Are there any benefits to porridge? Why cereal porridges are dangerous: how wrong I was! How to make porridge tastier without sugar

Every young mother who has given birth to her first child is puzzled by a bunch of questions about caring for her baby. One of these questions is: at what age should additional food (complementary foods) be introduced into a baby’s diet and which foods should be introduced first?

Started feeding the baby (from how many months)

The baby is on breastfeeding Complementary feeding can be introduced no earlier than 5-6 months. The introduction of complementary foods is very important at this age. One breast milk the baby is not enough anymore, he needs to receive vitamins and all the nutrients necessary for healthy development, which the food of adults is rich in. Extra food will help the baby develop faster. At the same time, you need to continue to breastfeed the baby on demand. In order for the child to quickly begin to get used to new food, complementary foods should be given before breastfeeding.

If the baby is artificial, then it is recommended to introduce complementary foods earlier - from 4-5 months. This is due to the fact that the formula is significantly inferior in quality to breast milk, and is not able to supply the baby with everything necessary for child's body substances and vitamins. As a rule, the baby himself shows signs that it is time for him to introduce complementary foods - he shows interest in adult food, watches how his parents eat, reaches for a spoon, and more often demands a breast or a bottle, since he is not full.

What foods to start with for the first complementary feeding?

First, cereal dishes, vegetable purees and fruits are introduced. For kids with overweight and for children suffering from constipation, the first complementary feeding should begin with vegetables and fruits. The same goes for children with normal weight. If the child is not gaining weight well enough or has loose stool, then the first complementary food should be porridge.

Porridge

First of all, it is better to introduce rice and buckwheat porridge. It is recommended to boil cereals in water until full readiness, and then thoroughly grind and boil along with a small amount of milk.

Vegetable puree

Vegetable puree can be prepared from boiled potatoes, carrots, turnips, and cabbage. Fruits are also pureed - bananas, apples, pears, peaches.

Fruit puree

If you can’t make good fruit puree without lumps at home, you can purchase ready-made puree in stores baby food or in pharmacies. When choosing store-bought puree, be sure to check the expiration date and make sure that the lid of the jar is not swollen.

After cereals, vegetables and fruits have been introduced into the baby’s diet, meat and legumes can be introduced. There must be meat low-fat varieties(preferably poultry), freed from veins and skin, prepared in the form of puree without lumps. Legumes you need to soak overnight, drain the water, boil well, chop thoroughly and remove the skin. Until seven months you should not give your baby eggs, nuts, fish and seafood, as well as porridges made from semolina, barley, wheat, corn, oatmeal. It is better to introduce these types of products a little later.

It is very important that daily diet The baby contained all the vitamins and microelements necessary for a growing body. You need to start giving complementary foods with a teaspoon per day, gradually increasing the volume. You should not expect your baby to immediately like the offered cereals, fruits and vegetables. It will take a lot of time for the child to get used to the new food, because until now he has not received any other food other than mother's milk. Complementary food for a baby should always be warm, pureed - neither thick nor runny, soft and thoroughly mashed.

You should not delay too much with the introduction of another new dish; at the age of 7 months, the child should already receive almost all types of foods as complementary foods and receive complementary foods three times a day.

The baby's diet must include meat, vegetables, legumes, cereals and fruits. If now a child refuses to eat food that is new to him, then there is no need to force him to do it. It's better to offer this dish another time. You should show your baby how adults themselves eat food with a spoon, and soon the baby himself will try to repeat this.

Until the age of three, you should not give your child tea - neither black, nor green, nor herbal. Substances contained in tea (tannins) bind iron from consumed food, which in turn can lead to anemia (anemia) in a child. It is better to replace tea with compote, natural juices, fruit drinks, boiled water.

The child’s taste for food is instilled by the parents; it is up to them to determine what foods the child will eat in the future. Complementary foods for infant should be prepared without adding spices, sugar and salt. They will not bring any benefit to the baby’s body, and a child who has never tried food with spices will be happy to eat without them.

