Help new parents what should you feed your baby

Eating solids at this age is mostly about letting your baby explore new flavors and textures. Breast milk or formula will remain your baby’s primary nutrition source during 

their first year, so continue to give breast milk and/or formula just as you were before starting solids.

Remember to listen to your baby’s hunger and fullness cues throughout their feeding journey, rather than go by specific portions

Carrot puree

·        STEP 1

Chop carrots and put them in a saucepan and pour over just enough boiling water to cover. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.

·        STEP 2

Drain the carrots and place them in a blender, adding some of the water from the cooking liquid, then puree until very smooth.

· This is suitable for the first week of weaning, so needs to be very smooth with no lumps.

· Add liquid as necessary – puree should be thick and not too liquid.

Banana and apple puree

·        STEP 1

Peel and core the apples and slice them into small chunks.

·        STEP 2

Peel and chop the banana into small pieces.

·        STEP 3

Place in a pan, cover in water, bring to a boil, and simmer for six to eight minutes (or until soft).

·        STEP 4

Drain and puree to desired consistency.

Pear puree

·        STEP 1

Peel and core the pears and chop them into small pieces. 

·        STEP 2

Place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover the fruit. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft, then drain.

·        STEP 3

Blend with a little cooled boiled water or some of your baby’s usual milk.

Chicken puree

STEP1

½ lb (250 g) chicken

STEP2

In a small frying pan over medium heat, stir together the ground meat and 3 tablespoons of water. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and completely cooked through about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Puree in a blender or food processor until the texture is right for your baby. To make it thinner, add water, breast milk, or formula.

Rice Cereal

· STEP 1

· Brown rice powder, ¼ cup

· Water, 1 cup

· Breast milk/ Formula milk

STEP 2

· Grind brown rice into powder in a food processor.

· Boil water and then slowly add the rice powder; stir continuously.

· Reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

· Remove from heat and let it cool.

· Mix in some breast milk or formula. Add as much as you need to get the perfect consistency for your baby.

 Lentils and rice

STEP 1

·        Lentils, 1 tbsp

· Rice, 3 cups

STEP 2 

· Wash and dry the lentils well.

· Do the same with the rice.

· Toast the rice and the lentils separately on a dry pan.

· Once cooled, grind it into powder.

· When ready to use, use water to make 2 spoons of water into a paste.

Scrambled eggs

· STEP1

•  egg
• Small knob of unsalted butter or cooking oil
• A little expressed breast milk or formula

· STEP 2

• Beat the egg in a bowl or jug. Heat the butter in a pan and add the egg, stirring until the egg has cooked.
• Put the cooked egg in a bowl and mix with a little expressed breast milk or formula to thin it down. Blend to a suitable consistency if necessary.
• Serve by spoon when at a suitable temperature.

·         

How to make puree:

Bake, steam, or boil vegetables and hard fruits like apples before puréeing or grinding them. Mild yellow or orange veggies such as sweet potatoes and carrots; green veggies like peas and string beans; and fruits like bananas, peaches, and pears all work well. Peel, and either pit or strain as needed, then purée in a blender, grinder, or food mill, adding liquid (water, breast milk, or formula) to achieve the desired consistency. As your child gets older and becomes a more confident eater, you can serve up chunkier textures

Drinks:

Sweet drinks like squash, fizzy drinks, milkshakes, and fruit juice can have lots of sugar, so avoid these to help prevent tooth decay – even baby and toddler drinks can be sugary.

Cows’ milk is not a suitable drink until your baby is 12 months old, but it can be used in cooking or mixed with food from 6 months of age

Here are suggested amounts of food per day for a 6+month old baby

· 1 – 2 ounces of Grains

· 1 -2 ounces of protein

· 2 – 4 ounces of vegetables

· 2 – 4 ounces of fruit