Introducing Solid Food And Recipes For 6 Month Babies

Right from the time you get pregnant till the time the baby grows up,we are faced with a lot of do’s and don’ts and what to eat and what not to eat. But I personally feel, it is all alright as long as you are eating healthy and nutritious food and within limits. I applied the same to my elder son 8 years ago and am doing the same for my 10 month old now.
 

I started both on semi solids as soon as they turned 5 months old. Ofcourse I had my paediatricians consent and advice for the same. They were on mashed foods for about 2 months and from the  8th  month onwards they were eating the regular food that we ate at home…no mashing or blenderising food. It has ensured a good dentition for my sons due the gum massage and jaw exercise that comes alongwith chewing.
 

Again I would like to stress that every paediatrician comes from a different school of thought and what worked for my sons may or may not work for your little one. So just like most motherhood journeys,feeding right also comes with trial and error.Please confirm with your paediatrician before starting on any of these foods. I never gave any packaged or readymade foods to my boys ever as I enjoy cooking for them.
 

Some tips before you start,that have helped me:-

1.Always start with mashed food that is easy to digest like banana,steamed apple,etc

2.Introduce a new food only after the baby has eaten it atleast 4 times to check for any allergies or adverse reactions.

3.Alternate between sweet and salty to offer varied taste to the baby.

4.Do not give chunks of food like pieces of hard fruits like apple, etc that the baby may choke on.

5.Always check the temperature of the food before feeding the baby….it should be room temperature ideally.

6.Be prepared for more episodes of poop cleaning as the little  digestive systems are preparing to make eating a pleasant journey.

7.Adding hing or accompanying salty food like khichadi with dahi is a good idea as both aid in digestion and dahi is  also an excellent probiotic.

8.If you do not wish to introduce sugar,you can add mashed banana to make the suji halwa/kheer,etc naturally sweet.

9.Transition gradually from feeder bottles to silicon tip spoons to eating on their own.

10.If the baby does not eat when you feed,give them some time and try again when they are really hungry or after some activity.

11.I gave water to my babies after every food they ate besides regular breastfeeding.

12.As per my paediatrician,I started regular food that the family ate by 8 months,chicken at 10 months and fish only after a year for the babies….some paediatricians would not recommend this and some babies may not be ready for it yet.Finally I feel “Mommy knows best”
 

I am sharing certain recipes as well as products that made my feeding journey easier and  that worked well with both my boys….gradually and progressively.
 

•        Ragi Malt-It was the first thing I introduced both my boys to as it is known to be the healthiest option for babies.

Recipe:-Mix about 2 tbsps of ragi sattva/ragi flour in about 1 cup of water  to make a paste and remove all lumps.Then let it cook on a slow flame till the mixture starts to thicken.

If your child is on formula,you can add a few spoons of formula to it or add normal cows milk.Feed it using a feeder.

I used the following feeder with a soft silicon tip.

Most ragi flour comes with added sugar and elaichi.(some paediatricians advise against the use of sugar and salt for a year…but mine did not).

Some even use the same recipe by replacing water with plain lassi and adding salt to make a salty ragi drink.

You could try this Ragi
 

•        Suji kheer or upma-Roast2 tsps of  suji and then add about half a cup  milk and cook.Sugar may be added as per the taste.If you wish to make it salty,cook the suji in water.
   
•        Steamed/grated  apple-Apple can be cut in cubes ater peeling the skin and steamed in a cooker,mashed and fed or grated using a very fine baby grater.
   

I used the baby food maker for almost a year to grate apples,mash bananas and also grind powder. This is the food processor i used.
 

•        Boiled potatoes-Potatoes can be boiled in the cooker and mashed and eaten by adding a little salt.
   
•        Steamed red pumpkin(Sitaphal/petha)-Due to its slightly sweetish taste,it can be steamed in the cooker and mashed and fed.
   
• Instant dal rice khichadi-This is a great thing to keep even while travelling.Roast some rice and some moong dal separately.Cool and powder it using a grinder,Store it and carry along while travelling.To prepare,just add some water and cook on a low flame.Hing and salt maybe added for digestion and taste.
   
•        Dalia-Roast Dalia and store.While preparing,I cook it in water first and then add desired quantity of milk and sugar to adjust consistency.
   
•        Steamed vegetables-I would cut French beans,carrots and cauliflower and store in zip pouches in the freezer.To use,I steamed it in the cooker,mashed it and added some butter and fed my sons.
   
•        Scrambled eggs-To ensure that my boys developed every taste,I would make sweet as well as salty scrambled eggs.

Beat an egg with a few tbsps. Of  milk in the frying pan and cook till it is done and add sugar/salt and feed.
 

•        Egg pancakes-I first mix about 2 tbsps of whole wheat flour in about ¼ th a standard katori/bowl to form a smooth paste.Beat in an egg to get a batter of pouring consistency.Pour it in a non stick fry pan and cook on both sides like an omelette.I spread Nutella/Jam or spread some cheese and cover, and fold into half and feed both my boys even now.

I still make pancakes for my elder one using a normal fry pan or a cartoon shaped pan.
 

•        Mixed Veg cutlets-I use this like a frozen ready to cook snack.I cut and boil all vegetables like French beans,Cauliflower,carrots,a small piece of beetroot and mash them in with double the number of potatoes.I dip a slice of bread in water and squeeze out the water.Add this to the mashed veggies and shape like a patty/cutlet with greased palms.Store in the freezer.To prepare it,I shallow fry in a pan and place between two bread slices/buns and give them to eat as a burger.

You can use a cookie mould to shape the cutlets. This is the Cookie mould i used
 

•        Paranthas-Both my sons are extremely fond of paranthas so I feed them stuffed paranthas or simply knead atta in mashed and boiled veggies/dal and roll out as paranthas.To make the flour healthier,I mix oats/wheat bran to the daily atta container  as well as soya atta(please check for allergies before trying this).Sarson ka saag is supposed to be the healthiest in winters but not every child has a taste for it.I knead atta in the saag and roll into paranthas and feed them.
   

You might also like to read these tips to make kids’ food more attractive
 

•        Besan Chila-Add besan and some water to make batter of pouring consistency.Add some ajwain and salt.Add chopped onions(optional).Pour the batter on a non stick pan like a dosa and cook on a low flame.
   
•        Caramel egg Pudding- Take 2tsps of sugar in the pudding container that you wish to steam in the cooker.Heat it by adding a few drops of water after the sugar has burnt(caramelised)Beat an egg,half a katori milk and some sugar together.Add a few drops of vanilla essence.Pour in a cake mould or cooker container.Add some water in the cooker to let 1/4th of the container submerge in the water.Remove the whistle of the cooker.Close the lid and steam the pudding by pouring the batter in the container.Check by inserting a knife.If it comes out clean,the yummy pudding is ready.Refrigerate for a while and then feed.
   

These are some basic recipes to begin with.The more exhaustive ones like wheat muffins,cakes,etc can be tried once the babies start eating the basic everyday foods.Keep it simple keep it healthy!!!
 

Happy Cooking Mommies and Happy Eating little ones!!
 

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This post was originally published on Indian Moms Community.