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Baby needs different nutrients and vitamins to support their growth. Introducing the first solid food to your baby is a big milestone for new parents. Till the age of 6 months, they need all the nutrients that their body needs from breastmilk. It is advisable too that you shouldn’t introduce any solid food to your baby before they become 6 months of age. By the age of 6 months, your baby starts showing signs that he is ready to take solid foods now.

How to identify your baby is ready for solid food

• Good head and neck control.
• Open his mouth to take food when you try to feed him.
• Can your baby sits with or without support?
• Is he able to push his solid food from mouth to throat.
• Other sign that your baby is ready for solid food is that ,they become the double or almost double of their birth weight.

If your baby is showing these signs, then consult with your pediatrician, and with his guidance, you can introduce solid foods to your baby.

Best time to introduce solid food for the first time

If you are introducing solid food to your baby, then morning is the best time to give. After he is done with breastfeeding or formula feed you can give him solid food. In this way, if your baby has any digestive issues it will not disturb their night sleep. And also if any particular food does not suit your baby, or they got the reaction it is easy to consult with your pediatrician in the daytime.

How you should intorduce solid food to your baby ?

You should introduce solid food to the baby by pureeing, steaming, and mashing. Give one item at a time. First, start giving fruits, then you can go ahead with lentils, rice, ragi, etc. Only one new food at a time. Check for any allergy or reaction. Do not add any salt or sugar to your baby food. Use a small spoon and feed your baby. Wait for your baby’s reaction to the food he is having for the first time. If your baby refuses from eating do not force. You can try again with some food after a week or two.

How much you should feed?

For a six-month-old baby, you can start with one tablespoon of food once a day. Gradually you can give 2-4 tablespoons in two meals to the 6-month baby.DO not overfeed your baby, always check for signs of hunger in your baby.

Sign that your baby is hungry

He will start making faces.
Moving his head from one side to another.
Putting his finger/fits in his mouth.
Sucking lips or tongue.
He will turn around your breast when you hold him.
Move towards a spoon for food.
If he is hungry for a quite long time then to show his hunger he may cry aloud.

How to prepare food for your baby?

• Make a smooth texture of cereal or mashed grains. You can mix it with breast milk, formula, or water. Whatever you prefer. But the consistency of the food should be smooth so that your baby can easily swallow it.
• Before giving any hard fruits like apple or carrot, cook them so that you can mash them or make puree out of them.
• Always remember to remove all the seeds from fruits.
• Cut foods into small pieces or thin slices and give as finger food to your baby.
• Cook and grind the grains like wheat, barley, etc then feed your baby.

Which foods you can give to baby

• Infant Cereal– Start with single ingredient cereal,that is rich in iron.Never feed cereal from bottle.Always make him seat then feed him.Starts with 1 or two teaspoon and gradually increase.
• Fruits- To start you can give one fruits in pureed form at a time.There should no additional sugar in it.Wait for 5-6 days before introducing any other fruit.In this 5-6 days check for any allergic reactions.
• Boiled Lentiils
• Egg Yolk-Starts with half egg yolk and check if it suits your baby ,for two weeks give only half ,then gradullay you can increase to one egg yolk.
• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Plain yogurt

Foods to avoid

• Honey
• Salt
• Sugar
• Egg whites
• Cow milk
• Citrus fruits(Not before 8 months)
• Food with choking rish(like popcorn or hard candy)
• Any carbonated drinks
  

Before introducing any solid to your baby, first, consult with your pediatrician to check if he is ready to start solid or not. According to the suggestions of your doctor, you can go ahead and start feeding your baby.

Happy Parenting !!