GUIDE TO WEANING YOUR LITTLE ONE

1. The introduction of cereals, pulses and other items in your infant’s diet is to familiarize his/her taste buds and the digestive system with staple foods in a very gradual manner. The ideal time to begin with weaning foods is between 4 and 6 months of age depending on the baby’s condition before and after birth and the needs of the baby assuming that the mother has adequate milk. Introduction of semisolids could be considered a little early if baby is on predominantly on formula or any other milk.
2. There is no need to give the ready-to-feed foods commercially available if you have the time, help and the know-how of preparing weaning foods. You can discuss with your doctor or some experienced person the method of preparing baby foods at home. “Tinned” foods contain natural rice, wheat, dhal.
3. Any item is to be started in 1/4th spoon quantity of the powdered food and 1-2 spoons of the diluting liquid. The quantity of both increases in the same ratio on a daily or alternate day basis for the first 1-3 weeks and once the baby has accepted the item, thicken the feed and increase the quantity as rapidly as the baby accepts the increments. Do no force the baby to eat more when the baby has indicated that he/she has had enough. Here little keen observation and guidance from an experienced person or doctor may be useful.

4. All items that are introduced are continued but in the same time slots given 7-9am, 12-2pm, 3-5pm and 7-9pm are the only 4 time slots. These timings are our usual timings for breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner and are suitable for most babies and parents, keeping in mind the normal food timings in later life, working parents, leaving a child with a baby sitter,etc. Home or any other places, the baby will eventually be trained to eat during the same time slots.

5. All items that are mentioned are to be added on to the baby’s routine. Do not discontinue an item when an additional item is being introduced.



FOLLOW THE STEPS a,b,c,d,e (f) IN THE SAME ORDER:

REFER TO PARA 3 to 5 AB0VE AT EACH STEP:

1. MILK BASED WHEAT CEREAL STAGE 1 WHEAT ONLY:
Any brand of plain wheat with milk, if you opt for
ready to eat cereals.
[a] 7-9 AM to start with AND[b]7-9 PM after 1-3 weeks.

Dilute with pre boiled water [boiled with or without sugar] or,
with very dilute fresh milk with increasing thickness.

1-3 weeks later: add [c] as below:
2. ANY BRAND OF PLAIN READY TO FEED RICE OR RAGI POWDER –
WITHOUT MILK:
c] 12 noon to 2 PM

Plain rice powder initially and after the baby is used to it
change to rice and dhal brand without milk. Dilute with clear
dhal water or clear dhal & veg soup. If dhal is not already an
ingredient you may add cooked mashed dhal in the same manner as
given in point 5 above.

1-3 weeks later: add [d] as below:

3. FRUITS:

[d] 3-5 PM

Thoroughly washed, FRESHLY PEELED & MASHED RIPE FRUITS such
as banana/plaintain, Chikku/sapota and other additional fruits as
per season. Mix with pre-boiled water, milk with increasing
thickness, fresh home made curds. Optional: Sweeten with fresh
syrup or good honey.

1-3 weeks later: add [e] as below:


4. VEGETABLES:
[e] 12-2 PM

WITH THE AFTERNOON CEREAL: As the child is getting used to the
above items, VEGETABLES such as mashed potato, carrot, peas or
any of the beans and later other vegetables are added –
thoroughly cooked after peeling/shredding.


5. EGG: [F]- Optional - Discuss with your doctor about egg allergy.
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