Brief Answer:
Time to start weaning. Sips of water may now be given.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

6 months of age is the age for weaning. However, you should continue breast feeding alongside.
Juices: Start with clear and fresh fruit juices. Alternatively you can also offer your baby dal ka pani. Soak yellow moong dal overnight; make sure you keep it covered. Next morning drain the excess water and boil the dal in water preferably double the amount of dal taken. When boiled well use a strainer to collect the clear dal water in a container and offer few spoonfuls at a time.
Fruits: If your baby is accustomed to apple juice move to apple puree after two weeks. An overripe banana is every child’s favorite weaning food. Mash it up with a spoon or fork and offer to your little one. Also try other fruits like papaya, XXXXXXX and chickoo. But remember to introduce only one at a time.
Vegetables: A mashed potato makes a good start to introduce veggies. But make sure that the potato is boiled well and mashed thoroughly. Add a little water if the need be. Once your baby is seven months old try other vegetables like carrot, bottle gourd, pumpkin, tomatoes. All boiled and hand mashed thoroughly.
Soups: Make clear vegetable soups. Boil the veggies or pressure-cook them. Mash them and put them in a strainer to strain out the clear liquid. Add a pinch of salt if needed. A mix of carrots, beetroots, tomatoes make a good veg-soup. You can introduce soups when you baby is around 8 months old.
Greens: Add spinach to your baby’s diet during the eighth or ninth month. Wash clean and boil the greens. Make a thick paste and offer your baby.
Nutritious mixes: Take rice, wheat, ragi, moong dal in equal amounts. Wash and sundry. Roast the mixture in a skillet and then grind it. Keep it in an airtight container. This is a highly nutritious mix for the baby. Once your baby has started to tolerate liquids, take one spoonful of this mixture and boil it in water. Cool it down and offer to your baby. You can also add a spoonful of this mixture to your khichdi preparations or to other veggies.

Cerelac is a neither good or bad. It is just easy to make food preparation. However, we prefer a rice based formula to a wheat based formula since it is easy to digest for the baby.

Let me know if I could help further.

Regards

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