Today’s meal plan for a 6 months old baby and the food chart with recipes is only for those babies who crossed 182 days or six months.
Breast Milk is the key to build a child’s proper health and ensure accurate growth. Breastfeeding is the best plan for an infant till it ages 180 days or 6 months. But, after these days up to 24 months, it is a crucial time for a baby to suffer from malnutrition and different types of illness.
To avoid these complications and keep the baby healthy, experts always suggest some additional food besides breast milk which is known as Complementary Feeding. You may like our recent publication on can babies eat oatmeal?
This type of feeding ensures a child’s proper growth according to their age, well-standing ability, and walking ability in time. The article below will help you plan a food chart for your new baby.
# Nutrient Requirements for a 6 Month Old Baby
The followings are some of the essential nutrients that babies require to grow and stay healthy:
01. Protein
Protein is hugely advantageous to your baby’s growth and development. Because it is actually a part of every cell in the body, working tirelessly to repair, maintain and create body tissues. In protein, there are Amino acids that cannot be produced by the body.
That implies the baby will have to get them from food. Breast milk and iron-fortified formula, fortunately, contain just the proper amounts of protein. When infants begin solid foods, there are several protein-rich foods to try, including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Non-animal sources of protein include nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains as well as numerous fruits and vegetables.
02. Iron
Builds blood cells and aids in the development of the brain. Iron supplements should be given to breastfed newborns. That’s why it’s critical to choose iron-rich meals that will assist your baby achieve her daily iron requirement of 11 milligrams.
Poultry, meat, and eggs, as well as veggie sources including beans, broccoli, apricots, spinach, prunes, whole grains, iron-fortified cereals, and raisins, are all good sources of iron. You can also check Peeling Skin on Newborn.
03. Zinc
Zinc assists cells in growing and repairing themselves because it is required for the production of DNA and proteins. Zinc “also plays a critical role in sustaining Immunological function,” according to Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDE, a representative for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who points out that zinc is important “also helps to keep the immune system in good shape.
04. Calcium
Calcium strengthens bones and teeth. Breast milk and beans are examples of such foods. Calcium-fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables (such as turnip greens, collard greens, and spinach), Calcium-fortified soy milk, and are excellent sources of calcium.
05. Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids can help your baby’s brain and vision development, as well as immunity. DHA and EPA, two forms of omega 3 fatty acids, are essential yet cannot be produced by our bodies. You might begin by introducing oily fish like salmon, which is a good source of this unsaturated fat. While oily fish have significant levels of omega 3 fatty acids but possess high levels of mercury.
As a result, we propose salmon, which is mercury-free. Other low-mercury fish, such as whitefish, which contains omega 3 fatty acids, are also safe for babies to eat. Omega 3 eggs are another option. These eggs were laid by chickens fed a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Just make sure you read the label on the box to see if the eggs have extra omega 3 in them.
06. Vitamin-D
Vitamin D supports the absorption of calcium from meals and maintains the health of bones and teeth. Breast-fed newborns may require a Vitamin D supplement, although formula-fed babies get enough Vitamin D from their formula. Your pediatrician may offer an over-the-counter liquid vitamin D supplement to help you obtain the extra vitamin D you need.
07. Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are a great source of growth and energy.
08. Folate:
It aids cell division.
09. Fat:
Fat produces energy, aids brain development, maintains healthy skin, hair, and defends against infections.
10. Vitamin A:
Good for your skin, hair, vision, and immune system.
11. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and B2 (riboflavin):
These vitamins help the body to gather energy from food and protect cells from damage.
12. Vitamin B3 (niacin):
It aids the same as VitaminB1 and B2 in converting energy and the utilization of fats and proteins by the body.
13. Vitamin B6.
It maintains the function of the immune and brain system.
14. Vitamin B12:
It is a water-soluble vitamin that maintains the health of nerve and blood and nerve cells, as well as producing DNA.
15. Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, strengthens muscles and bones, protects against infections, and aids in healing wounds.
16. Vitamin E:
It strengthens the immune system by protecting cells from harm.
