Pap is one of the first weaning meals introduced to babies in Nigeria. It is quite popular and generally known in all parts of the country, Igbos call it Akamu; Yorubas call it Ogi and Hausas call it Koko…what do you call it in your language? I will update as i get more names.
Pap is like our own version of the English custard. It is made with dry corn soaked in water to ferment and then ground and sieved to get the starch-like paste that is made just like custard. Being a first food offered to babies especially as it is economical, a lot has been done to make pap more nutritious and that is how the brown baby pap came to be. Brown pap is one made not only with yellow or white corn but three different grains…corn, millet and guinea corn.
This trio combination makes pap a more nutritious meal for baby. While corn is mainly a good source of carbohydrate, millet and guinea corn offers some proteins, vitamins and minerals that are very essential for baby’s growth and development. Feedback from mums that fed their babies with brown pap, as against some commercial over the counter cereals were all positive. This is contrary to some views portraying pap as malnourishing for kids. As with other cereals, pap is most times all the time not taken alone but fortified with other things like milk, soya beans, fruit purees and even ground fish and crayfish which i’m personally not a fan of. All these shoot up the nutritional value of this our homemade and traditional baby saver.
Now the process of making pap is tedious but no labour is too much for the love of your baby. Making it at home, i believe, is more hygienic than buying the ones sold in the open markets unless you are sure of your source. If you are not cut out to try this DIY labour of love or when you run out of your homemade pap, then buying from a hygienic source is always the best.
[UPDATE] I have added a video for you if you prefer visuals. Click here to get to the video.
7-STEPS TO MAKING BABY’S PAP/AKAMU/OGI/KOKO
What you will need:
- 1 cup dry yellow or white corn
- 2 cups guinea corn
- 2 cups millet
- Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon Stick, Vanilla Pods or other natural flavouring of choice (optional)
- Water + water + water
- Large chiffon cloth
- Thick cotton bag (normally salt bags washed thoroughly with no trace of salt)
- Big bowl
Don’t forget you can add other baby purees to your baby’s pap after making it for extra nutrition. Click here to see some of them. Your toddler can enjoy pap with finger foods like;
Baby fish wraps and more.
Let’s Start:
Step 1: Wash the corn, guinea corn and millet separately to remove the bad grains, sand, stones and chaff. Pour all into a bowl and add enough water to cover it. Leave it for 2-3 days ensuring you rinse and change the water everyday.
Step 2: Blend the grains together with any of your flavourings and sufficient water in a blender if you have a powerful one (i used the 1000watts Nutri Ninja Blender), otherwise you go to the commercial grinding mills to do so, as it needs to be blended into a paste. If you don’t have a powerful blender, you may need to repeat the grinding process once more after taking step 4 below.
Step 3: Tie the large cheese cloth tightly round your big bowl making sure the bowl can still balance on a flat surface to enable you start the main task. Scoop small amounts of the blended mixture into the cheese cloth. Using your hands and little amount of water, start sieving to get the corn paste pass through the cheesecloth into the bowl. Keep sieving until the leftover is completely a dry chaff.
Step 4: If you used a blender that didn’t blend the mixture very smoothly, the chaff may not be dry at this time and will contain some more paste. Put it back in the blender, add a little water to blend more and then continue with step 3.
Step 5: Once you’ve finished sieving all the mixture, gently untie the cheese cloth from the bowl. Cover and leave the bowl for about 3 hours to allow the mixture settle. After that, you will see that the water above is completely clear and ready to be gently drained and you have your Pap at the bottom.
Step 6: After draining off the water, stir the pap well and pour it into the clean cotton bag. Squeeze it tightly to remove excess water and using a rope or the end of the bag, tie it up in a way that it can squeeze more water out. Place the pap bag on a flat elevated surface or your sink (anywhere that water can drain away from it) and place a heavy object on it to help it drain of the water completely. Leave overnight if need be.
Step 7: Once the water is drained, untie your bag and you have your pap. It is best to cut into small quantities that can be served at a go, tie in transparent small bags and then preserved in the freezer.
[WATCH THE VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE THIS ]
Now to make Baby’s Pap, dissolve some paste in a clean bowl with a little cold water first to form a smooth not too thick or too watery paste. Pour boiling water into the paste, while stirring until it thickens. You can heat the thickened mixture a bit on low heat for ½ a minute. Fortify with your choice of milk, soyabeans, fruit puree etc to the pap.
I made a video on Facebook on how I dissolve and make pap. Do you do it differently? Share yours on Facebook with us.
What is pap called in your language? Have you ever tried making pap by yourself? Share your experience and remember Mummy’s Yum is on Instagram and Facebook, where you can share by tagging us in any of the recipes you have tried.
Lovely. Will try it.
Hi Chi, I just came across your blog and found the information you are sharing very helpful. Please am I free to join?
Hello Eve, you are absolutely welcome to join freely.
Gud evening ma’am pls can I give my 7months old baby pap,soya bean, crayfish, fish,groundnut and nan formula? Was given him Nutribom and Nan but he’s rejecting it plsss help a Frnd said I can also give Milo and full cream dano @night pls ma’am is it advisable?
Hello Rita, pap , soya, crayfish, groundnut and formula milk are ok. However, be sure that your child has no allergies to nuts especially or your family has no allergy history before giving them.
Please Milo and full cream dano is not good for babies at all. Stick to homemade foods and you can always find recipes here.
is it good to add ginger for a four months old baby
Hi Chinyere,
I think it is best to start with plain pap first for baby before introducing flavours. Also, the ideal age to start baby on solids is 6 months.
Sorry admin but ur pix is mixed up. D first is guinea corn which looks red. Lovely step by step tutorial. Tnx
Hey Quin, thanks. It is surely a mix up.
At what point do you add the ginger and cinamon
Nma,you can blend the ginger along with the corn. The cinnamon is best added when making the pap.
