When you introduce solid foods to your baby in a methodical and harmonious way, this will help promote digestive health and prevent food intolerances for that whole child’s future.
Ayurvedic medicine holds profound wisdom for post-natal rejuvenation for a healthy baby and mother.
The baby’s overall health is mainly treated and attended to via the mother’s health: post-natal rejuvenating herbs, nutrition, massages and other Ayurvedic post-natal interventions.
For the baby, there are other interventions like natural Ayurvedic immunisation herbs, baby abhyanga massage, and other interventions mentioned in our Ayurvedic Post Natal Care Plan.
Article At A Glance
How Long To Breastfeed For
Ayurveda recommends breastfeeding for up to anywhere between 1-3 years.
2-3 years is ideal, but consideration is given to the mother’s energy levels.
Note, you should not breastfeed while pregnant, and if pregnancy manifests while breastfeeding, Ayurveda advises to stop breastfeeding so as to not take away nutrition supplied to the fetus.
When To Introduce Solid Foods? (Auspicious Ritual Anna Prāśana)
The very first time you feed your baby solid food is a very special and auspicious activity that is considered a rite of passage according to Ayurveda.
Introducing solid foods, known as “Anna Prāśana” अन्न प्राशन is one of the 16 Purificatory Rites of Passage (“Ṣoḍaśa Saṃskāra” षोडश संस्कार)
The very first time you should feed your baby IS at an auspicious time: when the baby is 6 months and 6 days or 5 months and 5 days; either suffice when it comes to auspiciousness for this rite of passage.
You can also find a specific muhurta (auspicious time period) for your baby, by contacting a Jyotish Vedic Astrologer.
What Food Do I First Feed My Baby?
The very first food to feed your baby at an auspicious time is cooked rice with a tiny bit of raw sugar (optional), milk and ghee.
First Food Recipe: Smooth Rice Porridge
Which rice to use?
Use rice that is old (at least 6-12 months) and that grows as local to you as possible. White or red rice is ideal for this initial feeding.
*First soak the rice for 30 mins and then lightly dry roast the rice on a fry pain and then grind into a coarse powder to make a coarse rice flour.
Administering Instructions for Rice Porridge
Dip a gold ring or silver spoon (these metals boost immunity) in the porridge and give to baby to suck with your right hand.
Even that one little feed is enough.
This can be a regular food for the baby.
Parents or family can have the rest of the rice porridge.
General Notes About Solid Food Introduction for Babies
What If I Have to Feed My Baby Before 5 Months and 5 Days or have Insufficient Breast Milk?
If you are not getting enough breast milk, refer to our Ayurvedic Post Natal Care Plan and take the recommended herbs and protocols.
If still milk supply is inadequate, you can gradually introduce warm (but fully boiled) cows and goats milk in an appropriate way as well as formula if necessary to supplement breast milk.
First Two Weeks of Solid Food
Baby Food Mix - Best Stable Food Recipe
Ingredients:
Measure 1/2 cup each of:
Split yellow mung dahl
Toor dahl
Urad dahl
Ragi (red finger millet) (optional, more cooling).
Rice
Preparation method:
Wash these legumes/grains and soak each one separately in water for one hour
Drain well and wash again
Dry roast them in a pan all together till lightly browned, along with a teaspoon of cumin and ajwain seeds.
Grind the mix in a blender into fine granules (may need to use a sieve to remove and re-grind larger pieces).
This mixture can be stored and then cooked as needed for each meal.
Cooking method:
Boil a small amount of water in a pan and add the dahl/grain mixture gradually, stirring well to remove any lumps.
Cook on low heat for a minimum of 10 minutes or more, stirring frequently till the mixture is smooth and well-cooked (add more hot water as needed).
Stir in a little ghee at the end, before serving.
7 Months – Solid Food Introduction
Now is the time to start introducing vegetables.
