How many times should Children drink milk in a day? What are the Benefits and disadvantages of drinking milk?
Dear Moms the above questions flash in the mind of every parent. Let us help you with the proper details.
According to my research, Children (Age group – above 2 years) should consume 2 cups of whole milk per day; that is morning when they wake up – one cup and evening between 4.30 – 5.30 PM.
Children who drink milk more than 3 cups per day often have a very limited intake of solid foods, which ultimately leads to an imbalance in nutrition and they fall anemic.
Note: Do not give cow milk or buffalo milk till 1 year; they feel hard to digest this milk. From birth to till 12 months strictly follow breast milk or formula milk. And avoid bottle feeding, the bottle is the root cause of infection because the microorganisms may stick on the neck and teat of the bottle and these microorganisms transmit to the infant. (Feeding bottles require perfect sterilization and regular cleaning.)
Pediatricians generally do not recommend bottles instead they advise giving top milk with the help of a cup and spoon.
And my personal suggestion is to adopt our elder’s method of feeding top milk i.e. our Indian feeding device, the Paladai.
Milk is a wholesome drink packed with essential nutrients like calcium, riboflavin, phosphorous, potassium, Vitamins A, and B12.
Milk helps us to maintain normal vision, increases red blood cell count, supplies proteins for body repair, builds healthy bone & teeth, may prevent bone fractures, and help to maintain a healthy weight.
The disadvantage of drinking milk more than 3 cups:
Imbalance in nutrition (Nutritional deficiency).
Vomiting after eating solid food.
Stomach pain.
Loss of interest in solid foods.
Gassiness.
Fussiness.
Constipation.
Dear MoMsters hope this post might have helped in some way to say bye-bye to your confusion, kindly follow our tips, and have happy parenting. 🙂
“Add saffron beta in your milk and drink every day, the baby will become fair”
Dear MoMsters hope you could relate to the above statement.
As soon as you announce the news of being pregnant, your family, friends, well-wishers start suggesting about your diet, among that the very famous myth is, use of saffron for the fairer complexion of the baby.
The fact is that your baby’s skin color is decided by his/her genes that he/she inherits from you and your spouse.
During my pregnancy, I didn’t believe it wholeheartedly but still followed the suggestion because sometimes we cannot ignore elders’ suggestions, also they are experienced and I thought to listen to them; however, with my experience, I would like to suggest to get a second opinion from doctor, in that way one can avoid misunderstanding without hurting their ego.
According to many health practitioners, consuming more saffronleads to uterus contraction and it doesn’t have any effect on baby complexion.
But still there are some benefits of saffron, they are rich in antioxidants, it decreases mood swings and cramps during pregnancy. So it’s better to take saffron on gynecologists’ suggestion.
How to use:
Recipe:
Saffron is generally consumed during night by adding 2 strands of saffron in a cup of warm milk and kept aside for 5 to 10 minutes; you can also add sugar for taste.
Points to be noted while taking Saffron:
Saffron should be consumed only after the 5th month of pregnancy.
Don’t take excess saffron, as saffron causes heat problems.
Always go for good quality saffron and check for ISI mark and government approval. Avoid buying saffron that is sold loose.
Remember to check the expiry date of the product.
And lastly, I request all the mothers regardless of the complexion, love your baby unconditionally! Moreover pray god for normal delivery and healthy baby rather than for a fairer complexion.
We suggest you to consume fruits like Apple (high in fiber and a good source of vitamin A, C & potassium), Pomegranate (maintains hemoglobin levels), Orange (excellent source of vitamin C) all these fruits helps a mother to be healthy and hydrated, which in turn results in the healthy and good skin tone of mother & baby. Apart from this, pregnant women should add iron-rich foods like – Legumes, Green, and leafy vegetables.
Ok, MoMsters hope this content helps you. Please feel free to share your feedback and experience. Thank you.
Dear Moms, here we go with some frequently asked questions by most of the mothers….
Does green poop indicate an infection?
Should I take my baby to the pediatrician if poop is green in color?
Don’t worry MoMsters, this post is exclusively for this topic only. we will clear all your doubts.
The reason for green poop is different for 3 stages of kids i.e. babies, toddlers, and older children.