A seven-month-old baby must be given complementary foods at least three times a day, and the baby must continue to breastfeed on demand. When preparing food for a seven-month-old baby, you can already use all types of cereals, as well as well-boiled and mashed pasta, and boiled dough.

Fruits

Soft fruits should be given mashed, without skin and in small pieces. From vegetables you can already give carrots, turnips, tomatoes, cabbage. Vegetables are best steamed. Vegetable oil can be added to vegetable purees; it contains a number of healthy unsaturated fatty acids.

Meat

Every day the baby should receive meat (finely chopped or in the form of minced meat): beef, lamb, pork, horse meat, rabbit and poultry. Meat contains microelements that will protect the baby from anemia.

Legumes

It is necessary to include other sources of iron in the baby’s menu - green peas, green beans, greens that your child needs to eat several times a week. Legumes must be boiled, pureed, with the skin removed.

Eggs and nuts

At the age of seven to eight months, it is necessary to introduce eggs and nuts into the baby’s diet. Hard-boiled eggs should be pureed and the child should be given both the yolk and the white. Nuts must be thoroughly peeled and mashed to a paste. In small quantities, you can give your baby cottage cheese and hard cheeses, which can be grated on a fine grater and mixed with the main dish.

Dairy products

The child's stomach and digestive system are not yet able to handle whole cow's milk and undiluted fermented milk products. Therefore, dairy products should be given in small quantities to wash down the main course and in diluted form. You need to dilute it half and half with water: add 30 ml of water to 30 ml of kefir. Whole milk can only be used for making porridge; you should not give your baby whole, undiluted dairy products up to nine months!

Fish

At nine months you need to introduce fish into your child’s diet; it’s better to start with pollock and flounder.

Gradually, the baby's food intake increases. At 6-7 months, a child needs to eat at least 150 ml of complementary foods (10-11 tablespoons), at 8-9 months - 180 ml (13-14 tablespoons), at 11-12 months - already 225 ml. Complementary foods for infants should be thick. It is necessary to give the child small pieces of fruits, vegetables, and bread so that he can chew them, since semi-liquid food is no longer enough for a child of this age.

In what cases is it better to delay introducing complementary foods?

You should not introduce new foods into your baby’s diet if:

The child is sick or has recently suffered an illness and his body is weakened.
The baby has recently had a vaccination or is due to have one in the coming days.
The child has not yet adapted to the previous product introduced into the diet.
The introduction of the previous product triggered an allergy.
After the introduction of a new product, the baby began to have problems with stool.

The introduction of complementary foods is a very important period for the baby’s health and sometimes difficult for his parents. But if you follow all the above rules for introducing complementary foods and the recommended sequence of introduced foods, then there will be no problems with the baby’s health, and over time the child will happily eat all types of foods that are so necessary for his growth and development!

Video - when and how to start the first complementary foods

Immediately after the first difficulties of breastfeeding are left behind, the mother faces another one. serious problem- first feeding. The recommendations given in this case by thematic websites, local pediatricians and friends with grandmothers are very different from each other, so inexperienced women are simply lost in a sea of contradictory information. How to introduce the first complementary foods correctly, and what age is optimal for this?

Several decades ago, it was believed that the first complementary foods for babies fed exclusively on breast milk should be introduced at three months. But today this scheme is recognized not only as incorrect, but also dangerous to the health of the child.

In the body of a baby who has not yet reached six one month old, there are no enzymes necessary for digesting new food, so “adult” products create heavy load on his digestive tract.

In addition, up to six months a child has enough useful substances and vitamins that he receives from mother’s milk, that is, introducing complementary foods earlier simply does not make sense. Such measures are only advisable if medical indications– for example, in cases where the child does not type sufficient quantity weight. True, introducing complementary foods too late is also not recommended, since at 7-8 months the baby can already perceive unfamiliar food much worse.

To get acquainted with new food, the child must be sufficiently developed for this nervous system, as well as some skills and reflexes.

There are a number of signs by which one can determine his readiness for the introduction of the first complementary foods.

