Infant feeding especially, in the first 1000 days of a child is very essential!!
Our instincts as moms to nourish, nurture and protect our children from the moment we become aware of their existence actually has a scientific basis.
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life—from pregnancy (270 days) through a child’s 2nd birthday (365 days x 2) serves as a critical window of time that sets the stage for a person’s intellectual development and lifelong health.
It is a period of enormous potential, but also of enormous vulnerability.
Ensuring every child has the right start to life during these precious 1,000 days begins first and foremost with nutrition. The nutrition that children get from the food they eat early in life is a critical building block for the growth of their bodies, the development of their brains, and good immune systems.
Quite simply, there is no other period of a person’s life when nutrition has as profound an impact as in the 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy until her child’s 2nd birthday.
Poor nutrition or malnutrition, which can be under-nutrition (hunger) or over-nutrition (obesity) early in life can have long-lasting negative consequence on the child some of which may be irreversible. This is the reason why ensuring good nutrition for the first 1000 days of life is a worthy investment in the well-being of a child.
What does good nutrition in the first 1000 days entails?
Pregnancy period : Maternal nutrition
The pregnant mom must eat healthy, adequate nutritious diet including taking prenatal vitamins especially folic acid which is very important for brain development of the baby in the first trimester of the pregnancy.
0 – 6 months : Exclusive breastfeeding
- As soon as the baby is born and for the next six months of baby’s life, exclusive breastfeeding.
- That is giving baby only breast milk in the first six months! No water, no formula, no herbal concoction, no medications except if prescribed by the doctor.
- Breast milk is very good for growth of the baby and also for good brain development. It is the most powerful protection against infection and disease that a child could get not forgetting a host of other benefits for both mom and baby.
6 – 24 months : Complementary feeding
- From 6 months, breast milk is no longer sufficient. The infant should be introduced to solid foods while continuing breastfeeding on demand.
- The solid should not just be one class of food for example pap but a mix of all the various classes of food including proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. This is vital for growth and brain development.
- To be sure that you are doing the complementary feeds right, the practice must fulfill this acronym: FADUA!
- F – Frequency
- The frequency of complimentary feeds given in a day increases with the age of the child. Usually about 2 – 3 times a day in 6 – 9 months, then 4 times per day after 9 months. Remember breastfeeding should still continue till age 2 years while infants are on complementary feeds
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- The frequency of complimentary feeds given in a day increases with the age of the child. Usually about 2 – 3 times a day in 6 – 9 months, then 4 times per day after 9 months. Remember breastfeeding should still continue till age 2 years while infants are on complementary feeds
- A – Adequate
- This means adequacy of the food in quantity and quality. It should contain foods from at least four of the six food groups which includes a) grains, roots and tubers b) legumes and nuts c) dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese) d) Flesh foods (meat, fish, poultry and liver/organ meats) e) Eggs f) Fruits and vegetables
- D – Density.
- This has to do with the consistency and caloric density of the complimentary feed. The consistency should be appropriate for age in order to ensure easy digestion by the infant. Foods with high calorie content are preferred.
- U – Use of food.
- This entails use of a variety of foods so as to avoid monotony as infants often get bored with being given the same type of food all the time. It also involves use of hygienic methods of feeding, food preparation and storage. Always give variety and use of plates, cup and spoon! Do not use feeding bottles please.
- A – Active feeding methods.
- This is also known as responsive feeding and is defined as the process of recognizing baby’s cues for hunger and fullness and responding appropriately to them by either feeding or stopping. Force feeding should not be practiced.
By the end of age 2 years, the child should be on full family diet like the rest of the family. It is important that we get the nutrition in the first 1000 days of life right. Make that worthy investment today!
In subsequent series, we will look at the practical details of feeding and the nutritional disorders and their consequences. Keep reading.
Thanks so much for this useful information, May God bless you abundantly. My 10 months +baby isn’t eating well. She usually takes pap with nan, introduced cerelac (mixed fruit) she took it whenever she likes. she took quaker oat so i decided to buy baby oat but didn’t accept. I have tried our usual local complimentary foods to no avail. Pls wt do i do, help a ftm. She weighs 9kg based on the adult scale. Thanks for the help.
Hi Mum…her weight is fine. I am already expecting such questions so read the detailed answers on tips to ensure the baby eats well here – Healthy eating from the start
Good job you are doing here doc. I want to know please if Quaker oat is OK for my 13 months old toddler and if there’s any such thing as baby oat.
Hi Mrs George. Yes your 13 months old can take Quaker oat. There is no special oats for babies.
Hello. Each time I try to switch my baby to baby food Like SMA gold she ends up vomiting and her poo becomes catarrh like. Is it something to be scared about ? She’s 3 month
There is no need to switch your baby to formula now. Kindly continue exclusive breastfeeding till age 6 months
Good day ma a wonderfull job u doing God bless you, pls I just switched from peak 123 can I mix custard with frisogold 6-36 months for my one year old baby she doesn’t eat well, she just plays with the food n ends up not eating the food. And which milk can you recommend. Thanks a lot God bless the works of your hands
You can use any of the milk you like even the family milk for babies who are 1 year old and over. Toddlers milk are specially fortified with DHA which is good for their brain development so they may be better but you can also get DHA from other food like eggs, fish and sea foods. So it is your choice what you can afford. For tips to help fussy eaters, read more here HEALTHY EATING FROM THE START – TIPS FOR PARENTS
God’s blessings I pray, pls ma Iam a first time mum and don’t want to make mistakes. My son is 6months, he weighs 9.8 .takes millet and guinea corn in pap form with Nan 2 milk.pls are the things I should introduce to his feeding.
