PAEDIATRIC DIET

Question 1

DISCUSS WHAT FOOD TO GIVE 0-3MONTH OLD BABIES

Answer 1

0-3 Months
• WHO: Only exclusive breastfeeding.
• Paediatrician: Only exclusive breastfeeding OR exclusive formula feeding.

Question 2

DISCUSS WHAT TO GIVE 3-4 MONTH OLD BABIES

Answer 2

3-4 Months
• WHO: no complementary feeds.
• Paediatrician: water and diluted apple juice.

Question 3

DISCUSS WHAT TO GIVE 4-6 MONTH OLD BABIES

Answer 3

4-6 Months
•	WHO: no complementary feeds
•	Paediatrician: When the baby has neck control and chewing
•	non-wheat cereals
•	Rice,
•	Oats,
•	Millet,
•	Rye,
•	Soya
•	*cook in twice the volume of water
•	Fruit and vegetable juices, diluted in clean, safe water
•	Cooked vegetables:
•	Carrots,
•	Peas, beans, 
•	Baby marrow,
•	Butternut,
•	Gem squash,
•	Pumpkin,
•	Cauliflower,
•	Spinach
•	Cooked fruit:
•	Apples and pears
•	Ripe banana

Question 4

DISCUSS WHAT TO GIVE 6-7 MONTH OLD BABIES

Answer 4

• WHO: complementary food
• The baby starts to show interest in other people eating and may reach for food
• Babies of this age like to put things in their mouths
• At this age, babies can control the movement of their tongue, so they can learn how to move food around in their mouths to be able to chew and then swallow it
• Babies start to make up and down ‘munching’ movements with their jaws
• Their digestive systems have matured enough to begin to digest and absorb a range of foods
• Their immune systems have started to become stronger and more mature, and while good hygiene of food preparation is essential, babies of this age can cope with increased exposure to germs
• WHO:
• Rich in nutrients
• Easy for the child to eat
• Liked by the child
• Locally available and affordable
• Paediatrician:
• Wheat cereals, muesli, wheat products (bread, crispbread and rusks)
• Tomatoes peeled and sieved to a pulp
• Add potatoes
• Soaked dried fruit like apricots (excluding raisins and sultanas)
• Cottage cheese, soft cheeses and hard cheeses
• Yoghurt, plain or with pureed fruit
• White meat:
• Chicken and turkey
• Livers: chicken, calf or lamb
• Tofu, lentils and split peas
• Whitefish that is skinned and deboned.
• Egg yolk only

Question 5

DISCUSS WHAT TO GIVE TO 7-9 MONTHS OLD BABIES

Answer 5

• Paediatrician:
• Whole grains
• Raw vegetable pieces:
• Serve in large chunks
• Ripe, raw fruit, peeled and deseeded
• Frozen yoghurt
• Lean red meat; lamb and beef
• Soft beans
• Polyunsaturated nuts and seeds

Question 6

DISCUSS WHAT TO GIVE TO 9-12 MONTHS OLD BABIES

Answer 6

• Paediatrician:
• Wheat germ and breadsticks
• Strongly flavoured vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, leeks, onions and peppers
• Sultanas soaked in warm water until soft
• Limit milk to 600ml per day
• Meatballs, meatloaf, beef burgers,
• Tinned fish, well-drained
• Oily fish (tuna and mackerel)

Question 7

DISCUSS WHAT TO GIVE TO BABIES 12MONTHS AND OLDER

Answer 7

•	Paediatrician:
•	Bread containing wholegrains
•	Salad leaves, sweetcorn
•	Unpeeled fruit, berries and small-seeded fruits
•	Pasteurized cow’s milk
•	Well cooked: pork, processed meats
•	Shellfish, smoked fish
•	Whole egg (including egg white)
Whole nuts may be offered when the toddler is older than three years.