Thanks. Pls how can I make Guinea corn powder for easy use when making baby’s food. Since PHCN is making it difficult to store the wet pap
Ify i’m not so sure about the powder but i am guessing that all you need do is break the pap into pieces and then dry it in the sun. Use the dry mill blender to blend into powder and then you can mix and make it just like custard. Try this and see if it works.
Pls when should cray fish and groundnut be added.
Tola, you can add them to the slurry (that’s the sieved pap) or otherwise you can leave them and add to already cooked pap for feeding baby.
Hi Tola,
A lot of people are actually allergic to crayfish (shell fish in general) and groundnut and it is not advisable to give them to your baby without knowing if he or she has allergies to these foods
i can do just ogi baba and millet alone for baby of 6 months+?
Mary, i guess so but i don’t know what is ogi baba.
Sorry what i meant is that after mixing millet and guinea corn and yellow pap. can i also add soya bean powder to her pap? thanks
Sure you can Mary.
Can this combination be given to a four month old baby ??
Hi Nkem, the recommended age for starting baby on solids is six months. Some start at four but do check if your baby is ready and speak with her doctor.
Thank u ma for d recipe, I prepare my pap just as u said, but the thing is that I use only guinea corn when I want to prepare it, is that okay?
Sure, it is ok if you prefer to use just one.
Is only white or yellow corn good for baby
Any of them is good Josephine.
Good day management, I’m so lucky and thankful to have stumbled on this wonderfully rich website. God bless your good work.
Pls can this brown paper mixture be given to a 4 mths old baby? Thanks
Thanks so much Shade. Six months is the recommended age to start baby on solids though some do start at four. Be sure your baby is ready and consult your doctor too.
I started giving my baby pap at 4months.but I always make it watery so she can easily digest it.she is 6 months old.growing bigger and gaining weight.
Thanks for this lovely and informative site Chioma, I have been looking for a great source of Nigerian natural food for my baby girl who will be six months in a few weeks…found your site just in time 🙂
Segun, thanks so much and welcome to Mummy’s Yum. I bet your little princess will enjoy these homemade recipes far better than bottled jars.
Thanks Chioma and Segun for the information. So many mothers do not know that groundnut and shellfish can trigger allergic reactions in babies. I found from research that soybeans/milk may not be the best too as it contains phytoestrogenous properties which mimics the female hormone estrogen. This can cause hormonal imbalance in children, please be wary of these food additions.
Thanks so much Ayodele. As for the soybeans, there’s no conclusive evidence on that assertion and research is still ongoing. Also, a teaspoon or two sprinkled in baby’s pap is not excessive as against those that consume it specifically as a main meal in some countries.
can i add soya bean milk and weaning milk together to my baby’s pap. is it good like that?
I believe you can Graceie but i think it is best to add one at a time. That way it helps you identify any allergic reaction from food should it arise.
I’m about to start my 6 month old baby on solids. At the market, I was advised to buy equal amounts of corn, guinea corn and millet. Pls is it ok? Or do I have to use half the measure of the guinea corn and millet for the corn?
Gene, i don’t think it matters. You can use equal quantities or different ones as you like.
Hi, i just got guinea corn na yellow corn for my 1 year baby, will like to know if this’s okay for him. Thanks
Femi, of course you can.
Pls can I use only millet and guinea corn without yellow corn?
I guess you can Blessing, but i feel corn gives it more thickness. Try it.
Pls i soaked millet, guinea corn with soya beans for my baby’s pap, hp it is ok?
Aisha, it is not ok please. Soyabeans should always be made separately because it has a different process of preparation.
Weldone Chioma, my baby will be 6months soon and I’ve been scouting for pap recipe, good I found you…my questions; 1. can’t the pap be stored lik that after sieving i.e without d excess water draining process? 2. What thickness consistency is needed for 6months baby that is exclusively breastfed? Ifeel the one in d pix is too thick. 3. Should the pap be spoonfed or bottlefed? Thanks in advance
Thanks so much Adepeju. First, you have to sieve out that water and if you want to preserve with water (especially if electricity is not constant), you add fresh water which you will always have to discard everyday and pour another fresh water. This is to keep the pap from having a foul smell. The thickness depends on your baby’s ability, so start with a lighter one first and then gradually make it thicker. The one in the picture was made for my then 15-month old or thereabout.Spoonfed is way much better than bottlefed. It is never advisable to give baby anything other than milk in bottles cos it affects their development. Spoon feeding helps him easily adapt to proper solid foods.
God bless u Chioma, I appreciate…pls how many times would I feed pap in a day? Plus what’s your candid advice on what to be added to the pap while grinding or making it for a 6months old as there are many options out there which is confusing,would like to know what worked for u… thanks in advance
Thank you so much Adepeju. To be candid (in your word..lol) i always prefer grinding the corn alone. In my own opinion, what a 6month old needs is just pap with milk and fruit purees that can all be added after making the pap. Other things can be gradually introduced with time, remember pap has no age barrier. I hope this helps.
Thank you so much ma’am … thumbs up to you for finding time to reply questions asked, you’ve been very helpful… keep winning!
You are very welcome.
This came at the right time. Was told yellow corn makes babies add weight and u just confirmed it indirectly.usually I do only millet n guinea corn.anyways,thank uuuuuuuuuu
Lol, Opelayomi please o, baby needs other nutritious food to be healthy and not just fat. There are other baby purees you can make from the blog.
Hello chioma,am really happy, I found d site,ve been giving my 7 months old son,pap,as at when he became 6month,my problem now is dat,i normally add soya beans to it,den wen feeding him,it will turn watery,and I also discoverd he poo a lot when I add s soya beans and also cries wen I add s soya beans,but wen I add milk he does not cry n he eats more dan with d soya milk,and does not poo often like wen he eats pap with soya milk.does this mean he is allergic to soya beans,or der is smtin am not doing right..thank u
Hello Favour, please see a doctor with your baby so that they can test if it is an allergy. Meanwhile, stop giving it to him too. It could be allergy or the soya beans may be contaminated somehow…your doctor will do a better diagnosis please.
