WHO (World Health Organization) has developed recommendations according to which children with breastfeeding can be fed with complementary foods from six months, and "artificial" - from five. Until this age, the child received everything he needed from the mother's milk or formula, and now it is time to introduce him to the new food. How to do it correctly?
First tooth
This is the answer to the question: "When to start giving complementary foods." If the child is developing normally, his first tooth appears at six months. This means that the baby can eat more solid foods, not just mother's milk. In the old days, they began to feed children with the appearance of the first tooth and gave them a silver spoon. By this age, babies, as a rule, can already sit and see how dad and mom eat - and they try to imitate their parents.
We do everything according to the rules
Do not start complementary foods with fruit juices, this is a strong allergen that puts a lot of stress on the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract of the child. Pediatricians recommend starting with vegetable purees, and with one-component. These purees contain a lot of fiber and trace elements that stimulate the digestion process and are very useful for rickets and anemia. Nutritionists suggest making the baby's first meal a gluten-free porridge diluted with breast milk. This is especially true for children with low weight, who often have regurgitation and indigestion.
Contrary to the recommendations of some doctors, WHO does not recommend starting complementary foods with kefir. Fermented milk products, to which it belongs, contain live bacteria for which the children's digestive system is not yet ready. In addition, kefir can contain a lot of mineral salts, and this is an extra load on the kidneys of the baby.
Remember to latch on to your baby after eating some porridge or mashed potatoes. This will help prevent allergies and improve digestion while the baby is adapting to "adult" food.
Step by step
Start with the smallest portions, no more than half a teaspoon. After that, be sure to supplement with breast milk or formula. On the next or third day, give a teaspoon, but be sure to monitor your baby's reaction to new food. If you notice that he has a tummy ache or a rash, postpone the introduction of this product for several weeks. If everything went without negative consequences, you can gradually increase the portion.
