When is the best time to introduce the first complementary foods. All about the first feeding: what, how, when. Product introduction rules

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, it is optimal to give the first complementary foods to the baby at 6 months. It is at this age that the supply of iron in the child's body is depleted, and in the mother's milk this element also becomes insufficient. In addition, the crumbs' digestive system is already ripe for the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in non-dairy foods, as their own digestive enzymes begin to be produced. The child has the first chewing movements, the gag reflex moves from the middle to the back third of the tongue, and the baby stops reflexively spitting out thick food from the mouth.

Rule 2. It's better to start feeding your baby with vegetables

What product should you start your first complementary food with? The advice of pediatricians and nutritionists boils down to starting complementary foods with vegetable puree. The explanation for this recommendation is simple: cereals are the closest in taste to breast milk, so babies like them more. Having become accustomed to such complementary foods, babies may later refuse less tasty (or simply unfamiliar) vegetable puree. Especially green vegetable puree is recommended for children prone to constipation and overweight.

Attention! If the child has a weakening of the stool, underweight, he suffers from colic, then the introduction of vegetables can aggravate the situation. In this case, choose porridge as the first complementary food.

Which vegetables to choose?

Low-allergenic fruits such as squash, cauliflower, squash, broccoli and light pumpkin are suitable for the first feeding with vegetables. A little later (from about 7-8 months), you can add potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beets to the diet of the crumbs. A little later (from about 7-8 months), you can add potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beets to the diet of the crumbs. Start the introduction of complementary foods with a one-component puree, which does not include salt, sugar, thickeners, with 1-2 teaspoons (10-20 g). Gradually, within 7-10 days, increase the portion to the age norm - 100-150 g.

Rule 3. Porridge in complementary foods: do without gluten

The next product that can be introduced into the baby's complementary foods will be porridge. According to modern recommendations, porridge is introduced after the child adapts to his first complementary food - vegetable puree. This occurs no earlier than 3 weeks after the start of the introduction of vegetables into complementary foods.

Low-allergenic cereals that do not contain gluten (rice, buckwheat, corn) are introduced first in the baby's menu. Gluten (gluten)- vegetable protein, which is part of the shell of the grain of wheat, oats, rye and barley. It is difficult to digest in the immature intestines of babies. As a result, with the early introduction of gluten-containing products into complementary foods (especially before 6 months), the child may experience pain in the tummy, bloating, stool disturbance, skin rashes and other negative reactions. In rare cases, in the presence of a hereditary predisposition, the baby may develop severe celiac disease, requiring adherence to a gluten-free diet (excluding all foods containing gluten) throughout his subsequent life.

• Buckwheat It is gluten free and a great source of easily digestible vegetable protein, making it an excellent starting point for complementary foods. Due to its high fiber content and a small amount of starch, this porridge perfectly stimulates the intestines, so it is especially useful for babies who have constipation.
• Rice it is considered a hypoallergenic product, so it is better to start with it to introduce complementary foods to children prone to food allergies. Due to the high starch content, rice porridge is well absorbed and does not irritate the gastrointestinal tract, so it is useful to give it to babies with unstable stools, but children who are constipated and overweight should not offer it too often.
• Corn porridge hypoallergenic and high in calories. Cooked independently, it turns out to be too heavy to digest, but industrial porridge is easier to digest (since the corn grains have been specially processed), moreover, it is enriched with vitamins and, due to the absence of gluten, is suitable for the first feeding.

How to introduce porridge into complementary foods?

The principles of introducing cereals into complementary foods are the same as for other types of complementary foods - start with one type of cereal (from 1 teaspoon), gradually increasing its amount to 120-150 g. A week after the introduction of the first porridge, try another type, even later - you can switch to porridge from a mixture of cereals. Porridge for the first feeding should be dairy-free. They are bred with breast milk or formula that is fed to the baby. Milk cereals for complementary feeding are introduced into the child's diet at 8-9 months, and salt and sugar should not be added until at least 1 year.

Rule 5. Not all meat is suitable for complementary feeding

At 8-9 months, meat can be introduced into complementary foods. What is the most valuable meat for a baby? First of all, these are lean beef, pork, poultry, rabbit. But when introducing meat complementary foods, some peculiarities must be taken into account. So, in terms of nutritional properties, beef is a very valuable product, but if an infant is allergic to cow's milk protein, then the same reaction may be to beef. Veal and chicken for complementary meat, despite their tenderness, ease of digestion, can cause the same problem. Pork is more fatty meat, but if the baby is allergic to beef and chicken, it can be offered as a substitute for these products. Turkey and rabbit meat are hypoallergenic, they are quite suitable to start feeding meat with them. The baby is gradually accustomed to the full volume of meat puree, starting, as usual, with an incomplete teaspoon and slowly bringing the volume of the meat dish to 30-50-70 ml, depending on the age of the crumbs (70 ml by 1 year).

Rule 6. Fruits in complementary foods: not all at once

At 7.5 months, you can offer your baby the first spoonful of fruit puree. Domestic pediatricians recommend starting fruit feeding with a green apple or pear - they rarely cause allergic reactions. If the baby has manifestations of allergies or his stool is unstable, then it is better to introduce him first to less allergenic apples, pears or bananas. And if the baby has constipation, you can first offer prunes or apricots.