Beautiful write up. I stumbled into this at a time I was fed up with feeding my 7 months old baby with custard. Just wanted something natural and less expensive. And you’ve got a perfect do it yourself tutorial for me. God bless you richly.
You are very welcome Faith. Thank you.
Thanks Chioma, I found this write up educating and nutritious for my girl, but are there other grains that can be added to this three? My baby is 2years and she doesn’t eat anything apart from cereals.
Thank you Amara. These are the grains i know, but rather than looking for other grains, why not encourage your daughter by making solid meals. Check recipes like rice, moimoi, pancakes etc. I guess you don’t want her to keep taking cereals only.
Am so happy 2 be here.my baby loves her pap so much but once I add soya she will want 2 throw up den stop and drink up.my mum says is the bottle how true is this
Ujunwa, i wouldn’t know why but it is really not advisable to feed baby pap with bottle. Spoon feeding is better for good teeth development.
More power to ur elbow my dear,pls 4 those. Of. U dat wnt ooda cereals I’ve 500g of brown rice,dry guinea corn,beans flour and oohers. Naturally made without preseervatives,u can.
Thank you Chiamaka. Contact me if you want to advertise your products please.
Thanks Chioma for this wonderful blog. My baby has since started taking and enjoying his pap. I mix it wirh Nan milk and feed him with a spoon. Dear Favour I do hope your baby is better. The truth is that soyabeans is rather delicate and can be easily contaminated so please you may want to stop giving your baby that for now. Also, Ujunwa, I found that fresh soya bean milk has a very strong taste which I never liked as a child. Maybe your baby doesn’t like the taste
Thanks so much Gene and for your contribution too.
Nice one. God bless you
Thank you Betty.
Thanks so much for this!
You are welcome Monica
PLEASE CAN I ADD BOILED EGG YOLK TO BABY PAP WIH SMA MILK
Krystal, sure you can.
Thanks Chioma. How can i dry the cap to create a flour form
Omotunde, i am yet to try it. Once i do and get a satisfactory outcome, i’ll share it.
You can sun dry and blend in your dry mill to get the flour form
Thanks so much Wari, that’s what i thought it may be and i’m in the process of experimenting.
Hello Chioma #pls my baby is 7months and am giving this ur recipe but I don’t change the water everyday when I soaked it#is it OK?and I do add soya beans mixed with crayfish groundnut when makes making d pap #i notice rashes on his body after I started introducing him to pap and he is not adding weight #abd he eats alot cos I heard this recipe makes baby fat#
Hello Glory, it is always best to change the water, so that you avoid it becoming smelly. Now, i am not an advocate of adding too many things into baby’s pap. It is best to make the pap separately, then add these ingredients one at a time for your baby. If your baby is reacting to one of the foods in the pap, then this is the only way you can find out which one it is and eliminate it from his diet till further notice. As for adding weight, it is a gradual process and also know that children are different from one another, so being fat or chubby does not necessarily equate to being a healthy child. Barring any signs of illness or health concern (Do take him to the doctor for a checkup if you have concerns) and your child eating healthy food well, he should be fine.
Hi Gloria, Chioma is right, it is likely your baby is reacting to the groundnut or crayfish…a lot of babies do. It is better to just give him the plain pap, a mix of millet, guinea corn and white corn as Chioma has described here is delicious and packed full of a lot of different nutrients..Also supplementing his pap with baby or breast milk is anotther added source so don’t worry..just give it time . My 10 month old is on a steady diet of pap and breastmilk..she didn’t put on much weight at first from months 6 to 8 but her doc says she is doing great and shes now gaining weight..Also her skin glows like no man’s business! I’m so glad I discovered this blog 🙂
Thank you so much Segs B. At least, she will be rest assured with the words of two mums 🙂
please can i add 123milk to baby pap when taking?
Paulina, i presume 123 is the peak powdered milk for toddlers from 1 year up. Yes you can if your baby is already 1 year and above.
Thank u so much i like this post though I’m from Rwanda
I’m asking if u don’t have fridge how to preserve ur pap??
Hello Dadu, greetings to you and thank you for stopping by. I remember preserving pap those days without light by putting the pap in a bowl and covering it with water which is discarded everyday and topped with fresh water again. I am not sure how long it lasted again. I will throw this question out on my facebook and Instagram pages to get suggestions from other mums. Join my pages link here http://www.facebook.com/mummysyum and http://www.instagram.com/mummysyum
Thank you very much. Can I make it without the Guinea corn
You are welcome Nifaebe. Sure you can though Guinea Corn contains extra nutrients for your baby more than corn alone.
Thanks so much for this piece. The instructions are clear and understandable.i am Going to try it out and see how it goes for my 6months old.remain blessed.
Thank you so much Ijeoma. You will surely get it.
Hello chioma, I tried the dried one and I think its cool.i bought the corn,millet,guniea corn and crayfish, picked it and grinded it.so I just sieve whenever I want to make it. Shikena
That’s great Tifama.
Can I put crayfish and groundnut in my baby pap?
Yetty, you can though i am not a fan of it at all. Most mums do so and as long as there is no allergy history in your family, i guess it is okay.
Hello. Thanks for this. How do I make powdered pap ‘cos of inadequate preservation means?
Olukemi, you may have to dry and then grind it into powder.
Can I soak n grind tigernuts with the corn,millet and guinea corn
Mrs Udi, I have not tried that and I don’t know how it will turn out. I don’t really know why you would want to add tigernuts to pap…rather than making it alone as a milk.
It’s healthy to add tiger nuts to your pap. Its part of the koko recipe
Ade, you are free to add anything, so long as it is not detrimental to your baby’s health.
At what point can I add crayfish and how
Atangunen, I am not a fan of adding crayfish to pap but if you want to, then it should be when cooking the pap for consumption, not at this stage. Another way may be to dry the pap, grind into powder and mix ground crayfish into it.
