How to give complementary foods to your baby. What problems are possible when introducing complementary foods? Is the baby ready for complementary feeding?

Lure– this is the beginning of the introduction of new types of products to replenish the baby’s energy costs.

Based on WHO research data, general rules for complementary feeding were developed:

• the first product in the baby’s menu is introduced between 4 and 6 months: at six months for natural babies, at 4 - 4.5 months for formula babies;
• great attention is paid to readiness for a new type of food;
• Complementary feeding by month involves the introduction of various types of food: cereals, vegetables, meat, dairy products;
• food should be in pounded form (puree). If you have teeth, you can try kibble food;
• Breastfeeding is a guarantee of health and should be continued until the age of two.

Pediatrician, doctor of the highest category Yakov Yakovlev believes: “You need to treat the number 6 well. This is a great age for adult food."

When complementary foods are introduced after the optimal period, the child will begin to lose weight and experience a lack of microelements. In the worst case scenario, there is a developmental delay.

With the early introduction of new products, the risk of developing allergies increases due to the unavailability of enzymes in the digestive system.

Complementary feeding rules

• you need to give new food from 5 grams, increasing the portions over 2 weeks to 150 grams;
• the child must be healthy;
• the first complementary feeding is undesirable in the summer;
• another product should be introduced only after adaptation to the previous one, approximately every 2 - 3 weeks;
• food should be freshly cooked and warm.
• You need to carefully monitor the child’s condition. If diarrhea occurs, it is better to remove the product from the menu for a while and try again after a week.

Complementary feeding at 6 months

The baby's first dish is vegetable. If you are underweight, eat porridge. We start with hypoallergenic broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower.

Broccoli doesn't have the best flavor, so save it for last.

You can buy vegetable purees in jars or prepare them yourself. When preparing puree, you should take a vegetable, wash it, peel it. It's better to steam it. Then place the finished vegetable in a blender. Grind until pureed.

The most delicious purees are from Gerber, but in terms of price they are much more expensive than “Babushkino Lukoshko”.

Do not add spices, salt, or sugar for up to two years.

In 2 weeks, the child should get used to zucchini. Monitor the condition of your skin and stool.

Cauliflower will be the next step in expanding the diet, but subject to the absence of rashes and other elements on the baby’s skin.

It should be given before breastfeeding, at 12 noon.

You can offer one dish 5-6 times. If the baby does not eat the entire portion offered to him, perhaps he is simply full of breast milk.

Some of the latest in vegetable complementary feeding are pumpkin and carrots. They are allergenic products, be careful.

Potatoes are the latest of all vegetables to be introduced into a child’s menu. A very allergenic product, the absorption of which requires a mature enzymatic function of the intestine.

Important information for those parents who are interested.

Complementary feeding at 7 months

Next up are fruits and cereals. We start with green apple and pears. Then offer prunes, apricots, peach or plums. Of course, in the summer there is a much greater choice of fruits.

We introduce fruits, like vegetables, starting with a teaspoon, from one fruit, after a month we move on to another.

Porridge is our nurse

Introducing complementary foods at 7 months should begin with dairy-free cereals. Up to 12 months there is no need for cow's and goat's milk, as grandmothers advise. These dairy products increase the acidity of the stomach and can provoke the development of gastritis or ulcers.

You can add breast milk or formula to the porridge.

Start with gluten-free porridges - corn, buckwheat or rice. For children under one year old, gluten is quite difficult to digest.

Don't be afraid to buy baby cereal in stores. They are already crushed and ready for use, just diluted with water. No additives needed. The Nestle company produces a number of very tasty cereals at reasonable prices.

Porridge is given for breakfast, along with fruit. The quantity is the same as with vegetables. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to the porridge.

8 months - meat time

By this time, the baby already has a full breakfast. Now we will create a menu for lunch. The first meat dishes are rabbit and turkey, as they are hypoallergenic. We start with 5 grams of canned meat puree, either separately or mixed with vegetables. You can prepare the meat dish yourself in the form of minced meat.

After turkey and rabbit, beef, chicken, and veal are given. It is better to avoid pork before 2 years of age.

We do not add vegetable oil to jarred meat puree. But if you cooked it yourself, you should add ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil to vegetables or meat puree.

Yolk is a storehouse of vitamins

We give the yolk 2 times a week, starting with ¼ part. Add to dishes or dilute with milk. Typically given in the morning. Then by the year we increase it to half.

Table for introducing complementary foods for breakfast and lunch while breastfeeding

lure	4 months	5 months	6 months	7 months	8 months
Vegetable puree	-	-	5-100 grams	-	-
Fruit puree	-	-	-	5-100 grams	-
Fruit juice	-	-	-	40-50 ml	-
porridge	-	-	-	5-100 grams	-
meat	-	-	-	-	5-100 grams
yolk	-	-	-	-	½-1/4

Don't forget to give breast milk.

Formula-fed complementary foods table

lure	4 months	5 months	6 months	7 months	8 months
Vegetable puree	5-100 grams
Fruit puree		5-100 grams
Fruit juice		40-50 ml
porridge		5-100 grams
meat			5-100 grams
yolk			½-1/4

It's time for cottage cheese and kefir

Ukrainian doctor Komarovsky O.E. advises starting complementary feeding with kefir, as it is similar to mother’s milk. But WHO recommends otherwise. It is better to buy kefir for children, from the companies “Nasha Masha” or “Frutonyanya”. Kefir should be unsweetened and without dyes.

