Feeding During the Second Year

How many meals are required during the second year?

It is usually better to continue five meals throughout the second year. Some children will sleep from 6 P.M. to 6 A.M. without waking, but unless there is a feeding at 10 P.M. children are apt to wake very early in the morning.

Should each feeding be prepared at the time it is given, or all feedings at one time, as during the first year?

During the second and third years it is better to prepare the milk for the entire day at one time. If it is to be modified by adding cream, water, etc., it is done as during the first year.

Later, when only plain milk is used, the quantities needed for the different feedings should be put into one or into two bottles, which then may be pasteurized or not as may be necessary. In this way the different feedings are kept separate, and the day's supply of milk is not disturbed every time the child is fed, as otherwise is unavoidable. The food should be prepared as soon as possible after the daily milk supply is delivered in the morning.

Give a proper diet for an average healthy child of twelve months.

6.30 A.M. Milk, six to seven ounces; diluted with barley or oat gruel, two to three ounces; after the thirteenth month, taken from a cup.

9 A.M. Orange juice, one to two ounces.

10 A.M. Milk, two parts; oatmeal or barley gruel, one part; from ten to twelve ounces in all may be allowed; it should be given from a cup.

2 P.M. Beef juice, one to two ounces; or, the white of one egg, slightly cooked; later, the entire egg; or, mutton or chicken broth, four to six ounces. Milk and gruel in proportions above given, four to six ounces.

6 P.M. Same as at 10 A.M.

10 P.M. Same as at 6.30 A.M., except that the milk may be given from the bottle.

How long may this schedule be followed?

Usually until the fourteenth or fifteenth month. After this time the cereals may be given much thicker and fed from a spoon.

May any other fruit juices be given at this period?

Orange juice is the best; next to this the juice of fresh ripe peaches, red raspberries or strawberries. All these should be strained very carefully through muslin to make sure that the child gets none of the pulp or seeds, either of which may cause serious disturbance. Of the orange or peach juice, from one to four tablespoonfuls may be allowed at one time; of the others about half the quantity. The fruit juice is best given one hour before the second feeding.

When should a child be weaned from its bottle?

Most children can and should be taught to take their food from the cup or spoon by the time they are thirteen months old; but it is convenient to give the 10 P.M. feeding from the bottle during the greater part of the second year (see page 52).

Give a proper diet for an average child from the fourteenth to the eighteenth month.

The bottle should not be given except at night. Cereals may now form an important part of the diet. They should be very thoroughly cooked, usually for three hours, and strained.

The daily schedule should be about as follows:

6.30 A.M. Milk, warmed, eight to ten ounces, given from a cup.

9 A.M. Fruit juice, one to three ounces.

10 A.M. Cereal: one, later two or three, tablespoonfuls of oatmeal hominy or wheaten grits, cooked for at least three hours; upon this from one to two ounces of thin cream, or milk and cream, with plenty of salt, but without sugar.

Crisp dry toast, one piece; or, unsweetened zwieback; or, one Huntley and Palmer breakfast biscuit.

Milk, warmed, six to eight ounces, from a cup.

2 P.M. Beef juice, one to two ounces; and one egg (soft boiled, poached or coddled); and boiled rice, one tablespoonful; or, broth (mutton or chicken), four ounces; one or two Huntley and Palmer breakfast biscuits, or zwieback; and (if most of the teeth are present) rare scraped meat, at first one teaspoonful, gradually increasing to one tablespoonful.

6 P.M. Cereal: two tablespoonfuls of farina, cream of wheat, or arrowroot, cooked for at least one half hour, with milk, plenty of salt, but without sugar.

Milk, warmed, eight to ten ounces, given from a cup.

10 P.M. Milk, warmed, eight to ten ounces, which may be given from a bottle.

Give a proper diet for an average child from the eighteenth month to the end of the second year.

The same order of meals as for the months just preceding should be followed. For most children milk at 10 P.M. is desirable. There are many, however who sleep regularly from 6 P.M. until 6 A.M. without food; for such the night feeding should, of course, not be insisted upon.

The daily schedule should be about as follows:

6.30 A.M. Milk, warmed, ten to twelve ounces, given from cup.

9 A.M. Fruit juice, two to three ounces.

10 A.M. Cereals: similar to those given from the fourteenth to the eighteenth month; they need not be strained although they should be cooked and served in the same way. Crisp dry bread, zwieback, or Huntley and Palmer biscuits, without butter.

Milk, warmed, one cup.

2 P.M. Beef juice and one egg; or, broth and meat; care being taken that the meat is always rare and scraped or very finely divided; beefsteak, mutton chop, or roast beef may be given. Very stale bread, or two pieces of zwieback.

Prune pulp or baked apple, one to two tablespoonfuls.

Water; no milk.

6 P.M. Cereal: farina, cream of wheat, or arrowroot, cooked for at least one half hour, with milk, plenty of salt, but without sugar. or, milk toast or stale bread and milk.

10 P.M. If required, ten to twelve ounces of plain milk.

What fruits may be given at this period?

If the child has a feeble digestion, only the fruit juices previously allowed; strong children may have in addition prune pulp, baked apple, and applesauce. The prune pulp is prepared by stewing the dried prunes without sugar until they are very soft, and removing all the skin by putting the fruit through a strainer; of this from one to two tablespoonfuls may be given at one time. The baked apple should be given without cream, and the applesauce should have very little sugar.

How and when should water be given?

Throughout the second year water should be given freely between the feedings, especially in warm weather; from one to three ounces may be given at one time, either from a spoon, a glass, or a bottle. The water should be boiled daily and then cooled. It should not be allowed to stand in the room, but fresh water should be put into the bottle each time.