17. Vitamin K:
Vitamin K aids in blood clotting.
#Meal Plan for a 6 Months old Baby
If you hold your baby and it can keep its head straight by itself then it is time to start complementary food. First start with liquid then slowly move towards more solid ones. The meal plan below will be suitable for the 6 to 9 months old babies.
- It is best to provide 03 meals of complementary food a day.
- Best is to start with liquid. When the infant is habituated then slowly move towards soft foods.
- Unsweetened yogurt, natural orange juice, mashed peaches, soft scrambled eggs, soft oatmeal cereal are good options as breakfast. But do not try them all at a time. A proper combination will help your baby to digest properly.
- For lunch you can choose apples, chickpeas, carrots, and strawberries. Start feeding puree of these fruits. Then gradually feed diced or shredded cut which will help to create interest for eating and save from choking.
- You can also include barley cereal, different types of garden vegetables, avocado, banana mashed form in the dinner menu. A few very small sized cubes of cottage cheese can also fulfil the dairy needs of your baby at dinner.
But, most of the time it is common in 7 to 9 months children to have the ability to eat a sliver of softly cooked chicken, softly steamed broccoli, green beans, kidney beans, and other vegetables.
210 to 270 days old babies can also consume small chunks of fish. But you need to make sure the fish contains low mercury and is free of bones such as codfish.
Points to keep in mind (6-9 months baby)
- First feed the baby breast milk then feed additional food.
- Check the temperature of the cooked meal on the back of your hand before feeding the baby.
- Do not forget to remove seeds from the fruits.
- Use small lumps of meal each time to prevent choking.
- Better start with semi liquid food then slowly move to porridges.
Expected weight: 16 lb to 19 lb
Expected height: 26. 76 inches to 28.35 inches
6 month baby food chart – Week 01
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Stewed Apple |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Lunch | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Dinner | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Meal plan for 6 month old baby – Week 02
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Unsweetened yogurt/natural orange juice |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Lunch | Mother’s milk/ Stewed Apple |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Dinner | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
6 month baby food chart – Week 03
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Mother’s milk/formula feed/Natural orange juice |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Lunch | Barley/Sabudana/Tapioca/Sago |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Dinner | Mother’s milk /formula feed/banana mashed |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
6 month baby food chart – Week 04
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Mother’s milk/ formula feed/mashed peaches |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Banana |
Lunch | Rice Porridge |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Dinner | Barley/Sabudana/Tapioca/Sago |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
7 month baby food chart – Week 05
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | soft scrambled eggs/soft oatmeal cereal |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Apple |
Lunch | Mother’s milk/Vegetable Hotchpotch |
Evening | Mother’s milk /banana mashed |
Dinner | Rice Porridge/softly steamed broccoli |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
7 month baby food chart – Week 06
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Soft scrambled eggs/Spinach Pumpkin |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Lunch | Moong dal (yellow split gram) soup |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Dinner | Rice Porridge/Apple |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
7 month baby food chart – Week 07
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Barley/Sabudana/Tapioca/Sago |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Unsweetened yogurt |
Lunch | Vegetable Hotchpotch/chickpeas/carrots |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed /Apple |
Dinner | Softly cooked chicken/ Rice Porridge |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
7 month baby food chart – Week 08
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Barley/Sabudana/Tapioca/Sago |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Banana |
Lunch | Rice Porridge/softly steamed broccoli |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed / Oatmeal baby cereal |
Dinner | Vegetable Hotchpotch |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
9 month baby food chart – Week 09
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Soft scrambled eggs/natural orange juice |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Banana |
Lunch | Vegetable Hotchpotch |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Oatmeal baby cereal |
Dinner | Brown rice cereal/Well-cooked, pureed and mashed meat |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
9 month baby food chart – Week 10
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Oatmeal baby cereal/ soft scrambled eggs |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Banana |
Lunch | Chickpeas/ Vegetable Hotchpotch |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Apple |
Dinner | Rava/Suji/Ragira/Phool makhana/Amaranth |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
9 month baby food chart – Week 11
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Soft scrambled eggs/mashed peaches |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Apple |
Lunch | Brown rice cereal/ softly steamed broccoli |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed /Oatmeal baby cereal |
Dinner | Vegetable Hotchpotch/ Well-cooked, pureed and mashed meat |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Prune, Plums |
9 month baby food chart – Week 12
Early morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed |
Breakfast | Barley/soft scrambled eggs |
Mid-morning | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Banana |
Lunch | Vegetable Hotchpotch/ Moong dal |
Evening | Mother’s milk /formula feed /Apple |
Dinner | Brown rice cereal/Well-cooked, pureed and mashed meat |
Night | Mother’s milk /formula feed/Prune, Plums |
#Best Foods for a 6 Month Old Baby
You’re breastfeeding your baby or not, s/he will need to eat other solid food more frequently and rely on other meals at this age. Begin with pureed fruits and vegetables or whole-grain cereal. Every 3-4 days, add one new food.