We also start according to the “golden rule” - with a teaspoon. We serve kefir for dinner at 20.00. We also choose children's cottage cheese: “Agusha”, “Tyoma”. We start the cottage cheese with a teaspoon and by the age of 1 year we bring it to 50 grams. We serve it in the evening for dinner along with cottage cheese.

10 months - kibble food

The child can be given cookies and dried biscuits, since the baby already has the required number of teeth. Give the fruits in pieces, peeling them.

A child with food should always be supervised!

It is better to make fruit juices yourself. Store-bought ones contain a lot of acids and sugar.

At 10 months, give fish dishes 2 times a week. Start with low-fat varieties - hake, cod, perch.

What should not be given before 1 year of age?

• semolina porridge should not be given frequently, as it interferes with the absorption of iron and can provoke the development of anemia;
• candies, chocolate;
• goat, cow's milk;
• tropical fruits, citrus.

General table for introducing complementary feeding to children

lure	4 months	5 months	6 months	7 months	8 months	9 months	10 months
Vegetable puree			5-100 gr.
Fruit. Puree				5-50 gr.
Fruit. Juice				40-50 ml
porridge				5-100 gr.
meat					5-100 gr.
yolk					½-1/4
fish							5-100 gr.
cottage cheese						5-50 gr.
Kefir						5-100 gr.

Food in "banks"

Products are prepared only from environmentally friendly, carefully grown fruits and vegetables. This type of nutrition has a guaranteed composition. Lots of checks go through. It is impossible to find low quality baby food on the shelves.

There are no preservatives in this diet. Why do they last so long? Vacuum packaging and aseptic storage conditions do not allow the product to deteriorate.

You can start introducing complementary foods with industrial products. Then, when the child gets used to it, cook on his own. Be sure to check expiration dates.

Complementary feeding for children with atypical reactions

It is very difficult to feed a child if he has allergies. The following rules must be taken into account:

• do not add sugar to prepared foods, especially juices;
• start complementary feeding only with “clean” skin;
• observe monocomponentism. Don't mix multiple vegetables or fruits. This will make it easier to identify what you are allergic to if it appears;
• leave sweet fruit juices, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin for last, by 10-11 months;
• egg, fish are best introduced from 12 months;
• It takes at least 7 days for the baby to get used to each new dish;
• if a rash appears, the new product is canceled;
• If you are allergic to cow's milk, allergic reactions to beef are also likely.

Until the age of one year, the health of the baby is established. Proper balanced nutrition will help avoid many problems in the future. Your child will definitely like new foods if they are prepared with love. Each baby is individual, and only the mother will be able to understand when a new feeding period will begin.

Complementary feeding is the food that is prescribed to a child upon reaching a certain age and physiological indicators. It supplements breast milk or formula, the nutritional value of which can no longer meet the needs of a growing body. Thanks to complementary feeding, when your baby eats a relatively small amount of food, he receives a lot of energy and nutrients in the form of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Since in the first year of a baby’s life the foundations for the child’s future health are laid, proper nutrition, including complementary feeding, plays a very important role.

First complementary foods - when and how to introduce them

The question of when to introduce complementary foods worries all mothers. However, this question cannot be answered unequivocally. It is important to understand that an indicator of a baby’s readiness for complementary feeding is not only age, but a number of parameters of its growth and development, including:

- type of feeding of the baby (breast or artificial);
- the weight of the child, which should be at least twice its weight at birth (for premature babies - 2.5 times);
- the baby’s lack of a tongue thrust reflex (that is, if he is offered a drink in a spoon, he will be able to drink it and not smear it on his chin). This is important, since complementary foods should only be given from a spoon so that they are processed by saliva for complete digestion.
- the child’s ability to sit, lean his body towards the spoon (showing a desire to eat) or lean back (refusing food);
- the baby’s feeling of hunger after feeding with formula or mother’s milk, even from both breasts;
- he has a great interest in the food his parents eat and a desire to try it.

For each child, all factors fully manifest themselves at different ages. As practice shows, the most common introduction of complementary foods to a baby occurs between the ages of 5 months and 9 months. When breastfeeding, the opinion of pediatricians on the introduction of the first complementary foods is clear - this should not be done, a baby up to 6 months needs only breast milk. For children who are bottle-fed, earlier complementary feeding is provided.

Mom must remember the main thing - it’s better to be a little late with complementary feeding than to hurry. For example, complementary feeding at 3 months can cause adverse reactions on the part of the child’s body, which is not yet physiologically ready to accept new food. These reactions can manifest as abdominal pain, intestinal colic, regurgitation, vomiting and stool disorders. Early complementary feeding can cause serious disruption of the digestive system, requiring long-term treatment. Another complication of thoughtless early complementary feeding can be allergies, which are caused by high permeability of the intestinal wall to large molecules and immaturity of digestive enzymes and the immune system. In this case, the baby’s developing immune system can be severely affected, which can lead to frequent infections and the development of various chronic diseases.

