16 Steps to Weaning your Baby + Healthy Baby Recipes

1. Weaning is a period of experiments, both for you and your baby. It is really a matter of trial and error to find out what your baby really likes as most babies show strong preferences, even at this early age. You can begin with Rice Mash for Babies.

Rice Mash for Babies

2. Wean your baby gradually over a period of months. Your little one is less likely to be distressed when weaning happens gradually.

Apple Water for Babies

3. During the initial days of weaning, allow your baby to lick on some foods, preferably liquids, so that she gets accustomed to different kinds of flavours and textures. When you start off, give foods that are very thin in consistency like Apple Water for Babies. As your baby gets accustomed to thinner foods, you can gradually thicken the consistency.

Along with this, most babies are ready for a mashed cereal or fruit. Encourage your baby to wean by providing other nourishment like Masoor Dal Water, Doodhi Soup in place of breast feeds.

Masoor Dal Water for Babies

4. Your baby will need plenty of loving attention while you both make the transition from nursing to weaning. She will be your best guide during the initial period of weaning and she is the only person whose opinion on this subject counts.

Doodhi Soup ( Baby and Toddler)

5. While introducing any foods for the first time, watch out for any allergic reactions, like cough, cold or skin rashes. If these occur, discontinue that food immediately and consult your paediatrician.

Carrot Juice for Babies

6. Sometimes she may dislike some foods so much that she may just throw them back at you. At these times, avoid giving the same food a second try immediately. Wait for a week or two before you try again. In the meantime, you can also offer her another food to introduce her taste buds to new flavours. However, if your baby continues to dislike that particular food, try and add an accepted food to a rejected one to help your baby get used to the taste. Try a variety of foods like Carrot Juice to Beetroot Soup.

Beetroot Soup for Babies

7. Feed your baby in an upright position. Be it a juice or a Banana Puree. This will prevent her from choking on foods.

Banana Puree for Babies

8. Try not to show any sort of dislike towards any food while feeding your baby as babies are good imitators and get influenced very easily.

9. It is always better to be guided by your baby’s appetite than to feel pressured into overfeeding her. Do not urge your baby to eat more than she wants. Instead, try and understand her expressions towards food. Learn the pattern of your baby’s feeding requirements from her body language. Some babies show signs of hunger by waving their hands or kicking their legs when they see food. Other babies may lean forward and open their mouth or cry loudly. When they are no longer hungry, they will reject food by turning their mouths away or spitting it out.

10. Most doctors are of the opinion that it is not advisable to add sugar or salt to baby food till at least 9-10 months of age. 

11. Salt is not considered to be a healthy addition to babies’ diet till 9 months to 1 year as the little one's kidneys are not fully developed. However some paediatricians recommend introducing salt at the age of 10 months, so the baby gets used to eating regular home-cooked food. So, go ahead and follow your paediatrician’s advice. Use restricted quantity of salt as shown in the recipe of Palak Masoor Dal for Babies and Toddlers. 

Palak Masoor Dal for Babies and Toddlers

12. It is wiser to avoid adding sugar to your baby's meals as a sweet tooth is usually cultivated rather than inherited. If your baby develops a taste for sugary foods at this age, this in turn may lead to dental problems and obesity later in life. Instead, dates or jaggery can be used as alternative sweeteners after the seventh month. Try Roti Ladoos - most babies loev them,

Roti, Chapati Ladoo for Babies and Toddlers

13. Avoid adding strong spices like pepper and garlic to your baby's meals at least till she is seven months old as she may find them unpleasant to taste and may reject foods containing these spices.

As they grow, use soothing spices like cumin seeds, which also aid in digestion. Most Khichdi and Corn Sambar for Babies are perfect examples of this. 

Corn Sambar for Kids

14. Babies generally accept lukewarm foods like Moong Dal Khichdi more readily. Avoid serving hot foods to your baby. Always bring the temperature of the food down to lukewarm and check it by feeling it on your palm or wrist.

Moong Dal Khichdi for Babies

15. It may seem tough initially and you're both going to throw your share of tantrums at meal times, but try and be patient and resourceful.

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16. If your little one is sick, consult your paediatrician about changes in her diet.

Other related articles on this :
Daily Food Guide for Toddlers
Best food for feeding Mothers to get more milk
When and how much to feed your Baby
Components of Breast Milk
Recipes for Baby (10 to 12 Months)

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