Salt and sugar should be avoided until the child reaches the age of one, according to pediatricians, because they place undue stress on the kidneys. These foods are excellent choices for a 6-month-old baby’s first foods:
- Fruits:
Apple, Pears, Avocado, Peaches, muskmelon, Banana, Prune, Plums, (Pureed or strained) - Cereals & Grains:
Rice, Ragi, Barley, Sabudana/Tapioca/Sago, Semolina/Rava/Suji, Ragira/Phool makhana/Amaranth, Brown rice cereal, Quinoa, Oatmeal baby cereal, Iron-fortified cereal (oats, barley), Ground, cooked, single-grain cereal or infant cereal with breast milk or formula - Vegetables:
Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Carrot, (Well-cooked and Pureed or strained) - Pulses:
Yellow Moong Dal - Acorn squash
- Well-cooked, pureed and mashed meat (chicken, pork, beef) or beans
- Butternut squash
- Breast milk or formula, PLUS
- Pureed or mashed legumes (black beans, chickpeas, edamame, fava beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, kidney beans)
- Pureed or mashed tofu
- Small pieces of bread and crackers
- Casseroles with small amounts of pureed or soft pasteurized cheese, cottage cheese, or unsweetened yogurt (no cow’s milk until age 1)
Alan Greene, M.D., author of Feeding Baby Green has said, “One of the things he has enjoyed about casseroles is that if the child likes the base flavor, you can add a variety of other vegetables and he’ll usually be fine with it.”
#How Much Food Should Your 6 Month Baby Eat?
While many pediatricians advise parents to begin offering solid foods to their newborns around the age of 6 months, determining how much to feed your baby can be difficult.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that 6-month-old newborns eat solid meals 2-3 times per day in addition to breast milk or formula and that they drink 6 to 8 ounces of milk or formula every feeding. Most 6-month-old babies are fed every 4-5 hours. The following is a description of how much a six-month-old should eat:
01. Breastfeeding:
Feedings are still around every three or four hours on average, but each breastfed baby is different. What matters is that the baby appears satisfied, that your boobs appear to have been emptied (they’re soft), and that the baby is gaining weight in a healthy manner. According to Natalie Muth, co-author of The Picky Eater Project, a baby’s caloric should still come almost entirely from breast milk or formula when they are 6-9 months old. Aim for no more than 32 ounces of formula each day for Baby. They should consume anywhere from 4 to 8 ounces at each feeding when nursing.
02. Bottle-feeding:
Bottle feeding is typically 6 to 8 ounces about six times a day.
03. Pumping:
An infant usually requires about 25 ounces of breast milk each day. So, if you nurse your infant 6 times a day, he should have roughly 4.2 ounces of breastmilk at each feeding.
04. Water:
It’s fine to drink 4 to 6 ounces of water each day as long as the infant is still getting an adequate amount of formula or breast milk (up to 32 ounces per day) (6 to 8 feedings per day).
