All children develop in different ways, and this applies not only to the assimilation of basic skills, but also to the organization of nutrition. Some babies are just starting to wean from the breast by nine months and try new products, in addition to their mother's milk. Others already in six months with pleasure eat vegetables, fruits, chicken. Therefore, starting the introduction of complementary foods and determining its volume should be based not only on the advice of pediatricians, but also on the behavior of the baby.
The amount of complementary foods at nine months - what pediatricians recommend
By the age of nine months, the baby is considered old enough to try new types of food. If in six months, mainly hypoallergenic vegetable and fruit purees are recommended, now you can gradually introduce fish, mushrooms, various types of meat, cottage cheese, soups, etc. Complementary foods should be varied, satisfying, but not fatty. Also, do not give children sausage, unnatural yoghurts, canned food, etc. These products may not be harmful, but there is definitely no benefit from them.
By the time she is nine months old, mom can have two or three breastfeeds. In the event that the baby eats the mixture, its volume should be reduced to two bottles - in the morning and before bedtime. Pediatricians recommend transferring children who eat artificial milk replacers to a full meal earlier than those who are breastfed.
The approximate food volume at nine months is as follows:
- breakfast - breast milk or mixture in a volume of about 200 ml. It is difficult to say more precisely, and every mother must observe the baby in order to understand whether there is enough food for him, or whether it is worth feeding;
- second breakfast - a jar of fruit or vegetable puree, a little cottage cheese, natural yogurt;
- lunch - soup (mashed potatoes or ordinary, depending on whether the baby is able to chew food on his own or not). The volume is about 150 ml. For the second - mashed potatoes or stewed vegetables with a slice of fish or chicken. Approximately 150 grams in total;
- afternoon snack - baby soft biscuits with milk, fruit puree, cottage cheese;
- dinner - steamed vegetables with fish or chicken - about 200 gr;
- before going to bed - formula or breastfeeding.
These are general guidelines that are not suitable for all children. Some eat much less, others more. Only the mother can figure out the individual correct volumes by monitoring the baby's behavior.
How to find out the amount of complementary foods you need
Inexperienced mothers often cannot understand whether the baby is full or not. The baby stops sucking or eating mashed potatoes, and the parents think he is full. In fact, he could just get tired. To check if the baby is hungry, five to ten minutes after the end of lunch, you can invite him to finish eating what is left on the plate. If he turns away, then he definitely does not want to. If he started to eat, he was most likely hungry, just tired of chewing food that was difficult for practically bare gums, or he needed a short break from his mother’s milk. Only empirically can you establish how much food your baby actually needs. And for this it is important to monitor his reactions and pay attention to various nuances of behavior.
