It's been a few months since I last shared insights into the delightful journey of my little one's development. Now, as she enters the 4 to 6-month phase, she's reaching new milestones that are both exciting and challenging. After exclusively breastfeeding her for the first six months, I gradually introduced semi-solid foods and approximately 240ml of water daily. Initially, meeting this intake was a bit challenging, but with time, it became a natural part of her routine.

This transition marks a significant shift in her diet, moving from liquids to semi-solid foods like purees. It's essential to avoid adding sugar or salt to her meals until she turns two, as her taste buds are still developing, and introducing such additives early can influence her future preferences. At this stage, her palate is a blank canvas, ready to be filled with a variety of flavors.

I began introducing a diverse range of vegetables, fruits, and grains into her diet, including semolina, carrots, broccoli, avocado, zucchini, drumsticks, sweet potatoes, rice, lentils, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, apples, and tangerines. This approach not only ensures a balanced diet but also helps her develop a fondness for vegetables, which many children tend to avoid as they grow older. The internet, especially platforms like YouTube, offers countless recipes and ideas for preparing these foods in engaging and nutritious ways.

To make mealtime a pleasant experience, I followed the quantity recommendations provided by our pediatrician, which was approximately 150ml per meal. Initially, from 6 to 7 months, we maintained a schedule of three meals and three milk feeds per day. As mentioned in my earlier blogs, tracking her food intake and diaper changes proved invaluable in understanding her feeding patterns, helping me avoid overfeeding and ensuring she received six meals within a 24-hour period.

At around seven months, I introduced small amounts of clarified butter (ghee) into her meals and began incorporating mild spices like roasted cumin (jeera), cinnamon powder (dalchini), and a pinch of black pepper (kali mirch). Additionally, I started offering her roti with sabzi and stuffed parathas, such as potato or paneer parathas, as part of her meals.

By now, her daily routine includes four meals and two milk feeds. Establishing a consistent schedule for meals and sleep has been crucial in helping her settle into a predictable rhythm.

Our typical day begins between 5:30 and 6:00 am with a milk feed, followed by breakfast at 9:00 am after her bath and massage. Lunch is served around 12:30 pm, with an evening snack at 4:00 pm, and dinner at 7:00 pm. The final milk feed occurs between 8:30 and 9:00 pm, after which she goes to sleep. This routine not only ensures she receives adequate nutrition but also helps her establish a healthy sleep pattern.

To create a positive association with mealtime, I encourage her to sit in her feeding chair, as she now associates this spot with receiving food. Allowing her to explore and play with her food, even if it gets messy, aids in developing her fine motor skills and sensory awareness.

In my next blog, I look forward to sharing insights on motor skill development and safety measures to ensure your baby's well-being during this exciting phase.