Green poop in Babies
Imbalance of Foremilk/Hindmilk:
In the case of breastfeeding, there is thin and thick milk in our breast, if baby drinks only thin milk their poop color will be green i.e. they are taking in too much lactose (the natural sugar found in milk). Generally, liquidly foremilk is higher in lactose and lower in fat. Too much foremilk may also lead to gassiness.
whereas, hindmilk is rich in fat and has creamy consistency; it is gained at the end of a feed to fill him up.
(If you observe thin milk/foremilk comes out at the starting stage of feed, after 5 – 6 min thick milk/hindmilk will be sucked by baby.
Make sure your baby finishes feeding from one breast before your offer him your other one.
And check whether baby latching properly, bad latch also a reason for skipping thick creamy hindmilk. In that case check some feeding techniques or go for lactation consultants.
Illness:
A simple cold can also be the reason for the green poop in babies, continue breastfeeding your baby under such circumstances, as breast milk contains antibodies that can help boost the baby’s immunity!- read, Common Cold in kids and home remedies to cure it!
Infection:
If the stool is green with mucus, then he is suffering from infection or stomach bug. Consult doctor in such case.
Mother’s Diet
Some babies are sensitive to something you are eating, check accordingly mothers diet and skip the food which creating problems. And also check whether the mother consumed spinach, peas? But don’t worry, it’s not harmful for the baby until he is cranky because of your diet.
Teething:
During the teething phase, they end up swallowing excessive drool and saliva which leads to a green stool. Hence during teething keep baby’s surrounding clean and dust-free, make sure that they not chewing any cloth around them.
Jaundice:
During jaundice phototherapy treatment, the new-borns can have green poop.
Brand of formula feed:
Some formula feed can make your baby’s poo dark green, in such case discuss with your pediatrician and go accordingly.
Green poop in toddlers and older children
Your Child’s diet
After 6 months, once you started semisolid food; if you find green poop then that must be due to green foods such as pureed peas, spinach, and green beans.
Another possible chance is an allergic reaction, did you gave any new food? Once you start semi solid food check for 3 days one single food and figure out which food is the cause of the reaction. Make a note in which food was eaten before allergy reaction and discontinue for a few days and then reintroduce after some days.
Medication:
If a child taking iron supplements, then you may notice green poop; nothing to worry it’s a normal condition.
Another medication reason is antibiotics, if a lactating mother or baby has taken antibiotics then baby poop can be green colored; in that case, doctor may prescribe probiotics to avoid side effects of antibiotics.
When to see a doctor
If your baby continues to pass green poop frequently for longer days, then check with the doctor.
A sudden drop in weight coupled with green poop.
Diarrhea or signs of dehydration.
Green poop with blood tinges.
a fever higher than 100.4°F
Looking dull and lack of interest in eating.
General tips to avoid green poop
Before breastfeeding, mom should drink plenty of water, per day at least 6 litre of water necessarily.
Avoid giving cow milk/ buffalo milk to your baby before 1 year.
For toddler/ older child, add curd and banana in their diet. (Curd, yogurt acts as probiotic which is good for maintaining intestinal flora.)
Maintain hygiene while preparing formula feed and avoid feeding bottles, instead use a cup and spoon. Read – Common questions on Formula feed, click here for more details.
So, say goodbye to worries Mommies. Stay healthy and Stay Happy.. !!
Hi MoMsters, if by any reason you are starting off with formula feed then I am sure you will be having plenty of questions and doubts in your mind. In this topic, we have put together all the common questions related to formula feed. Please go through it and make yourself comfortable using it.
‘Remember one thing’ “none of the formula feed can replace breastmilk feed”. Generally weight gain will be best on breastfeed.
Now, let’s move ahead with the common questions which are generally asked by Moms:
Is the feeding bottle good for my baby?
No… Bottle is the root cause of infection, because the microorganisms may stick on the neck and teat of the bottle and these microorganisms transmit to the infant. (Feeding bottles require perfect sterilization and regular cleaning.)
Pediatricians generally do not recommend bottles instead they advise giving top milk with the help of a cup and spoon.
And my personal suggestion to adopt our elder’s method of feeding top milk i.e. our Indian feeding device,the Paladai.
How to clean and sterilize the feeding bottle?
All the feeding device including if you prefer cup-spoon, paladai, and feeding bottle should be cleaned and sterilized well.