The weight is good. Kindly also add fruits and vegetables to his feed so that it will not just be cereals only. Kindly ensure that at every feed, there are present 4 out of the six classes of food described in the article. Great job Mum!
Well done ma. Am Just reading this now, my baby is 14weeks I introduce him to SMA Gold at 5weeks because of low milk supply, he keeps pouring even when he is not eating, I was advised by a nurse to give guinea corn which I did at 10weeks. Each time she feeds his stomach make noises. Don’t know if to discontinue or not. He weighed 4.3 at birth
Oh my; you have been given the wrong information! Please STOP all and just exclusively breastfeed your baby. I will recommend for you my FTM Baby Ready Course so you really have the right information on how to care for your newborn baby.
Good job u are doing here ma’am.
Please can a baby of 11 months plus take golden morn? I have been feeding him with combination of maize, guinea corn, millet with soya beans grounded with unripe plantain, crayfish, groundnut n sugar.
No. The manufacturer of golden morn recommends that it should be used from age 3 years.
For more on Infant feeding made easy, check out the course https://drgbemi.thinkific.com/courses/infant-feeding-made-easy
Hello Dr. Gbemi. My 4 months old baby girl always spits out her formula anytime she eats. Is it normal? Thank you for the good work u and ur team are doing to help mothers.
I would recommend that your baby be on breastmilk only, that is the best for babies 0 – 6 months.
As long as the baby is not actively vomiting but regurgitates a little of the milk, that is fine. We refer to it as reflux and it is a mild phenomenon that will resolve with time as long it is not severe or making the child lose weight. Should the latter be the case, then you should see your Paediatrician for further assessment and management.
Good day ma, my baby of 11months two week loves breast milk he prefers taking breast milk like ten tyms and take solid like twice a day … am not comfortable with this pls what action should u take….. thanks
You should feed with complementary feeds first at least 4 times a day before giving the breast milk as top-up. Breast milk is no longer sufficient to meet the calories demand of an 11 months old!
Good day ma. God bless you for the job well done.
My baby girl is seven months, she doesn’t take any food except cerelac, pap and breastmilk. I tried giving her potato and banana puree, semovita, amala, egg etc but she always refuse.
Is she okay with the food now till she’s able to take other food. Thanks ma’am.e
Your baby is just 7 months which means you just started complementary feeds 1 month ago. Those foods are okay. You should avoid introducing several food items at the same time. You need to be very patient and introduce one new meal at a time not more than one new food item per week. Please be very patient and persistent. Read more tips about healthy eating habits in children here
Good evening ma. Pls my baby girl is 6months plus and I just started given her pap and NaN. Just want to know if there is any other food I can introduce to her.
Thanks ma
Yes, there are. Kindly go to our Facebook group and watch all the videos on infant feeding or check YouTube for global media health videos on infant feeding
Good afternoon Dr, I have a 7week old baby (he is my 3rd). I EBF my babies for 6 months, giving expressed breast milk at the end of maternity leave . I used feeding bottles to feed my 1st 2 expressed breastmilk. But now am told that I should use a cup and spoon.As I will not be home to feed him myself I guess am asking if there is any thing wrong with giving this baby the expressed milk same way I gave my previous 2?
The challenges with bottle feeding is ease of contamination of the bottle especially the teat with bacteria which can be source of infection to the baby. It is easier to clean and sterilize the cup and spoon compared to bottles. Generally, Paediatricians do not advise bottle feeding. You really need to make conscious efforts with sterilization if using bottles. It is better also not to reuse the bottles until it has been sterilized thoroughly again.
gud day dr,
my 3yrs old daughter still likes to suck breast milk. I just gave birth to another baby. Is it right?
Well you are allowed to breastfeed for as long as you can…we usually say 2 years. Since you have a newborn, I think it is better to wean the 3 year old so the new baby can have enough breast milk. Please wean the 3 year old immediately not a very good thing for her to be struggling for breasts with a newborn. Let her learn to achieve some independence and by now she should be on full family diet …give her normal milk…no need for breast milk
Thanks doc in d house for d good work been done here.Pls I have a 6month plus baby,I did ebf for him and now just started introducing formula,can I give him hollandia full cream milk?
Hi Grace…well done on doing exclusive breastfeeding. You should continue to breastfeed while introducing complementary feeds. You can not give Hollandia full cream milk yet. Please give age appropriate formula for infants 6 – 12 months old. However, read the article again to know that it is not only milk or formula you are supposed to introduce but full complements of other food (at least 4 of the food groups) so the child can have all the food nutrients provided.
God bless u ma. Ma, I need ur help, my baby of 9months doesn’t accept any food at all, I av tried pap, cerelac, friso gold (rice n wheat), egg. All she wants is breast milk. It is only Nanny in d creche DAT can feed her , if we don’t go to school feeding na wahala. Her birth weight was 3.85kg, at 9months her weight is 7.5kg. I bought VITANE as food supplement but I avnt seen any difference. Pls help mi ma
Hello Mrs Akinola…the solution is not food supplement but patience and persistence in feeding the baby. You also need to experiment with variety of food. Kindly get tips and read more about how to promote healthy eating in your infant here
Goodday drs. My son is nine months
He has food particles like eggs and veggis in his stool. He is on amoxiclave treatment for cold. Should i report to the hospital?
Not at all….it is not unusual to have such scenario referred to as toddlers diarrhoea. He does not need antibiotics for colds though as most colds are due to viruses and usually resolve on its own without need for antibiotics.