How much fruit puree can you give your baby a day?

The daily allowance is equal to the age of the child in months, multiplied by 10 (for example, the volume of fruit puree per day for a child of 10 months is 100 g).

Based on the same principles, the baby's menu is introduced and fruit juices... The first to give one-component clarified juices without pulp (usually juice from green apples), starting with a few milliliters and gradually bringing the volume to the age norm - babies 10-12 months can be given 80-100 ml per day.

Rule 7. Only special cottage cheese is suitable for feeding a child

Cottage cheese is one of the first fermented milk products that can be offered to a baby. Offer the first spoonful of cottage cheese to your baby when he is 8-9 months old. Unlike kefir, this product has a low acidity and does not irritate the delicate intestinal mucosa of the crumbs. Remember that only special types of cottage cheese that are intended for a given age can be used in the nutrition of children under 1 year old. Children's cottage cheese is produced using a special technology, due to which all the useful properties are preserved in it and it has a more delicate consistency compared to the usual "adult" product.

In the absence of negative reactions to cottage cheese, its amount is brought to 40 g within 5-7 days, and by 9 months to 50 g. their work.

Rule 8. Fish menu for kids

Every mother thinks about which fish to start with. Despite the beneficial properties, fish appears on the baby's menu only by 9-10 months, and if the baby suffers from allergies, then acquaintance with this product should be postponed until 1.5 years. The fact is that fish protein is a strong allergen, and this type of complementary food should be treated with extreme caution. In the first year of life, fish can only be given to healthy babies who do not suffer from allergies to other foods.

What fish should I start with?

Hake, cod, haddock, pollock, flounder are considered suitable for the first acquaintance. They are dietary and less allergenic and have very few small bones. A baby under one year old can be given about 30-60 g of fish puree per day and no more than 1-2 times a week.

Attention!

Complementary feeding means feeding babies with food in addition to breast milk. But during the entire period of the introduction of complementary foods, breast milk should remain the main food of the child.

Complementary food is the food assigned to infants when they reach certain age periods and physiological norms. Such food is designed to complement mother's milk or an artificial mixture, whose composition and calorie content can no longer satisfy the increased needs of the baby.

Since the foundations for the child's further lifestyle and health are laid in the first 12 months, each parent needs to imagine at what age it is better to start feeding the babies, how to properly introduce complementary foods and what food should be given in each month.

The question of how many months you can feed a child worries every new parent. But there is still no definite answer, there are only recommendations.

It should be understood that age alone cannot be a “symptom” of children's readiness; several important characteristics of child development should be taken into account, for example:

The complex of all the signs of readiness is manifested in different children at their age. As a rule, the introduction of complementary foods occurs in the interval from 5 to 8 months (all individually).

With natural feeding, when the child's needs for the main nutrients are completely satisfied with milk, it is not worth rushing to introduce complementary feeding. Children who are on are given complementary foods at 5 months.

What is the threat of early feeding?

Parents should understand that it is better to be a little late with feeding than to introduce it prematurely.

For example, complementary foods at 4 months are fraught with not the most favorable reactions from the digestive tract, which is not yet ready to accept new products.

Starting complementary feeding too early leads to the following problems:

1. Due to the lack of necessary digestive enzymes, abdominal pain, intestinal colic, regurgitation, and stool disorders may occur. That is, complementary foods from 4 months will be useless at best, since the products will not be absorbed.
2. Another serious consequence is allergic conditions, the cause of which is the increased permeability of the intestinal walls for allergic particles and the immaturity of the child's defense system. At the same time, the immunity of babies suffers, as a result of which they get sick more often and for a longer time.
3. Complementary feeding at 4 months and earlier may even pose some danger to the baby, if he still does not know how to swallow thicker food than milk or formula. An undeveloped swallowing reflex can lead to vomiting, loss of interest in food.
4. The increased load experienced by immature internal organs (liver, kidneys and digestive tract organs) may result in their chronic diseases.

Another likely consequence is that the introduction of complementary foods earlier than 6 months of age leads to a reduction in breastfeeding, as a result of which lactation may be terminated.

Of course, this rule does not work if the baby is.

Thus, it is better to start feeding the baby at a suitable age and only after the approval of the doctor who is observing the baby.

In order for the first feeding of the baby to pass without "accidents" and leave only pleasant impressions for the mother and child, it is worth learning the rules for introducing complementary foods.

