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Potatoes for Babies - Health Benefits and Quick Recipes
Babies grow up really fast and before you know it, they are ready to eat solid foods. As a mother, you will be sceptical about introducing various kinds of foods to your baby. Potatoes are loved by all and you may think if potatoes can be introduced to babies or not. We all love to eat potatoes and no doubt babies will like it too, but the question is if they are safe enough to be given to babies. In the following article, we shall be discussing various health benefits of potatoes, and we shall also be sharing some quick recipes of potatoes for your little munchkin.
When to Introduce Potatoes in a Baby's Diet
Potatoes are available in almost all parts of the world. They are rich in carbohydrates and provide ample energy to your growing baby. It is one of the safest vegetables that may be introduced as an early food to your baby. However, it is low in nutrition and high in calories, which may make it little difficult to digest if your baby is not moving much. Therefore, ideally, potatoes should be introduced to babies at around 7 to 10 months of age, when they are more active.
Nutritional Value of a Potato
Potatoes are power-packed with nutrition and here’s what your baby can get from one medium-sized potato:
Nutrient
Amount
Vitamin C
19.7 mg
Vitamin A
2 IU
Folate
15 ug
Potassium
425 mg
Magnesium
23 mg
Phosphorus
57 mg
Calcium
12 mg
Iron
.81 mg
Sodium
6 mg
Zinc
30 mg
Source: https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/potato.html
The above-mentioned are the approximate values present in one medium-sized potato, and these may vary as per the size and quantity of a potato.
Health Benefits of Potatoes for Babies
Potatoes are good for your baby’s health and here are some benefits that your baby may derive from potatoes:
1. Good for a Baby’s Gastrointestinal Health
Potatoes help develop the gastrointestinal health of a baby. Potatoes assist in the growth of friendly bacteria. The substantial amounts of alkaline sugars in potatoes keep the acid levels down in your baby's body and thus keep acidity at bay.
2. Lowers the Chance of Infections
Some varieties of potatoes such as red-fleshed potatoes are loaded with anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are a type of biochemical which is proved to have antiviral properties. These help in fighting various infections like influenza. Therefore, adding potatoes to a baby’s diet can keep the risks of infections at bay.
3. Good for the Health of Liver
Not only the pulpy potato but the peel of the potato is also effective in protecting your baby from various ailments. Potatoes are good for the health of the liver of a baby and protect it from various kinds of chemical damages too.
4. Heals Insect Bites or Bug Bites
Gently rubbing the slices of a potato on an insect bite or bug bite can reduce the inflammation and can help reduce the symptoms of dermatitis.
5. Good for the Skin
The presence of starch, vitamin C, and various enzymes not only protects the skin but also provides nourishment to your baby’s skin.
How to Give Potatoes to an Infant
Potatoes are healthy for a baby. However, you need to note the following points before giving a potato to your baby:
1. Clean and Peel the Potatoes Thoroughly
Potatoes are grown underground, and therefore it is very important that you get rid of all the dirt and pesticides before giving it to your baby. Make sure you peel the skin and wash it nicely too.
2. Start Small
Babies like the taste of potatoes but that does not mean that you give them as much as they like. Potatoes are rich in starch, hence it will be difficult for him to digest if given too much. Therefore, begin by giving a few spoons of mashed potato only.
3. Give Steamed or Baked Potatoes
Give steamed or baked potatoes to your baby. This is because when you boil the potatoes, most of its nutrients are lost. You may steam and mash the potatoes and give it your baby.
Video: How to Make Potato Puree for Babies?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tnJIplzZIg
Potato Puree Recipe for a Baby
The best way to give potatoes to a baby is in the pureed form. So, here is the recipe to make potato puree for your baby.
Ingredients
2-3 potatoes
Method
Take the potatoes, wash them thoroughly, and peel off the skin.
Cut the potatoes into small chunks.
Take a steamer basket and place the chunks on it. Take water in the saucepan, but not too much.
Steam the potatoes; keep checking the water. If required, add some more water.
After this, take it off from the flame and puree them in the mixer. Do not make a paste, keep a nice consistency.
You may add the leftover water to reach the desired consistency.
Potatoe puree is ready.