05. Solid Foods:
At 6 months, almost all newborns are ready to eat solid foods. To easily get the necessary nutrition, Vandana Sheth suggests mixing 2 tablespoons of fortified cereal with 1-2 ounces of pureed or finely diced meats twice a day. How much solid food should provide to a 6-month baby:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fruit, increasing to 4 to 8 tablespoons over time,
- 1–2 teaspoons grain products, increasing to 2–4 tablespoons over time,
- 2–3 tablespoons veggies, increasing to 4–8 tablespoons over time,
- 1–2 tablespoons of protein-rich foods, increasing to 2–4 tablespoons over time.
#Food Recipes for 6 Months Baby
01. Apple Stew With Cinnamon
Ingredients:
- 1 Apple,
- Cinnamon powder
- Water
How to Prepare:
- Firstly, in a pot of boiling water, cook the peeled and sliced apple slices. Alternatively, you can cook them for two to three whistles in a pressure cooker.
- Secondly, in a mixer jar, combine the steamed apples with some water. You can also filter it to thin the stew’s consistency.
- Finally, toss in a pinch of cinnamon powder and mix thoroughly. The apple stew is done.
02. Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Powdered Oats
- Breast milk or formula milk (as per need)
- Water
- 1-2 Bananas
How to Prepare:
- First, one needs to boil 2 cups of water in a kettle.
- When the water begins to boil, slowly pour in the cup of powdered oats, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Then, 2 tablespoons of milk need to mix when oats are fully cook
- To give the dish a delicious texture, you may add the banana paste.
03. Rice Porridge
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Powdered rice
- Breast-milk/formula milk – (as per need)
- Water
How to Prepare:
- Fill a pan halfway with water and boil it
- Stir in the powdered rice slowly and thoroughly.
- Take precautions to prevent lumps from forming.
- Add 2 tablespoons of milk to the cooked rice and whisk firmly.
04. Sweet Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients:
- 1-4 Sweet pumpkin
- Water
How to Prepare:
- Remove the pulp and seeds from a small pumpkin. It should be diced into small bits.
- Now, add 2 cups of water to a boil, then put the pumpkin cubes. Allow it to cook for a few minutes with the lid closed.
- Make a fine paste out of the cooked pumpkin and feed it to your infant. The natural sweetness of the vegetable adds to the dish’s flavor.
05. Mango Puree
Ingredients:
- 01 Mango
How to Prepare:
- Peel the mango and extract the pulp.
- Make a paste out of the pulp or filter it.
- Serve without any added sweeteners because the fruit has natural sugars.
06. Potato Puree
Ingredients:
- 2 Potatos
- Breast milk/formula milk (as per need)
How to Prepare:
- Choose potatoes with no soft spots or cracks.
- Wash them and remove the outer layer of skin. It should be diced into small bits.
- Add the potato cubes to a cooker half-filled with water and simmer for 1-2 whistles.
- Place the cooked potatoes in a mixing dish and mash with a spoon.
- Add extra breast milk or formula milk, and you’ve got yourself a delicious potato puree.
07. Bottle Gour or Lauki Puree
Ingredients:
- 1-2 Bottle gourd
- 1 tbsp Moong dal
- Jeera powder (a pinch)
How to Prepare:
- Clean the lauki by washing it and peeling it. It should be cut into little cubes.
- In a pressure cooker, combine the lauki cubes and moong dal with 50 mL of water.
- Cook on medium heat until 2 whistles.
- Once it has cooled, mash or combine it. Serve with optional jeera powder.
#The 06 Months baby Feeding Tips
For mothers, feeding their babies is the most challenging task. Here are some suggestions for making mealtimes with your infant enjoyable and stress-free:
- Always begin with one or two spoons to give your infant time to adjust to a new flavor and texture.
- Only introduce one new fruit or vegetable at a time, and observe her reaction before moving on to another.
- When providing cereal or pureed foods to a baby, scoop a small amount onto the spoon and place it in the infant’s tongue. Many babies will eagerly open their lips and take the spoon in their hands. Some babies may require a little persuasion.
- If they don’t open their mouth, place the spoon against their lips and wait for a response. Never shove a spoon into a child’s mouth.