If complementary foods are introduced to a child who has immature mechanisms for swallowing thick food, there is a danger that he may choke, start vomiting and generally lose interest in food. Subsequently, due to the stress that the children’s unformed liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal system will experience due to the early introduction of complementary foods, these organs will be very vulnerable.

Another negative result of the early introduction of complementary foods is a decrease in breastfeeding, as a result of which the mother’s lactation may decrease. That is why the first complementary foods should be introduced only at a favorable time and only after consultation with the pediatrician monitoring the baby.

Complementary feeding at 3 months

As we have already said, by 3 months, enzymes have already matured in the baby’s digestive system, the permeability of the intestinal mucosa is reduced, its normal immunity and mechanisms are formed that allow it to accept semi-liquid and solid foods. However, at this age, complementary feeding should be treated with extreme caution. For children who are breastfed, its administration is not recommended. The issue of complementary feeding for infants who are fed formula should only be decided by a pediatrician at this age.

Complementary feeding at 4 months

Babies who are breastfed by their mother still do not need complementary feeding, receiving all the necessary nutrients from their mother's milk. Although at this time the body is already preparing to take food other than breast milk and formula. Children who are bottle-fed can, with the doctor's permission, be given fruit juices, and they must be one-component juices. It’s better if it’s a few drops of the apple juice we’re all familiar with.

Then, after observing the child’s reaction and not noticing any alarming manifestations in the form of skin rashes, intestinal colic, or stool disorders, you can begin to gradually increase the amount of juice by a few drops per day.

In the beginning, the easiest way to get juice is by finely grating an apple and squeezing a few drops of juice into a teaspoon from the resulting mass through a sterile bandage. It is important to remember that you cannot introduce complementary foods using a bottle with a nipple. You should feed your baby with a spoon, and later use a drinking cup.

Complementary feeding at 5 months

At the 5th month, babies who are bottle-fed can be introduced to their diet with vegetable purees, starting from 5-10 grams and increasing their daily amount in the baby diet to 100 grams.

Complementary feeding at 6 months

At 6 months, most babies should be given complementary foods in the form of vegetable puree (weak children can begin to be fed porridge). The best vegetables for first feeding are zucchini or cauliflower, but it is better to be careful with carrots, as they can cause allergies. You can add a few drops of vegetable oil to vegetable puree. Gradually increasing the portion of complementary foods in the form of vegetable puree, you should completely replace one milk feeding with it. By 10 months, the baby should eat up to 200 grams. vegetable puree in one go.

Complementary feeding at 7 months

A 7-month-old baby can safely be fed porridge. In the first week, the porridge should be liquid, prepared from 100 ml of water and 1 teaspoon of cereal. Then you can start making it thicker and prepare it from 100 ml of water and 2 teaspoons of cereal. A baby at this age can be fed rice, buckwheat or corn porridge made from cereals previously ground in a coffee grinder. The porridge is boiled in a small amount of water and then diluted with breast milk or a formula diluted to the desired consistency (but not cow's milk, which is a strong allergen). In the first days, you can give only a few teaspoons of porridge, then gradually increase its amount to 150 grams. in a day. This portion of porridge can fully replace one breastfeeding or formula feeding. If a young mother does not have enough time or skill to prepare such porridge, you can use ready-made porridges, the choice of which is very large today. When preparing them, be sure to follow the instructions.

In addition, a baby’s diet at this age can be supplemented with the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, chicken or quail. The first portion should be no more than a match head, then it can be increased to half a teaspoon.

Complementary feeding at 8 months

An 8-month-old baby should already be offered fermented milk products, which are very useful for regulating his digestion and strengthening the immune system, as well as fruit purees. At this time, the toddler’s menu can be supplemented with cottage cheese, kefir and yogurt. The purchase of these products should be made in baby food departments or prepared by the mother herself. At 7 months, the baby can receive 1 teaspoon of cottage cheese and 30 ml of yogurt and kefir. A healthy child can eat 50 grams per year. cottage cheese and 100 ml of fermented milk drinks. Fruit purees should be started with 1 teaspoon. Then, increasing the portion daily, it needs to be brought to 100-130 g.

Complementary feeding at 9 months

9 months is the best time to introduce such a healthy product as meat into your baby’s diet, which is a source of protein, iron and vitamins for a growing body. However, when introducing meat complementary foods, great care should be taken, and if the baby refuses to try a new dish, there is no need to show great persistence.

You can start feeding meat with rabbit, turkey or veal (some babies are allergic to cow protein - therefore, their diet should not contain veal). You shouldn’t offer your baby meat broths just yet; it’s better to give him minced or finely chopped meat with vegetable soups or purees, so it will be better absorbed. You should start feeding meat with 0.5 teaspoon per day, increasing the portion over time to 3 spoons.

Complementary feeding at 10 months

Fish is characterized by an ideal amino acid composition; it is well absorbed by the child’s body. However, it may be an allergen. Therefore, for the first time it should be given to the baby during breakfast in order to observe the reaction of his body throughout the day. Nutritionists believe that children under one year of age should receive not meat as complementary food, but white sea fish (such as hake, cod, etc.). The first daily portion of fish supplements should be equal to half a teaspoon, increasing over time to 50 grams.