Doc gudevening, pls my babe was preterm at 34weeks with birth weight 1.58 now she’s 9months plus an weigh 6.8 doc recommend ciprofoxacin tab for her due to frequent stooling but she always shake one side of her leg since she started d drugs an d laps will be hotter Dan dis other leg, I reported to him but he said I should continue with the drugs pls am scare what should I do? Another thing she’s not taking any family food apart from pap any time she eat family food small she end up voimiting an stretching herself all try dat day pls wat should I do.
I don’t think it is appropriate for your baby to be taken antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin regularly.Kindly stop and see a Paediatrician please especially also as regards the shaking legs. Please join our Facebook group and do the UNIT 102 course on infant feeding for better understanding on how to proceed about complementary feeding.
Thank you very much drs. Sometimes what a first time mom needs is explaination.
I agree with you Jocelyn….That is why I write this blog for such mums.
Wow Doc, you are indeed doing a great job here, I just discovered dis group and am in love with how u are handlng things here……the Almighty God wil reward u…..please I would like to ask my 4 months old baby still takes d drugs administered to her since I gave birth to her….i want to know if I can stop it now or still continue with it…..
Thank you Sarah.
What drugs are those? That will help me to know how to advise you further.
However babies do not need to take any drugs at all if they are not sick. Though some give multivitamins drops which is acceptable but not compulsory
Thanks doctors in the house. I did ebf for 6 months and introduced pap and other foods like rice, yam, crackers, freshly squeezed orange etc which my baby eats well, but he hasn’t pooped for 4 days now. What can I do
Make sure you also give adequate amount of water and fruits and vegetables as well. This will help the child with the bowel movement.
Hello Ma, Pls I need your advice.. My 4mths 3wks baby goes to creche and so is on formula due to my work. But am getting pressure from mom n her caregivers at creche of the need to introduce pap to her as the formula is not filling her anymore. Pls what is your advice on that? Also I will like to know if pap with ginger is good for babies.. Thanks.
PLEASE DO NOT GIVE PAP….
There is no truth in the statement that formula is not filling a child – express breast milk and give adequate formula quantity if you can not meet up with exclusive breastfeeding.
Complementary feeds should be introduced at 6 months as that is the optimal time when the child’s digestive system is ready to handle such food. There is no gain rather challenges in the rush.
We do not recommend Ginger as some babies are allergic to such flavours and it is not necessary for the child at that age.
Hello Ma I need your advice on my baby suffering from cerebral palsy. He always have seizure, and not able to sleep at night and in the day, I he also a G6PD. He was diagnosed in UCH of Jaundice and exchanged of blood was carried out. He always run high temperature anytime he is undergoing his squeezing of his body part. He has not be able to sit, nor walk, and also his neck is also floppy. Please I need your advice on what to do. We have been attending physiotherapy in UCH but no changes at all. Thanks my email is faserujames@yahoo.com. 07033827006.
Hi Mr Faseru! I will recommend that you see Prof Lagunju at the Paediatric Neurology Clinic of UCH for further evaluation and management of the child. The management of Cerebral palsy is a longterm care and you have to be patient. Kindly read more about cerebral palsy here – what you need to know about cerebral palsy
Pls Docs, my 1year and 9 months old son still doesn’t like to eat, he weighs 12kg. he is always being forced to eat. He likes any kind of fruits, boiled or fried egg with plantain. I have tried other foods but I will have to force him, what can I do. he also takes golden morn with peak 123
His weight is age-appropriate. Just let him eat more of what he likes and gradually and patiently introduce new foods to him in a non-threatening way…preferably what you are eating and at the time you are eating it – family eating together. He will like to eat what you are eating if you model to him you enjoy the food. Do not force feed children…it makes them want to actually reject the food the more. Get more tips on the article here Healthy eating -tips for parents
Doc keep up d good works
My baby of 5 weeks sneezes often, pls is dis a sign of cold
If you are applying Silverbird oil, it makes babies to sneeze a lot…Just stop that. Keep breastfeeding exclusively and keep baby warm
Greetings Doc.Indeed you re doun a great job. Please my 6months (+) has bin stoolin for 4dayz nw like 6times a day and the popo is transparent watery and greenish.. What shud I do Ma
You should give ORS and oral Zinc. Read about home treatment of diarrhoea here! If no improvement, kindly see a doctor. Also make sure you keep breastfeeding and giving complementary feeds.
Hello doc.my baby is will be four months by January and I would be resuming back to work by then.though I am presently on EBF but will have to stop by then cos of work and my baby would be at Daycare.please what and what can I give her till I come back from work in the evening. Thanks.
You can express breast milk to give while you are at work. You do not have to stop exclusive breastfeeding because you are resuming work.
Alternatively, you can also take baby along with you to a creche near work so you can go and breastfeed at intervals so you can maintain EBF for 6 months.
If you think you will not be able to cope with the best options above, then you can give age-appropriate infant formula while you are away but breastfeed only and throughout the period you are home! All the best!
Good day ma, thanks for all you do. My baby is 6months can I give her tea .
No. You should start complementary feeding. No other beverage except milk and water until your baby is 1 year old.
My baby is almost 5months, she’s not sucking well for the past 2weeks and it has affected the supply of my breast milk. It’s not rushing at all…..what should I do pls ma?????please it’s urgent ma
You should sort out first the reason your baby is not sucking well. You should see a doctor. I am sorry Grace that I can not give urgent response to questions on this platform. I will encourage you to always speak to your personal Paediatricians or doctors for urgent issues or in emergencies situations, please take the child to the hospital immediately!
Good afternoon Ma, what a great job you are doing,I’m a first time mum. my baby is 4 months plus and he has been on EBF. Yesterday while i was breast feeding him i felt a bite from his gum which was painful, my question is does that means his teeth is about to come out and he also has rash on his both arms and i have tried using Agnesia powder on it but no improvement, what can I use again.Thank you ma.
