Complementary feeding: where to start and how to introduce it correctly

First meeting baby with "adult" food is of great importance, because exactly how it happens will depend on his health and taste preferences in the future. Therefore, today we will talk about the basic rules for introducing complementary foods into the baby's diet.

When to introduce complementary foods

Experts from the World Health Organization believe that up to 6 months of age, the most suitable food for a baby is breast milk or an adapted milk formula, but then, the child's body needs other products as well.

In modern pediatrics, the average age for introducing complementary foods is determined by the interval from 4 to 6 months. This is due to the fact that up to 4 months the child's body is not able to cope with dense food, and after six months there may be problems with the perception of food of a different consistency, thicker than milk.

Here are the main signs by which mum will be able to understand that it's time to expand the menu of your baby:

• the child is actively interested in the contents of your plate;
• sits confidently and holds his head;
• doubled birth weight;
• the pushing reflex of the tongue passed;
• the first teeth appeared.

At the same time, remember that each child's readiness (when all the signs are present) manifests itself at different times, so do not rush to introduce complementary foods at the first "signals". It is better to wait a little, but do it right and without harm to the health of the baby.

How to introduce complementary foods

There are various schemes and methods for the introduction of the first complementary foods, let us dwell on some of them in more detail.

The essence of pedagogical feeding is to acquaint the baby with new taste sensations, but not to feed, since all food is given in small pieces in scanty quantities. In this case, he gets food from his parents' plate.

Pediatric complementary feeding is the gradual introduction of new products into the child's menu according to the scheme, in order to eventually transfer it to a regular diet. For him, separate dishes are prepared without sugar and salt, and then grind to the consistency of mashed potatoes.

The most important thing is not to rush to feed the baby all at once, here you need to act consistently. When the child is completely healthy, pediatricians and nutritionists recommend starting with vegetable purees.

Zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli, potatoes are ideal for the first acquaintance. Pumpkin, carrots and beets are introduced a little later. Each vegetable should be given separately so that in case allergies one could easily figure out the "culprit." When the baby has already tasted all the vegetables, then it will be possible to combine them with each other.

Then the eternal question arises - should I feed the child with purchased puree or should I cook it myself? Here, each mother decides for herself, focusing on what time of year the beginning of complementary feeding falls. In summer, you can safely buy seasonal vegetables at the market or grow it yourself, but in winter you should still choose baby food in jars.

First feeding: how to give

It is very important to invite the baby to try new food before the main feed, lunchtime will be the most suitable for this. For the first time, you should give him only half a teaspoon of mashed vegetables and supplement with breast milk or formula, and then carefully observe the general well-being of the child.

Does the baby behave as usual and does not bother him? You can gradually increase the portion to the age norm over the course of the week, thereby completely replacing one feeding, and then introduce a new vegetable. If there are rashes on the skin, abdominal pain and loose stools, then you need to exclude this product and not give anything new for three days.

It happens that a child refuses unfamiliar food and such a reaction is the norm. In this case, you need to be patient and offer him to try the same dish at least 10 times. If you flatly refuse, offer him mashed potatoes of another type of vegetables.

Be sure to remember that it is forbidden to introduce a new product into the baby's diet if he is sick or during the period of preventive vaccinations.

How to inject porridge

After 3-4 weeks of vegetable feeding, cereals can be introduced, they are usually offered to the baby for breakfast.

You should choose cereals that do not contain gluten - buckwheat, corn and rice. The fact is that recently, many children under the age of one year have been experiencing its intolerance.

Before cooking, the cereal must be sorted out and thoroughly rinsed, you can grind it with a coffee grinder or wipe it through a sieve and boil it again. For the first two weeks, it is better to cook liquid porridge in water in a ratio of 5 g of cereal per 100 ml of water, and then gradually make it thicker. You can add expressed breast milk or formula to the finished meal.

A very convenient and safe option would be ready-made cereals "out of the box", which must be diluted with water. Like all baby food, they undergo strict quality control, and they also contain various vitamins and minerals.

You should not give your child porridge from a bottle, only from a spoon, since food processed with saliva is better absorbed.

Complementary feeding: table by month

The table for the introduction of complementary foods will become the best "helper" for a young mother during this period, because it says in detail at what age you can include certain foods in the baby's diet, as well as indicate their required amount.