They look like this:

1. A new product should be given to a child who is absolutely healthy and in a good mood. You should not begin acquaintance with complementary foods if children were vaccinated.
2. The first complementary food should be one-component, that is, consist of only one dish. If the baby is used to a new product, they give the next one, and so on. Last but not least, you should give cereals with fruit additives, vegetable mixtures with a meat component.
3. Before buying commercial food, be sure to review the composition to exclude products that include highly allergenic ingredients.
4. It is imperative to feed the baby with an unfamiliar product in the morning in order to track the response of the child's body. During the day, mother needs to pay attention to the condition of the skin, feces and general activity.
5. Offer new food when the baby is hungry, and then supplement him with breast milk (if he is breastfed) or formula (if he is artificially fed).
6. The optimal amount of complementary feeding is half a teaspoon (or 3-5 grams), gradually the amount of complementary foods increases to age indicators.
7. Do not give up the product, even if the child once brushed it off. To get used to a new flavor, you need to taste it well. This should be done at intervals of 3 days. If the toddler continues to refuse the dish, do not insist, but replace the product with a similar one (rice for buckwheat, pear puree for apple).
8. Watch the temperature regime. This should be done to avoid burns to the oral mucosa (the dish should be warm, not hot).
9. Make sure the dish is homogeneous (uniform). Lumps cause difficulty in swallowing and rejection of the product in the child.
10. Avoid feeding your baby directly from an industrial container. Food is laid out on a plate, otherwise saliva will fall into the jar, as a result of which the dish will become unsuitable for further storage.
11. It is necessary to give the next dish only after the kids are completely accustomed to the previous one. Usually the time frame is about 2 weeks.
12. Combine several foods. For example, you should not give two liquid (milk and juice) or two thicker (mashed potatoes and porridge) dishes at one meal.

You need to feed children very carefully and with great patience. It will take a long time for your baby to learn to swallow foods that are thicker than breast milk or formula. That is why you should not be nervous and worried if something does not go as you would like.

First products for a baby

The first complementary foods should include foods with a neutral taste. This must be done so that the bright taste does not force the baby to reject new food or, on the contrary, to exclude the preference of one dish to all others.

That is why, for example, experts do not recommend adding sweet and aromatic juices or fruit purees to the first complementary foods. Of course, they are much more attractive than zucchini or meat products, which is why it is necessary to exclude the formation of incorrect taste preferences at an early age.

It is not so important at what age you start introducing new products - complementary foods at 5 months with artificial feeding obey the same principles as complementary feeding from six months with breastfeeding.

Infant feeding table by month

This table is for informational purposes only. It should be understood that the amount of complementary foods will depend on the type of food.

With natural feeding, milk remains the main product, and when feeding with a mixture, the main "dish" is the mixture.

In addition, the table shows how the consistency of complementary foods changes. After six months, the baby's chewing power grows, so he can eat various purees (vegetable, fruit). After 7 months, when chewing skills are more perfect, they give mashed, chopped dishes.

And only after 12 months in babies there is a stable work of the jaws, at the same age, chewing becomes more adult. Usually, at one year old, the baby is transferred to the family table with some reservations.

WHO advises to introduce vegetables into the first complementary foods, however, if babies are underweight, it is better to give cereals. We will be guided by the recommendations of the World Health Organization.

Experts advise the following order of vegetable feeding:

First of all, you should make mashed potatoes from hypoallergenic vegetables. Pumpkin and carrot dishes are among the last to be introduced, since babies often have allergic reactions.

Once again, you need to start with one-component dishes. Mixing different vegetables is possible, but when the child enjoys them separately, and you notice the absence of allergic reactions. The novelty is given only to a hungry baby.

How to make a vegetable dish yourself? Very simple. Zucchini or broccoli should be rinsed under running water, peeled and seeds removed.

To understand how to introduce complementary foods in six months, you need to consider an example - the vegetable introduction table will show all the nuances of properly feeding babies.

Vegetable introduction table

The table shows that the "introduction" of three fruits into the children's menu will take about 21 days. Care should be taken to bring each dish up to the age indicators, since the indicated grams do not mean that the child must be forced to finish everything to the end.

Complementary feeding at 7 months

Another option for both the second and the first feeding is porridge. It must be remembered that cereals must be gluten-free. Also, you cannot cook porridge in cow or goat milk, since the organisms of children under one year old are not able to assimilate this heavy product.

If the child refuses to eat dairy-free porridge, add a little of your own milk or milk formula to it. This will help the baby get used to the new product sooner.

Gluten-free cereals include rice, corn, and buckwheat. Such an assortment will satisfy the needs of the little gourmet. Porridge containing gluten can cause severe pathological conditions of the intestines.

In pharmacy chains and specialized departments of supermarkets, you can buy the most suitable porridge for babies. Some moms are afraid to buy them, but their fears are unfounded.

Manufactured in an industrial environment, they are absolutely safe and enriched with all useful components.

You need to give cereals according to the scheme proposed in the table above. When feeding them, you need to monitor the condition of the child: whether the stomach hurts, whether the emptying of the intestines has been disturbed, whether a rash has appeared on the skin. You cannot combine various cereals!

At this age, the introduction of complementary foods becomes more varied. The kid is growing up, which means that he is already allowed dishes that are more difficult for a child's stomach:

Potatoes are introduced later than the rest of the fruits, since they are hyperallergenic vegetables. The mother should first give the child 5 grams, and by the seventh day, bring the volume to 50 grams. Potatoes should not exceed one third of all vegetables in a child's diet.

It is better to feed an eight-month-old baby with quail yolk, since it rarely becomes a source of allergies. This product is given twice a week. And for the first time you should put a pinch on a spoon, the next time - half a quail or a quarter of a chicken yolk.

In the next 7 days, a whole quail or half of an ordinary yolk is given. An important rule is that you need to feed the baby with this product in the morning, rubbing with milk or adding to the porridge.

