Can I give complan milk to my baby?

Can I give complan milk to my baby? Can a new born baby take complan milk? Complan for 1 year old baby?

SHOULD CHILDREN UNDER THREE YEARS OF AGE DRINK COMPLAN?

Recently, while reading through a discussion thread about child feeding by #Nigerianmoms on a website, I came across a couple of questions asked by two mothers. Those questions inspired this post.

One of them asked if she could give complan milk to her 20 days old baby who was 2kg at the time. The other asked a similar question but hers was a 4 months old baby weighing 4kg.

It’s so unfortunate that some mums, in their desire to help their underweight children gain weight, ask questions about nutrition and receive unsafe advice from unqualified persons.

Firstly, you need to understand that seeking health information or nutrition advice from unqualified persons is unsafe and can be fatal.

Please note, Complan is said to be a complete meal in milk – it is nutrient-rich. However it is NOT suitable for children under three years of age and so shouldn’t be included in their diet.

This has been clearly stated by the producers of complan in FAQ session on their website. It is also clearly stated on the complan pack that if there is need for complan for an infant, it should be administered under medical supervision.

Dear mums,

Your child’s kidneys become functionally matured by age two when they are able to regulate body water and eliminate wastes efficiently. Don’t overburden them at a tender age.

There are other cheap and effective ways to help your child gain weight such as meal fortification. See a qualified nutritionist or dietitian to seek nutrition support for your child.

Protect your child’s life by doing what is right and feeding them safely to prevent health conditions that can lead to serious problems such as renal dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, cancer and arthritis in adulthood.

“COMPLAN” should not be administered to a child before 3 years of age. The reason is this: a child’s internal organs and systems had not reached functional maturity before the age of 2 years.

©Folashade Babatunde RDN