But hold on! The situation cannot be as grave it seems. Yes, heat exhaustion is unavoidable and you will be anxious about your little one’s health. However, there are remedies to counter the adverse conditions of summer and feed your munchkin baby food recipes that are favourable for her health.
Here are a few tips on the foods that you need to include in your baby’s diet for summers:
- Breast Milk and Fluids
Ensure that you are feeding breastmilk on demand. The reason is quite simple. Due to the summer heat, babies are thirsty and therefore require the thin watery milk to quench their thirst. Also, this automatically guarantees sufficient intake of nutritious breast milk by the baby. Note that the baby does not need anything else if she is breastfed on demand. Be watchful of any signs your baby expresses for hunger. If she shows an inclination towards consuming liquids, you could give her coconut water which is rich in electrolytes. It also prevents dehydration due to summer heat. Feed her fruits that are easy to swallow like banana with full-fat milk or give her dahi. After consulting your paediatrician try giving her homemade fresh fruit or vegetable juices such as watermelon, grapes, apple and carrot.
- Solid Summer Foods
You could try introducing summer foods such as bajra, ragi, and barley. Try feeding your baby the below mixtures (consult your paediatrician first) which are high in nutrition to see if it complements your baby’s diet.
1. Bajra Moongdal Mix
Bajra aka pearl millet is rich in fibre and aids digestion, red blood cell formation, and bone development. Always remember to wash the millet thoroughly to get rid of any kind of dirt it may have. You could add a bit of moongdal for a nutrient-rich combination of fibre, phosphorous, iron, magnesium and protein. Bajra is a good filler and can keep your baby’s tummy full for a long period of time.
2. Ragi Porridge
Nachni or ragi, known as finger millet, provides carbohydrates, calcium along with protein and fibre. Ragi porridge is a wise choice if you have just begun or planning to start introducing your little one to solid foods.
3. Barley Cereal
Barley also contains sufficient fibre content, with a wide range of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, selenium, copper, magnesium and niacin. The best way to introduce your baby to barley cereal is to mix it with water. Crush the lumps to make the mixture smooth and easy to consume. You could add a few tablespoons of breast milk.
Tending to your little one’s nutritional needs in hot weather conditions of a typical summer can be challenging. Consult your paediatrician to find out which of the above preparations will work best for your baby, for her to be healthy and happy in those difficult months.
Next up, we will read more about the benefits of proteins, which help in the wear and tear of the baby’s body.
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