Question
The baby has frequent bowel movements but no increase in height or weight. Some digestive medicine has been taken, but the effect is not significant. Now considering switching to formula milk, but unsure if this is appropriate. The cough has also been persistent for a long time, and it’s unclear if it’s related.
Answer
If the baby does not show symptoms of abdominal discomfort, there is usually no need to be overly concerned. Starting from 6 months old, it is possible to introduce solid foods. It is recommended to introduce solid foods for the first time in the morning so that any issues can be addressed promptly by a doctor in the afternoon. Just one additional meal of solid food can be introduced in the morning for the first 6 months. After 6 months, you can add another meal of rice porridge or congee around 6 pm (usually dinner time), and then give the baby a bottle of milk at 10 pm, ensuring the baby is well-fed and can sleep well at night. Rice porridge can be used as a main dish, and after feeding rice porridge, change the diaper after 3 to 4 hours. For the first feeding, it can be made thinner and fed through a bottle, gradually thickening it. By two weeks, it is essential to switch to spoon-feeding and no longer use a bottle. As the baby’s gastrointestinal function improves, while providing rice porridge, you can also introduce chicken,