Other Potato Recipes for Infants
Apart from the above-mentioned pure potato puree, you can try some variations too. If you like, you can add various other vegetables along with potato to give some texture and increase the nutritional value. Here are some more potato recipes that you can try for your baby:
1. Broccoli and Potato Puree
This is a mashed potato recipe with a twist and it is definitely a nutritious option for your baby. Here’s how you can make it.
Ingredients
Potatoes
Broccoli florets
Method
Take the potatoes, wash, and peel them.
Take the broccoli florets and wash them nicely.
Take a steamer and place broccoli florets and potato chunks on it.
Put some water and steam the vegetables.
Put steamed vegetables into the mixer to mash them.
You can add some water for a nice consistency.
Empty the puree in a bowl and serve warm.
2. Potato and Squash Puree
This recipe is an ideal baby food for babies who are older than 6 months.
Ingredients
1 acorn or butternut squash
3 to 4 medium-sized potatoes
Method
Take squash and potatoes, clean them, and cut into small chunks.
Alternately, you can bake the squash and potatoes in the oven.
Once done, puree them to form a smooth consistency, and feed your baby.
Potatoes are generally one of the first foods of babies. You may include this amazing vegetable in your baby’s diet. However, it is strictly recommended that you should not give any solid foods to a baby before six months of age. If you wish to include potatoes in your baby’s diet, it is suggested that you consult a doctor first. Once your doctor gives you a heads up, you can feed potatoes to your baby in the mashed or pureed form. However, do not feed him too much.
Also Read: Sweet Potatoes for Babies Read more
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Your Baby This Week : 10 Month Week 3 Old
Your child’s ability to vocalize is improving, and he will say his first words any time now. First, the words don’t always have an exact definition.. The “dog” may mean anything with four legs, and “ba-ba” can mean a water bottle, teddy bear, bye-bye or all three. A scream may sound awful to you but to your baby, it’s just another way to flex your vocal cords. Many children go through a phase in which they are crying out loud and for a long time, sometimes just for the fun of it. (Lucky for you!) Please be patient these screaming episodes are soon to become less intense and less frequent. Usually, the target of screaming is to get something from you. Ensure that the essential requirements have been met, and he’s not hungry, tired, cold, etc), and provide a lot of non-verbal, physical signs of affection, like holding his hand.
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8 Must-Know Tips Before Taking a Train Journey With Your Baby
Travelling by train can be a wonderful experience for the soul – yes, even for those of us who like to save time by travelling on flights. True, train journeys can be time-consuming and difficult, but they also expose us to fresh experiences, new people, new places, and inspire creativity and romance. When it comes to train travel with baby, however, it is an entirely different ball game.
There comes a time when we cannot avoid travelling with the baby in public transport. You may have to be somewhere out of town, or go to meet family members. Train journeys with your little darling can seem extremely daunting and worrisome, even to the experienced mother.
We have compiled for you some important tips to simplify the process of travelling with your baby in a train. From preparation to the actual trip, these tricks will help make your journey hassle-free.
1. Try To Book Trains According To Your Baby’s Schedule
Little babies can get very cranky if their schedule changes, i.e., if they don’t get to feed or sleep as per the time they have become habituated to. While some amount of shuffling of schedules in unavoidable when you are travelling, it is a good idea to try and find a booking time that matches your baby’s schedule as much as possible. Also avoid making any major changes in schedule a few days before travelling. For example, if you have been planning to switch to solid foods, hold on till you’re back from the trip.
If this is not possible, try to make your baby feel as comfortable as possible around the time you’re scheduled to depart for the journey. So, if the time of the train clashes with your baby’s feeding time, feed him beforehand so he doesn’t get hungry and start crying.
2. Pack All These Essential Items For Your Baby
It doesn’t matter if the trip is going to last 2 days or 2 weeks – your baby is still going to need half the household packed in his bag! Travelling by train with baby means you need to pack essential items for the journey, aside from things you will need after reaching the destination. These include:
Rugs, bed-sheets, etc. for your baby to lie down on
Favourite toys to keep the child entertained
Bibs to avoid spills while feeding in a moving train
Nursing shawl/cover to breastfeed in the train
Flask for baby’s water
Extra diapers (or potty seat, if required)
Extra pair of clothes and warm clothes if train is air-conditioned
Plastic bags
Medicines for motion sickness and travel-induced digestion problems
3. Prepare and Carry a First-Aid Box For Your Baby
This is a must – keep your baby’s first-aid box ready well in advance and never forget to take it along. As a rule, the box should have medicines for fever, cold, congestion, ear infection, nasal saline drops, wipes, thermometer, antiseptics, bandages and cotton. Keep the doctor’s phone number handy (and added as a paper slip in the box) in case you need to get in touch during the journey/trip.