Complementary feeding at 11 months

At this age, you can further expand your baby’s diet by offering him different vegetables and fruits. Children of this age, as a rule, already have from 4 to 6 teeth. Therefore, you can try giving your child food without grinding it in a blender or meat grinder, but cutting it into small pieces. Instead of meat puree, you should give steamed meatballs or cutlets, and leave pieces in the vegetable puree.

By 4–6 months, the baby’s need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases. Since breast milk or its artificial substitute do not fully satisfy the baby’s requirements at this age, additional nutrition must be provided to the child to increase the caloric content of the diet. The first courses of complementary feeding for a child are vegetable purees and cereals. In addition, they accustom the baby to accept denser foods and develop chewing. These complementary foods are designed to replace breastfeeding. Therefore they belong to replacement feeding.

When to start complementary feeding?

Why was the interval from 4 to 6 months taken for the introduction of the first complementary foods? This is due to the fact that before this age the child’s body is not physiologically prepared to accept new dense foods. And it is undesirable to start later than six months; the child may have problems adapting to food with a denser consistency than milk. Therefore, according to most experts in the field of baby nutrition, first feeding should be administered between 4 and 6 months of life. However, it should be remembered that the timing of the introduction of complementary foods varies from person to person. When artificial feeding, you can start complementary feeding with 4 - 5 months , with breastfeeding - with 5 - 6 months .

When to start complementary feeding?

The choice, firstly, depends on the condition baby at the time of introducing new food. If child is underweight or has unstable stools, it is better to start with cereals. Conversely, if you are overweight and prone to constipation, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree. If your baby is free of such troubles and is absolutely healthy, then the advice of pediatricians and nutritionists currently boils down to starting complementary feeding with vegetable puree.

Why? Many mothers may argue that introducing vegetable puree first is quite difficult. It is not easy for a child to go from the sweet taste of breast milk or substitute to a completely unsweetened vegetable. And here you should be patient. You should offer a new dish not just once, but at least 10–12 times, and only after the baby stubbornly refuses it, move on to another type of vegetable. After child parents, as a rule, switch to porridge, making a big mistake! There is a high probability that the baby will not want to eat vegetables at all after introducing sweet porridge. Another mistake mothers make is when they additionally sweeten industrially produced cereals.

It should be taken into account that child He is just getting used to new tastes, and his future eating habits depend on how correctly he is taught to eat in the family. As a result, the habit of sweet foods can lead to obesity and related diseases. So, let's introduce vegetables. It is better to start with products such as zucchini, all types of cabbage, potatoes, they are least likely to cause allergies. Later you can try carrots, beets and tomatoes. The modern baby industry offers a wide range of different types of purees. According to the degree of grinding they are divided into homogenized, which are offered to children from 4.5 months, pureed for children 6–9 months and coarsely ground(9–12 months). Canned vegetables for children are prepared with a small amount of salt, and some manufacturers leave the taste of vegetables natural without adding salt at all.

It should be remembered that when buying ready-made food, you should not add additional salt or vegetable oil. Foreign manufacturers, trying to improve the taste of their products, use legumes (beans, peas, etc.), tomatoes and tomato paste, onions, garlic, and spices (in particular, pepper) when making vegetable purees. In this case, they recommend introducing them from 5–6 months. This does not comply with the prescriptions of domestic pediatricians and nutritionists.

Such purees should not be given as complementary foods babies aged 4–6 months, since tomatoes, which are among the vegetables that especially often cause allergies in children, can be introduced into the diet no earlier than six months. Tomato paste containing salt is best administered with 6–7 months . Legumes, which contain a high level of plant fibers and special types of sugars that can cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa and increased gas formation no earlier 7–8 months . Onions and garlic containing essential oils that irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines, and kidneys - only with 8–9 months , spices - with 9 months and older .

You can prepare vegetable complementary foods yourself using both fresh and frozen vegetables. To do this, you need to boil them, then make a puree (in a blender or using a regular masher). Add a little vegetable or melted butter (no more than 3-4 grams). Oil another new product complementary foods, which children become familiar with from the moment vegetable puree or porridge is introduced. It is a source of nutrients, energy, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E). Vegetable oil is allowed to be administered with 4.5 months , creamy – not earlier 5–6 months .

We introduce porridge

Two weeks after the baby gets used to vegetable puree, you can begin introducing cereal complementary foods . Dry instant porridges are most convenient. To prepare them, you just need to mix the dry powder with warm boiled water and stir. The advantage of these products (as well as canned baby food) is their guaranteed chemical composition, safety and saturation with essential vitamins, calcium, iron and minerals. You can also use dry milk porridges that require cooking, flour for baby food, as well as regular cereal, pre-ground in a coffee grinder.

It is important to emphasize that as the first cereal complementary foods should be used gluten-free cereals - rice, also buckwheat and corn flour; Other cereals - rye, wheat, barley, oats - contain gluten. This is the main protein of cereals; in babies it can cause such unpleasant phenomena as pain and bloating. The principles of introducing porridges are the same as for other types complementary foods- start with one type of cereal, gradually, a week after introducing the first porridge, try another type, and even later - you can switch to porridge from a mixture of cereals.