The child begins to chew, the sucking force increases, and gag reflex moves from the middle of the tongue to its root.
Having completely emptied the mother's breast, the baby continues to show signs of hunger.
Showing interest in adult food and the first attempts to try something from the parents' plates.
When the mother tries to offer the child new product he doesn't try to push the spoon away.
The baby can sit in one place for a long time and take food with its hands.

If a baby has at least three of the five signs listed above, it means that his body is quite ready to get acquainted with new dishes.

In order not to harm the baby when introducing complementary foods, the mother must follow several important rules:

new products are introduced into the child’s menu no more often than once every 7-10 days;
You cannot introduce your child for the first time immediately before or after vaccinations, during climate change, after illness, during teething, etc.;
food should be given to the baby when he is hungry, and in no case should he be forced to eat what is offered;
initially, all complementary feeding dishes (for example, vegetable purees) should be prepared from one vegetable: you can mix different vegetables or grains only when the child has already tried each of them separately;
Complementary feeding should not be a reason to stop breastfeeding - it is not intended to replace mother's milk, but to complement it.

Where to start?

There are two options for introducing the first complementary foods, each of which has its own disadvantages and advantages. The first is a more modern and radical option, which is called complementary feeding, as well as the traditional scheme, that is, the introduction of special baby food into the diet (store-bought or home-cooked). The choice of the most optimal scheme, of course, is up to the mother.

Peculiarities of complementary feeding

The main principle of complementary feeding is to introduce the baby to food that is familiar to his family, so that he can quickly “get involved” in the diet. Of course, this does not mean that six-month-old babies should immediately start feeding fried and fatty foods. adult food. You need to start complementary feeding with tiny (no more than a quarter of a teaspoon) portions of boiled or steamed foods, which should be prepared accordingly: chopped or ground.

The list of products that may be included in complementary foods includes:

boiled meat and fish;
fermented milk products;
boiled and steamed vegetables;
fruits;
porridges and side dishes (peas, potatoes, beans, etc.).

At first, the baby just gets acquainted with the taste and texture of the new food, after which its quantity begins to gradually increase. This feeding schedule gives children the opportunity to develop communication skills, fine motor skills and coordination, and also builds the foundations proper nutrition for the rest of my life.

Complementary feeding with baby food

The first foods that are recommended to be introduced into a baby’s diet are white vegetables ( cauliflower) or green (zucchini, broccoli), since they cause food allergies quite rarely. Next, pumpkin and carrots are added to them, and the latter is given to the child no more than 2-3 times a week along with other vegetables, otherwise yellow-orange spots may appear on his feet and palms. An exception to this rule is children with insufficient weight gain - in this case, complementary feeding begins with gluten-free cereals.

It is not recommended to start complementary feeding with fruit juices or fresh fruits - they have a sweet taste, which is why the child immediately begins to develop a craving for sweets, and in addition, they can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing digestive disorders.

There is a special scheme for introducing new products, compiled by WHO specialists, which is recommended for all breastfeeding women to adhere to.

