Either cow’s milk or goat’s milk will probably remain as the standard which most mothers will select to give the baby at the weaning period. The animal milk should be pasteurized or, preferably, boiled for infant use. If artificial feeding is to be the main source of nutrition from birth, animal milk will have to be modified, but if a child has thrived on mother’s milk for seven or eight months, it is possible to introduce other things into the diet so that cow’s milk or goat’s milk is usually given unmodified and whole.
There are, however, many good forms of milk that can be obtained. These so-called processed milks and evaporated milk are extremely good preparations. Evaporated milk can be obtained irradiated so that it contains Vitamin D. Evaporated milk is just what its name implies, cow’s milk that has had half the water removed. It is put up in sterile packages and to be made ready for use simply has to have the water put back in. It is strongly recommended by most of the children’s specialists that I know. It is not the same as condensed milk, and condensed milk is not recommended very widely by children’s specialists.
VITAMINS ADDED TO DIET
Vitamin C and Vitamin D have to be added to any diet in order to prevent nutritional disorders. Vitamin C can be added in the form of orange juice or tomato juice, and Vitamin D in the form of cod liver oil.
Soon after the baby is entirely weaned other articles of food may be added to its diet. The most prominent of these are the cereals, such as oatmeal, corn meal, farina, wheat cereals, etc. Corn flakes, shredded wheat and puffed grain, or ready cooked package cereals, are easily digestible and add variety to the diet.
Vegetables such as spinach, carrots, peas, string beans, lima beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage and potatoes can now be given, and the child should receive the yolk of one egg daily, at least up to the age of 14 months. After that a whole soft-boiled egg should be fed once a day.
Scraped meatbeef, lamb, mutton or chicken, can be added.
Fruits, such as oranges, stewed apples, peaches, prune pulp, or thoroughly ripe bananas, may be given as a dessert once a day. Simple desserts, custards and puddings, are also permissible.