Introducing a new product

• You need to start with one type of least allergenic product. Interval between introducing different dishes complementary foods must be at least 5–7 days. While your baby begins to try something new, you should carefully examine the skin every day for any rashes, and also monitor your stool. If rashes appear or the nature of stool changes (frequent and liquid), you must cancel the meal. complementary foods and consult a doctor.
• A new product cannot be introduced if child unwell or during preventive vaccinations, it is undesirable to start in hot weather.
• It is recommended to give the “new product” before breastfeeding - then the hungry child will most likely have a positive attitude towards food. In addition, it is better to offer a new dish in the first half of the day in order to monitor the baby’s condition throughout the day.
• They give complementary foods baby only from a spoon, not through a pacifier.

You should not strive for excessive variety in the diet of your little one. baby, for starters, 2-3 types of vegetables, introduced progressively (one per week), are enough. It is necessary to adhere to certain schemes for introducing new foods into the baby’s diet.

Example of introducing cereals and vegetable purees

1st day – 1 teaspoon (5g) 2nd day – 2 tsp. (10g) 3rd day – 3 tsp. (15 g) 4th day – 4 tsp. (20 g) 5th day – 50 ml (50g) 6th day – 100 ml (100g) 7th day – 150 ml (150g).

An example of introducing vegetable and melted butter:

1st day – 1 drop 2nd day – 2 drops 3rd day – 5 drops 4th day – ¼ tsp. 5th day – ½ tsp. (3d) 6th day and beyond – 1 tsp. (5–6g).

Diet baby 4–6 months (volume of porridge and puree up to 150 ml, feeding frequency 5–6 times a day)

Discuss on our forum

The first months after birth are behind us, the newborn is actively growing and getting to know the world around him. The baby receives only mother's milk or a special milk formula, but very soon real food should appear in his diet.

I'm already quite an adult!

The first feeding is a kind of sacrament of introducing the baby to adult food. At what age, with what products and how to start it correctly? Are there any diagrams and recommendations? We will look at these and many other questions that concern all mothers in the article and try to find the answer to them.

First feeding. What is it and when should it be administered?

When talking about the timing of introducing new products, you need to take into account not only the age of the child, but also his general condition and degree of readiness.

At one time, I looked forward to the moment when I could give my son something new - puree or juice. I really wanted to speed up the process, so I think all mothers understand this impatience. However, there is still no need to rush into this.

Based on the WHO (World Health Organization) table, if the baby is breastfed, new foods are introduced from 6 months. The same statement can be found in the book of Dr. Komarovsky, who says that starting complementary feeding before this period, if the nursing mother eats properly and variedly, is pointless.

Ready for adult food!

If you think about it, it’s easy to find an explanation for this - the introduction of new products is necessary so that the growing body receives new, varied and nutritious food. Breastfeeding fully provides the child with all the substances necessary for full development. But from the age of six months, the baby will need additional nutrition, which mother’s milk cannot give him.

In addition, the mother should know the following signs that will help determine the degree of readiness of the baby for a new stage in his life. This:

I'm brutally hungry.

• your baby can sit with support and turn his head confidently;
• the baby weighs 2 times more than at birth;
• At the sight of a spoon being brought to the mouth, the child opens his mouth and swallows food. If instead he sticks out his tongue and tries to spit out the offered puree, the baby is probably not ready yet.

In some cases, the start of feeding the baby should still be postponed. This may be due to the child’s condition or for other reasons.

After vaccination, the introduction of new products is strictly prohibited.

For example, when a baby:

• temperature;
• intestinal disorder;
• runny nose or cough;
• or the baby was vaccinated;
• the start of complementary feeding coincided with hot weather.

The question torments every mother. At this age, a baby can do a lot. At the same time, we should not forget that the development of boys and girls, full-term and premature children differs.

Dummy: friend or foe? Read where you talk about the dangers of children's nipples and collect the opinions of pediatricians and speech therapists.

Where to start feeding your baby?

A few years ago, pediatricians recommended that mothers introduce complementary foods to their children with juices (most often fruit juices). At one time, I began to supplement my daughter’s diet with apple juice, then introduced pear juice, etc. These products prepared the newborn’s stomach for new food, different from mother’s milk.

After sweet fruits, the baby may refuse vegetables and grain porridges.

However, research conducted in recent years has somewhat changed the idea of ​​the first foods that should be given to an infant and the scheme for introducing complementary foods has changed. It is not difficult to accustom your baby to sweet fruit juices and purees; in addition, they contain slightly less minerals than vegetables.

Zucchini, cabbage or pumpkin?

So which product should you start with? The answer to this question definitely cannot be unambiguous, since, for example, children prone to constipation are recommended to introduce vegetables as their first complementary foods. It is better to give porridge to kids who are slightly behind their peers in weight.

However, let's assume that the baby is not losing weight and the doctor advises starting with vegetables. Which one should you give preference to?

Among vegetables, you should choose those that have delicate, easily digestible fiber - zucchini, broccoli, pumpkin and carrots.

We start with a minimum portion - on the first day we give the child half a teaspoon of the selected product before breastfeeding, then supplement it with milk. During the day, we carefully monitor the child to see if there are any rashes on the skin or if the stool has changed.