There is nothing to do about the teeth about to come out….it is normal part of development. Read more about Teething here
About the nappy rashes, stop the agnesia powder and read about the appropriate ways to handle nappy rashes here
Pls ma..some one advised me to my 16months toddler Cyril gold against constant cattarh..is it advisable?
It is not! Please DO NOT GIVE! Use medications only prescribed by a doctor! All the best!
Please can you kindly give examples of vegetables that can be given to 6month old baby? I know fruits like orange watermelon is good but am not sure of vegetables. She is having difficulty in passing out stools although she ends up passing out small one everyday
You can give ewedu for example, okro, carrots etc are all vegetables
Gud afternoon doc welldone ma,my 3weeks baby always find it difficult to poo. And I always take fruits especially orange. Also she is having stomach upset. Pls ma what can give her for this stomach upset. Thank you
It is not unusual for babies on exclusive breastfeeding not to pass stools for days even up to 2 weeks. Just keep breastfeeding exclusively. I guess the stomach upset, you meant colic? Read about colic here
Hi Doc, God bless you and the good work you are doing here. Please I need a complementary food for my six months old baby.
Read throughh the article well…there are various ways to give babies complementary food based on what is available in your kitchen. There is no single food called complementary food.
Dr, God bless you real good. Please at what age should a child stop cerelac?
No specific age but we will like all kids to be on full family diet by age 1 year. However the manufacturer of cerelac says the child can take it up to age 3 years!
Hlo ma,pls can golden morn be introduced to a child of 14 months?
No! Golden Morn according to the manufacturers should be given to kids aged 3 years and above.
Almighty God will bless u and ur team for this wonderful help u R rendering to we mothers I just read d article n got my questions answered thank you
Wow thank you Chidalu for your kind words. Keep reading and keep sharing all our articles. Let us work together to reduce unnecessary deaths of our children.
Thank u doctor for educating us… I have a 6 going on 7month boy, I tried introducing formulae(SMA pro) to him but he is not taking. He would always spit it o2ut. Pls what can I do? pleasehow do one give baby milk to child without using feeder since d advice here is to use bottle feeder.
It is not compulsory to give formula as long as you are still breastfeeding or you can give with the complementary feeds for example add to the pap. The child will drink the milk from a cup not necessarily from a bottle.
Good morning Dr. Gbemi, please what can I do for my baby to eat cos she hasn’t been eaten over a month plus now only breastmilk and she’s 7months 17days today !!! Ever she was admitted for heart breathing fast, please what can I do to make her eat and also how can I join the Facebook?. Please Relent..
Best Regards.
The Facebook group link is Ask The Paediatricians Facebook Group . Kindly go to the UNITS section on our Facebook Group and do the NUTRITION 102 COURSE ON COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING for detailed information on how to feed your baby.
Welldone ma. Pls I quaker oat okay for a six month old baby.
You can cook quaker oat and give but at 6 months, it is better to start with smoother cereals like pap and gradually increase the texture to something with grit as the child learns to eat better. Also add aga-appropriate formula to the cereals to fortify the meal.
Doc. Good day, my baby is 11 months both only have 5 teeth. Is it okay?
Hi Victor. It is very okay, there is no need to worry!
Good day Doctor, thanks for the good work, God bless you ma. My baby of 20months takes tea like twice in a day, although she eats all food well, am bothered because she cries for tea morning and wakes up at night to take tea, my question is, is it okay, if not what do I do. Thank you ma
It is fine as long as she is eating all the other food well and gaining weight. You did not tell us the current weight
God bless you ma and all that concerns you. Ma, pls is it good to give my 18months girl bread and tea as breakfast? If not, what can I give her. Thank you ma.
Hi Toluwalope…You can give her all the food you eat as a family. All children from age 1 year should be eating from the family pot. They do not need any special meals preparation apart from additional breast milk. Make sure you give varieties from all the various food groups
Pls ma , when is a baby boy delivered at 36 weeks expected to sit without support?
6 – 8 months
Good ma, my baby of 9 month and 2weeks recently refuse pap and also refuse cerelac . but like to eat food that big people eat like rice , bean , semo .pls ma what can I do
It is okay to give the family food to the baby. If you read the article again, it was never stated that only cereals are what should be given as complementary feeds. Give varieties of food and family meals are fine. You should also continue to breastfeed as well.
Good morning Doc. My baby is 6 1/2 months old and is weighing 12kg. He finds it hard to sit on his own because of his folds. I introduced complimentary feeding a few weeks ago and was told he will shed some weight but he has added. I don’t know if I should be worried about his weight, will it affect his health in anyway, will it prevent him from walking fast? Thank you
Hi Jemimah…your baby is overweight. Did you do formula feeding or exclusive breastfeeding? We will recommend breastfeeding and complementary feeds that is age appropriate but avoid overfeeding. You may also want to see a Paediatrician or Nutritionist for further advise. The weight has nothing to do with the developmental milestones.
We did exclusive for 5 1/2 months then introduced him to cerelac for 6 month old (wheat) because my breast milk was not satisfying him. I give him cerelac twice in a day then breast milk on demand.
Wheat is not the best to start complementary feeds with as some babies have gluten allergy (gluten is present in wheat). It is safer to start with rice or maize cereals and at 6 months; before 6 months, do breast milk or formula only!!! It is at 6 months that their gut is matured and ready to handle solids
Hello doctor, can I add custard to my baby’s meal of friso gold and ezedoc pap
You did not state the age of your baby for one to advise. However if your baby is on complementary feeds, then you should give varieties of meals from the various food classes as explained in the article not only cereals or carbohydrate meals to avoid malnutrition.
