When & how to start top food for babies?
I get this question asked very frequently by
the moms. First, let us start with ‘when’.
When to start top food in babies?
-we know this- mother’s milk is best and complete
food for the babies.
-if you are not a professional who have to go to
office, & if you are able to produce enough milk,
for the first 6 months, the baby should be
exclusively on the mother’s milk.
-you can give mother’s milk till the age of 12 months.
-but, you need to start top food from 5th or 6th month.
Now, the second part of the question-
How to start top food in babies?
-go slow. At the age of 5th or 6th month, you can start with
dal water, beans water. At this age, you can also give
purees of fruits or veggies to encourage chewing. Do you
know that proper chewing from the very young age
is very much crucial for your child’s facial growth and
good airway? (We will discuss this in detail in some other
future Tuesday tip)
-at the age of 7th month, gradually shift from
blended to mushed or well-minced food like
meshed dal-rice, mashed cooked potatoes,
beet or carrot.
-at 8th month, offer finger foods like sliced or peeled
fruits, steamed carrot or apple etc.
-from 9th month, you can start giving home cooked food.
Another very important point to remember is:
Make sure that your child eats in a calm, playful
environment. Don’t make a habit of
watching TV or mobile while feeding food to your child.
That’s all for today.
See you next week with another Tuesday Tip.
Till then….
Take care.
Providing simple solutions for the complexities of life:
Dr Bhumita Makwana
Your Dietitian & Homoeopathic Physician