It is best to start vegetable complementary feeding with zucchini.

If everything is in order, then the next day the portion can be increased, i.e. give the baby a teaspoon. Is there any negative reaction? The third day - we give 2 teaspoons, etc. On average, it takes a week to introduce one product. Then another week to finally get used to it; Thus, we receive 1 product - 2 weeks.

When your baby happily eats zucchini or cauliflower, no pimples or redness appear, then you can move on to a new product.

When the body has adapted to zucchini, you can try cauliflower.

It should be entered according to the same scheme:

• Half a teaspoon of a new product, the rest of the usual portion of an already tried product + mother’s milk;
• The next day, increase the amount of the new product, respectively, reducing the already familiar product, the baby receives the rest from breast milk.

You should never give your baby breast first and then puree.- having had enough of the usual food, the baby may well refuse a new unfamiliar product. After zucchini, you can offer your child cauliflower or carrots.

However, remember that your baby may have an allergic reaction to “red” vegetables or fruits, so carefully monitor his condition and do not rush into innovations, no matter how much you want to.

After the child is used to and enjoys eating vegetables, you can try offering him fruit puree, for example, applesauce. Believe me, after vegetable purees or cereals, it will not be difficult to accustom your baby to sweet fruits, but if you start with fruits, the success of the “introduction” of vegetables may be in doubt.

Buckwheat is a storehouse of microelements and vitamins.

At the stage when the child’s diet includes one or more vegetables and fruits, you can begin to introduce porridge. They should also be chosen carefully - It is recommended to start with buckwheat or rice porridge, then offer your beloved child oatmeal and wheat. These types of cereals are hypoallergenic, i.e. the likelihood of any unwanted reactions occurring is minimal.

It’s difficult to say which product to give first and which later; you must be guided by the needs and reactions of your own baby. My baby didn't like the zucchini that was offered to him as his first treat, but he happily devoured the cauliflower. Try it, if he refuses the first time, offer it after a while.

The situation is somewhat different with children who are bottle-fed. Such babies begin to be given complementary foods 1-2 months earlier, since it is believed that the children’s gastrointestinal tract is already ready for new food.

Complementary feeding according to Komarovsky

Now a little about the table for introducing complementary foods recommended by Dr. Komarovsky. Introducing a baby to adult food, according to the method developed by this pediatrician, begins with, bypassing the generally accepted rules for introducing complementary foods.

Dr. Komarovsky is confident that complementary feeding should start with fermented milk products.

For more complete information on complementary feeding with cereals, the opinions of experts on this matter and the diagram for introducing foods, read.

But there are those who, despite the vast experience of this specialist, still hold a different opinion.

Antonina from Krasnodar:

“I really respect the opinion of this doctor, but I think that kefir is a completely unsuitable product for such an early age. I studied a lot of literature and decided to start with vegetables.”

Elena from Zheleznogorsk

“I bow to E. O. Komarovsky, but I know a mother who, having started giving fermented milk, later regretted it very much - the child did not digest protein, and alcohol poisoning was detected.”

A mother intuitively knows what her child needs.

To summarize, I would like to say that the introduction of new products into the diet of an infant is a difficult, important stage in the life of both the child and his parents. No two children are alike - each is unique, each has its own developmental characteristics. Whatever scheme for introducing additional nutrition you lean toward, whatever schedules and deadlines you set for yourself, you should carefully weigh all the arguments and be sure to consult with your pediatrician. Watch your child carefully and listen to your intuition - a mother’s heart will not deceive you!

If you are reading this article, it means that not long ago there was an addition to your family, and a long-awaited and beloved baby was born. You, of course, have already decided how you will raise and develop your child, how to feed, breast or formula, what his regime and favorite activities will be, and this article will tell you how to properly introduce complementary feeding to a baby, where, how and when to start , and will help the mother quickly and accurately diversify her child’s diet and introduce healthy foods containing various vitamins and microelements.

What is complementary feeding? These are foods that babies begin to receive at a certain stage of their development in addition to mother's milk or formula.

The start of introducing the first complementary foods for infants on natural and artificial nutrition differs slightly in timing. If children receiving mother's milk can remain without adult food for a longer period of time, then artificial children can be given additional nutrition as early as 4.5 months, because no milk formula contains sufficient amounts of the necessary microelements.

When is the time for supplementary feeding?

The period during which complementary feeding should be introduced depends on several parameters, including:

• The baby's weight has doubled since birth
• The baby has developed the ability to grasp objects in his hands, and the need to try everything to the best of his ability.
• He shows interest in the spoon and may reach for it or lean away from it.
• Interested in food that adults eat
• Can drink liquid from a spoon
• Able to sit, leaning on the back of a chair or an adult’s hand, holds and turns his head well
• Does not push food out of the mouth with the tongue
• During the last 14 days, the baby has not been sick and has not tolerated preventive vaccinations

A very important point at the beginning of introducing additional food for breastfed children is the lack of milk in the mother. That is, if you feed the baby from both breasts at one meal, but he remains hungry. For children using formula, the time to start complementary feeding begins from the moment when he begins to eat more than one liter of formula per day.