Goodmorning Dr. Gbemi, you are doing a great job here. The Lord shall reward you abundantly.
Pls ma, my baby is 13weeks and i do apply silverbird oil (very little) on his head, armpit, nose and chest, against cold and catarrh as advised by grandma.
Am i doing the right thing?
Hi! that’s lot of silverbird oil you are applying! If the child has catarrh, that is okay and one drop is fine in the oil for the scalp on the clothes but it does not have to be routine use all the time. This will be causing the child to be sneezing a lot.
Good morning doc, please I have a daughter of 2years plus, when ever she poops she pops what she eats like that. A nurse said its indigestion, and if she eats she would want to poo immediately. Please help
It is not indigestion but we call toddlers diarrhoea. It is nothing to worry about. She will outgrow it with time!
thanks a lot ma,i av some questions ma.pls my baby is 9mnth old,i’ve been giving him pap with honey &infant milk,is it ok? He has 6 teeth,i do clean it with cottonwool and fluoride paste but I noticed his teeth is not so white, wat can I do?.Also my 4 yr old boy has mouth odour despite brushing twice daily most times,pls help,tnx ma.
Hi Bukola!
Please STOP giving honey to children below age 1 year. It can lead to a fatal disease known as infant botulism.
Use age appropriate infant formula only. Read more here Infant feeding in the first 1000 days
As regards the teeth, use toothbrush and toothpaste for oral hygiene in children who have teeth. Read more here oral hygiene in children
Good day Dr, please assist. My baby is 3 weeks today.
1. She finds it hard to feed for long. Most times she sucks for 5 mins and looses interest then she wants to eat again after 20 mins
2. I tried expressing and noticed she is able to take 30 to 60ml at a stretch.
3. It’s hard to get her to burp. Sometimes she burps on her own
4. She regurgitates her food and also vomits ( throws up from her mouth and nose)
5. She passes a lot of gas but can stay for 2 days without pooing
6. She is having stomach issues and it’s more pronounced at night. Thus we barely sleep at night
7. She sneezes maybe about 8 times in a day and it comes in a chain of 2 to 3 sneezes and I have never used silverbird on her.
Please assist address my worries and what can I do regarding her stomach issues.
P.S: am a FTM thus this is all new to me
Hi Ify…your baby is perfectly fine….Don’t worry about it. Read more about colic here. The fact that you have 7 questions in one comment is a dead giveaway that you are a first time mum….you don’t need to tell me that. It is okay for babies on exclusive breastfeeding not to pass stools for days. Most babies have reflux (regurgitation of feeds)…keep them upright for at least 15 – 30 minutes after feeding before lying them flat…it improves with time. The sneezing – keep baby warm and let your room be well-ventilated. Do not cook in the room or spray insecticides or use any perfume that could be quite irritating…please open windows for fresh air and don’t fry oil or cook near the room where the baby is..all these should help. If not, see a Paediatrician for further evaluation.
God bless you real good ma for a job well done ma, from the post have been reading you said it’s good to feed baby with the family diet once they are collecting it, but I read that it is not good to feed baby under 1 year with salt and spices how true is that.
And secondly I feed my 9month old baby with different flavors of cerelac with my boy milk (eldorin ) and when I checked his weight he weighs 8.5kg and as at last two months he weighs 8kg at 7months is it normal, I feel he’s not growing well, what can I do.
Thank you Mrs Ogunboyejo for your comments and questions.
1. You can give salt to taste but not extra or excess salt.
2. The average weight of a 9 month old is 9kg….8.5kg is not too bad. Just increase the quantity of feeds.
My son birth weight was 2.3kg and at 7month weigh 7kg…is it normal or underweight
It is okay….read here on how to know what your baby’s weight should be
Hello ma,
Great job.
I have a 6 month old that wakes up every hour to eat all through the night so I hardly get ANY sleep. Today I bought him frisco gold rice based cereal. However, I worry about giving him that all through the night as I do not know if it is right to do so. He was previously on NAN 1 and was waking up so frequently. Since this rice based cereal is supposedly thicker , should I feed him that whenever he wakes to feed at night so he can sleep longer ?
Thanks and God bless
If the baby is taking cereals and breast milk, then the baby should be able to stay up to 3 hours in between feeds. You should feed him cereals before his bedtime.
Good day,
My baby will be 6monthsbthis week. He weighs 6kg, birth weight I s 3.5kg. I started him on pap when he completed 5months 2weeks. He has been on it for over a week until last week when he started having serious abdominal pains. He barely goes for 5minutes without crying and squirming. His stool became firm and a bit dry and he cries when he wants to pass stool. When he breastfeeds as well, he squeezes himself, arch’s his back and pull off from the breast. He’s always chewing something in his mouth even when he’s not eating. He spits up sometimes after feeds,he started having hiccups very frequently after days of starting pap (corn and millet). His gums look a bit swollen and red his body is slightly warm this morning.What could be the problem? I stopped the pap yesterday.
I think you should see a doctor as your baby needs to be physically examined as well as properly evaluated to know the cause of these symptoms. It looks like he may be ill now. I personally don’t think the problem is the pap itself but guess he is incubating an illness. Kindly see a doctor immediately!
Thank you so much, we went to the hospital. He has been treated and was said to have measles. He had cough, fever and rash appeared later. He has been treated and feeling better. Started him back on the paper fortified with milk and soya beans mixed with crayfish.
Thank u Doc,my 9months old son takes only breastmilk and pap with milk,is that OK for him.can he take soybeans to add to d milk.howvdo i introduce other foods,cos he has reflux according to a padeatrician we met in NAUTH.
