Usually about the sixth or seventh month, farinaceous food in the form
of gruel may be added, this taking the place of part of the water and
part of the sugar.

_What changes may be made in the food when the infant has reached the
age of ten or eleven months?_

The proteids may be still further increased, and the sugar and the
lime-water reduced until plain milk is given.

_How may this best be done?_

At first one feeding a day of plain milk and barley gruel may be
given; later, two feedings; then three feedings, etc. Let us suppose
an infant to be taking such a modified milk as Formula IV or V (page
76), six feedings a day. The plain milk diluted only with barley gruel
would at first replace one of these feedings; then two, three, four,
etc., these changes being made at intervals of about two weeks. The
proportions of the milk and barley gruel should at first be about
5-1/2 ounces milk, 2-1/2 ounces barley; later, 6 ounces milk, 3 ounces
barley; still later, 7 ounces milk, 2 ounces barley, until finally
plain milk is given to drink and the cereals given separately with a
spoon. This is reached with most infants at fourteen or fifteen
months; with many at twelve or thirteen months. Other forms of
farinaceous food may of course be used in the place of the barley, and
in the same proportions.

With some infants the addition of a pinch of bicarbonate of soda may
be advantageously made to each milk-feeding when the lime-water is
omitted, but with most this is unnecessary.