Question

Lindsey, 5 months old, has begun attending a child care program as her mother ercently returned to work. Lindey was started on cereal mixed with pureed fruit prior to entering child care. Lindsey's mother pumps and freezes her breast milk and delivers it to the center to be thawed and fed as needed. Lindsey is now experiencing some diarrhea and apparent abdominal pain.1. What are some possible causes of Lindsey's discomfort?2. Do you know how the breast milk is handled at home?3. What are safe procedures for handling breast milk at child care?4. Given Lindsey's age, is she ready to have fruit added to her diet?5. What other food/liquids could be uses to mix in her cereal; what type of cereal should she be fed?

Answer 1

Weaning or supplementary food can be started between 4 to 6 months for the infant.

1.Food allergies can happen when we introduce new food other than breast milk to the child.Possible causes for discomfort are inabilty of gastro intestinal system to digest cereal protein,food allergy,unhygienic preparation of food.

2.Expressed breast milk can be fed for 6 to 8 hours in room temperature.

3.Frozen breast milk should be thawed before feeding.Once thwaed breast milk can not be refridgerated or freezed again to prevent possibilities of micro organism growth

4.Yes.She is ready to have fruit added to her diet.

5.Breast milk is the best one to be added with cereals. Fortified iron rice cereal,barely,oatmeal can be given. New foods other than breast milk should be started after soon breastfeeding the child.