The World Health Organization recommends starting complementary feeding no earlier than six months of age. By this period, the baby’s digestive system has already matured and becomes capable of accepting and processing food that is more solid than milk. But on the recommendation of a pediatrician, who will tell you how to quickly and correctly introduce complementary foods, this moment may come a little earlier, especially if the baby eats formula.

So, we came to the conclusion that it is not recommended to start getting acquainted with “adult” food before the age of six months. But now the due date has arrived, and mom has a number of specific questions. How to properly introduce complementary foods to a child? How many grams of puree or porridge should you give? Which product is best to start introducing “adult” food with?

The rules for feeding infants are simple and safe, the main thing is to follow the schemes and principles of introduction, and then both you and your child will receive only positive emotions from the new food.

The most important principle that must be followed when introducing complementary foods correctly is small doses of solid food. That is, you need to start giving your baby complementary foods with half a teaspoon, increasing the portions over and over again.

Pediatricians and international consultants note several rules that must be followed during the period of introducing complementary foods.

• Carefully monitor changes in your baby's stool. If he begins to suffer from increased gas formation, intestinal upset, or, conversely, constipation, it is too early to introduce this product. There is no need to be alarmed by the change in color of the excrement; it is simply a reaction to new food.
• Rashes on the skin should also serve as a signal to temporarily discontinue the product.
• Observe the baby's behavior during the day and his sleep at night.
• Assess how the baby will gain weight after introducing a new food

If on the first day after the baby has tried a new food, his condition and behavior have not changed, the portions can be increased to a whole teaspoon, and over the next 14 days the amount of this product can be increased to the norm required by age.

When starting the introduction of any complementary foods, it is very important to understand that it is not able to replace full meals, but is aimed only at introducing the baby to the variety of tastes of “adult” food, and as a source of additional microelements and vitamins.

Rules for introducing complementary foods

And a few more views from doctors and experts:

• Do not start introducing complementary foods during illness and for two weeks after it ends.
• Do not add new foods to your child's diet during periods of extreme heat.
• Do not force-feed your child if the first spoonful of new food is not to his taste
• Do not introduce several products at once, approach this step by step, and begin introducing a new one only after the baby has become accustomed to the previous one.
• Give complementary foods in the morning, preferably at the very first meal. This procedure will help monitor the condition of the baby and help him in case of a negative reaction.
• New dishes must be completely homogeneous, no hard pieces are allowed in them, and their consistency in thickness should be close to milk or mixture
• Food must be freshly prepared and warm; ready-made jarred purees must be heated
• Do not use pureed exotic fruits and vegetables for first feeding
• For complementary feeding, it is best to use a special baby spoon made of silicone, a large assortment of which can be found in a pharmacy or specialty store.
• It is most advisable to give complementary foods in the morning feeding, and after “adult” food, be sure to offer the baby breast milk or formula

Where to start the first feeding

Many mothers and grandmothers mistakenly believe that the best product for the first one. This is a huge misconception, because having become accustomed to the sweet taste of juice, the child will definitely not want to feast on vegetable dishes. In addition, fruit acids have a negative effect on the baby’s gastrointestinal tract.

So, the first thing on the baby’s menu should be local vegetables, familiar to your region, white or green, turned into one-component purees.

An approximate table for introducing vegetables into a child’s diet:

• 5-6 months – cauliflower, zucchini
• 6-7 months – pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, broccoli
• 8 months – green peas
• 9 months – beets
• 1 year – cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, onions.

As you master one-ingredient vegetable dishes, you can offer your little one a puree made from several ingredients.

After the child gets used to vegetables, porridge becomes the next optimal product to introduce into the diet. Fruit purees and juices are introduced after vegetables and become a kind of dessert for the child. Juices are best diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1 part juice to 2 parts water.

For children whose weight is below normal, doctors recommend porridge. To avoid allergic reactions, the first grains to be introduced into the diet should be: rice, buckwheat and corn. If the child is prone to constipation, rice will have to be discontinued. By the age of eight months, you can introduce millet, oatmeal, semolina and wheat cereals. If you give preference to ready-made cereals from well-known manufacturers, then you need to choose dairy-free and gluten-free products. They should also be introduced gradually, starting with a few spoons and gradually increasing portions to the required weight. You can prepare them yourself by first crushing the cereal, or you can purchase a finished product adapted specifically for children. To prepare the finished porridge, you need to use warm boiled water, breast milk or the usual milk formula.

If your child is not prone to allergies, at the age of 8 months it is time to start introducing chicken yolk. It can be given on its own, or added to purees and porridges. In the first days after adding this product to the diet, you need to carefully monitor the baby's reaction.

By 9 months, you can add a treat such as cookies to the baby menu. It is better to choose a special one made directly for children, since various vitamins and microelements are added to it, and it quickly dissolves in liquid. It can be consumed dry or soaked in milk.

After 8-9 months, the baby’s menu should include meat products. For the first complementary foods, it is necessary to take those types of meat that do not cause allergies. These are pork, lamb and turkey. If you introduce chicken or veal into your diet, you need to carefully monitor the baby’s reaction, since these varieties are the most allergenic. At the same time, the child should become familiar with the liver, but it is worth considering that not everyone will like such a specific product. You should not give your baby meat broth, as it is quite heavy food for small stomachs.