Must Guinea corn and millet be of the same quantity. I am planing of doing it like this half mudu of yellow corn, half mudu if millet and one mudu of guinea corn.will that be okay?
No it must not be same quantity.
Your pap making process is informative
Good one .
Thank you Bakare
Am yet to try . am a midwife n my client who is a Nigerian recommended it for me so I thought of reading about it before baby gets to 6 months. Am really convinced
This is great Regina. Please do try and give me a feedback. Thank you.
Hello Chioma, God bless u for this. I give my baby the dry one, blended with millet, guinea corn, yellow corn, white rice, soya beans, crayfish and dried fish. I heard it helps babies to grow fat but mine is not(he’s very healthy), but recently he doesnt want to be eating it again so am thinking of replacing the white rice with groundnut. i use cowbel tina milk, or do u have any good one in mind?
Rhose, so long as your baby is healthy, that’s fine. Being fat does not always mean the child is healthy but may even be a sign of childhood obesity. As for milk, i believe any infant formula is good if your baby is not up to 1 year. Don’t give normal milk to baby please.
Hello Chioma, am really glad I found this information. My baby Will be 6month today. And since last month I have been trying to prepare the brown pap down before the six month. Due to irregular supply of light I decided to make it in powder form. But I didn’t get it right because instead of the normal process I just pick the corn, guinea corn, and millet wash it, dried it went to blend it. I wasn’t satisfied with the results. So should I discard it or can I use it for something else while I make another pap but with methods I just learnt from you. Thank you
Thank you so much Helen. I think you can keep the blended one and make it like cornmeal porridge. It should be a very nutritious combo. Check cornmeal porridge recipe here and use it https://mummysyum.com/cornmeal-porridge
Hi chioma, Can I make mine with just guniea corn and yellow maize? must it be d 3 ingredients
Of course Bettie, you can.
Do I soak the soya bean alongside the corn and millet?
No Esther. I would say, make your soya beans alone.
Hi Chiom
I’m such a huge fan of tour blog,you’re doing such a great job I just have to tell you
I made the brown pap for my 9month old with the ratio 3:2:2 using yellow corn,millet and guinea corn so clearly I used more yellow corn because I wanted more content.
I hope it’s okay?
Hello Mrs Royal, thank you so much. Yes of course, it is ok. I’m glad it is of help.
One midwife told me that millet and pap causes malaria?
Hahahaha. Onyii, tell that nurse that she is ‘Nurse Eliza’…fake nurse.
Hello, my colleague at work told me that the combinations in tom brown is too much for a 6 month old to digest. Pls what’s ur view
Hello Busayo, I don’t know what combination of food is mixed in tom brown. You may want to take it to a nutritionist or dietitian to check out.
My baby is 8month and she has been taking only breast, I wanted to introduced the pap to her which milk can I use with it. Thank s
Aminat, any baby’s first infant formula is okay as long as your child does not have any allergies. There are may brands out there with different prices.
Hi, Chioma thanks so much for your recipes, would love to make this pap but i cant get the guinea corn in grains here. Only have the flour. Can I mix the flours together in the required proportion and get the same results. thanks
Hi Maryam, thank you so much. I don’t know about the flour really. Maybe you can give it a try and see if it comes out well.
I prepare my ginger separately by grinding with water, then sieve to remove the chaff, pour inside a bottle and refrigerate, this way I can add to my pap anytime. I have the full taste of ginger and ofcourse it’s nutrients this way. This is because ginger itself has starch, and when you grind together with the pap, only the ginger starch settle with the pap, you end up pouring the ginger water away with the pap water.
Thanks so much Hannah for this method too.
Great work you’re doing here maam
Thank you so much Hannah.
Thank you so much ma for this detailed description. I was able to follow through and I made my brown pap for my baby,which is a lot cheaper than when use to buy.
But the problem is the pap smells badly .I don’t know compared to the one I buy. The smell is so bad that my baby doesn’t want to take it.
How can I reduce or eliminate this smell in my subsequent preparation.
I also mixed the pap with essence ,foster Clark’s. Pinnacle and Vanilla to give it a nice odour is this healthy for my 15month old baby?
Thank you ma
Osinachi, mine doesn’t smell at all.
Do you follow the steps well as per washing it and everyday and changing the water? If you don’t do it, then it will definitely smell bad.
Well done Chioma, I find you website very informative. My star is to turn 6months in 2weeks and I already bought guinea corn and planned to soak it later this week but on stumbling on your recipe and methodology, I have decided to add millet and corn for substance and thickness. I found out from giving my son guinea corn alone that it turns watery easily especially when put in a hot water flask for long. It will be nice to try something diff with my daughter. Also is it true that yellow corn causes cough in babies and todds.
Thanks so much Taiwo. It’s good you are trying something different and hope lil madam likes it. Never heard of corn causing cough.
Hi chioma,
My baby consumes food like fire even though she eats cerelac. She consumes 900kg of cerelac every-week including breast-milk and NAN 2. Am thinking of alternative meals that can fill her tummy cause her incessant feeding is giving her mom less sleeping time.
Do you think pap is the best option or probably going for custard.
PS: she eats rice, indomie, beans, amala etc just for you to understand how heavy her meal plan is.
Dikeje,pap is always better than custard. For a baby that is already eating all that you listed, i don’t know what else you want.
Plz chioma am new here and I love ur informations they are really helpful. Plz can I use peak in pap instead of formula
Hi Pauline, welcome on board. It is always formula for babies. Peak is not for babies below 12 months.
Hello madam, i am so glad i stumbled upon your site.
My baby will be 3months in 5days and he eats alot. I had to start him on formula at 3weeks and now he consumes one tin of NAN a week, plus consistent breastfeeding. Its expensive for me.
ive been thinking if it is okay for me to start him on pap and oats? Something that will fill him up better?
Nde, 3 months is really too early. Please exercise patience as there is no gain in rushing.