The most are turkey and rabbit. It is from them that mashed potatoes are prepared, then veal, beef and chicken are given.

Pork meat should not be given to a child under one year old at all. Meat purees should be introduced at lunchtime, the volume is a teaspoon.

Good to know! If you want to puree the meat yourself, make a clean minced meat, shape into small meatballs. Boil them in boiling water for 6 minutes, then freeze. You need to get them out of the freezer and boil them in a double boiler with vegetables, after which this mixture is crushed and given to the child. This prevents the meatballs from sticking together.

During this age period, children are introduced to fermented milk products, and they are introduced very carefully. Of course, you cannot feed babies with cottage cheese, which is sold in packs, especially with various additives.

For a child, a special baby cottage cheese is suitable - for example, "Agusha", "Tyoma". The purchased dish should not contain sugar, fruit pieces.

First, a teaspoon is given, then gradually brought to 30 grams per day. For babies of this age - the optimal dose.

Kefir is given in the amount of 1-2 teaspoons. Of course, this drink must also be for the baby, for which the mother should choose a product without fruits, sugars and flavors. Then the volume is brought to 150 milliliters. It is best to offer kefir and cottage cheese in the evening.

Important! Not every child has a positive attitude towards kefir and cottage cheese, but you should not sweeten the dish. Wait 2-3 weeks and offer the product again. Some babies do not like "sour milk" at all, but they develop and grow up quite normally.

Feeding a 10 month old baby

At 10 months, the baby is pampered with desserts in the form of sweet fruits. The most useful are fruits that grow in close areas. Exotic fruits are put off for later.

First of all, puree from apples, pears or prunes is given. By this age, many children acquire teeth, as a result of which they are already able to chew fruit slices. Fruits are introduced with a small volume - about 5 grams of puree or a small slice. The daily "dose" is approximately 100 grams of the product.

Some moms will be surprised to read that healthy fruits come so late. There are many opinions on this, but experts are sure that with natural feeding, there are enough vitamins in breast milk, and for artificial people they make mixtures enriched with vitamin complexes.

Thus, fruits are not such a significant source of vitamin complexes, the most important elements for a baby are protein and fat ingredients. In addition, sweet apples contain a variety of fruit acids that irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth.

Another product being introduced is fish. There should not be a lot of it, and it must be low-fat and low-allergenic - for example, hake, cod or pollock. Experts recommend arranging a "fish day" for your child when this dish replaces mashed potatoes. Of course, the initial portion is minimal - less than half a teaspoon.

At this age, the baby is fed homemade soups with fresh herbs. Of course, the ideal option is borscht without frying with sour cream (now it is allowed). Green sprigs of dill or parsley should be grown in your own garden or in a pot on a window.

Bread spread with a slice of butter is ideal for a growing body.

At the end of 12 months, the child can also eat gluten porridge - barley, oatmeal and millet. However, they should be administered carefully to avoid negative reactions.

One-year-old children can already eat many dishes from the parent's table, but you need to forget about some of the favorite delicacies that some "irresponsible" mothers and grandmothers love to stuff babies:

Complementary feeding problems and mother's fears

Quite often, the beginning of complementary feeding is accompanied by the occurrence of constipation, diarrhea, allergies, painful sensations in the abdomen, as a result of which the child begins to worry and cry.

If the baby reacted in an unconventional way to the appearance of an unknown product in his diet, one should not completely abandon the dish.

Forget about it for 4-8 weeks, and then reintroduce it into the food, carefully monitoring the well-being of the baby. The second time, the product should be introduced as slowly as at the very beginning.

Another common difficulty that often arises when complementary feeding begins is that the child refuses the offered food. You should not insist, because the baby himself understands what he wants to eat, and which foods cause discomfort.

In addition, a certain difficulty arises if you need to make a choice - to cook yourself or buy ready-made food. Some parents are categorically against purchased products for babies, others are confident in the quality of store-bought complementary foods.

Experts believe that everyone is right, since cooking at home is much more profitable, especially for an older child who can eat almost any dish. However, food in jars is no worse, only it is important to adhere to the following rules:

• do not pay attention to the timing of the introduction of the products indicated on the jars, be guided by the age standards;
• choose the freshest products, making sure that they are not expired;
• a children's dish should not contain various unnatural additives, flavors, flavor enhancers, ideal nutrition - containing a minimum amount of ingredients.

Children's health largely depends on the correct introduction of complementary feeding and adherence to advice. However, it is important for parents to understand that all the recommendations described are approximate.

It is only a district pediatrician who can say exactly how many months a child can be fed. And the joint efforts of the mother and the doctor will greatly facilitate the baby's transition to adult food.

Hello, I am Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully completed her studies at SUSU as a special psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and consulting parents on raising babies. I use the experience gained, including in the creation of articles of a psychological orientation. Of course, in no way do I pretend to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers to deal with any difficulties.

Complementary feeding of a child is additional food that is given to a child under the age of one year during the transition from breastfeeding to adult food. Complementary foods are usually foods that are denser than milk. The first complementary food is introduced when the baby is no longer sufficient nutrients from the mother's milk. But complementary foods are needed not only for the child to eat well. The first complementary food also has educational value, acquaints the baby with the foods that adults eat. In the article we will consider: how to properly introduce complementary foods to a child, where to start, when to introduce and with which cereals it is optimal to start feeding a child.

