Ripe banana as a complementary feeding in infants

Summary Four hundred forty-four bottle-fed infants were fed ripe mashed banana as a complementary feeding beginning at the age of 6 weeks. The majority of these infants were either underweight or had complicating illnesses. Tangible, reportable evidence of the advantage of this complementary feeding demonstrates that (a) because of the banana's digestibility, it acts as an ideal first solid to offer infants to make them accustomed to solid food; and also (b) when given with cod-liver oil increases the ease of administering the oil to small infants. Although it is merely clinical observation and opinion, as no criterion except personal judgment is available, some at this institution share the belief that the turgor in the banana fed infants is better. Citing the small average amount of banana taken, others deny the possibility of affecting turgor; however, all agree on the ease of assimilation. Considering the large number of undernourished and sick infants reported, the incidence of gastrointestinal upsets is low (3.56 per cent), and this may be due to the fact that a little less carbohydrate can be used in the formula when the infant is getting a complementary banana feeding. Until a group of control infants who are not given complementary feeding is studied at the same time as those fed banana, these controversial opinions cannot be settled. A group of infants fed mashed ripe banana immediately after the cessation of diarrhea assimilated the fruit with ease and showed no recurrences.