Are you excited that your paediatrician has given the green signal to start solids for your baby? But you are clueless as how to introduce solids to baby?

After reading the “When to Wean“article, I think you are ready to start the baby’s first food.

There are different schools of thought on starting solids, these are my recommendations, it is the choice of the mother to decide what is good for her baby.

Remember your baby will not be able to digest a variety of foods, so don’t be over enthusiastic, please slowly introduce the food varieties.

Rules for starting solids

1. 3 Day Rule – Introduce new foods slowly so that any allergic reaction or intolerance to food can be detected (# see below for reference)
   • Start 1 tablespoon one time a day on the first day.
   • Make it 2 tablespoon twice a day on the second day.
   • Make it 3 tablespoon twice a day on the third day.

   1 tablespoon approximately equals to 15 ml, so by the end of 3 days you will be giving 90 ml.

UPDATE 2015 – Paediatricians  are now of opinion that you don’t have to wait for 3 days before introducing new food and variety of foods can be introduced simultaneously if there is no history of allergy in the family. It is being observed that introducing many foods simultaneously will help the baby to try different varieties of food and make him less of a fussy eater. Please consult your paediatrician before skipping the 3 day rule.

1. Always check for any allergy or tummy upset, it is a sign that your little one is not tolerating the food, stop it immediately, give a day’s time before introducing another new food. You can reintroduce the same food after 4 to 6 weeks.
2. Initially give the food a little runny by mixing breast milk or formula feed, then slowly increase the consistency.
3. Always check the temperature of the food before feeding.
4. Sterilize all the utensils and equipment’s used for feeding. Commercially availableSterilizerscan also be used.A new mixer jar is ideal for blending because in most of the Indian households lot of spices are blended in the mixer, which can contaminate the baby food if not cleaned properly. See this Video to know As How to sterilize your Baby utensils.
5. The recommended timings for giving the solid food will be around 11 am to 12 pm in mornings and 4 to 6 pm in the evenings. The morning timings will coincide with the lunch time as the baby grows, and she will be ready for a heavy lunch later.
6. Do not feed through feeding bottle, use Cup and spoon or beaker.
7. You can give 2 tried food together but never with 2 new food since we will not know for which food the baby is having allergy or stomach upset.
8. Do not fret if the baby does not like the food, try another variety, don’t get agitated that she does not complete the meal, for it will take another couple of months.
9. Do not add salt, sugar or honey to your baby’s food. Do not worry about the taste, your baby’s taste buds are virgin and so she will love any new food. Read ” Why No Salt and Sugar for Babies until 1 year? “

Click Here to know what all items you need to start solids for your little one.

How to Introduce Solids for Baby?

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First foods can be either juice, soup or purees.

Week 1

Day 1 – Start with 1 tablespoon once a day (Best choice for the first food is Apple puree (as it is sweet), make it runny by adding breast milk or formula feed).

Day 2 – Increase to 2 tablespoon of Apple puree twice a day.

Day 3 – Increase to 3 tablespoon of Apple puree twice a day.

Day 4 – Next solid can be a vegetable, can start with carrot, Give  1 tablespoon of either Carrot Juice or Carrot Puree once a day.

Day 5 – Increase to 2 tablespoon of Carrot juice/puree twice a day.

Day 6 – Increase to 3  tablespoon of Carrot juice/puree twice a day.

Day 7 – Morning Apple puree, evening Carrot juice/puree.

Week 2

Day 1 – 1 tablespoon of chawal ka paani (Rice gruel) once a day.

Day 2 – 2  tablespoon of chawal ka paani once in morning and afternoon Apple or Carrot Puree (any previously tried food).

Day 3 – 3 tablespoon of chawal ka paani once a day in morning and afternoon Apple or Carrot Puree (any previously tried food).

Day 4 – 1 tablespoon of Pear Puree once a day once a day in morning and afternoon Apple or Carrot Puree (any previously tried food).

Day 5 – 2 tablespoon of Pear puree once a day in morning and afternoon Apple or Carrot Puree (any previously tried food).

Day 6 – 3 tablespoon of Pear puree once a day in morning and afternoon Apple or Carrot Puree (any previously tried food).

Day 7 – Can give any of the tried combination.

Week 3

Day 1 – 1 tablespoon of Dal ka paani (Mashed Lentil soup) once a day and afternoon any previously tried food.

Day 2 – 2 tablespoon of Dal ka paani (Mashed Lentil soup) once a day in morning and afternoon any previously tried food.

Day 3 – 3 tablespoon of Dal ka paani (Mashed Lentil soup) once a day in morning and afternoon any previously tried food.

Day 4 – 1 tablespoon of new fruit/veggie puree once a day in morning and afternoon any previously tried food.

Day 5 – 2 tablespoon of new fruit/veggie puree once a day in morning and afternoon any previously tried food.

Day 6 – 3 tablespoon of new fruit/veggie puree once a day in morning and afternoon any previously tried food.

Day 7 – Can give any of the tried combination.

Week 4

You can try any of the combination above with rice gruel in the morning and fruit/veggie in the afternoon for this week.Or you can introduce new food with the 3-day rule.

The above varieties are my choices, you can vary the fruit/veggie combination with the following foods.

Fruit

• Apple Puree
• Pear Puree
• Apple Pear puree with cinnamon twist
• Banana Puree

Vegetable

• Carrot juice
• Carrot puree
• Potato puree
• Pumpkin Puree
• Sweet potato puree
• Lauki puree
• Beetroot puree
• Carrot Beet soup

Cereals

• Chawal ka paani (Rice gruel)
• Dal ka paani (Lentil Soup)
• Barley water

For more recipes, please check out RecipeIndex

For food charts/ diet charts of other months, check this link Baby Food Charts

Updated on 10/8/2015

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This article is based on the views of the author, and it is at the sole discretion of the reader to implement the methods, the author does not take any responsibility for it.

Reference

Selected Complementary Feeding Practices and Their Association With Maternal Education

Sara B. Fein

PhD

photo credit: Ambernectar 13 via photopin ccÂ