Goodday ma! Thanks for the wonderful lectures! My son is 14months old but eats little of our diets and eat more of golden morn and pap he weigh 10kg this week, is there other food I should introduce? And I don kwn if I shuld start adding paste to his toothbrush for his teeth? Thank you
Hi Marian. A 14 month old should not be on golden morn, recommended from age of 3 years. Kindly read the article as the details of the question on complementary feeding has been addressed.
Good morning,
I have issues with feeding my 20 month old child. I didn’t exclusively breastfeed him for 6 months because of my job, I had to stop breastfeeding him at 5 months + when I was very sick and was hospitalized at a teaching hospital for a while. Everyone advised against re-introducing breastfeeding. My problem now is he has refused to eat family food. Constantly dependent on golden morn. He refuses any other food. Please advise me
In addition, a 20 month old should not be eating golden morn. It is recommended from age of 3 years. Please see a dietitian.
Good morning,
I have issues with feeding my 20 month old child. I didn’t exclusively breastfeed him for 6 months because of my job, I had to stop breastfeeding him at 5 months + when I was very sick and was hospitalized at a teaching hospital for a while. Everyone advised against re-introducing breastfeeding. My problem now is he has refused to eat family food. Constantly dependent on golden morn. He refuses any other food. Please advise me and he isnt gaining weight. He has been on 10kg for 8 months now.
You need to see a dietitician to work you through this as you need specific guidance. The weight is fair though. He should be on full family diet and you have to patiently and perseveringly introduce them to him. Read more tips on how to do that here Healthy eating -tips for parents
Thank you and God bless you ma, my baby is 4months old and weigh 8kg and I am on exclusive breastfeeding but he vomit anytime he eat. Please what can I do?. I have been to the doctor who asked me to see paediatric surgeon
I guess you are referring to reflux which is common in most babies. Kindly keep the baby upright for 15 – 30 after feeding and burping before putting down. Avoid overfeeding the baby as well. It tends to stop as the baby grows older and then start taking complementary feeds at 8 months. Note that reflux is gentle, passive return of some of the milk. Active, volatile vomitting in babies requires you taking them to the hospital for treatment.
Good job you are doing doc, my daughter that just completed 3 years is weighing 33kg what can i do to bring down her weight? Though she weighed 4.45kg at birth and had spina bafida
You need to see a Paediatrician preferably a Paediatric endocrinologist as she is really obese. You can start by cutting out junk foods liek pastries and artificial juices. Do more vegetables and fruits. However, you also need to make sure that the Paediatricians see to rule out any brain cause of the obesity in view of her spina bifida diagnosis.
Good evening Doc…i want to know of soy bean milk (soya milk) is good for my son that is 1yr+ and if yes what’s the quantity to be given on a daily basis..
Thanks in advance.
There is no quantity that should be given on a daily basis. It is better to give variety of food and not just one. Please head over to our Facebook Group Learning Unit on Nutrition (complementary feeding) for more information. Please watch all the videos.
Daughter thanks for your good job. Am happy i joined this group. Please i started work when my baby was 3months plus but getting to four months, he began to reject BF, so i started using breast pump to to extract milk and feed him and he will finish it but my breast milk kept reducing . I then discovered that he was not growing well , at 5 months was weighing 6kg . so took him to hospital after some test, it shown that he has seriouse infection. Now i have stoped BF which was advice from Doc. Now what are the foods that he can be taking to keep him healthy, his last weight at six months states 7kg. Please i need your help.
That is a wrong advice from the doctor!!! The baby was having the serious infection because he is not adequately protected because he was not sucking enough breast milk. Kindly still breastfeed and you can reintroduce breast feeding. Kindly head over to our Facebook Group Learning Units on Nutrition for detailed information about breastfeeding and complementary feeding!
good mobeing Dr. Bored, tank so much for the useful informatio u’ve been giving us.
pls MA, I nid ur help, i am a ftm, I have a baby of 6 months plus, he did ebf for 5 months plus, I introduced formula and nutribom to my baby, but wen he clock 6 months, I introduced him to pap and soya beans, potato and banana mash, will like u to give me more foods to introduce him to.
also my baby has been having cattarh for almost a month now, he was giving amoxilin, piriton and vitamin c, have used different prescribed drugs from d hospital for him but no changes, pls help me out on dis.
lastly I noticed recently dat anytimr my baby wants to poo he do cry b4 d poo comes out , I don’t know if it’s d formula dat am giving him dat is affecting him, am giving NAN 2, one is in yellow cover and the other in white cover, which one good out of d two, I was told one is from France and the other Mexico
thanks MA, God bless fo d good job…..
pls MA do u have a group on watsapp
Hi Adetutu, if your child is not better after treatment, then take him back to the doctors for follow-up evaluation and further management. It is important that babies on complementary feeding takes adequate amount of water and also take fruits daily. They should eat food rich in fibre as well. This will prevent constipation. Most times, it has nothing to do with the formula as this is not the main food the child would be taken anyway. We do not run a whatsapp group for mothers but you can post questions on our Facebook Group Wall. For answers requiring immediate or faster responses, please post on our Facebok Group wall.
Pls MA, am very sorry for the error in d name, it was a mistake, didn’t go tru b4 sending
No worries Adetutu!
Thanks for the work you are doing here doc
My son is 10months and weighted 8.6kg at 9months
I add sugar to his pap..is that ok?
He stools 2 or 3 times a day is it ok too?
Is soy beans good for his age?
The weight is fine and for the questions answers are OK for all!! However head over to our Facebook group and do the Nutrition 102 course on complementary feeding.