Whatever you give the baby at 7 months, he will not dislike now or in the future. This is why you must give them all the healthy vegetables (e.g. greens, bitter gourd/melon, cabbage, etc.) and healthy fruits
Continue rice and dahls made into a porridge.
Vegetables: zucchini, squash, carrot, snake gourd, bottle gourd, bitter melon.
See below for more recipes to introduce at 7 months.
8 Months – Solid Food Introduction
You can introduce quinoa and more vegetables.
Mash carrots, beetroot and spinach are good.
Animal Milk - Food Introduction
Cow’s Milk (Introduce after 1 year old):
Prepare milk according to this recipe Hot Milk Elixir.
Animal Milks for Baby:
Goat’s milk – goat eats every leaf – all medicinal values, boil and spices, once every 2 months (also this often for adults).
Donkey’s milk once in a lifetime before 1 year to remove Kapha doshas. Boil milk with an equal quantity of water like all kinds of milk.
If Your Baby is Experiencing a Cold, Flu or Any Immune & Respiratory Symptoms
- Add a tiny pinch of turmeric powder
- Chop 4-5 garlic cloves, keep aside for 15 minutes (allow rasayana and beneficial components to release) and tie into bolous.
- Dip the raw garlic poultice into the milk to infuse some garlic in the milk (improves immunity a lot) – only add if baby likes the taste as nausea might come. Baby will probably get used to it.
- Crush some ajwain seeds in a poultice and also dip for immunity.
- Add one baby-sized pinch of swasakasantak yog, mix well and drink.
Herbs For Baby
2. Swasakasantak yog – helps prevent disease, strengthen immunity and prevent allergies.
Can give from 6 months. 1 (baby-sized) pinch in the mouth.
3. “Bliss” by One Eleven Health – if the baby can’t sleep well, night terrors or anxious.
From 6 months. A tiny pinch in the baby/child’s mouth.
4. Dhatu – to further develop tissues. A tiny pinch in the baby/child’s mouth or in warm milk.
More Baby Food Recipes
Stewed Apples (around 7 months or before)
Ingredients
- 1 finely chopped apple
- 1 glass of water (enough water to soak the apple)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon cardamon
- 1/4tsp of ghee
Method:
- Boil the water and add the chopped apple on a medium heat until the apple becomes soft.
- Add cinnamon and ghee and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Mash the apple until it makes a smooth past and serve.
Baby Kitchari
Ingredients:
2. Add turmeric and cumin powder and then add the water.
3. Cook until the lentils and rice become tender.
Lentil Soup
Ingredients
2 Tbsp split yellow mung lentils (washed then soaked for 2 hours)
1/4 Tbsp Ghee
1/8 tsp turmeric
2 glasses of water
Balancing Baby Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 parts semolina
1/2 part wheat flour
1 part rice flour
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp fennel powder
2 times of total quantity of water
Little salt according to taste
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together with water and stir until it becomes a good past with no lumps.
Leave to sit for 5-10 minutes.
Heat the pan and add 1tsp of ghee
Spread the pancake mixture in a thin layer on the pan.
On a medium heat, let it cook for a few minutes on one side and turn over adding a little more ghee.
It is ready when the other side becomes light brown.
Serve to the child. This is a delicious, nourishing and easily digestible meal.
Constipation Remedies For Babies
It is very important for the baby to have bowel motions every day. This allows the entire system to build for later on.
If constipation is there, please look at the foods the baby is eating and assess the overall health of mum.
Below are some remedies for constipation if it comes in children:
Tamarind stick – Inside a bunch of raw tamarind you will find a soft, flexible stick the size of a finger or bigger. With a tiny bit of tamarind on the end (like a match stick), stick it up the anus (very shortly, less than half an in deep). The baby will immediately have bowel motion.
Slowly massage clockwise circulate coconut oil in the navel.
Fibrous food for mother and child.
If still not working – 1 very small pinch of shodana vati powder in hot water before dinner with or without sweet lime.