Closer to a year, at the age of 10-11 months, fish can be introduced into the diet. But do not forget that fish is a rather allergenic product, so it must be administered with caution and in small portions, carefully observing the reaction of the child’s body. Preference should be given to varieties of sea, lean and white fish.

By 10-12 months, cottage cheese and fermented milk products are added to the menu. The introduction scheme is no different from other products; it starts with one teaspoon and is increased to an age-appropriate amount within 7-10 days.

All products are divided into three categories according to the degree of allergenicity, and this must also be taken into account when creating a baby menu:

• Low – Zucchini, cauliflower, apples, plums, pumpkin, pears, rice, pork and turkey
• Medium – broccoli, potatoes, green peas, peach, bananas, chicken and lamb
• High level - cow's milk, eggs, fish, nuts, soy, wheat, honey, citrus fruits, chocolate, strawberries, tomatoes

Amount of complementary foods by month

Table of volumes of ready-made vegetable dishes according to age:

• 6 months – 150 g
• 7 months – 170 g
• 8 months – 180 g
• 9-12 months – 200 g

After the child’s body adapts to one-component puree, you can begin to prepare it with the addition of vegetable oil.

Table of volumes of ready-made fruit dishes according to age:

• 7 months – 70 g
• 8 months – 80 g
• 9-12 months – 90-100 g

Table of volumes of ready-made cereals:

• 7 months – 150 g
• 8 months – 180 g
• 9-12 months – 200 g

Volume of chicken yolk in a child’s diet by month:

• 7 months – ¼ part
• 8 months – ½ part
• 9-12 months – ½ part

Volume of meat products in a child’s diet by month:

• 8 months – 30 g
• 9 months – 50 g
• 10-12 months – 60-70 g

Volume of fish products in the diet by month:

• 10 months – 30 g
• 11 months – 50 g
• 12 months – 60 g

Volume of cottage cheese in baby food by month:

• 10 months – 30 g
• 11 months – 40 g
• 12 months –50 g

Main mistakes when introducing complementary foods

• Many parents who begin to feed their son or daughter vegetables are faced with rejection of such food, and begin to offer him porridge instead. This is not recommended, because after sweet and tasty cereals, there is a high probability of completely abandoning fresh and unsalted vegetables. Therefore, if your child refuses this or that vegetable puree, you need to offer him a replacement in the form of another vegetable, which the baby may like.
• Do not under any circumstances add sugar to ready-made baby food cereals; there is plenty of it there. There is absolutely no need to accustom your baby to sweet foods; this can have a negative impact on his taste preferences in the future, and cause excess weight and other diseases.
• Do not add salt to prepared vegetable and meat purees; it is present in them in sufficient quantities.

Introduction of complementary foods without consequences for the child’s body

With the early introduction of complementary foods, various changes can occur in the infant's fragile body. One of the main negative factors accompanying the addition of more solid foods to the diet is constipation, to avoid it you must follow some rules:

1. Avoid introducing complementary foods too early in life
2. Control the fiber, protein and fat content of food
3. Control the flow of water into the baby’s body
4. If a child has constipation, first of all you need to determine whether this deviation is a consequence of a food allergy.

If any negative symptoms appear during the period of introducing complementary foods, an urgent consultation with a pediatrician is necessary.

How to prepare foods for complementary feeding

• You should not add salt and sugar to the food you prepare for your baby. It is best to accustom him to natural taste. It is best to start adding salt and sweetening after one year of age.
• Vegetable, fruit and meat products need to be crushed in a blender, because at the age of 6-7 months the baby is not yet able to chew food and, as a rule, has only 2-4 teeth. Upon reaching the age of ten months, food can be mashed with a fork rather than ground, and by the age of one, it is enough to crumble it into small pieces.
• It is best to steam vegetables and meat; this method of cooking allows you to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients in the products.
• Puree for your baby should be prepared at one time so that he receives only the freshest products every time.

How does the amount of complementary feeding vary by day?

• 1 day – 1 teaspoon
• Day 2 – 2 teaspoons
• Day 3 – 3 teaspoons
• Day 4 – 4 teaspoons
• Day 5 – 50 g
• Day 6 – 100 g
• Day 7 – 150 g

Over time, it is necessary to add vegetable or butter to home-made porridges and purees. You need to start with 1 drop, gradually increasing the amount to a whole teaspoon.

Sample daily menu for a six-month-old child

First meal - breast milk or formula in the amount of 150 - 200 ml

Second meal – dairy-free porridge or with milk 150 ml

Third meal – vegetable puree 150 ml

Fourth, fifth and sixth feeding - breast milk or formula in the amount of 150 - 200 ml

Of course, introducing adult food into a baby’s diet requires some preparation, reading special literature and consulting a pediatrician. Everything will go smoothly if the baby is healthy, his mother has received the necessary knowledge, and the baby’s basic nutrition is organized correctly.

Another important point in organizing proper complementary feeding is encouraging the baby’s desire to eat independently; of course, at the age of up to one year, this is associated with certain inconveniences, but in no case should parents suppress it. Otherwise, the baby may refuse to eat on his own in the near future.