When to introduce the first complementary foods?

• The baby stops eating breast milk.
• Its weight is twice as much as at birth.
• The child is interested in the food of adults.
• Able to sit independently.
• Does not give allergic reactions to foods that were offered during the training complementary foods (it will be discussed later).
• Able to swallow food without choking.
• If he doesn't like the food, he pushes it out with his tongue, turns away.
• Teething.

It is now believed that the first complementary foods should be introduced at the age of about six months. If this is done earlier, digestive problems cannot be avoided, allergic reactions, constipation, anemia may appear, the child will be less resistant to intestinal infections in the future. At an earlier age, a newborn's digestive system is simply not ready to accept foods other than breast milk or special formula milk. The time of the introduction of complementary foods should be discussed individually with the pediatrician.

When to introduce complementary foods while breastfeeding

For babies, feeding is usually administered at 6 months. Until one year old, the main food of the child is still mother's milk. It must be applied to the breast on demand, and complementary foods are given according to the regimen - usually at the second morning feeding, at 10-11 o'clock, or in the evening. Between feedings, you also need to attach the baby to the breast - he also receives water from milk, and this also prevents milk from being lost.

When to introduce complementary foods for a baby with artificial feeding

With artificial feeding, the child's digestive system matures a little faster, therefore, the first complementary foods can be introduced a little earlier - at 4-5 months.

Artificial people are more likely to be overweight than underweight, so it is recommended to start complementary foods with vegetable purees. Between feedings, you should give your baby water, especially in summer. Approximately two months after the start of complementary foods, it will be possible to replace the “adult” meal with two feedings.

Teaching first complementary foods

Teaching complementary foods begin to be given about a month before the present is introduced. The task of training complementary foods is to find out if the baby is ready for the transition to adult food, whether he is allergic to any foods, to introduce the baby himself to the new food.

At this time, the child is simply allowed to get acquainted with new products: they give a drop of juice, a small piece from mother's plate, offer to lick an apple or other fruit. In this case, you need to pay attention to changes in the stool, allergic reactions.

Where to start the first feeding

For infants with normal or overweight, it is recommended to be the first to give vegetable purees, with insufficient - cereals. The best choice where to start the first complementary foods will naturally be vegetable purees.

1. Vegetable purees. Vegetable purees can be started from 5-6 months. You need to start the first feeding with those vegetables that are least likely to cause allergies. Classic and proven vegetables for the first meal are: courgettes, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes.
2. Fruit puree. Fruit puree is not recommended as a first food, because the child will quickly get used to sweet fruit and then it will be difficult for him to introduce vegetable purees or cereals. Fruit can be started from 7-8 months. First, they give the child green apples, pears, then you can switch to apricots, plums, bananas. Fruits contain fiber and have a beneficial effect on baby's digestion.
3. Porridge. It is recommended to start the first feeding with cereals when the baby is not gaining weight well. As a rule, cereals are introduced after the first month of the first feeding. The best cereals for feeding are: rice, buckwheat, corn. Porridge should be gluten-free (wheat protein).
4. Meat puree. You can introduce meat into complementary foods from 7-8 months. You need to choose lean meats: chicken, beef, rabbit, turkey.
5. Milk and dairy products. Whole cow and goat milk can be introduced into the diet no earlier than a year. From 6-7 months (on artificial feeding) and from 7-8 months (on breastfeeding), you can give the child kefir and cottage cheese.

Early introduction of foods with gluten can lead to the development of celiac disease (gluten intolerance) or allergies.

Vegetable puree baby food table

How to properly introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree

First, consider how to properly introduce the baby's complementary foods with vegetable puree. Since the child is still getting used to new products, it is advisable to give one-component vegetable purees for 2-3 weeks. The first serving of complementary foods should be about 5 g, that is, a teaspoon. First, they give complementary foods, and then they are supplemented with breastfeeding or a mixture. Then, over the course of a week, the portion is gradually increased until it reaches 150 g. On the eighth day, another product is given, for example, if they started with zucchini, then they give cauliflower. Then you can add zucchini to it, if there was no negative reaction to it.

In this way, several vegetables are introduced during the first month. To make mashed potatoes, it is enough to grind boiled vegetables in a blender. In vegetable puree, larger pieces always come across, and this is good for a child - he learns to chew, especially if he is already teething.

Complementary food portions by day:

• 1st day: 1 teaspoon or 5 g
• 2nd day: 2 teaspoons or 10 g
• 3rd day: 3 teaspoons or 15 g
• 4th day: 4 teaspoons or 20 g
• Day 5: Baby is now ready to serve (50 g)
• 6th day: double the portion (100 g)
• 7th day: 150 g

It should be noted that this is an approximate serving chart, it all depends on the individual preferences of your child, you should not force the baby to eat if he does not want or cannot.

How to properly introduce complementary foods with porridge

The first feeding of the child with porridge begins only when the weight gain is less than the norm. You need to start the first feeding with cereals in the same way as with vegetable puree. Porridge is introduced in the same way, starting with a teaspoon (5 g), and then increasing the serving to 150 g per week.

