Complementary foods are foods that are added to a baby's diet after 6 months of age, in addition to the main food (breast milk or formula). The purpose of the introduction of complementary foods is to provide the child with those nutrients, the intake of which with the main food is not enough, as well as accustoming the baby to more "solid" food, that is, different in consistency from mother's milk or formula.
Instructions
Step 1
Remember, any new type of food for a baby is a serious shock to the digestive system, which until now has received exclusively breast milk or its substitutes that are closest to it in composition. Feed in small amounts, from about 1 teaspoon, gradually increasing the amount to the age norm and completely replacing one milk feed.
Step 2
Give your child a new type of food at the same time every day, gradually accustoming the baby's digestive tract and central nervous system to the new diet. This makes it easier for the child to adapt to new food. Irregular introduction of complementary foods can lead to increased gas production, bloating, regurgitation, anxiety, or diarrhea.
Step 3
Be careful when teaching your child to puree. You should not give the child mashed potatoes if he is sick, there are allergic skin inflammations, in which rashes or redness occur, as well as during preventive vaccinations, so as not to cause additional stress on the baby's immune system.
Step 4
Feed your baby before breastfeeding or formula feeding and then supplement with breast milk or breast milk substitutes. This will make it easier for the child to habituate, because he will be hungry, and he will be bolder to taste unfamiliar food. You can also take your child for a walk in the fresh air to make him hungrier.
Step 5
Carefully monitor the child's well-being, the condition of his skin and the nature of the stool. If your child is prone to allergies, keep a "food diary" in which you note the child's reaction to a particular product. If an allergy still occurs in the form of frequent stools, bloating, skin rashes, contact your pediatrician who will help you decide whether to continue this particular product or a similar one.
