s breast milk, which is baby specific”.

As the baby grows up, breast milk is not sufficient for the baby anymore. After six months of age, it becomes important for the baby to start consuming some solids along with the intake of milk and other dairy products. Dr. Vijayanand recommends the following tips to be kept in mind:

1. After 6 months, it is important to give the baby some solids along with the milk
2. There is no much difference between the cow’s milk and buffalo’s milk. Either of them can be given to the baby only after one year of age.
3. Do not replace milk with solid food items or vice versa. Both are important in proper quantities.
4. Apart from milk, dairy products like paneer, curd, ghee, butter should also be included in the diet.
5. Milk available in packets can also be consumed. However, if the milk is bought directly from the milkman, boil it properly before consuming it.
6. Formula milk, commonly known as milk powder, is not very beneficial. “I highly discourage the use of formula milk”, says Dr. Vijayanand.
7. Decrease the quantity of milk slowly if the baby receives formula feeds after 6 months.
8. A recommended quantity of milk after 1 year of age is 300 - 400ml per day
9. A little less or more than the aforementioned quantity won’t be harmful. Parents don’t need to measure it all the time.
10. If the kid doesn't like the taste of milk, you may experiment by adding some flavours to it or giving it in the form of milkshakes. But, milk being an important source of calcium and other nutrients, its consumption is important for a growing child in moderate quantity.
11. It is better to give the baby the milk as it is without adding any sugar, since milk itself carries a little sweetness.

Thus, milk is an essential source of calcium, vitamins and proteins, which are essential for bone health, its intake is recommended for people of all ages.

Dr. Vijayanand reiterates that, “Mother’s milk is the exclusive diet for the infant. However, it is also important to keep away from adulterated milk and keep in mind that adding too much water or sugar to the milk will not be beneficial as well, in fact it is harmful”.

But it should also be kept in mind that too much milk after 1 year of age is not good for a kid's health.