Be it your doula, gynaecologist or elders in the family, many will insist that you either breastfeed the baby or opt for formula-milk for the first six months of their life. And of course, there is enough and more reasoning for the same.
Babies should only be introduced to solids from six months onwards because that is when their guts are mature enough to handle solid food. Feeding before six months should only involve breastmilk, or formula if that’s what the paediatrician recommended.
However, what happens when a parent feeds their baby porridge when the little one is barely two months old?
Video Of Baby Eating Porridge Goes Viral On Social Media
In September 2018, a mother and father shared a video of their newborn baby. They were feeding the two-month-old porridge. The video went viral garnering numerous comments after being shared by Facebook user Erlina L, on September 11, 2018.
In the video, we can clearly see that the mum is feeding her baby. The newborn is fed with packaged baby porridge suitable for babies over six months old. Making the whole situation even more dangerous, the little one is lying on his back while being fed.
In the video, we can hear a man explaining and commenting on the mum’s behaviour. “This is how a two-month-old baby reacts. We’ve fed him. He’s very hungry and just sucks everything up. Are you hungry, little one?” says the man, who is the baby’s dad.
Baby’s Hands Tied Up While Being Fed.
“For new mums who have children out there, this is the right method to feed a 2-month-old baby. Tie his hands up using this. Then, don’t forget to dilute the food with some water. Otherwise, without any water, we risk choking the child with food. Do try your best to feed the child first before bathing him,” explains the dad.
“For young mums out there who have just given birth to their first child like me, here is my first child. Try to tie his hands up so he won’t move or throw a tantrum, but don’t tie it too tightly – it’s dangerous. Do also try to provide a pillow so that your little one won’t choke,” continued the father.
Watch the full video here:
Netizens Strike Back With Protests
Of course, the video showing the baby being fed porridge met with lots of complaints and criticism from netizens.
“I can’t stand watching further, I pity the baby…” wrote Shinta Evriant Hafidh.
“The child wants to sleep – you should’ve breastfed him, not fed him food. How will this mum parent …” wrote Farid Yuhu’s.
“Do some research first on the internet on when babies should be fed complementary food. How annoying – really, how can you feed a 2-month-old baby food?”
“The baby’s stomach is still as big as an egg – they gave so much food. Even babies who are only breastfed regurgitate due to fullness.”
“It’s still a baby – it’ll eat anything you give them. These stupid parents have endangered their child’s life so that he can become full faster. That’s the main cause of digestive issues. It’s so sad to even watch… “.
We hope these parents of the newborn being fed porridge know that their method is not just wrong, but could seriously harm their little one’s health. Remember the case of the newborn who was fed banana porridge by his grandmother?
When Can Babies Eat Porridge?
Based on WHO guidelines, infants should only be introduced to solids like porridge to complement breastfeeding after they are six months old. That’s because babies are better able to digest food and are ready to eat other than breast milk. However, ideally, you should still continue breastfeeding if the child still wants it.
Babies Feeding Before 6 Months Should ONLY Be Given Breastmilk Or Formula
Young babies feeding before 6 months should be given either breastmilk or infant formula, if they have problems breastfeeding. | Image Source: Stock Photo
Feeding a baby breastmilk till they turn six months old will help meet all their nutritional needs. Once they are six months old, you can introduce them to solids.
If you cannot breastfeed for whatever reason, the only other suitable food for babies feeding before six months is formula milk.
An exclusively breastmilk-fed baby will not even need water. In fact, breastmilk comprises 80 per cent of the water that should take care of thirst.
Baby Feeding Before 6 Months: When Can Babies Eat Porridge
It’s unclear if the mum and dad were just ignorant or mean to the baby. Even it seems the former. But, here’s what you need to understand about feeding solid foods to the baby before they turn six months old.
Solid foods:
- are difficult to swallow and the digestive system is not fully developed. Therefore, they can’t effectively digest solid foods, even if they are pureed.
- are not as nutritious as breastmilk.Solid foods are lower in the specific nutrients that an infant needs to grow and thrive.
- introduced too early can lead to several health problems, such as allergies and eczema. Researchers have also found an association between introducing solid foods early with chronic diseases such as diabetes and coeliac disease (indigestion due to gluten consumption) as children grow older.
Remember, parents. Do NOT feed your baby solid foods because you think your baby is hungry. At the same time, it is important to educate other caregivers of your baby (especially if they are elderly) on the specifics of newborn baby food intake and requirements.
What do you think about these parents who have fed their little one porridge? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, mums!
Original Author: Aulia Trisna
This article about how to give birth easily was translated by Kevin Wijaya Oey and republished with the permission of the theAsianparent Indonesia
Sources: Facebook, Cleveland Clinic
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