Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : October 19, 2017 8:48 PM IST
Weaning is one of the most challenging phases for a mother. It is difficult to know what flavours will appeal to your baby and what won t. This is why mothers have to try a wide range of foods to know the child s food preferences and tastes. Most mothers start weaning with fruits and then move on to vegetables. Now, unlike fruits, you cannot offer your kids raw vegetables and the ones that can be eaten raw are also limited carrots, beetroots, peas, etc. But I have known mothers who give these raw vegetables to their kids during weaning reasoning that it will make their jaws strong and help them to learn to chew fast. Read to know if you can give your child raw fruits during weaning.
I had always been sceptical about giving raw vegetables to my kids, however, I tried to check with my paediatrician to know whether giving raw vegetables can do my baby any good and not surprisingly he said no. He said, "If you are looking for something filling, then the best thing to do is to steam or boil vegetables and puree it." If you give chunks of raw vegetables your child might at the most nibble on them but not eat them. This will keep your child hungry and make her go cranky.
However, this is not the only reason to avoid raw vegetables. Raw vegetables are starchy in nature and are hard on your little one s tummy. They are not easily digestible and can lead to diarrhoea and loose motions. Moreover, there will always be a risk of choking with raw vegetables as babies cannot chew them properly before swallowing. Raw vegetables could also lead to episodes of a tummy ache and bloating in babies. So, the best way to offer vegetables during weaning is to steam, boil and puree them. Here are some mistakes to avoid while weaning your baby.
Start slowly with one vegetable at a time like a carrot puree or beetroot soup. Be patient during the weaning phase. Your child might not like all the flavours and textures that you are trying but don t try to force feed. That can make your child averse to the food.
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