Porridge must be one-component. Without adding vegetables, fruits, and even more so other grains

Porridge should be boiled in water, but if the child categorically does not like dairy-free porridge, then breast milk or infant formula can be added to it.

What cereals can you start feeding your baby with and when:

• Rice, buckwheat, corn porridge (from 6-7 months).
• Oatmeal (from 7-8 months)
• Barley porridge, as well as porridge from millet and rye (from 9-10)
• Semolina porridge (from 1 year old)

Rice porridge has a fixing effect, and if the baby has constipation, it is better not to give it. Porridges containing gluten or similar proteins (semolina, oatmeal) are given only after 8 months.

Children diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia are shown buckwheat porridge, it is nutritious and contains a lot of iron and mineral salts.

Corn porridge contains fiber and has a beneficial effect on the absorption of food. It is indicated for constipation in infants. Corn porridge has fewer trace elements and useful vitamins, but it can be added to complementary foods as a variety.

The introduction of complementary foods is an important period of the first year of a child's life. But you shouldn't rush with him. There are indicators of the baby's readiness for the introduction of new food. The danger of early feeding, the timing of the introduction of new food and nutritional recommendations - we study!

Starting baby feeding: important indicators

An important indicator for starting the introduction of complementary foods is the baby's readiness. This is not only reaching a certain age, but also the presence of certain physiological indicators:

• baby's weight: by the time the first complementary foods are introduced, it must be at least 2 times more than the birth weight (see weight and height norms);
• the ability to sit independently;
• lack of a push-out reflex of the tongue: the baby does not push the proposed spoonful of food out of his mouth;
• feeling of hunger: the baby does not have enough milk or artificial mixture;
• expressed interest in adult food (reaches out, wants to taste the food the parents eat).

An important fact for the timing of the introduction of the first complementary foods is the type of feeding: breastfeeding or artificial. The recommended periods are different: when breastfeeding, pediatricians are not recommended to rush with complementary foods and not to introduce new food earlier than 6 months - until this age, the baby has enough breast milk.

Earlier complementary foods are possible for artificial people.

The "golden rule" in the case of the introduction of the first complementary foods: it is better to be a little late than to hurry.

From what month to start feeding a baby

The time, when, symbolizes that the baby has already grown up and is ready to get acquainted with the "adult" food. But when to start doing it?

It is no coincidence that young mothers actively ask the question: "From what month should the baby start feeding?" After all, if you start it ahead of time, the child will not only not eat the offered food, but may also refuse it later.

Breastfed and bottle-fed is different. "Grudnichkov" pediatricians recommend introducing new food from six months of age. Those who eat mixtures a little earlier - from five months. The difference is explained by the fact that the digestive system of babies who eat adapted milk formulas will more easily “accept” new food.

Why is early feeding dangerous?

• Disruption of the digestive system. The child's body is not physiologically ready to digest new food. If you introduce the first complementary food at 3-4 months, it threatens with frequent colic, abdominal pain, vomiting and stool disorder. The main danger is a complete disruption of the digestive system, requiring serious medical treatment.
• For a weak immune system and immature digestive enzymes, new food can be a dangerous source of allergies. In the future, this can lead to frequent infectious and chronic diseases.
• Load on the liver, kidneys and intestinal system. Food offered to a child ahead of time (when he does not have a chewing and swallowing mechanism) can provoke diseases of the digestive organs. In addition, the baby may choke.
• Decreased lactation. Early first complementary foods reduce lactation due to decreased breastfeeding.

The appearance of at least one of these signs can cause the child to reject food, which will lead to a malnutrition in general and a lack of interest in food.

What products to start feeding a baby with

Your baby's first food should include foods that will not cause an allergic reaction and are easy to digest. Most often, young mothers who are faced with a choice - with which products to start feeding a child, prefer zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower.

The decision is explained by the fact that the structure of these vegetables is unusually tender. And, therefore, the texture of the cooked puree will be light. And this is very important - after all, a children's stomach, which previously "saw" only milk or an adapted milk mixture, should not actively work to digest a new product.

The choice of zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower as products for the first feeding is also explained by hypoallergenicity: vegetables of a dull and green color, as a rule, do not cause rashes on children's skin.

First feeding for an infant

Basic rules for the first feeding:

• start with liquid and semi-liquid foods (juices, mashed potatoes);
• start with one-component dishes, gradually adding a low-allergenic product;
• introduce the child to new food gradually, once a week introducing a new product into the diet, observing the reaction of the body. Start with half a teaspoon (5-10 grams), gradually increasing the rate to 80-100 g.

Breastfeeding does not stop with the first complementary feeding. A growing body needs proteins, fats and carbohydrates - the nutritional value of milk is not able to provide it in the required amount. The purpose of complementary foods is to supplement breast milk or formula.

Complementary feeding during breastfeeding differs in the timing of the start of the introduction of new food:

How to prepare the first complementary food for a baby

Many young mothers, whose children have already grown up by the age when it is time to introduce the first complementary foods, are faced with a choice: to cook it on their own or to give preference to vegetable puree from numerous brands that produce baby food.