Hi, pls kindly explain how to prepare guineacorn into a powdery form
Oluwaseun, i haven’t made that yet.
Can i add soya beans powder,crayfish and groundnut into a 4months old pap
Ayoola, i wouldn’t add all that. I believe it is best to give baby’s food one at a time so that you can easily detect any one that may give allergies or discomfort.
This is the most detailed Pap making illustration i’ve come across.
Well-done ma’am. Will definitely try it.. Not everyday expensive baby food..
Thanks so much Chinwe
Hello Chioma. At what age can I introduce pap to my baby?
Hello Rita, 6 months is ok.
Hi Chioma. For some reason my pap mix turns watery after a while , within 30mins . Can I still give it to my baby like that ?
He’s 7months . Cheers
Afua, I noticed that in a pap I made too and I can’t figure out the cause yet. I don’t think there is anything wrong with giving baby but would he like it tat watery?
Pls can I make it dry (flour form) for a 4months old baby n can I also add soyabeans?
Yes you can Rita
Will I sieve d flour after grinding?
Mariam, I don’t understand your question. Did you read the steps very well? Please do so and also watch the video.
How can I get the recipe of preparing the brown soybeans powder?
I don’t have a recipe yet Sarah
thanks for the wonderful recipe. can i add groundnut paste to the pap while making it and can i take the combinations of the seeds for grinding after 10 hours
I guess you can but be sure your child is not allergic to nuts before doing that.
I’ve been on your blog for hours now. Too informative. God bless you for helping young and inexperienced mothers like me. Please, I read somewhere that sprouted grains are more nutritious. How true is it and what’s the best way of processing that? Also, you said you’re not a fan of adding crayfish and fish to your pap, is there is reason? Kindly let me know. Sorry for my long comment o. Thanks
Thanks so much. Yes sprouted grains are more nutritious. I will try Not adding crayfish to pap is just personal but if your baby likes it, why not.
Thank u for dis information,,pls can I add groundnut to d Guinea corn am blending? If yes will d groundnut b fried
You are welcome Safina. I have really not added groundnut to mine but I guess it should be added after blending, i.e. the ground one.
God bless u for help we mothers in Jesus name Amen
Amen. Thank so much Adetoun
Well done ma’am. Keep the good work. Pls my baby is 4 months now. I want to introduce pap to her because she eats alot. Have been feeding her with only breast milk but it doesn’t fill her anymore. Pls what are the things you think I should add to my pap to make it nutritious for my 4 months old baby.
Faith, the combination of the pap is good nutrition. There is actually no need adding too many things at this point for your baby because the main nutrition she needs comes from breastmilk.
Tanks chioma for this wonderful teaching, pls Can I add NAN milk to it cos my baby is not big and I would like her to change a little. Tanks
You are welcome Mariam. You surely can add any baby formula milk to it. Keep giving your baby other healthy foods too and remember looking healthy is better than being big.
Hi Chioma, please my baby is 4months old and it seems like breastmulk doesn’t satisfy him for long cos he now feeds on an interval of 1-1hr 30mins as against 2-3hours. He’s on exclusive, would it be too early to try feeding him on pap? Waiting till six months don’t know how we are going to manage, esp at nights, its making me sleep deprived. Again, what baby formula would you recommend to start with. And is it okay to add bournvita to baby’s pap from 6months? Because I’d like to alternately between bournvita, milk, and soyabeans as long as he doesn’t react to them so he can have different variety and taste. Lastly when soaking the maize and others is it cold water you use or hot? I remember when growing up my mum usually use hot bouling water and she leaves it for 3-4days before washing with clean water and then she grinds. She doesn’t change daily and it doesn’t smell too. Or could it be because it was only maize then?
Hello Mercy, some babies show signs of being ready to start solids at 4 months. I have this all covered in the Baby Weaning Guide which I believe you will benefit from.
Please do not give your baby Bournvita. It is a not a suitable drink for babies. There are lots of natural homemade baby food purees you can give your baby for variety. Search the website and you will find lots. Again, the Weaning guide has some as well as information that will help you.
A for the pap making, people have their own different methods and this is the one I grew up knowing.
Hello ma. Thanks for this detailed illustration.
Pls do you mind explaining to me the most hygienic way to sprout these grains before grinding? God bless you
You are welcome ma. I will make a post about sprouting later.
This Is Very Informative My Sake. God Bless You Dear.
Thanks so much sake m.
How do I sweeten d pap for d baby or is it just adding formula.that means I have to add a generous amount to make it creamier to soothe d baby’s taste
Olufunmilayo, you really don’t need to sweeten food for babies as such. Their taste buds are not developed like yours yet and the lesser you get them addicted to sweet or sugary foods, the better.
Hi Chioma, please I was told that if the millet in the combination of corn, guinea corn and millet is not added in the right proportion may have an adverse effect, how do I know the quantity to use.
Hello Chinma, I have never heard of that. What is the adverse effect please?
Please CHI can I also give my baby the pap without adding baby’s milk? Or must I add milk?
Princess, it is up to you but I will go for team “adding some baby formula milk” cos it is for baby’s good.
I just made pap following your instructions, wasn’t an easy task at all. Thankfully i made enough to last a long while. But mine isn’t exactly brown, it has a milky colour. Did i do anything wrong or is it good to go? Pls advise.
Mrs A, weldone. Like I said, it is a labour of love…not easy but you feel happy knowing you are sure of what you are feeding your child. The colour is ok as some are more brown than others depending on the ratio of grains used.
Hi Chi, tnks 4 the love, am new here and my question is my boy will be 3months in a week time and i want to start feeding him… so cant i start with this brown pap?
Ruthie, 3 months is too early. The recommended age for weaning is 6 months.
Please, where can I get millet from? Someone recommended http://www.faceofagric.com but I want to see if there is any other alternative.
They are in the markets Chiazor, depending on where you are.
Thanks for d info., I ve a 6mnths old baby who refuse to take nan 2…though ve been feeding him with nan 1, we have to start stage 2 his refusing it now….