Type of complementary foods Optimal age for administration How to enter correctly Recommended serving size
Vegetables 6 months (if there are appropriate indications, 5 months) Green and white vegetables (except potatoes) are introduced first in the form of puree. To begin with, it is recommended to give ½ tsp, and then gradually increase to the volume of one feeding (100-200 g)
Vegetable oils 6 months It is recommended to enter first olive oil, after sunflower and corn, which are added to the puree A few drops (up to a teaspoon)
Porridge (dairy-free) 6.5-7 months. (with insufficient weight gain from 4-5 months) The first to introduce are cereals that do not contain gluten (buckwheat, corn, rice), after which multigrain porridges can be introduced With ½ tsp. (up to 100-200 g)
Butter 7 months As an additive to cereals With 1/8 tsp. (up to 10-20 g)
Fruits 7-8 months In the form of single-component purees, gradually moving to purees from several types of fruits With ½ tsp. (up to 100-200 g)
Milk porridge 8-9 months First, gluten-free cereals (buckwheat, corn, rice), and in the absence of allergies and gastrointestinal disorders, you can introduce oatmeal and multigrains With ½ tsp. (up to 100-200 g)
Meat 8 months To begin with, turkey, rabbit, and veal are recommended, after which chicken and beef are gradually introduced (pork is not recommended as complementary food) With ½ tsp. (up to 100-200 g)
Eggs (yolks) 8 months It is recommended to start with quail eggs, since they cause allergies less often than chicken From 1/8 teaspoon of chicken (if a quail egg, then from ¼), bringing up to ½ (a whole quail) per day
Children's savory cookies 9-10 months Maximum 5 pcs. per day From small pieces (about 1/8), up to whole cookies
Fermented milk products 9 months Special children's sour milk With ½ tsp. (up to 100-200 g)
Cottage cheese 9 months Special cottage cheese without additives With ½ tsp. (up to 50 g). From one year of age you can give 100 g
By-products 9-10 months As part of multi-component purees, initially more than 1-2 times a week With ½ tsp. (up to 50-100 g)
Fish 10 months (if you have allergies – from 12) Steam or boiled, twice a week With ½ tsp. (up to 150-200 g)
Fruit juices 10-12 months To begin with, give clarified juices diluted with water (proportion 1 to 1), preferably apple With ½ tsp. (up to 100 ml per day)
Porridge (semolina, pearl barley, millet, etc.) 12 months Start with well-cooked multi-ingredient porridges From 2-3 tsp (up to 200-250 g)
Berries 12 months In the form of a puree (preferably from bright berries) With ½ tsp. (up to 100-150 g)

When introducing complementary foods, the baby immediately needs to have his own dishes: a plate and a spoon. A special spoon can be purchased at the pharmacy - it can be silicone or plastic (some mothers use silver spoons).

It is unacceptable to feed children from a bottle, even if the manufacturer indicates that it is intended specifically for such purposes. Getting to know the pacifier is the first step to giving up your mother's breast and developing unhealthy eating habits.

When introducing a child to new products, it is very important to monitor the reaction of his body - for this it is recommended to keep a special diary in which the mother will write down each of them (time of introduction, quantity, etc.). If the baby suddenly develops food allergy, constipation or other digestive problems, with the help of records it will be very easy to identify its “culprit”. The product that caused such a reaction should be excluded from the diet for at least a month.

It is very important to remember that with the introduction of complementary foods, the nature of the child’s stool will in any case change. Vegetables contain fiber, so they can slightly loosen stools (therefore, they are especially recommended for children prone to constipation). Different fruits also have an effect on digestive system in different ways: more watery fruits (for example, kiwi, apples, apricots) have a laxative effect, while denser ones (bananas, pears) have a strengthening effect.

The first feeding activates the liver and enzymatic system, which is why the stool may acquire a greenish tint or may contain patches of mucus and undigested pieces of food. If the child feels normal, such phenomena should not frighten parents - after the stomach learns to “work” with unfamiliar foods, the stool will immediately return to normal (usually this happens within about a week).

There should be no rush to introduce new products, otherwise the child may refuse complementary feeding altogether - in order for the baby to fully get used to a particular dish, he must try it at least 10 times. If you categorically refuse this or that product, you can use a small trick - add a little breast milk to the puree or porridge. Feeling the familiar taste, the baby will eat what is offered with pleasure.

Purees and cereals for the first feeding can be bought in specialized stores or prepared yourself. To do this, take the vegetables, rinse them well in boiled water, if necessary, remove the skin and seeds, chop finely, then boil or cook in a double boiler (the second option is preferable, since steaming preserves more quantity useful substances). Grind the boiled vegetables in a blender with the addition of a small amount of broth or water.

The consistency of the product should be liquid, reminiscent of kefir. When the baby grows a little, you can give him thicker purees, and closer to 10-11 months, vegetables should simply be mashed with a fork so that the child learns to chew. You cannot store ready-made foods for complementary feeding - you need to prepare a fresh portion each time.