Most importantly if you use bottle, special care should be given to clean and sterilize (bottle, teats & lids).
Cleaning and sterilizing feeding utensils, bottles removes microorganisms.
Now, let’s talk on Cleaning Feeding Bottle:
At first, wash your hands well.
Secondly, in a clean container prepare hot soapy water and then place all items inside it, which is needed for cleaning, then wash all the feeding equipment thoroughly by using hot soapy water.
Use a small brush to scrub inside and outside of bottles and teats.
And make sure all the hard left over feed is removed.
Finally rinse thoroughly in clean running water.
Sterilizing feeding bottle:
The cleaned equipment can be sterilized by 2 methods.
By a pan and boiling water.
Fill water in a large pan in order to place the cleaned feeding equipment into the water.
(Note: the feeding items should be disassembled before placing in water).
Make sure that the equipment is completely immersed with water.
Bring the pan to boil for 5 minutes.
Remove items carefully without contamination.
Always keep the sterilized items in a clean and covered place.
Commercial sterilizer which is easily available in the market (refer manual for sterilization instruction)
Always Remember: To clean and sterilize after and before you prepare formula feed.
What if I travel out, how to prepare formula feed?
Try having boiled water in a flask and a separate storage container to preserve formula powder. Mix accordingly and feed baby using sterilized cup and spoon.
After preparing formula if baby does not drink, then can we store it or should we discard it? Discard it.
Makeup one feed at a time. It is safer to feed immediately after preparation. The longer you store prepared formula, the greater the risk of microorganism’s growth.
What is the proportion of formula feed?
It’s given on the tin itself.
Follow the mixing instructions which is given on the tin you are using including appropriate use of scoop provided in that tin. This is really important as different formulas will have different scoops size, which will affect the dilution of the formula, do not change proportion of powder except on medical advice. Incorrect preparation can make your baby very ill.
At what temperature should I use to prepare formula powder?
Boil water first and let it cool – the water should be no cooler than 700C. Now add formula to the water in the bottle, mix thoroughly by gentle shaking or swirling the bottle, then immediately cool to feeding temperature by placing in container of cold or iced water. Make sure that the level of the cooling water is below the lid of the bottle, so that you do not contaminate the feed. With a clean cloth, dry outside of the bottle. The feed should be lukewarm, not hot or cold.
Can I warm the prepared formula?
Warming prepared formula is not recommended because it will damage the nutrients.
How many times in a day, formula feed to be given?
It depends on age and the information is given on the tin itself.
Is that ok to let my baby to sleep with a bottle?
A big No…
It can cause choking, ear infections, tooth decay.
Does the formula feeding cause gas?
Yes after you prepare formula, generally air is retained inside the baby bottle and in turn baby swallow air while bottle feeding. And also formula feeds cause constipation in some babies.
Hold in an upright position while feeding and burp well for 10-15 mins after a feed.
How often bottles should be cleaned and sterilized?
Bottles should be cleaned before and after every feeding.
What is the proportion of water to be added for the preparation of formula feed?
Follow the instruction on the tin you are using, which explains clearly about the amount of water to be added. Always measure the water and then add the powder.
Remember: Too much water leads to insufficient nutrients and too little water may cause digestion issue. Just follow the instruction on the tin closely and prepare accordingly.
I purchased Formula milk powder and started to use only once and again I discontinued and used after 4 month, when I mix powder in a bottle it’s turning yellow. Should I use it or not?
Check for expiry date and also check within how many days it should be used after opening the pack..? Generally, within 3 weeks it should be used after opening… This rule is because there will be a chance of contamination of milk after the powder exposed to air, which leads to discoloration i.e. it will begin to have a yellowish tint and sometimes odor. If you notice discoloration or odor in your powdered milk, then it should be discarded.
Since it’s a milk product do not take a chance MoMster.
General advice:
On opening the pack of formula powder, transfer the contents of the pack along with the pouch into a clean airtight container. And note the manufacture date and expiry date carefully.
Ok, MoMsters now you would have got some clear picture about formula feed-related queries and doubts. For more information, please leave a comment.
Vitamins A, and B12.
repair, builds healthy bone & teeth, may prevent bone fractures, and help to maintain a healthy weight.
wash all the feeding equipment thoroughly by using hot soapy water.
