Children grow up very quickly. At every stage of his life, his mother should always be nearby, helping the baby to master the world around him. Mommies are always in a hurry. They want the baby to speak as soon as possible, to sit, walk, and eat adult food. And when should you introduce complementary foods to your baby?
When to introduce complementary foods?
Complementary feeding for a baby is a serious matter, so you should not rush with it. Introducing complementary foods early can harm your baby's developing digestive system. The mother's breast milk contains everything necessary for the growth and development of the baby. Do not rush to quit breastfeeding.
Recently, young mothers have often donated milk for compatibility, and doctors have concluded that it is not compatible with the child. This is doubtful. From time immemorial, both in the animal and in the human world, newborns were fed and fed with mother's milk. Such babies are much stronger, get sick less. Earlier, doctors did not even think that mother's milk was incompatible with the child.
You need to breastfeed your baby as long as possible. But there comes a period when the child begins to miss the milk of the mother, because the baby is growing rapidly. This is where complementary foods should be introduced. It is best to do this at the age of 5 months (although pediatricians repeat from 4 months), and if a child suffers from allergic reactions, then even from 6 to 7 months.
Your little one will tell you that the right moment has come. The main thing is that mom should be attentive. During this period, the baby's first teeth had already erupted, and an interest in adult food appeared. The child closely observes the actions of adults carrying something into their mouths. If all of this manifests itself in your child, then it's time.
Start complementary foods with one-component cereals (rice and buckwheat). You need to introduce complementary foods in the morning in order to carefully observe the child's reaction during the day. It is better to use specially designed cereals, as they are brewed without lumps and are rich in various vitamins. Each package contains instructions for the introduction of the product. Start with one teaspoon of one porridge, gradually increasing the dosage to normal. After the baby eats the porridge, be sure to feed him with milk (or a mixture, if the child is artificial).
Having switched to the full rate, one porridge can be replaced with another. This should also be done gradually. Reduce one porridge per teaspoon, and on the contrary enter the other. The only inconvenience here is that you have to brew two cereals in two different bowls.
Also, start giving juice between meals. When buying juice in a store in the baby food section, pay attention to the packaging, which always says from what age it is allowed to give it to the baby. Juice, like porridge, must be injected starting from 1 teaspoon.
After 2-3 weeks from the beginning of the child's use of porridge, you can add vegetable and fruit puree. It is better to cook mashed potatoes yourself if you have vegetables and fruits not from store shelves. If complementary foods came in during the winter period, it is better to choose mashed potatoes from the series developed for children in the store.
Some baby recipes
Vegetable puree from potatoes and zucchini
You can give your child two weeks after the start of complementary foods. Designed for the norm (200 g)
- 50 g potatoes
- 130 g zucchini
- a small piece of carrots and onions
Peel the zucchini and cut into pieces (large), potatoes into 4-6 pieces, pieces of onion and carrots can be omitted. Put everything in a saucepan and cover with water so that it covers the vegetables. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Then put the prepared vegetables in a blender bowl and beat. If the puree is too thick, add a little vegetable stock.
Do not salt the puree. Salt in general should not be given to children up to one year old.
Rice soup
Determine the amount of ingredients yourself, depending on how much of the soup you will cook. Mom is recommended to eat the same dishes.
Put water on fire and bring to a boil. Add finely diced onions and carrots, after a couple of minutes add potatoes (diced) and rice. Cook for 40-50 minutes so that the rice is well boiled. At the end, put the herbs, remove from heat and pour in a little refined vegetable oil. Whip the finished soup with a blender until the lumps disappear completely if the baby is 5-7 months old, or leaving small lumps if the child is older.
Remember, proper nutrition, high-quality products are the key to good health of the baby.