Good day Dr Gbemisola, God bless you for your wisdom. I am seriously down right now cause of my baby’s condition. I did exclusive for 6 months, then introduce Nan milk and Cerelac to him and along side with Ogi-baba, but 2weeks later, he suddenly stop eating either of the food, any attempt to feed him, he will vomit all he has eaten.I took him to the clinic and they said he had malaria, i was given some drugs. He even refused to take the drugs even with force he will throw it up. He now stool more than 3 times a day at times 2 times unlike before . My mum and concerns neighbor says is teething. He’s only taking breast milk now and he is not gaining weight though he is playing. i don’t want to use teething powder & co. pls what do you advice
It is not teething. Your baby was ill and it is not unusual for appetite to be poor in ill babies. As they get better, the appetite will improve. You need to see your doctor as your baby has not taken the medications and they may need to give alternative treatment. When he gets well, his apetite will improve. You also need to head over to our page and do the Nutrition course on Complementary feeding so you have better information. Giving Ogibaba, nan and cerelac alone is not complementary feeding. You need to give variety and do it the right way. All the best.
Good day Ma, God bless you for the good works you are doing . Pls i need to ask? Is soya beans pap/ baby formula ok for babies above 6months old?
Thank you Deborah for your kind words. Yes you can feed the baby with soya milk (extracted) but ensure you process and prepare adequately. If you go to our Facebook group, you will see detailed answer on how to go about the preparation. However, this should not be only thing the baby should take. It has to be a combination of other food classes as well while you keep breastfeeding. Read more from the article.
May God bless you beyond what you can think or ask off…… As a FTM I’ve really learnt a lot here….. Can’t thank you enough…..
Please ma, My baby is 5 months/3weeks so I introduced nutriben while still breast feeding… Pls is the nutriben only enough for him to take while he’s at the creche or I should add formula also what is the quatity of water to be taken to avoid constipation and not feel his stomach with too much water that he won’t be able to eat.
I’m sorry for the long question.
Thank you Abisola. Your baby should be on Breast milk only for the first 6 months. If you can not do EBF, then add only formula. Cereals should be introduced at 6 months. It is after 6 months you should give water about 50 – 100ml after each feed. You should keep breastfeeding as well. There is no need to worry.
For urgent questions, always ASK ON OUR ASK THE PAEDIATRICIANS FACEBOOK GROUP.
Great job Doctor…. I have gotten answers from all I have read..
Thank you!
For urgent questions, always ASK ON OUR ASK THE PAEDIATRICIANS FACEBOOK GROUP.
Hello ma,my baby of 8months will always stool about 3 to 4 times immediately after feeding him with either cerelac or nutribom.am very worried because this is not the case if he takes pap. please ma what could be the cause?and what other food can i introduce to him as well.Thank you so much.
He may be allergic to somethings in the food so you may want to eliminate such in his diet. There are so many other alternative food indeed all food you can eat is okay to give your baby just make it soft initially. Kindly go to our Facebook group Ask The Paediatricians and then go to the UNITS session and do the UNIT course on complementary feeding
Dear Doctor,
My daughter of 5 months 3 weeks is having patches of reddish dry skin at her back, also she is loosing her front hair. Kindly advise on what to do. Thank you
Kindly read our article on common skin conditions in infants and also see a doctor who can physically examine, diagnose and inform you on what is the treatment.
Well done ma’am. Pls how do I join on facebook thanks
Thank you…Just click this link Ask The Paediatricians and click on JOIN THE GROUP. You can also download our app. ATP MOBILE
Good day doctor, thanks for the good work you are doing here. God bless you abundantly. My son is 8 and a half months old, weighed 8.4kg at 7 months and eats well. The issue I have is that he easily throws up after eating. He is so active that he finds it hard to wait to belch after eating before he starts playing. And sometimes he will belch and still throw up a little food. What do you advise I do ma?
Kindly ensure that you are not overfeeding the baby. It is better to feed every 3 – 4 hours and ensure the quantity is age appropriate. Kindly go to the Ask The Paediatricians Facebook Group and go to the UNITS section and do the UNIT 102 course on complementary feeding.
Nice one Dr.
Thank you Blessing
Good day ma, my 5months baby keeps vomiting in bits after certain meals is he sick?
It is hard to say as we need more information to know. Your 5 months old should also be on breast milk only so it is not clear what food you are referring to. I will encourage you to see your doctor first for a check up to be sure all is well.
Good Morning Ma, thanks for this note. My baby of 13months has refuses to eat any other food except Guinea corn+Millet Pap and breastmilk. He rejects solid food and cereals which l have used the likes of Gerber Rice, Cerealac, Nuntrilac, Nutribom and Nutriben on him. Ma am really concern does he really get all nutritions needed in the Pap and breastmilk please. Thank Ma waiting for your response.
You really need to be patient when introducing new food as well. Kindly read here HEALTHY EATING FROM THE START – TIPS FOR PARENTS. You can also join our Facebook group and do Unit 102 course on complementary feeding and follow all our Tips on feeding.
Good day doctors and thanks for the job well done.pls ma,is it still necessary to add formular to milk based cereals for a 7 month old baby?.Thanks in anticipation ma
No it is not necessary if the cereals already contains milk.
Can I give my 2yrs baby golden morn
The manufacturer recommended from age 3 years.
Good day doctor, my daughter is 6month old and she is taking golden morn and peak milk 123.
That is not appropriate. Golden morn should be given from age 3 years and Peak123 is from age 1 – 3 years. Kindly go to to our Ask The Paediatricians Facebook Group; go to the UNITS section and do the Unit 102 course on complementary feeding. There are practical videos for you to watch and learn from.
Hello Doc. Thanks for your comments and advice to parents. Please is it advisable to still be giving my baby who is 20 months old Cerelac with the inscription, from 12 months on the tin. Because I can’t find any infant food for her age or is there any you will recommend. Thanks
I will recommend giving your baby family food that is food from your own kitchen especially from age 1 year your child should be on family diet and not tinned food. Kindly visit our Facebook group and do the UNIT 102 course on complementary feeding for better understanding of complementary feeding.