The first feeding of a child is a very responsible matter, due to the tender age of the baby. Therefore, if you decide to make mashed potatoes yourself, make sure that the vegetables are of high quality. Be sure to check them for nitrate content.

How to prepare the first complementary food for a child: so that vegetables do not lose their vitamin value, steam them. This way you will keep all the "goodies". Then, using a blender, bring the vegetables to a puree state. The texture should be soft, without a single lump. Remember that the child will swallow mashed potatoes - I would not want the baby to choke on accidentally.

• It is better to start complementary foods with low-allergenic vegetables: squash, cauliflower, broccoli.
• You can add a few drops of vegetable oil or mashed yolk to vegetable puree.
• Starting from 6 months and later, one milk feeding is replaced by complementary foods in the form of vegetable puree (150-200 gr).
• The first cereal for complementary foods should be rice, buckwheat or corn, cooked independently (the cereal is pre-crushed in a blender) or purchased.
• From 7 months and later, one breastfeeding is replaced by porridge (150 g)
• Meat is a source of protein, iron and vitamins. You can start with turkey, rabbit and veal (if you are not allergic to cow protein). Until a year, you should not offer meat broths, it is better to grind the meat (1-3 teaspoons) and add to vegetable soup or puree.
• Fish is a rich source of amino acids, but also in some cases an allergen. You should start with white fish (cod, hake).

With the appearance of the first teeth, the child can be offered finely chopped fruits and vegetables or with the help of a feeding strainer. Instead of meat, include meatballs and meatballs in the diet of the first complementary food, and replace vegetable purees with soups with finely chopped vegetables.

At 3-4 months, the newborn has already grown up, began to smile, walk, more and more actively interested in the world around him. Here the parents are visited by the idea, is it time to introduce the baby to new tastes. Increasingly, mothers are staring at children's shelves in stores with a huge assortment of small jars with colorful labels. Grandmothers strive to stick a gingerbread or a crouton into the little hand of the baby. Is it worth rushing things? After all, introducing complementary foods to a breastfed baby is additional worries and responsibilities. Late acquaintance with the products can completely harm a fragile body.

How to determine the readiness of the baby for the introduction of complementary foods

There are no two newborns in the world with the same rate of development. Each baby gains weight gain, abilities and skills depending on the individual characteristics of the organism. This is influenced not only by the hereditary factor, but also by how the pregnancy, childbirth and the first months of life proceeded. That is why even pediatricians cannot name the exact timing of complementary foods.

Experts talk about only 2 factors that directly affect the baby's readiness to receive new food:

• mature nervous system and brain;
• maturation of the digestive system.

1. The baby's age is more than 4 months.
2. Infant weight has doubled since birth.
3. The child does not push food out with his tongue.
4. Ability to sit independently in a feeding chair.
5. Lack of nutrition. If a baby on gv empties both breasts in one feeding, or for an artificial child, 1 liter of formula is not enough for a day.
6. The child begins to chew everything: toys, fingers, bread pulled from the parent's table.
7. The kid knows how to control the tongue, moves it, takes food from the spoon. He opens his mouth at the sight of a spoon.
8. The child has learned to chew with toothless gums.
9. The appearance of the first teeth.
10. The child closely monitors how the parents eat, repeats the chewing movements and looks at the plate with curiosity.

Note! These signs do not necessarily appear at the same time. The presence of at least 7-8 points indicates that the child is ripe to receive "adult" food.

Before purchasing jars of mashed potatoes or choosing products for self-preparation of first courses, it is recommended to visit a pediatrician. The specialist will give recommendations on how to draw up a menu for feeding babies by month.

First complementary foods for breastfeeding

Usually, the first foods for babies are gluten-free cereals in the water or vegetable monocomponent purees. What scheme to choose for a particular baby is decided by the pediatrician, assessing the work of the digestive system, stool, weight, lack of important substances.

Vegetables are given first if the child has:

• rickets symptoms;
• constipation;
• anemia;
• great weight.

The menu includes zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower. After getting used to these products, the diet is expanded with mashed potatoes, carrots and pumpkin purees.

Important! For the first acquaintance, only vegetables with a white or green color and a neutral taste are used. Any products that can cause an allergic reaction are prohibited for up to 1 year.

Porridge is prescribed for such conditions:

• a tendency to diarrhea;
• regurgitation (often and in large quantities);
• underweight.

The first to taste the kids are buckwheat, rice or corn porridge. It is recommended to purchase special instant cereals of industrial production. They have a puree consistency and do not require boiling.

Additional Information. Rice groats have anchoring properties. It is unacceptable to feed it to a baby suffering from constipation.

Rules for the introduction of complementary foods for babies up to a year

Before thinking over a diet for a baby, you need to remember the rules for complementary foods for babies:

1. A subsequent new product is introduced no earlier than a week later.
2. You can not force to eat through "I do not want".
3. It is necessary to feed the baby with a new product in the morning, before giving the breast.
4. If the baby feels unsatisfactory, complementary foods are postponed until complete recovery. Do not give "adult" food before and immediately after vaccination or painful teething.
5. Daily increase in serving is 10 grams until the daily requirement is reached.
6. It is impossible to mix vegetables or combine them with cereals until the baby is familiarized with each product separately.
7. It is unacceptable to stop breastfeeding an infant while introducing "adult" food into the diet. Complementary foods are only an addition to breast milk.