4. Discuss The Journey With Your Baby’s Paediatrician
A couple of days before you leave, it is a good idea to check with your paediatrician. This is helpful for any last-minute tips or advice that the doctor may have, and to see if there is any vaccination that the baby needs to take. You should also discuss the medicines to be carried on the journey. If your child has a history of allergy, motion sickness or digestion problems, ask the doctor to recommend medication for the trip.
5. Consider Using a Baby Carrier
For a train journey, you can consider wearing your baby in a sling or carrier instead of carrying your baby in a pram. Wearing your baby will help you navigate crowded platforms and stations, without worrying about rolling the pram or searching for elevators. You will get a hands-free experience and also feel more prepared to catch the train, considering the immense crowds that train stations see every single day!
6. Prepare Well For Your Baby’s Feeding
Making sure the baby eats well on a train journey can be another massive challenge. If you are breastfeeding (or formula feeding), make sure you carry all your feeding equipment with you – bottles, steriliser, pumps, feeding pillows, bibs, and covers.
If your baby has started on solid foods, some of these make ideal travelling foods:
Fruits like banana, chiku, apples and oranges
Cereal (homemade options like semolina or rice based cereals are good for travel. They can be just mixed with hot water and served)
Homemade cooked food that doesn’t spoil quickly, such as thepla, atta ladoo and khakra
Homemade purees (you can freeze them in individual air-tight containers and thaw before feeding)
7. Keep Your Baby Entertained and Comfortable During The Journey
Little ones are easily bored – but they are also easily distracted! If you are travelling with a small baby, you need to prepare in advance various methods to keep him entertained during travel. Some of the options and tips that work well include:
Carrying some of their favourite toys and household objects
Carrying picture books
Playing songs and lullabies on your phone or iPod
Making funny facial expressions
Booking a first-class/second-class ticket if possible to get more space and hence more comfort for you and your baby
Trying to stick to their original schedule for feeding and napping, especially if it’s a long journey
8. Finally, Don’t Worry Too Much about People’s Reactions
If you’ve kept all the above pointers in mind, you are well prepared for the train journey with your baby. Chances are your journey will be smooth and your baby will have a good time enjoying the new sights and sounds. However, if something goes wrong, your baby starts crying, or there is any kind of a mess, don’t take it to heart. You have tried your very best to keep fellow passengers comfortable. But babies are in a growing-up phase and these things will happen. It doesn’t reflect on you badly as a mother. Read more
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What to Do When You Need a Breastfeeding Break
For many mothers, breastfeeding is far from easy. It can be painful, exhausting, uncomfortable, and emotional. If you feel like you need a break from it, that’s completely okay and normal.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting some time for yourself. You’re not alone in feeling ‘touched out.’ It’s alright if your partner or another caregiver intends to play a role in feeding your baby. It’s natural to feel frustrated that everything falls on you 24/7. You’re justified for wanting someone else to take over some night provides so you can catch up on sleep.
It’s all incredibly overwhelming, particularly in the early months, but it doesn’t mean that you have to stop breastfeeding altogether if that’s not what you want. It also doesn’t mean that you have to start offering formula unless you want to. You can have a break from breastfeeding without having to worry about your supply (or feeling any guilt) if you follow these steps:
Step 1: Wait until your milk is established:
Lactation specialists advise new moms to wait until about the 4-6 week mark before offering a bottle (or a bottle alternative, such as a cup). This way, you and the baby are settling into a good rhythm, and the best way to establish your milk supply is through frequent breastfeeds.
Step 2: Don’t leave it too long to get started
Your baby’s sucking reflex will be triggered when offered a bottle up until about 8-12 weeks, but once that reflex disappears, it gets a bit trickier for them to accept a bottle. So, ideally, you’ll introduce one between 6-8 weeks for a smoother transition.
Step 3: Choose a breast pump if you don’t have one:
Choose an electric breast pump that’s soft, comfortable, and portable if you want to pump while you’re out and about. Ask your maternal and child health nurse or lactation consultant to recommend one that best suits your needs.