To prepare porridge for the first feeding, you need to rinse and dry the cereal well, then grind it in a coffee grinder and brew it with boiling water (you can add a little breast milk). In no case should you force a child to eat everything without a trace - the main purpose of complementary feeding is not to feed the baby, but to introduce his body to adult foods, forming the right eating behavior and skills that will be needed in the future.

Video - first feeding

Proper nutrition is the foundation of a child’s health, which is laid with early childhood. By 4–6 months, the baby’s need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases. Food should provide the baby with everything useful substances, which are necessary for the growth and formation of his body. The child's first meals should consist of vegetables (vegetable purees), dairy products for children and cereals. The first additional nutrition promotes the development of the chewing apparatus and stimulates enzyme systems gastrointestinal tract and prepares the baby for weaning.

Feeding the baby

Started feeding the baby (from how many months)

Children on breastfeeding

Children on IV

The readiness of children for the first complementary feeding can be determined based on their age and taking into account the following signs:

the child asks for mother’s breast or formula in a bottle more often than usual (does not get enough);
the weight with which the baby was born;
the baby is able to sit with the support of an adult, while confidently holding his head and turning it in all directions;
when solid food gets into the child’s mouth, the reflex to push it out with the tongue is absent;
the child has not been sick for several weeks, he has not been and will not be vaccinated in the near future;
The baby is interested in the parents' food, looking into the plates and mouths of those chewing.

Read more about how to determine that your baby is ready for complementary feeding. -

Rules for introducing complementary foods

Offer any new product to your baby, unless he is absolutely healthy. The introduction of new complementary foods is also contraindicated in preparation for vaccinations, the period after them and recovery from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Give complementary foods before breastfeeding (juices after feeding). We start with 5 g and gradually (over two weeks - a month) increasing the volume of complementary foods to 150 g. All this time, carefully monitor the baby.
When preparing juices and purees at home, take necessary measures: Wash your hands, kitchen utensils, and fruits thoroughly.
Food for an infant should only be freshly prepared. Even short-term storage of the finished product in the refrigerator quickly leads to a deterioration in its quality.
Complementary foods are given warm, with a spoon, with the child sitting. It is not advisable to give 2 solid or 2 liquid complementary foods at one feeding.
It is not recommended to give the same type of food 2 times a day.
Switch to another type of complementary feeding only after the child gets used to the first - after 10-15 days.
The basic rule of complementary feeding is the gradual and consistent introduction of new foods. A new type of complementary food is introduced after complete adaptation to the previous one.
When introducing complementary foods, monitor your baby's stool. If the stool remains normal, then the next day the amount of complementary foods can be increased.
At each new stage of introducing complementary foods, be sure to consult with your pediatrician.

The video talks about how to balance a child’s diet and provide him with all the necessary nutrients.

Where to start the first feeding

Previously, it was believed that the first product a baby should try (can be introduced at 4-5 months). (By the way, we read on the topic:) but this is not so.

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

Porridge and vegetables are actually the main products for introducing the first complementary foods. If the child is underweight or unstable chair, it’s better to start with porridge. Conversely, if you are overweight, normal weight or a tendency to constipation, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree.

Attention!

A few words about fruit purees and vegetable purees.

Fruit puree(usually green apple and pear) is a traditional complementary food that has been one of the first to be introduced to a child for decades, because... it contains fiber, which has a good effect on intestinal function, and children eat it with pleasure. But some nutritionists and mothers notice that when children try sweet fruits first, they don’t want to eat vegetable purees and cereals later.

Vegetable puree quite difficult to enter. It is not easy for a child to go from the sweet taste of breast milk or substitute to a completely unsweetened vegetable. You should be patient. You need to offer a new dish not just once, but at least 10–12 times, and only after the child stubbornly refuses it, move on to another type of vegetable.