You are welcome. I hope baby is taking it now. Maybe he’s trying to get used to it first.
Can I feed my 4months old baby pls
Yes you can if your baby is ready to start solids. Waiting till six months is ideal.
Goodevening ma and thank u for taking your time, ma after following your step i dry mind and blend it to powder because i don’t have frez and is nice
Great feedback. Thanks Rejoice man
Please how did you make it to powder. form
I didn’t make it to powder form, which is different process Sarah. You can preserve these ones in the freezer.
Hello Chioma,
Good job on the pap making recipe. I tried using a paint rubber of millet and guinea corn with half paint if maize. it looks good but it gets watery after I add milk to it. just wanted to know what could be the cause and if I can still continue using it for the children. thank you
Mary, I had the same issue too. I think the maize should be more than the others but yet to try it and see. You can still use it…I add greek yogurt to thicken mine.
Every pap will go watery after adding milk when it is very hot, so wait till the temperature is cooler before you put milk. This method is what I use for my eight month old as well. It works, but you can’t keep the pap for long after adding milk cos it will turn watery with time
MA is it compulsory u add cloves, cinnamon sticks
Not at all Jennifer. It is very optional and I mostly don’t personally.
Hello chioma, thanks for being one safe place for mothers. Please I want to ask how many times a day can one give a 8months old pal.
Hello Fisayo, you are welcome. I can’t answer this your question o, but what I will ask you is “why give only pap the whole day when there are other nutritious combinations you can offer your baby?” Please try and give baby varieties which you can find on the website here or you can purchase the Baby Weaning Guide for more guidance.
The maize should be more than others else it will turn out watery
Hello Mrs. Chioma thanks for your information. My baby will be 6months in two weeks time and i am already preparing to give her pap. i have done all the steps you’ve provided and will grind it tomorrow. pls can i add soybean, plantain and crayfish after making the pap to feed my baby? also what other food can i introduce to my baby aside from pap. thanks.
Yes Uduak, but I will always suggest you add one thing at a time so that you can detect anyone that causes any allergies to your child.
God bless you Sis, I’m really blessed by this information. It is so educative. More grace dear.
Thank you Adegbola
Hello Chioma,
Thank you so much for the information on how to prepare Akamu. I soaked mine for 2 days without changing the water at all………….. would there be any challenge? cos I just read now that the water needs to be changed
Hi Rhoda, not changing the water just makes it have a smell that you may not like.
Can adults also take this combination for meal along with moinmoin?
I don’t see why not Moses
well done ma, please my of six months doesn’t take His pap, Pls what else can I give him I really don’t want him to lose weight . thanks alot
Faith, there’s lots of recipes here for him. Go through the website.
Hi chioma, I just came across this post while searching for tips on how to make my millet pap from scratch. It really helped me making mine. But I think I left mine In the water too long without washing it and it has developed this bad smell ? is it still safe to feed it to my baby? She’s 4.5 months old. Thank you for the tips.
Jennifer, I wouldn’t give it to my child because I can’t eat a bad smelling pap myself.
We made this food for my baby but people said we should stop giving it to him because it contains maize. They noted that maize is not good for babies. How true is that? Thanks
Hello Mayowa, you did not state why they said it is not good for babies. As far as I know, maize is added as part of the first food for babies and even in commercial baby food, although some babies may be allergic to it. Just as with introducing all new foods to your baby, check for any allergic reaction. If concerned or in doubt, always check with your doctor please.
Ma can I make my own powder one?
Temi, you can, but I think it’s a different process which requires hygienically drying the wet paste.
Can i use yam flour seive instead of chiffon cloth cos wen i was growing up i learnt d chaft we seive out from pap is the most nutritious but for adults pap sha…so i want to know if same applies to babies
I really don’t know about that Kunmilola. What we sift out is more of fibre which is good for babies but they can surely get it else where.
Hi Chioma, I just stumbled upon this blog while googling ‘how to make pap from scratch with corn, coconut and tigernuts’ and I must say you are doing a great job here. So, I wanted to ask if I can add coconut and tigernuts to the maize if I don’t want to use the millets and guinea corn? Thank you
Hi Alexandra, thank you so much. I believe you can but I personally wouldn’t advise that if it is or baby. You can ad these individually in their food instead of mixing it with the corn. That way, you will be able to check the particular food that doesn’t sit well with your child.
Can i as a mum take it with soya beans to produce more breast milk for my two weeks old baby?
You can try it Lola. Hope it works
Goodmorning Chioma, please can I sun dry my washed corn and guinea corn to make it powder, then sieve it to remove the chaff
Hi, Mrs Daodu, yes you can do that and then cook the cereal. Mind you it won’t come as pap I guess.
Thanks for your informative post it reallllyyy helped me as I’m a first time mom and also making pap from the scratch for the first time. I bought everything as seen except for ginger coz I don’t like d smell in pap. And it came out so welll though it didn’t turn out brown (I’ll like to know why please) and I added soyplus for my baby after making the pap. I’m really happy I did this. Thank you again. ? ? ?
Hello chioma,I used only millet and guinea corn,is it good for my 6month baby?
Hello Olamide, it is fine.
Please where can i get the vanilla pods or other natural flavor in Lagos?
Hi Bukola, you can find them in supermarkets and markets too. I don’t have any particular shop in mind…maybe shoprite.
Pls ma I added quarter ginger to the pap I processed, I want to know if is good for a 6 month baby
I wouldn’t add ginger to the one for baby at 6 months.
I just saw ur post bcus I was searching for how to make pap for self consumption. I never knew its so easy,I always fed my babies cerelac. Thanks for this
You are very welcome Sherrie
Please ma can I soak maize, guinea corn and soya milk together (grind and sieve) for my baby?
Adedoyin, I won’t add soyamilk (I believe you mean soyabeans). I feel its best to make that separately and add to pap after making it.
What can I use the chaff to in the kitchen?
