Parents of Preschoolers  Discussion Forum

I have a 15 month old daughter who is a pretty fussy eater and to top it all she has still not got any teeth as yet. If I give her anything dry or any of our food, she chokes after a bite or two and vomits everything out. Hence I have to cook for her separately and make sure her khichdi is cooked till soft, bread is soaked in milk first and then fed, sooji kheer is wettish etc. etc.

I was recently told to surf this site and I have read a lot about Raagi. Finally managed to pick up ragi powder from an Indian store out here. I tried out one of the recepies but my daughter passed quiet a few stools the next morning, it seemed like she had excreted the entire raagi that I fed her, hence I got afraid. So before I start preparing it again, I want to know if it is too late to start giving my baby this and have the following queries, since after reading all the different messages on ragi I am very very confused:

Is ragi powder ok or do I have to get seeds becoz seeds are not available here?

When do u feed ragi - morning/afternoon night or anytime or only during summer or winter, cause we are having winter in Sydney now?

How much do u feed a 15m old baby and is one bowlful considered to be a good meal in place of khichdi etc. or is it just a snack?

Do I have to feed it to her everyday so that she benefits from it and wont it become too repetitive?

I read Selma pinto's message on giving her kids raagi drink, how does one prepare that, could somebody please help?

Does eating raagi lead to a lot of bowels the next day, and if so, is it considered to be ok?

Lastly could anybody pls tell me how to prepare veg upama soft enough to feed my toothless daughter, I am really desperate to try diff dishes so that she starts eating and since I have nobody to ask, I am hoping some kind soul will revert back to me with any recepies they can help with.

Thanking u all in advance.
shilpa replied. hi Sabrina,
here is a receipe for your baby.
Its better if you try to get whole raagi seeds and whole wheat.ragi and wheat causes a very good balance.
By the following method you can make

the powder that can be stored for 3to4
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months :
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take one bowl of wheat and one bowl of ragi seeds.soak in water separately for whole night.next day grind the two separately and filter it to remove the skins.Mix the filtered solution put a lot of water and keep it aside for two hours.All the powder will settle down.(In India this is called as 'Satva' which is very good for babies)then remove the water.and keep the paste in sun to dry completely.Again grind it dry and keep the powder in an airtight container.
Whenever you want you can mix 2 tsp of it with milk and sugar and cook it and give.
It is better to give the satva to the baby(where skin of seeds are removed)than the powder. And as ragi is mixed with wheat it causes a perfect nutritional balance.this can be given at any time and in any season.


khushali replied. here is a recipe for Raagi.
1.5cups milk-boil.Add a little jaggery to sweeten it.(I prefer jaggery to sugar for children ,plus jaggery is good in iron content)As the milk is boiling ,add 2 heaped tsf of raagi powder.Keep stirring.This will now thicken.Continue stirring for a while(approx 5 mins) till the raw taste dissapears.The raagi porridge is now ready.
It is best to give raagi in the morning or whenever there is activity following the meal,as raagi is heavy & needs activity to digest.Further ,make the porridge,but start by feeding only 3-4 tsf a day.Gradually increase to the whole quantity.Twice /week should be fine.
hope she settles with this.