- If they’ve been eating solids for a while and then refuse something, it’s possible they don’t like or aren’t interested in that meal. So pay attention to what they’re saying.
- Mealtimes should be enjoyable for your child, so don’t force them to eat if they don’t want to. If they initially decline, it could be a hint that they aren’t ready.
- When your baby becomes more eating, you can begin to provide him different types of food and enhance the frequency of the meals.
- Stick to the 3-day rule and keep track of all the new foods and items you’ve introduced to your kid. If she develops an allergic reaction, this simplifies troubleshooting.
- Do not provide finger or lumpy foods to babies under the age of six months. It can cause gagging and even choking in some infants.
- Choose a quiet and peaceful location to feed, such as the living room or the kitchen.
- When giving your infant solids, make sure they’re buckled in and sitting erect in the high chair. Check to see that the tray is secure.
- Consult your doctor if your baby isn’t interested in eating solids after a few weeks of trying, or if they’re having feeding issues like gagging, choking or vomiting.
- One must avoid the distractions at feeding time. Such as: don’t feed your baby while she watches TV or a Smartphone screen.
- Instead of using plastic containers, prepare and store baby food in sterilized steel or glass bowls.
- It is beneficial for a baby to give him only homemade foods as your baby’s digestive system is still developing.
- Always try to keep your baby with your entire family having meals as it is very much effective and proven in a child’s development and family bonding.
#Meal plan for 10 to 13 months old baby
When your baby opens its mouth if you put any spoon full of food in front of it, it is time to add an extra meal in its food plan.
- By this age babies can have home made banana-egg pancakes.
- Babies of this age can also benefit from nut butter and 100% fruit spread.
- Normally, these babies easily consume unsweetened yogurt with a bit of sliced berries, oatmeal with diced apple and cheese cooked with eggs.
- You can include avocado and buttermilk both in a cubed version at lunch as a baby’s lunch.
- Shredded chicken or turkey may become some of the kids’ favourite items at noon at this age. They can also eat hard boiled egg without any problem.
- Beside fruit spreads, you can also try tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese as the topping of their plain pizza.
- Spinach and broccoli become very handy at this age for proper growth.
- Try fish finger and roasted carrot at dinner and let them grab a unit by themselves for better holding posture practice.
- Mashed salmon and softly cooked cauliflower combination at dinner is also a good idea for a long night sound sleep.
Points to keep in mind (10-13 months baby)
- By the age of 12 months, babies generally start eating more in a day.
- Gradually increase the quantity of food in each meal, maybe one or two tablespoons.
- Try to make your kid less picky about the food by providing foods of different tastes each day. Try some steamed and baked foods in the snack chart for your baby.
Expected weight: 18 lb to 22
Expected height: 28.74 inches to 30.33 inches
#Meal plan for 14 to 17 months old baby
Usually a baby, more than 12 months old, needs five complimentary meals a day. This day-long meal plan includes three main meals and two snacks.
- Iron- fortified cereal or a whole cooked egg can be a very good choice for your toddler’s breakfast along with milk.
- You can make banana slices as part of the first meal of the day. Besides bananas, 2-3 big strawberries’ slices are also good for babies.
- For eleven, a toast with cream cheese or peanut butter is a very good choice. If you are out of toast or the baby is bored with it, try a whole-wheat muffin. Beside these options, you can also treat the kid with a whole or half cup of milk.
- This age-kids can easily consume meat. A combination of bread and thin slices of chicken or turkey can provide a proper pack of carbohydrate and protein.
- Afternoon snacks can consist of fruits and berries. This colourful source of vitamins and minerals can help in ensuring a kid’s better eyesight and skin.
- Cooked meat in a toddler’s friendly cut and some carbohydrate, such as rice porridge, pasta or potato are best options for dinner. Experts also suggest colourful vegetables, specifically yellow and orange ones, along with these foods. As liquid one the table, include milk.
Points to keep in mind (14-17 months baby)
- Toddlers are attracted to attractive food, especially pretty things. So, work on your food presentation in front of them. Instead of giving a regular sandwich, cut it with a cookie cutter and give it a nice shape.