Christy, I really can’t think of anything except poultry food if you have one. You can mix with other things to give them
I did the powdered Tom brown.but it purges my baby likewise myself.though she’s (my baby) just two months old.
Hello Joy, please it is very dangerous to give a two months old baby anything except breastmilk or baby formula. Allow your baby to get to 4-5 months at least please.
Thank you MA for, but MA what is one don’t have the salt bag any other option ?
I am really not sure what other bag to recommend
My baby is almost 4months old and breast is not feeding him please can I make this pap and introduce him to it
Queen, the recommended age to start baby on solids is 6 months, although some start at 4. You can give a little to see if your baby is ready and also seek your doctor’s advice too if in doubt.
Pls, when I make tom brown can I pour hot water over it directly like pap or it must be cooked? Thanks!
I don’t know about tom brown Amaka. You need to ask the makers about it.
It must be cooked on fire, like you would cook pap
Pls ma Can i use only ginger instead of cloves n cinnammon stick as a flavor? In preparing d pap 4 my 6mth old child
Ngozi, you don’t really need to add even ginger for a six month old.
Can I take d PAP for breastfeeding for extra milk
Faith, it should be good but seek advice on good lactation foods.
Good day Ma.
Thanks so much for this I really needed something to motivate me to start preparing home made Akamu. My baby is 1 year plus , i hope it is okay to add ginger and cloves for her age ??
You are welcome Chidinma. Yes, it is okay for 1 year olds
Good evening,pls I blended guinea corn and millet without seiving it for my 11months old and 2years old baby .
I want to know if it’s safe for them
Ogochukwu, I am not so sure about it but I personally feel it would be fine as long as it is blended well and cooked.
Good morning ma, pls can i add ginger and cloves to a 5month old baby pap?
Ola, It is always better to start with plain pap first and your baby is still younger than the recommended weaning age of 6months. While it is sometimes okay to start earlier, you need to include different ingredients gradually.
Please madam can I add ginger to my 6months old Baby’s brown pap?
Hello Aku, I will not advise you to. It is always better to start plain with babies first before any additives.
Thank you so much ma,
After making the brown pap. Should I still cook it?
Please does yellow pap cause catarrh in babies?
Yes you should cook it please. I have never heard about pap causing catarrh.
I really found this helpful. Even the comment section I learnt something too. My baby is turning 6months this July and I want to introduce pap and really want to make the preparation myself. All I just need to get is a 1000W blender or will 750W be okay. Thank you so much.
Thanks MaryJane. I would say, go for the 1000W, you won’t regret it.
Please how many times should I feed my six months old baby with Tom brown cereal?
Chinonso, I don’t know about tom brown cereal
Can I soak the grains together with the cinnamon and cloves?
I feel it is better to add them when grinding the grains.
Good day please can I add coconut and tigernut to the mixture
I personally don’t see the need to be adding them to your baby’s pap.
Please can I blend groundnut or crayfish or the two together with grains?
Adeola, I wouldn’t do that. I will prefer adding them after making the pap.
Tnx!i really appreciat this. Pls how long can the cooked pap be stil good for baby ? Also can this meal be taken by adult ?
Hi Goodness,
Cooked pap should b given immediately or kept in a flask that can keep it hot for the day…but not more than one day please.
Can I give a baby of 11 months golden morn
Golden morn is not for babies. I’m sure it is also written in the pack.
I’ve tried tombrown for my baby and he seems not to like it. I’m thinking it’s also because it’s not so sweet to taste.
Now I wanna start processing pap for him. Pls can I add dates to it as a sweetener?
Also can I leave the pap in a bucket and be changing the water daily since I’ve got no freezer for now
Thank you
Hi Special, you can add dates. You can also be changing the water but I dont know how long that would be. I would advise that you make in small batches or better still, dry them and make it into powder.
Pls I had dry pap done but I roasted it but each time I want to make it,it looks llike tombrown,I don’t know if I should filter it or wat should I do
Hi Jessica, I really haven’t seen roasted pap. If you cook it, then i assume it is okay.
Can I give my baby of four months pap? That’s yellow corn, Guinea corn and millet make it in powder form to make into pap?
Hello Blessing, it would be better to allow your baby reach 6 months before giving solid food. That is the recommended age.
Thank you so much for the post
Good day madam my baby is 5month+ and she eats alot breast milk can no longer sustain her so can I introduce pap to her. Can I also add dates n ginger to the pap while preparing
Hi Tochi, yes you can introduce pap and also fruit and vegetable purees (https://youtu.be/UBzK7T51ykE). I would suggest that you start first with plain pap and baby formula, then you can add these when baby is up to 8-9 months.
So when did you add the ginger, cloves and cinnamon?
You can add when blending the corn.
Please ma, how can I process the date before adding it to my baby pap
You can dry and blend into a powder.
Good day madam please how do i add ginger to the pap for baby is while blending or during cooking ?
You can add in the process of blending the corn or you can use ginger powder, however I don’t think it is necessary for now in your baby’s meal if under a year.
Is there any way you can make all receip in powderd form for baby with soya beans
You may have to dry it and then grind.
Please ma, can i mix crayfish and egg into the pap for my baby?
You can but make sure the egg is cooked please.
Please ma can I mix crayfish,milk and pap for my baby
Yes you can if your baby is up to 6 months and above.
Thank you for this…what can I use for the cotton bag?
You can buy cotton bag in the market or use a salt bag that has been washed very well.
Ma, pls which milk can I use for my 6month old baby for his pap
Baby formula please. You can use normal milk if you are cooking it with the pap.
I made my pap with yellow corn, guinea corn and millet and when ever I make the pap it’s always very dark brown almost black. Did I do something wrong
It might be the specie of corn or millet used. It is normally brown when made with them.
PLS ma my baby is almost three months old can he take PaP, he is not breastfeeding and cry’s alot.
Hello Juliet, it is not advisable to give baby anything except breastmilk or baby formula. Pap should be given from 6 months. Check with your doctor to know if you are producing enough breastmilk and whether you are latching baby well.
