How Much Balguti to Give Your Baby Month by Month

Most parents bring home their first Balguti pack with the same two questions. When should we start? And how much is right for such a small baby?

Balguti is not measured in spoons or millilitres. It is measured in rounds, which means how many times each herb is rubbed on the sahan. That number goes up as your baby grows. Once you understand this one point, the rest of the routine is very simple.

Below is the full month-by-month picture, from your baby's first week to their first birthday.

If Balguti is completely new to you, please first read what Balguti is and what it contains. This guide assumes you already have the pack at home.

When can a baby start Balguti?

Balguti is traditionally started once the baby's first motions are clear. This is usually within the first few days after birth. Families in Maharashtra have been starting it at this stage for generations.

Every newborn is different, so please speak to your paediatrician before you begin. This is especially important in the first few weeks, and if your baby was born premature, is fully breastfed, or has any health condition.

What you need before you start

Only three things:

1.The Balguti 20 Herbs pack, which contains the whole dried herbs.

1. A sahan, which is the flat stone platform on which the herbs are rubbed. If you do not have one at home, the Balguti Kit comes with both the herbs and the sahan.

2. Cooled boiled water, or a few drops of expressed breast milk.

A stone sahan is used instead of a metal grater for a simple reason. Stone rubs the herb gently and evenly without heating it, and it is easy to wash and dry fully after every use.

How Balguti dosage works - the valase method (rubbing the herbs in circular motion)

One valse means one full circular rub of a herb on the wet stone. The rule that has come down to us is very simple.

• In the first month, each herb gets 1 to 2 rounds.

• Every month after that, add one more round for each herb.

• By the sixth month, each herb reaches 6 to 7 rounds.

• The routine continues in the same way until your baby turns one year old.

You are not adding more herbs, only more rounds of the same herbs. The daily guti stays a small quantity throughout. It should sit easily on a fingertip or the tip of a small spoon, never more than that.

Balguti dosage chart, month by month

How to prepare the daily guti, step by step

1. Wash the herbs and the sahan, and let both dry.

2. Put a spoonful of cooled boiled water, or a few drops of breast milk, on the stone.

3. Rub each herb one by one, giving each herb the number of rounds for your baby's present month.

4. Add a few more drops of water if needed, till you get a smooth, thin paste (chatan).

5. Give it to your baby on an empty stomach, after their motions are clear for the day. Most families do this first thing in the morning.

6. Wipe the herbs and dry them properly before keeping them back. Dampness is the one thing that spoils a Balguti pack.

The whole process takes only three to four minutes once it becomes a habit.

What changes as your baby grows

Around the third month

Gas and colic complaints are at their peak around this time. This is usually when parents first notice how useful the routine is.

Around the sixth month

Weaning starts, and your baby's digestion suddenly has much more to handle. The rounds have roughly doubled by now, which is not a coincidence. The traditional schedule grows along with the load.

From the eighth to the twelfth month

Your baby is crawling, putting things in the mouth, and meeting much more of the world. Teething is usually in full swing. Keep the routine steady and do not increase the rounds faster than the schedule.

If daily rubbing is not practical

Rubbing  fresh every morning is the traditional method, and the 20 Herbs pack is made for exactly that. But it is not always possible, especially while travelling, with a second child at home, or after going back to work. Balguti Syrup takes care of the same daily need with ten selected herbs, ready to use.

Many families keep both. They use the syrup on ordinary days and the herbs with the sahan when they want the full traditional preparation or need a particular herb for a particular complaint.

Five mistakes worth avoiding

• Keeping the herbs damp. Dry them fully after every use; otherwise, the pack will get fungus. You can sun-dry the herbs, pan-dry the herbs on a tawa, or heat them in the oven for 5 minutes at the lowest temperature your oven offers. 

• Increasing the rounds early because the baby seems to like it. Follow the month, not the mood.

• Making the paste too thick. It should be thin enough for the baby to swallow easily.

• Giving it after a feed. An empty stomach is the traditional instruction, and it matters for absorption.

• Skipping a talk with the pediatrician in the newborn weeks just because it is a traditional preparation. Traditional and suitable for your baby are two different questions.

After twelve months, what next?

The daily guti routine traditionally concludes at one year. Many families then move on to Suvarnaprashan, which is given once a month on Pushya Nakshatra day. This suits an older child's routine better than a daily preparation.

Frequently asked questions

How much Balguti should I give a one-month-old baby?

In the first month, each herb is rubbed only 1 to 2 rounds on the sahan and mixed into a spoonful of cooled boiled water or a few drops of breast milk. It is a very small quantity, just a thin paste on a fingertip. Please speak to your pediatrician before starting in the newborn weeks.

How do I know when to increase the dose?

Go by your baby's completed months, not by their appetite or behavior. Add one round per herb at the start of every new month. If your baby turns three months old on the 12th, the rounds go up from the 12th.

Can I give Balguti twice a day?

The traditional practice is once a day, on an empty stomach. Giving it twice is not part of the routine. If you feel your baby needs more support, please discuss it with your pediatrician or Ayurvedic practitioner instead of changing the dose at home.

What if I miss a day?

Simply start the next morning again with the same number of rounds for that month. There is no need to make up for the missed dose.

Should I choose the 20 Herbs pack or the Syrup?

The 20 Herbs pack gives you the complete traditional range and the freedom to use specific herbs for specific complaints, prepared fresh every day. The Syrup is a ready-to-use daily tonic with ten selected herbs, made for convenience. Many households keep both.

Where to buy

Green Pharmacy has been making Balguti in Pune since 1993, in an FDA- and GMP-certified facility, with over two million packs sold. You will find the full Mother and Baby Care range on our website, and at our stores in Karvenagar, Sadashiv Peth and Nagpur.