- Avoid overfeeding or underfeeding your baby.
- Don’t keep too much sweet in their items. Fully avoid foods highly sugar content.
- Try to eradicate the monotony of the food menu, rather introduce various recipes. It makes the kid eager for the next meal.
- Add fresh and unprocessed food to maintain a healthy diet. Early age training helps a lot to continue the habit.
- Try not to force food into your kids mouth. On the contrary, inspire and demonstrate them to choose food and put it in their mouth.
Expected weight: 21 lb to 24 lb
Expected height: 30.1 inches to 32 inches
#Meal plan for 18 to 21 months old baby
These old babies face a lot of changes with standing and walking accuracy. A proper food plan is essential for this age.
- Kids of this age should start their day with power-pack breakfast such as oatmeal made with milk. They can also eat scrambled egg with vegetables or toast with banana slice topping. Even waffles can also be presented in front of them.
- Different fruits on different days are good things to provide as mid morning snacks. You can also feed boiled egg id it is not part of breakfast.
- Start feeding your toddler various salads at this age. Avocado tuna salad in a mini pita pocket or wheat pasta can help you to feel your kid’s stomach. If you are wishing to feed meat, try turkey or chicken slices with vegetables to complete the need of both protein and vitamins respectively. But these meats can also be presented with cucumber salad.
- As these kiddos can chew food, give them sliced apples with nut spread in afternoon snacks. Other than this, you can give fruit cubes with cottage cheese for a change.
- Porridge is a nice choice for a toddler’s dinner. Vegetable lasagna are also found to become a favourite of some kids. On the other hand, stir fried chicken with brown rice, peas and squash package is a nice combination as an 18-21 months old toddler’s last meal of the day.
Points to keep in mind (18-21 month baby)
- At this toddlers commonly start showing their preferences for food. As all kids are different, all the kids of the same family may not develop the same taste for food. You need to be tactful about table presentation rather than depending on your experience.
- Surprisingly, it may take 10-15 tries for some guardians to make their kiddo like a food or even try. So, you need to be very patient.
- Most of the toddlers become able to chew their food properly at this point. No need to cut or make very thin slices of fruits or meat for them. Better encourage them to chew their food and eat depending on their expertise.
- Introduce some spices and natural honey at this age.
Expected weight: 23.5 lb to 25.5 lb
Expected height: 31.4 inches to 33.5 inches
#Meal plan for 22 to 24 months old baby
This is the age where parents try to train babies to leave breastmilk and adjust fully with the complimentary food.
- After leaving breast milk, kids normally get more hungry so their breakfast needs to be very rich. You need to make sure of serving proper food groups from the food chart too. Oatmeal cereal with apple slices or cut can be served with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Normally these kids need half cup of dairy and half cup of fruits in their elevenses. This half cup fruit can be banana, strawberry or mango cube. You can also give them mixed fruits. In the case of a dairy cup, provide milk or yogurt.
- For lunch, you can arrange half cup milk with a sandwich. Use whole wheat bread, a slice of meat, cheese and some veggies such as avocado, lettuce or tomato to make the sandwich. Also add some carrot sticks and half a cup of berries. If you think you are providing too much fruit then keep only one oatmeal cookie on the plate instead of berries.
- In the afternoon snack chart keep half cup low fat or nonfat milk. Also include half cup sliced apple or orange. If these are unavailable go for one third cup grapes to complete the need of vitamin C.
- Your toddler’s dinner chart should consist of dairy, protein, vegetables and carbohydrates. Keep rice, potato or pasta along with meat and two tablespoons of veggies. Also keep half cup nonfat or low fat milk.
Points to keep in mind (22-24 months baby)
- Kids at this age are able to chew, so cut into small pieces only when needed.
- Add very little amount of spices and herbs to boost up the flavour of the food. Also keep foods of different colours on a plate to make it more attractive.
- Let toddlers explore how to eat, touch and feel the food by themselves. This will help to create interest in eating.
