Healthy babies were well fed: Adequate complementary feeding is the key.

COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING: “TUSH” PAP.
Complementary feeding according to the world health Organization is defined as the process starting when breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements of infants, and therefore other foods and liquids are needed, along with breast milk. The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods – referred to as complementary feeding – typically covers the period from 6–24 months of age, even though breastfeeding may continue to two years of age and beyond. This is a critical period of growth during which nutrient deficiencies and illnesses contribute globally to higher rates of undernutrition among children under five years of age. It’s a stage after the exclusive breastfeeding of the child( without any additional food) when the child needs other supplements to enhance the proper growth of the child. It’s expected for a child to be breastfed for the first six month of life after which complemey feeding sets in. Various foods can serve as the COMPLEMENTARY food such as baby food processed and stored in tins and also local ones like the “tush” pap which is fondly known as FORTIFIED PAP.Long time no article, but this is definitely worth your read.

Just as complementary food should provide nutrients to complement those supplied by the breast milk so it makes ordinary pap which is rich in carbohydrates wouldn’t be sufficient to supply the required nutrient for the child’s growth. So we’ll be discussing on how to make this fortified pap and give your child an all nutrient pap.
The pap can be made from millet, maize, sorghum, wheat and even rice(don’t be shocked). Preparing the rice and wheat pap, you have to make sure you clean off whatever dirt or chaffs of the grains and make sure they are grinded to powder for use and such powder contents are kept in air tight containers while the soya beans and maize is soaked for about two days for proper cleaning and afterward grinded to pastry form and kept for usage. The most interesting thing is that different pap components like the rice and the wheat can be mixed together but it’s advisable to make them individually to be able to determine which one your child likes most.

All that has been discussed above is just the preparation of the carbohydrate supplying components of the fortified pap. What about the other classes of food that are deficient in the pap. The other nutrient supplier of the fortified pap include the crayfish especially the white one are well picked to remove the first and grinded to powdering form , dry fish are de-boned and grinded into powdery form as well, groundnut especially the roasted ones are used because it’s going to be void of moisture which is then grinded as well into powdery form, and palm oil which helps to increase the energy content of the food and also supply the needed vitamin A; all of these are kept in air tight jars and added to each meal at the rate of about one or two teaspoons. Also the sugar can be added to increase the energy level and the give taste to the fortified pap. Less I forget, you are expected to feed your child with a plastic cup and spoon, do not bottle feed. Ensure that all feeding items used to prepare and feed a child is properly sterilized with warm water.

The food your child eats is very important in their brain functions and how healthy they would be so you shouldn’t joke with all that pertains to their well being. Breastfeed your child exclusively for the first six month of life and when its time to add complementary foods to the breastfeeding ensure its a quality one like the fortified pap discussed above, and please do not wean your child until after two years of age. Nutrient deficiency in children is real and you should combat that giving your growing infant the best food even if it has to squeeze out some cash from you, please do, ensure a safe child is brought up by you.