Food can be grueling!

Ishi had her first unsupplemented (by breastmilk) meal today. For lunch, she had half a katori of what I like to call White Gruel. We took rice and dal, roasted them, mixied into powder, cooked with ghee (into halwa like consistency), then added milk to thin it and sugar to taste. Ishi ate half a katori of the mixture without any fuss, and has been happily playing ever since! Her last feed was at 12pm. Gruel Lunch at 3pm. I'm planning to feed her next at 5-6pm. First proper meal! Woohoo!! :) And the date again is auspicious! Yesterday was Baisakhi, today is Bihu and tomorrow is Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year)! They are all considered the start of a new solar year and a new harvest season, the time for great rejoicing and of course eating! :)

Breastfeed is the ultimate convenience food - no preparation, no planning, no feeding difficulties! However, after 6 months, the baby's nutrition needs outgrow breastmilk, and it needs to be supplemented by other foods. Though many people wean off earlier, we've followed the standard pediatrician guideline of exclusive breastfeed till 6 months (well almost :) another 5 days to go!). Of course her maternal grandfather would not have heard of anything less anyway!! Post her annaprashan though, we have been getting her to taste different foods, leading upto today's solitary unsupplemented meal. Here is a list of foods she has tasted:
- Payesh (at annaprashan)
- Dal gravy
- Curd
- Paneer gravy (milk based home-made)
- Plain Khichdi
- Mashed Banana

So far, she liked all except the curd which was a little sour! The dal gravy too went in fine, but came out after a bit, spreading its turmeric colored residue all over her clothes, bib and daddy's shirt (who happened to be holding her at that time!) While turmeric has great medicinal properties and is a staple in our diet, its propensity to fast-color clothes is already giving me laundry nightmares! Ah well :)

So what is plan for ahead?
We plan to follow the supplementary weaning principles, gradually introducing other foods, till breastmilk becomes supplementary food. I'm also reading about Baby-led weaning, where babies are encouraged to handle food on their own as young as 6 months!

On the practical front, here are some thoughts for next steps:
- Egg yolk for breakfast
- White Gruel for lunch
- Khichdi with mixed veg for dinner
- Mashed Banana for snacks. Introduce stewed apples later
- Peeled Carrot to suck on (raw, part boiled or boiled - to be decided)

Plus next weekend, we go for her 6 monthly check-up and will ask for a multi-vitamin, mineral supplement prescription too, plus run her diet through her pediatrician.

Here is to a new beginning! Shubho Nabobarsho!