Complementary foods for babies by months

Experts recommend introducing complementary foods to a child receiving breastfeeding, in contrast to babies on artificial feeding, not earlier than six months of age. If there are indications, then the first acquaintance with the products is allowed to start from the age of 5 months.

Baby diet

Mom should think about completing the baby by months in advance so that she knows what to introduce and in what sequence.

Six-month-old babies are most often given home-made vegetable purees - the initial doses of food intake are very small, it is not profitable to buy a canned product. Zucchini, cauliflower or broccoli are the first to be served.

Important! The temperature of the puree should not exceed 36-37 ° C. The spoon and other feeding utensils must be sterilized.

The rate of the first sample of the product is half a teaspoon. You cannot give more.

It is also permissible at this time to introduce dairy-free cereals: rice, corn grits or buckwheat.

In the seventh month of life, the portion of vegetable puree is increased to 150 g. You can expand the diet with beetroot and pumpkin puree. Complementary foods include:

• puréed fruits: green apples, pears, apricots;
• cottage cheese, starting with a serving size of 1/2 teaspoon;
• boiled chicken egg yolk (1/4 part);
• turkey, rabbit puree - up to 30 g per day;
• no more than 1 baby cookie.

Note! When introducing each new product, it is necessary to check the baby for allergic reactions within 2-3 days.

By the 8th month, parents' anxiety about the question "how to introduce complementary foods correctly" becomes less. However, the introduction to the new products is not complete. The diet is expanded by entering:

• fruits - banana, prunes, berries;
• sunflower oil (1-3 drops) in vegetable puree;
• already tested cereals boiled in milk;
• fruit juices (from fruits that were previously introduced to the menu);
• fish puree;
• baby kefir.

• 6-7 am - breastfeeding;
• 9-10 - porridge and fruit puree;
• 14:00 - vegetable puree with the addition of oil, pureed meat, yolk, baby biscuits;
• 17: 30-18: 00 - kefir or cottage cheese, bagel.

Before going to bed at night, the baby should be offered breast milk.

Note! A similar diet and feeding schedule is recommended for a 9-month-old baby.

From 10 months, the amount of breast milk should be no more than a quarter of the baby's total diet. The child is already chewing well, and it is necessary to introduce more solid food, for example, use not a blender to puree a vegetable, but knead it with a fork. It is necessary to feed the baby according to the schedule, with an interval between meals of about 4 hours. The diet should be as varied as possible. During this period, babies are given light vegetable soup, casseroles, hard pasta. From drinks, uzvar, homemade compote without sugar, herbal tea for children, jelly are introduced.

At 12 months, the complementary feeding of the baby ends for months. Often it is at this time that mothers wean the baby from the breast and completely transfer to the “adult” table. Now you need to diversify the menu of the crumbs as much as possible, offering familiar products in a new format. For example, instead of a boring fish puree, you can make steam cutlets. If you do not want to eat cottage cheese, it should be used for making casseroles.

Complementary feeding table up to 1 year

It will help you think over complementary foods by month when breastfeeding a table that displays the exact amount of products needed at each stage.

Complementary feeding table for a breastfed baby up to 1 year

What can not be given to babies up to a year

Some parents, not knowing why it is necessary to introduce complementary foods, begin to feed the baby with the wrong products. At the same time, grandmothers enjoy great authority, advising to give sweet cookies or an apple as early as 4 months. Such experiments on a child can result in diseases of the stomach, intestines, allergies, caries on milk teeth, obesity and even diabetes.

Breastfeeding up to a year is strictly forbidden to treat:

• seafood;
• sweets from the store;
• nuts;
• red berries, fruits and vegetables;
• citrus;
• canned food;
• sausage and sausages;
• fatty meat;
• pickles;
• sauces and seasonings;
• carbonated drinks;
• chips, crackers;
• sugar and salt.

Note! Breast milk cannot be replaced with cow's milk for up to a year. If the child is on artificial or mixed food, then you need to choose a high-quality mixture.

Dangers of early feeding

Complementary feeding of a healthy baby for months with breastfeeding, described in the table, provides for acquaintance with new products no earlier than six months of age. These recommendations should not be neglected. If for parents the sight of a child smeared with food is a reason for affection, then such actions will not benefit a child with a fragile body. Potential consequences of early feeding include:

• intestinal dysfunction (vomiting, stool problems, regurgitation);
• the habit of swallowing food in pieces due to the immaturity of the chewing skill;
• violation of immunity;
• excessive stress on the kidneys, liver and weakening of organs.

Food allergies can be another reaction to early complementary foods. It can manifest itself as harmless redness and rash. In some cases, more serious chronic forms develop - bronchial asthma, dermatitis.

The introduction of complementary foods should be taken seriously by parents, as a new stage in the development of the baby. Correctly compiling a list of products will help complementary foods for babies by months, the table lists the recommended portions of products that are important to observe. It is much easier to avoid mistakes than to correct them later.

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