When to start your baby on yoghurt?

Recently, a customer called me to ask whether it was okay to feed his 5 months old baby on yoghurt. I therefore decided to do some research to educate myself but to also inform consumers of FarmReap yoghurt and her followers.

Yoghurt is a yummy and healthy first food for babies since it is full of calcium, proteins, vitamins and minerals needed for proper growth of the baby.

From a medical perspective, it is recommended that a baby is fed exclusively on breast milk for six months. However, this is not always possible for some people due to a number reasons key among which include; a mother being absent or not having enough breast milk and therefore baby is introduced to solid food as early as 4 months. Most pediatricians recommend yoghurt as a great first food.

Why whole milk, unsweetened, plain yoghurt?

A whole milk yoghurt is most advised as it is most beneficial to your infant as babies need fats in their diets for proper growth. Furthermore, plain, unsweetened, pasteurized yoghurt containing “live cultures” is most recommended for babies. Sugar is avoided because it can contribute to tooth decay and obesity.

Why live cultures?

Live cultures also known as probiotics are types of living microorganisms (bacteria) responsible for converting milk into yoghurt. These promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and experts believe they help in digestion. The active live cultures in yoghurt make the lactose and protein in milk easier to digest. In addition, yoghurt is made by fermentation a process which makes proteins easily digested by tiny tummies.

What can I add to plain yoghurt to improve it taste?

To improve taste of plain yoghurt for your baby, you can add flavour and nutrients by mixing in fruit or vegetables.  For babies who are starting out on solid food, use pureed fruit or cooked and pureed vegetables. As the baby grows older, you can transition to chopped soft fruits and cooked vegetables. Mashed avocado, bananas, carrots are all good options.

Why is yoghurt preferred to cow’s milk for infants?

Comparing cow’s milk and yoghurt, experts recommend yoghurt instead of cow’s milk for babies. Drinking cow’s milk is not recommended for a baby until they are 12 months old. Cow’s milk is not seen as a good replacement for breast milk or formula that makes up most of the diet of an infant. This is because cow’s milk is not easily or completely digested as breast milk or formula. In addition, cow’s milk does not have the ideal proportion of fats and nutrients as contained in breast milk or formula. And finally, yoghurt is not seen as a threat to replacing breast milk or formula but it is possible to neglect breast milk and concentrate on cow’s milk.  
If your baby has been diagnosed with allergy to milk, do not give yoghurt until you have checked with a doctor.

By

Sylvia N.M.

CEO Farm Reap Ltd

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