Good evening doctor want to say a big thank u for the Job u are doing honestly ur type is rare, God ll bless you. Pls my baby is 9 months she doesn’t take pap well except forcing,she even stops breastfeeding at five months, have tried cerealac, local pap and Tom Brown yet she is not taking any of these and is really frustrating she weigh 10kg pls I need ur help thanks
Kindly do not force feed the child food as this is very dangerous. Her weight is okay though but read this article HEALTHY EATING FROM THE START – TIPS FOR PARENTS for tips on how to help your child develop the right eating habits and also visit our Facebook group and all social media handles for ATP tips on feeding.
Good evening ma. Pls i want to knw if i can mix soya beans in my baby’s food. I do give her Nutribom mixed with Nan so i dnt knw if to add soya beans to it. She’s 6months n 2wks old.
We do not advise use of multiple component (mixed cereals) when starting complementary feeding as your baby may react to one of them and you will not know which one exactly the baby is reacting to. It is safer to introduce one new food at a time. For a 6 month old which means you just started complementary feeding; there are too many things being introduced at once. I will advise you join our Facebook group and go to the UNITS section and do the Unit 102 course on complementary feeding for you to understand better how to go about complementary feeding.
Evening ma, my twins of 30GA are not growing, they 88days today. Their birth weight are 1.34kg and 1.25kg, their current weight are 2.56kg and 1.99kg. They are on breast milk and formula. What can I do for them to grow,?
What do you mean they are not growing? Your babies are about 3 months but their corrected age is actually 2 weeks! So they are just around the normal birth weight period. Preterms gain 20g/day and that is after the initial phase of when they are still being stabilized so I am not sure what their discharge weights were but they seem to be making steady gain. The weight cannot be too rapid as well. Secondly, you should feed your preterm babies BREAST MILK only. Try and do more of expressed breast milk and not direct breastfeeding so they can conserve their calories for weight gain instead of sucking. You should also see your paediatrician for follow up to make sure their blood levels are fine and I hope they are taking the supplements they should be taking as well. If you want more 1:1 consultation, book a consultation here Book Consultation
Goodevening doc,pls how do I manage a child of 2years n 7mmths old eating disorder?he doesn’t like to eat,after much pressure he will take just 3spoon of the food and tell u he is tire and wants to sleep..I have been battling that since he was a baby ..nothing is wrong with him and very hyperactive .he can play from morning till night without thinking of food..thks as I await ur response.
Kindly check out the Healthy eating tips here
Good day doctor, my almost 7 months baby no longer take milk, i started him with Nan 2( with pap, milliet and guinea corn) at 6 months but as at now he no longer takes it, i have tried soyabean still he refused it. If i give him only the pap, he happily takes it, please what do i do
Your baby still needs milk and pap/cereals are not the only complementary feeding. I will recommend booking a consultation with our Paediatric Nutritionist for further specific evaluation and advice. You can click Book Consultation here
Well-done doc.
pls my baby of 11 months old is skinny and looking like a baby of 4 month, her weight is 7kg.
Please What can I do ma
You need to ensure the baby is eating well – adequate variety of food as well. If your baby is eating well and still not gaining weight; then you need to see a Paediatrician.
You really make it appear really easy together with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually one thing which I feel I might by no means understand. It kind of feels too complicated and very large for me. I’m taking a look forward for your next put up, I’ll attempt to get the hold of it!
Hello! I am sorry it sounds complex. There is no need to worry. Kindly join our Ask The Paediatricians Facebook group and you can watch the videos in the Unit section where the information are broken down into easy to understand bits videos
Good morning Doctor. My baby girl is 1 yr and 5months old. She takes peak 123 first thing in the morning and later in the morning takes pap that peak 123 is added to. In the afternoon we give her Cerelac. In the night we give her pap with peak 123 also . I want ask Ma, Am I really feeding her right? Is there any other food that I can be given her?
This is not appropriate feeding. Your 1y year old should be eating same food as the rest of the family not just pap and milk. The child should be eating all food and variety of them. Please read the article for more information. You can also go to our Facebook group and do the Guide 2 on infant feeding as we have videos that you can watch on how to do proper complementary feeding. Link to our Facebook group
I am very impressed by how Dr. Gbemi answered every single person. I came here to ask a troubling question. At birth, my baby girl weighed 2.8kg. She was born on 2nd April, 2022. This has been her weight since then
3 months – 4.9kg
4 months – 5.1kg
5 months – 5.9kg
6 months – 5.9 kg (she stopped eating well. We have had to coax her to eat)
7 months – 6.2 kg
She loses interest in eating. We will need to play, sing etc before she eats. We feed her pap, peak (0-12mnths) milk, and other small small foods.
Please is there a cause for alarm? I am really worried by this. By the way, if I can get your personal number or email, I will appreciate. Please reply me. This weight and her non-eating troubles me greatly. What can we do? Thank you.
Hello! Thanks for your kind words. The weight is fair. Howeever you need to do better with the complementary feeding. You can watch the feeding videos on our YouTube Page or Join our where you can do the GUide 2 on complementary feeding for more details and tips on getting your child to eat better. For urgent responses always post your question to our Facebook group.
Good afternoon Ma, is it right for me to feed my three(3) months old baby with pap and peak baby formula together
NO!!!! Your 3 months old should be on breast milk only. If you cannot do exclusive breastfeeding then you should give formula not pap. Pap and other solids should be started only from age 6 months. Please READ the article first before asking questions.