Indian Baby Food Chart, Infant Feeding Guidelines Chart (0-12 months)
This age-by-age month-wise Indian baby food chart will help you in deciding what to feed your baby at what age during the precarious first year. These are only rough guidelines to help you. Do not stress upon feeding your baby only what and how much is mentioned here. Every baby is different and if your baby wants to have something more or less, follow baby’s lead
If you have any doubts regarding your baby’s diet or health, always discuss it with baby’s doctor. Let us have a look at how and what to feed you infant..
First 4 months/ 5 month old baby food chart
What to feed:
- Breastmilk or Formula
- How much : Depends on baby
- Every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours during night.
Anything other than breastmilk or formulaResist the temptation or pressure created by advice from people around you. You will receive many well-meaning advices regarding starting dal pani or fruit juices or even water. But, do not give in and do not start solids till baby is close to 6 months and then start solids only with the doctor’s recommendation.If at all you have to start solids before 6 months, ensure that your baby is atleast close to 6 months old and start with simple one ingredient food items like rice cereal and dal ka pani.
Indian Baby Food Chart for 4-6 Months
Although recommendations are to exclusively feed baby on breastmilk or Formula only till the age of 6 months, many families and pediatricians prefer to start babies on some sort of external food sometime between 4 and 6 months, preferably close to 6 month mark. If you decide to start your baby on something other than breastmilk or formula between 4-6 months, ensure that it should be very gradual and liquid.You should follow the 3 day rule, ie. you should introduce only one new food at a time and keep a gap of atleast 3-4 days before introducing anything else. E.g. if you start your baby on moong dal water, as is traditional in India, continue giving the same , only about a teaspoon full, for atleast 3-4 days. If you see any allergies/reactions/ rash, discontinue immediately and wait for few more weeks before trying again.According to some studies, proteins are more difficult to digest and hence they should be introduced after 6 months. In that case, you can start baby on rice cereal / fruits / vegetables etc.
What to Feed :
- Breast Milk or Formula
What not to Feed :
Any solid food which needs chewing.
Citrus fruits Dairy
New Introduction :
- Dal water ,Rice water ,Diluted Rice cereal ,mashed banana, diluted with baby’s milk, cooked and thinly pureed and strained fruits and vegetables
How much to feed:
Solids at this age are just to introduce baby to something other than breast milk or formula. Take it very, very slow, starting with just a teaspoon of food, gradually increasing it to a tablespoon or so. If your baby does not want to take it, don’t force the issue. There is no need for baby to have solid food at this age. All your baby’s nutrition needs are fulfilled by breast milk or formula, so do not worry, if your baby does not want to take new food. Wait for a few days and then try again.
Indian Baby Food chart for 6-8 Months
In case you are just starting your baby onto solid foods, you should start you baby on pureed and liquid food. It will be similar to what we discussed in previous section.
What to Feed :
- Breast Milk or Formula
- Dal water, Rice water, Diluted Rice cereal, mashed banana diluted with baby’s milk, cooked and thinly pureed fruits and vegetable.
- Pass the cooked fruits and vegetables through a strainer, so that there are no lumps.
New Introduction :
Gradually thicken the purees a bit. Pass the cooked fruits and vegetables through a strainer, so that there are no lumps. You can gradually introduce lumpier , mashed food as well as combination foods.
- Puree two vegetables or fruits together. E.g. Apple and pear– cooked and pureed together, Carrot with potato etc.
- Pumpkin and potato mash
- Khichdi, different legumes like kidney beans, grams, black gram, chickpeas
- Ragi/ Nachni porridge recipes
- Apple ragi halwa
- Banana Suji halwa
- Dairy – Full fat Curd or Yogurt, cheese, paneer
- Tofu
What not to Feed :
Chunky food – your baby does not have enough teeth, if at all, to chew chunky food and can choke upon them.Low fat curd – You may swear by that slim yogurt, but do not try to share it with your baby. Babies need fat at this age for proper development of brain, so give wholemilk yogurt or curd, preferably homemade.
Indian Baby Food Chart for 8-10 months
By 8 months, most babies are quite comfortable eating solids and many have sprouted 1 or 2 teeth as well. You can now give variety of cereals, vegetables and fruits to baby. You can also introduce non-vegetarian food now with advice from your baby’s paediatrician.
What to Feed :
- BreastMilk or Formula
- Cooked and mashed fruits and vegetables
- Pureed legumes , paneer, tofu
What to introduce :
Different cereals in addition to rice, suji, ragi, wholewheat (atta) , oats etc
You can also give simples soups like tomato soup now.Non-vegetarian proteins like eggs (Check with your doctor before introducing eggs. Egg whites are known to cause allergic reactions in babies, so it is recommended to introduce yolks first and wait to introduce whites after 1 year), fish, chicken. Introduce your baby to lean meat which is healthier.Make sure what fish or meat you introduce is well cooked, deboned and pureed. Follow the rule to introduce very little and only one item at time and wait till atleast 3-4 days to screen for allergies etc.
You can also give simples soups like tomato soup now.Non-vegetarian proteins like eggs (Check with your doctor before introducing eggs. Egg whites are known to cause allergic reactions in babies, so it is recommended to introduce yolks first and wait to introduce whites after 1 year), fish, chicken. Introduce your baby to lean meat which is healthier.Make sure what fish or meat you introduce is well cooked, deboned and pureed. Follow the rule to introduce very little and only one item at time and wait till atleast 3-4 days to screen for allergies etc.
Recommended Recipes
- Apple Suji Kheer
- Banana Suji Halwa
- Apple Ragi Halwa
- Tomato Soup for babies
- 4 Lauki recipes for babies
What Not to give:
Many fishes like swordfish, shark, shellfish etc. are known to be unsafe due to concentrated levels of mercury. You should not introduce these to your baby before one year.
Indian Baby Food Chart for 10-12 months
What to give:
BreastMilk or Formula
Cooked, mashed complex foods- Khichdi, vegetable pulao, mixed soups, dosas, lentils etc
Cooked, mashed complex foods- Khichdi, vegetable pulao, mixed soups, dosas, lentils etc
New Introduction :
You can give most of the food you are having, as long as it is not too oily, hot and spicy.
What Not to give:
- Cow’s Milk
- Honey – Can cause botulism in infants, hence it is recommended to wait till one year before giving honeyChunky foods like nuts and candy which can cause choking.
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