Hello all,

It is often asked that when and how we should start the newborn baby on diet other than milk.  Here are a few guidelines according to ayurveda.
 
Ayurveda advocates only breast feeding until six months of age.  If breast milk is not available, goat/cow milk can be used with appropriate dilution.  After six months, fruit juices are given to
begin with non-milk diet.  After this, boiled rice + ghee can be started immediately.

So, until six months, baby knows only one taste of food – that of milk – which is sweet.  (Apart from herbs that are given as either medicines or supplements).  Ayurveda says that all six tastes are
essential for a complete diet.

Babies older than six months are gradually introduced to other tastes, e.g. sour in the form of pomegranate, little salt with rice (preferably rock salt), (salt should not be mixed with milk), bitter
in the form of fenugreek, astringent in the form of nutmeg (this goes with milk and sugar) and again amla, pungent in the form of ginger (goes both with milk or rice).  Of course the tastes of spices I have
mentioned are not absolute tastes, but these are predominantly present in these herbs.  These can be used in the above sequence going to newer as the baby tolerates, every fortnightly or so.  Of course, all
above can be used with your own discretion according to prakruti and vikruti.  All above spices have other effects that should be taken into consideration.  E.g. Nutmeg is digestive and is a remedy for
diarrhea, but may increase constipation if the baby is already constipated.

Dr. Thite