Hello madam what kind of flavor can i add when milling the pap banana flavor or which.? Can I add the flavor and other ingredients together.
Charis, there is no need adding any flavour. You can add fresh and pureed banana when you make the pap for your baby.
MA pls can I add date to the pap for my baby
Yes you can, but best to add it after making the pap.
Thanks for this site ma. Please can I mill.corn, millet, Guinea corn and Soybean (all grains) together to use for my 9months old baby? The emphasis is on the Soybean being milled with other grains?
You are welcome Nnebuihe…love your name. I wouldn’t mill them together if i were you. Soybean is a different type of grain and high protein as against the others. I believe it doesn’t need the same processing method and it is better to separate some foods in case of allergies and intolerances. That way you can be able to identify and eliminate any culprit .
MA I want to add soyabean to my girls pap, so should I add soya while mixing the pap or after the pap is ready. Which method is more better
I would make soya bean powder separately and add to the pap after it is ready.
While making my pap can I add date ,coconut and tiger nut wit my corn and millet bfor granding it?
Vana, if making for yourself, that’s fine but for baby? I wouldn’t advise that please.
Please can I add ginger and cloves in my baby’s pap
Yes you can, but make sure it is not too much for your baby’s tastebud.
Pls ma, with your procedure how can I turn it to powered pap or if I want powered pap what are the procedures
Hello Anthonia, here is the link to homemade powdered pap
Have soak my too but I soak it with soybeans because a doctor says soybeans can be soak with other ingredients ,If parent don’t want to add milk. That soybeans can be grind with the other ingredients that is good creamy and yummy for baby. I just soak all together today.
Titi, if that is what your doctor told you, then follow it.
Thanks for this ma.
Can I grind my banana purée together with the mille, corn and all from the scratch. Cos I might not have time to be blending as I make each day
Tope, how ke? Banana is quite easy to mash with a fork and add after making the food. It is not advisable at all.
I heard of another procedure,,that one should try the ingredients like corn,millet, guinea corn,groundnut,soyabeans,and wheat,then after trying not will oil oo just like that,then one should wash and remove the shaft and then grind it into powdered form,, please ma which is the best method please???
I don’t know about this but it is not advisable to mix all these together
Can I mixed sma gold with PaP for my 10 month baby
Of course you can add it…it is milk, right?
Good morning ma.pls can add sweet Peteto and banana when grinding the white/yellow corn together.?
It is not advisable please.
Please can I give my 2 month pap and which kind of milk can I put
No Omowunmi. You shouldn’t give your baby anything except breast milk or formula milk till they are six months
Pls, can I add coconut, tiger nut and dates to other ingredients and blend together?
I wouldn’t advise it because it will be difficult for you to know which one is the culprit if your baby develops any reaction
Please, can a six month old baby take cooked pap directly after grinding without having to sieve the shaft away.
Is it easily digestible by the baby?
It is okay to do that.
Good evening ma .My twins are 2months old and it seems the breastmilk isn’t enough for them .I had to introduce them to kendamil baby formula which I substitute with breast milk .I give them the formula in the morning ,afetrnoon and night then breastfeeding them Im between and throughout the night but it seems they are not still satisfied .Can I introduce them to pap but a bit watery mixed with guineacorn ,millet and milk.
Hello Bunmi, I know it can be quite difficult feeding twins but it is not and never advisable to give your baby anything apart from breast and formula till they clock six months. Please check to see if you are giving them the right quantity, and feeds a day should be up to six times or more. Check with your doctor to see if there is anything that can help boost your milk supply and be sure you are also latching your babies well when breastfeeding. I wish you all the best with your bundles of joy…please don’t give them pap yet.
can I give dry pap to my baby and how is the procedure like cos I don’t have frigde and this has made me to not make enough pap cos it spoils quick even when I change the water morning and night.
Hi Jacenta, here is a link on how to make dry pap https://youtu.be/Vx4YvCoJfl8
Hi jacenta, make sure u stir the pap very well every time you change the water
How many scoop of milk is ideal to put in pap for a 10 months old baby
I cant say but it depends on the quantity of pap and it should be formula milk.
Hello pls @ step 1, if I soak the three mixtures for only 24hours,.will it pose any health risk for my baby,.I only want to know wat happens if the mixture is not soaked for 2 to 3 days,. Thank you.
There is no health risk that I am aware of. Soaking long only ferments it, which is good for the guts, helps with digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Please! what is the life span of this dry pap
Once dried properly it can last long up to 3 months or more maybe. I always finish mine before then.
Hello! Please can i give my 2-3months baby, pap and formula milk? Or is it at risk?
It is not advisable and never recommended because of the long term damage it can cause to your baby. Please give only formula and breastmilk till your baby is 6 months.
Hello pls can I use only genuine corn to make pap for my baby don’t want to corn
Yes you can
Please is there any health benefit of ginger in baby’s pap or is it just for the flavor
It has health benefits but too much of it can be harmful to babies. So, a little for flavour is not bad.
Please, I did my fermentation process without changing the water for 3 days, is it still advisable to give my baby the pap or is it harmful?
It is okay as long as you wash it well to ensure it does not smell.
Can also make this brown pap dry
Yes you can
Please can I add grounded crawfish to my baby’s pap,he is 5 months
Hi Eunice, you can do that even though I don’t personally like it.
Love this So much, I have been giving my baby this combination and it’s very good the whole family, I prepare it my self and it’s not stressful because I prefer it more better.
Great. Thanks Rebecca
Good morning ma.
Can I add date fruit to my about to grind corn, millet and guinea corn
I wouldn’t personally do that
Plz can I add egg to the Pap for my 4 month old baby?
yes, so long as it is well cooked. 6 months is ideal for starting baby on these foods.
Good evening…
Pls is blended groundnut good to be added to a 10months old babies ogi baba pap?
So long as your baby has no allergies, it is okay