Hi everyone,

This is my first post on this forum. I have read a lot of email from mothers just like me who are worried about diff issues relating to their child. Well i had a few queries myself and I would really appreciate if somebody could help me out. I have a daughter who is 11 months now an I have been breast feeding her since birth. Following are my worries:

1) She has not started teething yet, is that a concern? some people say its alright and some keep saying, \";Oh not yet\";.

2) Is there an ideal weight that children have to be when they are a year old. My daughter was born 6 pounds 11 ounce and she is now around 20 pounds. she was never a chubby baby. she is also tall for her age. She is 29 1/2 inches. I keep feeling that she should be putting on more weight. My husband thinks she is ok. She is also very active.

3) I give her gerber #2 fruits (Peaches, apricots and mixed fruits etc) in the moring for breakfast or some pear or peaches steamed and pureed.

For lunch she has oatmeal cereal mixed with gerber #2 vegetables, some jeera powder and unsalted butter mixed with water. For the last one week i have started to give her khicdi made with rice and moong dal with gerber vegetables and some jeera pow and butter.

somedays in the eveing she has some cheese or nothings.

the for dinner its again oatmeal with vegetables and little butter.

I have given her all type of cereals rice, barley and ragi from time to time.

Pls help me, is this schedule alright or do i have to make any changes or additions to it. What more can i give her? can i start giving her anything else even though she has no teeth.

I breast feed her after every meal and whenever she is hungry. I cannot mix her food in formula coz she does not like the taste of formula. Can i introduce the vitamin D milk which is available here in the US. Probably dilute it with water.

My biggest worry is i would be going to India soon and i dont want my in laws to think that i am not taking good care of my baby. You see my SIL babies are very chubby.

Please help.

Rgds,
PG
Hetal replied. go slow but keep trying.
babies do that whenever introduced new texture,,,,follow it until u feel that prob she still need more time to learn to chew...go slow, give one lump,a day,and keep trying PG replied. Hetal thank u so much for your reply. sure was very reassuring. I will try to introduce new food for my daughter, only thing is she tries to throw up any food which is not smooth in texture.

Rgds,
PG Hetal replied. teething can be as late until 15-18months,so its alright ! smart answer & a fact for those to comment - Oh,no teething yet,, -- babies learn to eat on their own by 15months or so, dont use their teeth to chew foods..rather its the gums that are used in chewing food. my baby had her first set of teeth(2) at her 6th months, but i know she has never used them, and she was never able to bite with them !! so wats use of those teeth !! surprisingly, she wanted to eat pasty textures..
other is, most babies whose teeth were arrived later after 9months, their teeth were healthier and in good shape than the ones who had teeth before 8months ! my baby first set of teeth have gaps :) so true atleast for me ! there have been conflicting results to this, as this was a natural/ayurvedic results and not the derived medical result.
ideal weight, by 1 year, baby should triple the weight as a minimum,,6*3=18 lbs in your case, so 20 at your end is great..you are surely taking good care of her :).she is 29.5 inches talls, which explains that she is not chubby.
having an active baby is a good sign. tell your inlaws that your dr is absolutely fine with your baby health and that by her weight, they have told you that she is doing very well ! than being obese :)
at 11months, you can give her alot many things,,check my post to supu,jaya and couple other post where i have given options,,give watver your baby is introduced..make her eat indian food without strong spices or chillies....
also, dont make cheese alone as a part of her dinner,,watever habit you are cultivating, she will take in thru out her life,,so nullify those possibilities. give her healthy food, and try to incorporate all nutrients in one feed,,since babies are fussy eaters and you are not sure of their second meals..they often love to fast in evenings.
try to give light food in dinner, rather than cheese or heavy butter...

rest all looks good to me..
remember teeth has nothing to do with textures of food or with chewing until they learn to eat themselves,which is by 15months, nicely.
give all foods in diff textures,tastes, mild spices(esp indian babies,,we eat so many spices),,, offer your baby variety of textures,with mild spices, dals, lentils,mix dal and rice,mix grain pancakes,,, look for his cues and interest, introduce textures which are her fav and add in lumpier foods to it....she is 11months, try to graduate her to lumpier foods....
and at 11months, not a prob weaning to regular milk,,but since you are going to india i would recommend you to continue bf and when you are back start with regular milk in US. this will prevent your baby from digesting milk of 2 countries & preventing other prob which babies face alot for first 15days..,,as in india,too she will have to drink regular milk..or ask your ped in US, for ne milk powder that can be used and taken in good stock for travel to india..if you are goin in metro cities in india,,pedisure is very much available.,best to give after 11-12 months,and is available here in US too,,so give things or introduce things that are common in both countries,,and you dont have to worry whther or not it will suit your child belly or not.
and after all that matters of mil and sil,,remember one thing, all babies are different, as are their parents,,you cannot compare them.. if someone is making a mistake in comparing your baby with theirs, its mistake on their part and because you cant argue to them, its better that its understood on our part that they dont know how things are outside india..so feel proud of the way you brought up your baby.
its not easy esp in US to my knowledge, to rear babies,,in US or other countries.
good luck and you have wonderful,smooth trip to india & back/

take care.