- As these kids stop taking breastmilk at this age, keep bulk proteins in their food chart such as chicken or turkey meat.
Expected weight: 25.5 lb to 27.5 lb
Expected height: 33.4 to 34.2 inches
Special Tips for infant and toddler feeding:
- Monitor your baby carefully after providing each new food carefully.
- If your child is choking and coughing once or twice, do not worry. But, if choking and coughing continue, stop giving food instantly.
- Make sure to cut fruits and food in toddler friendly pieces to make it easy to chew.
- Encourage your kid to point which food they want to eat and present different foods at meal.
- Introduce the baby with different fresh and unprocessed foods and encourage them to distinguish the tastes.
- Slowly introduce various spices and flavours to your toddler. But make sure it is in a very controlled way and the ingredients are light in the food.
Always remember that all kids will not have the same body structure. Some may put on weight very easily, some may not, some may receive all the food easily where some may face difficulties. So, you should not compare your child with other children as there are a lot of variables that control the changes of babies. In any confusion or suspicion about your baby’s health, consult a child specialist as soon as possible.
What if 06 Month Baby has Particular Food Allergy?
Any time you try new food, keep an eye out for any allergic responses. There are over 160 foods that are allergens. Nuts (tree nuts and/or peanuts), fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, and soy account for the vast majority of food-related allergy reactions.
Allergy in Specefic Foods
Some babies may be allergic to specific fruits, vegetables, and legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, and so on, albeit this is a rare occurrence. The following sections discuss how to detect certain allergenic foods and what we can do about them:
Allergy Identification
Breastfeeding or formula feeding is the main source of nutrition for a six-month-old baby. Solid foods, on the other hand, can be introduced for breakfast or lunch. Introduce only one fruit or vegetable to your infant and feed it for at least 3 days. If she responds well and shows no signs of allergies, you can continue to use that fruit or vegetable while also experimenting with other foods.
Allergy Recheak
When your infant is ready to eat solids, new nutrition guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest it’s fine to introduce these allergy-causing foods and there is no proof that waiting till the baby is older can prevent food allergies.
Giving these children allergic foods at this age helps them avoid developing allergies later. Some allergies fade with time. Allergies to eggs and milk usually go away as children become older, while allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish usually don’t.
Peanuts should be offered to infants who are at high risk of allergies between the ages of 4-6 months, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Infants with eczema, egg allergies, or both are in danger of developing peanut allergies. Other potential allergens, such as seafood and tree nuts should be introduced over a period of time, between 6 to 9 months, as your infant is introduced to solid foods.
Historical Allergies
Again, if your family has a history of food allergies, your baby is at a higher chance of getting allergies as well, though this is not a guarantee. If you have allergies, there’s a 50-50 chance that they will as well. Meal allergy symptoms normally emerge shortly after eating the food, anything from a few minutes to a few hours. If you’re giving your kid a new food, keep an eye out for symptoms like flushed skin or a rash whether it is hives or welts, swelling of the face, tongue, or lips, coughing or wheezing, breathing difficulties Loss of consciousness, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
Allergies in a serious condition
If the infant has an allergic reaction to any food, cease giving it to him right away. Seek medical help if the allergic response persists. If your pediatrician agrees, you can try it again after a few months. Acute allergic reactions, on the other hand, can be disastrous in a matter of seconds. Call 911 right away if your kid is having problems breathing or wheezing, has to swell on their face or lips, or develops severe vomiting or diarrhea after eating. You can tell your pediatrician about it later.
If you notice any mild symptoms, such as hives or a rash, consult your doctor for a more thorough examination. The doctor may recommend you to an allergist, a doctor who specializes in allergies, who will ask you more questions and do a physical examination. Allergic reactions may necessitate diagnostic testing such as skin tests and blood tests. A skin test is one that involves putting liquid food allergen extracts on your child’s forearm or back, pricking the skin, and waiting 15 minutes to observe if reddish raised spots appear. A positive food sensitivity test merely indicates that your child is sensitive to that food. Blood tests are the tests to see if you have IgE antibodies to certain foods in your blood.