Step 4: Select bottles specifically designed for breastfed babies:
To make it easier to change from breast to bottle, use a bottle that has a teat that’s as close to a nipple as possible. Usually, these teats would have several tiny openings modeled on the milk ducts, allowing for a more natural flow and familiar feeling.
Step 5: Start pumping if you haven’t yet:
People may have already advised you to express breast milk to boost your supply in the early weeks, but if you haven’t used a breast pump yet, you will need to start expressing, usually at the same time as you would normally breastfeed.
Step 6: Choose the right baby formula if that’s your preference:
If you’re unable to pump or choose not to, rest assured that you can still safely meet your baby’s nutritional needs.
Step 7: Ask someone else to offer the bottle:
Your baby is more likely to accept a bottle from someone else, and it’s even better if you’re not present. So, go for a walk around the block, or your partner could take your baby for a walk so you can rest. They might enjoy sitting in a park or cafe where they could offer a bottle.
Step 8: Ask your partner/caregiver to follow these bottle-feeding tips:
Not all babies take to a bottle straight away, so it’s essential to go slow without pressuring them. Send your partner or caregiver this list of helpful tips to encourage your breastfed baby to take a bottle, including following the baby's hunger cues, offering the bottle for fun (rather than a feed), paced feeding, and finding the right place, time, and position. Plus some helpful ideas if your baby still refuses a bottle.
Step 9: Weigh up your options and do what works for you:
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when it comes to feeding your baby. It might even vary from day to day or month to month. You might choose to breastfeed but have your partner do a bedtime or midnight bottle feed. You might decide to express if that’s a better fit for you exclusively. You might do mixed feeding every day or only part-time (when you return to work, for example). You might do it all: breastfeed, express, and offer formula. The choice is yours.
Step 10: Enjoy your breastfeeding break:
As long as you feel supported and informed about your choices to feed your baby, know that you’re doing an incredible job. Permit yourself to enjoy this time – guilt-free. Breastfeeding and pumping are hard work. Parenting is hard work! Do what works for you, your baby, and the rest of your family, but don’t feel you have to justify your parenting choices to anyone.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her.
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Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
12 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
now I'm 24 weeks. Sometimes I'm feeling pain in my thigh.
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
12 hours ago
A. For thegh query asked needs consultation with doctor for proper guidance so it is better that the doctor will guide you the correct way .
Onlfine consultation can also be taken and the expert will give you the proper answer .
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
7 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
what is the pain killer than can be taken by a breastfeeding mother to deal with pain of stitches after delivery?
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
4 hours ago
A. dolo 650 safe analgesic. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Anu Sharma has added a new answer
Expecting Father due in 3 months
2 hours ago
Q. My wife taking tablets for UTI it caused fever last week she took paracetamol and Pan D in IV and now for the past 5 days taking Nitrofurantoin tablet IP I have two questio
1) Will this tablets and IV affect my baby in any way and it's growth inside
2) She says still feeling some pain groin and abdomen area comparatively lesser than previous days
3) Any diets to avoid this UTI in future
Read moreAnu Sharma
Mom of a 1 yr old boy
1 hour ago
A. UTI infection is common in pregnecy. Better to consult gyne
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. ma lmp 28.9.2023 edd date 5.7.2024 ma age 25.7.1999 ma beby boy or girl plsss tell me mam
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. be not possible to tell. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr. Minal Acharya has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 5 months
1 hour ago
Q. Hii...., Is it safe to eat jackfruit in 4th month of pregnancy, daily 2 ...
Dr. Minal Acharya
Nutritionist
59 mins ago
A. dear mam, you can eat jackfruit during the 4th month of pregnancy. there is no problem in having it. you can eat all types of seasonal vegetables and fruits even green leafy vegetables.
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
4 mins ago
Q. is that positive result??? my Due date is tommoro I am having vomitting and nausea and back pain etc please reply asap
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
1 min ago
A. Regarding the mentioned concern your local doctor will guide you in a proper way and the doubts can be cleared accordijtngly .so you can discuss and get the solution for query.
Also online consultation can be taken on the platform and it will also be helpful in getting the proper guidance as there could be a detailed discussion which would be benifecial helpful in the correct manner .
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