Having the perfect idea about the right diet for your baby can be a very difficult task if one is uninformed about the right kinds of food to feed a baby with. This is basically because of the fragile and tender nature of your baby’s developing system. Considering the fact that your baby’s internal organs are in a state of constant development, it is important to understand the kind of food that will fit perfectly with their fragile system and also provide the right nutrients necessary for his or her physical and mental development. One common question some parents ask when it comes to feeding a baby is can I feed baby rice at 9 weeks old? If you also share similar views, read on as this article will shed more light on if you can feed your baby with rice at 9 weeks old.
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That you should get the right kind of food for your developing toddler cannot be overemphasized. This is because the early days of a baby set the stage for the kind of development that they may exhibit by the time he comes of age. The most important diet in a new baby’s early life is obviously breast milk which contains adequate nutrients that set your baby on a path of steady growth and development.
As time goes on, your baby’s nutritional health will begin to require certain kinds of food that breastmilk alone cannot provide. This is the period when you as the parent will have to source for other kinds of food, mostly in powder form, for your baby. At the tender age of 9 weeks, which is approximately 2 months and some days, your baby will have not started developing strong teeth. This is why the choice of food is very unique.
Nutritional Diet Of A 9 Weeks Old Baby
Based on the fact that a 9 weeks old baby has a very delicate body and digestive system, it is pertinent to note that the recommended food for your child at that age is breast milk. This implies that while you may give him or her other essentials like water, however, his or her diet should come through breast milk. Your child must not be given solid food at that age because it might bring adverse effects on the body system resulting in health hazards.
The following are some of the benefits of giving breast milk to your 9 weeks old baby:
- Breast milk gives your child the best nutrient that his or her age demands. With its perfect combination of important vitamins, fat, minerals, e.t.c. breast milk comes with the most essential elements needed for your child to grow without any adverse effect.
- Breast milk has numerous antibodies that help boost and protects the immune system which fights against viruses and bacteria. These antibodies and immune boosters are made naturally from the body of the mother, making it very effective. This is important because your baby’s developing body system does not have the required immunity against viruses and bacteria.
- With breast milk, your baby does not fall into the risk of having allergies or other deadly illnesses because the food or diet he is receiving comes from a natural source devoid of impurities.
- Breast milk has more nutritional value than the most baby formula because it contains saturated fats as well as unsaturated fat in it which is more digestible than any other baby milk. It even has cholesterol which is an important part of brain tissues.
In all, breast milk is the most appropriate food that should be given to a child who is practically developing psychologically, mentally, and even socially. Its nutrients have an effect on the general makeup of the child.
Can you give a baby rice at 9 weeks old?
From the foregoing, it is quite obvious that it is not appropriate to give solid foods like rice to a 9 weeks old baby. Although some people may argue to the contrary, stating that some babies are exceptional in the sense that their body makeup is ready for solid foods at that tender age, hence, its no big deal if they are given rice as their main meal since it contains nutrients as well.
While this is debatable, giving your baby rice at 9 weeks old can be very detrimental to his or her health. This is largely due to the problem of indigestion which may result after taking in rice. The digestive tracts of your baby are not developed at the age of nine weeks therefore it is not reasonable to stress it by giving your baby rice at 9 weeks old.
Moreover, babies at 9 weeks old have the uncanny ability to easily detect and reject substances that may be detrimental to their health. When you give your baby rice at 9 weeks old, you will discover that he or she will pour the food out of his or her mouth immediately because the teeth are not developed for that kind of solid and strange food.
It is common knowledge that any child who starts eating solid food especially rice at 9 weeks old, usually develops health challenges later in life. The most common among them is obesity. In other situations, some children, due to the absence of a well-developed dental system might be forced to swallow solid foods leading them to choke on the food.
These health risks associated with giving baby rice at 9 weeks old make it dangerous and it is advisable to avoid it completely. The ideal time for a baby to start eating solid foods is between the ages of four to six months. This is because the dental and digestive systems of the child will at that time be able to withstand the rigors of digesting such substances.
Medical experts also recommend that the best time to begin to give your child rice or any other suitable solid food for that matter is when your child has the needed skills needed for him to eat. Giving him or her rice at 9 weeks old does not fit into that category. Apart from the needed dental and digestive development, other criteria that show that your baby is ready for solid foods are:
- The baby begins to show uncommon interest in solid foods. Either when he or she sees others eating it or when the food is carried past him or her.
- The baby is able to take food conveniently down the throat and swallow without any stress.
- The baby’s weight at the moment is twice the weight at birth or is close to it.
This and many more factors help to determine whether your child is able to start taking in solid foods. However, forcing solids such as rice at 9 weeks old might produce unpleasant and unwanted situations and side effects that will be detrimental to your baby.
Conclusion
Knowing the right diet that is necessary for your baby is one of the most important qualities of a good parent. Also, knowing when to change your baby’s diet from pure liquid to solid is very important as well because it can save you from a whole lot of stress and unexpected health hazards.
Giving your baby rice at 9 weeks old poses a lot of problems to you as a parent. This guide gives a thorough review of the risks involved and how you can determine the right time to start feeding your baby with solid foods like rice.
