There are number of food options but making a right selection is very important for proper nutrition, growth and development of your baby. You need to start with food which is easy to digest and then moving towards more additions in the later months. Your baby could have allergies for some food items. Do watch out and observe your baby’s response to the food. If you observe any allergy signs, stop such food immediately and consult your doctor. It is good to find out family history for the food allergies so the appearance of similar one wouldn’t surprise you. It is very likely that baby gets some allergies transferred from father or mother genetically. Once known avoid such food in your baby’s diet and consult your doctor for professional advice.

Depending your schedule, life style and budget, you can prepare a diet plan for your little one. Keep it natural. While buying packaged food products, be very careful with ingredients, quality, standard, brand’s reputation, manufacturing and expiry dates and the packaging including proper seal.

4 to 6 Months: Don’t start any solid food before age of 4 months. It is better to wait till 6 months but you can start softer solids at the age of 4 months. You can start with bananas and rice cereals. Start 1 item at a time and then allow your baby 3 to 4 days to accept and adjust with that food. After 3 to 4 days you can add another food item. Stick to maximum 4 options between 4 to 6 months. It could be bananas, rice cereals, soft boiled sweet potatoes, and thin suji’s kheer. Make sure bananas are fully ripe and mashed well so eating and digesting it becomes easy for the baby. Similarly ensure potatoes are boiled well to be very soft and are mashed well making eating and digestion easy and simpler. Keep the cereals thin so it doesn’t put pressure on baby’s stomach.

Your baby’s poo color might change because of solid food. Don’t get worried. It settles down and that is why introducing one item at a time is important to allow baby settle down with changes.

7 to 12 Months: With start of teething in these months (except late teething) and your baby’s digestion capacity being improved through the initial training, you have more and more options at this stage. The breast feed must continue along with solids. Follow same advice as above and add items one by one. Let baby settle with it and add more.

Use fruits to make juice, shakes or have your baby take it in raw form by mashing or grating as is liked by her. The fruits indeed are great source of vitamins and can develop healthy eating habits in your baby. Use fresh seasonal fruits to the level best in your child’s diet.

You can also add wheat cereal in these months. Potatoes in the form of French fries or boiled is another good option. Soup whether vegetables, chicken, lentils or a combination is great source of energy and could make a delicious lunch or dinner. You could also give bread, French toast (unless baby is allergic to eggs). Some babies are not able to digest egg in initial 2 years. Watch out and if so avoid eggs in your baby’s diet.

Boil rice, kheechri, rice pulao made using vegetables likes potatoes, peas and carrots or ground chicken, mutton or beef, baked or fried fish, yogurt, kheer, iron fortified cereals, minced or ground beef, chicken and mutton in the form of soft purees are few more options.