Mashed Ripe Papaya for a Child on Solids
A few spoons of ripe papaya, mashed smooth, with the seeds removed. No honey. Only for a child who already eats solids. It is not medicine.
Important: this remedy is only a supportive home measure. Keep taking any medicine your doctor has prescribed, monitor your readings, and consult your doctor before adding anything new.
Ripe fruit, seeds out, honey out
Ripe papaya mashed with a clean spoon is a soft fruit for a child already eating solids. Use the orange flesh only. The seeds, the skin, and the white hard core do not go in the bowl. No honey and no sugar. A few spoons are enough. It does not treat constipation, fever, or worms.
If papaya has caused itching or a rash before, do not try it again. Babies not yet on solids should not get this mash. Loose stools that continue, blood in the stool, vomiting, or a child who is limp or not drinking need a doctor. Unripe papaya is not a substitute. It is harder and is not this recipe.
Ingredients
- A few spoons of ripe papaya flesh
- A clean spoon
- No seeds, no skin, no honey
How to prepare
- Scoop the ripe orange flesh. Throw away the seeds and skin.
- Mash until smooth. Offer it at room temperature or slightly cool. Add nothing sweet.
How to use
- Give a few spoons to a child who already eats soft fruit.
- Stop at a small amount. Do not feed a large bowl.
- Stop if a rash or itching appears.
Helpful habits
- Ripe papaya mashes with a fork. If you need a knife to force it, it is not ripe enough.
- Make it fresh. Mashed papaya does not sit out for hours.
Precautions
- Seeds out. No honey. Not for a baby who is not on solids.
- Not a treatment for constipation, worms, or fever.
- A rash, or a child who is limp or not drinking, needs a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add honey or the seeds for extra benefit?
- No. No honey, and no seeds. The mash is ripe flesh only, and honey is not for children under one.
Will papaya clear worms or constipation?
- No. This is a few spoons of fruit, not a treatment. Those problems in a child need a doctor.
Can I use green papaya instead?
- No. This page is ripe fruit, mashed. Unripe papaya is a different, harder food and is not this recipe.