Error . After a child does not accept one or another vegetable, parents usually switch to cereal, making a big mistake! There is a high probability that the baby will not want to eat vegetables at all after introducing sweet porridge. Another mistake mothers make is when they sweeten cereals extra. industrial production.

Vegetables (vegetable purees). Ideal for starting complementary feeding: zucchini, broccoli, potatoes, cauliflower. It is important to first offer 1 type of vegetable and observe the child’s reaction for 5-7 days. If no allergies or digestive disorders occur during the adaptation period, you can introduce new look vegetable, and then make a mixed puree. There is no need to add salt to the puree until the child is accustomed to different tastes; he will like everything. (Read a detailed article about the rules for introducing vegetable complementary foods + 3 popular ones)
Porridge. It is important to choose one-ingredient, low-allergenic cereals that do not contain sugar, lactose, gluten (gluten-free cereals): buckwheat, corn, rice and oatmeal. It is better if it is an industrially produced product, since it is quite difficult to prepare porridge from the most crushed cereals, saturated with all the elements and vitamins necessary for the baby. Do not sweeten porridge! We repeat - it is recommended to introduce porridge as the first complementary food to children who are not gaining weight. ()
Dairy products. If the baby does not suffer from protein intolerance cow's milk, at 6-7 months you can introduce cottage cheese () into his diet. It is better to prepare it yourself by heating kefir in a water bath.
- See for newborns;
- See for newborns .
Meat puree. At 7 months the baby is ready for consumption meat puree. It is best to offer industrially produced canned purees at the beginning, starting with turkey, rabbit, beef or chicken (For details, see the article -).
Juices and fruits It is better to offer the child later: at 7-8 months. The least allergenic are pears and green or yellow apples, followed by apricots, cherries, bananas, and plums. After 8 months, you can offer the baby kiwi and strawberries. If your baby eats cottage cheese, add fruits that he tolerates to it - you will get a ready-made afternoon snack.
Fish. Only after 9 months of age should the child be given fish dishes. Such complementary foods should be introduced very carefully, since fish is a strong allergen. Flounder, hake, and pollock are suitable for starting fish feeding. At the same age, you can give your child kefir or bifidok at night.

(An article is being prepared with a clear menu for feeding a child by month up to a year. A link will appear here soon)

By 4–6 months, the baby’s need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases. Since breast milk or its artificial substitute do not fully satisfy the baby’s requirements at this age, it is necessary to provide the child with additional nutrition to increase the caloric content of the diet. The first courses of complementary feeding for a child are vegetable purees and cereals. In addition, they accustom the baby to accept denser foods and develop chewing. These complementary foods are designed to replace breastfeeding. Therefore they belong to replacement feeding.

When to start complementary feeding?

Why was the interval from 4 to 6 months taken for the introduction of the first complementary foods? This is due to the fact that before this age the child’s body is not physiologically prepared to accept new dense foods. And it is undesirable to start later than six months; the child may have problems adapting to food with a denser consistency than milk. Therefore, according to most experts in the field of baby nutrition, first feeding should be administered between 4 and 6 months of life. However, it should be remembered that the timing of the introduction of complementary foods varies from person to person. At artificial feeding you can start complementary feeding with 4 - 5 months , with breastfeeding - with 5 - 6 months .

When to start complementary feeding?

The choice, firstly, depends on the condition baby at the time of introducing new food. If child is underweight or has unstable stools, it is better to start with cereals. Conversely, if you are overweight and prone to constipation, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree. If your baby is deprived similar troubles and absolutely healthy, then the advice of pediatricians and nutritionists currently boils down to starting complementary feeding with vegetable puree.

Why? Many mothers may argue that introducing vegetable puree first is quite difficult. It is not easy for a child to go from the sweet taste of breast milk or substitute to a completely unsweetened vegetable. And here you should be patient. You should offer a new dish not just once, but at least 10–12 times, and only after the baby stubbornly refuses it, move on to another type of vegetable. After child If parents do not accept this or that vegetable, they usually switch to porridge, making a big mistake! There is a high probability that the baby will not want to eat vegetables at all after introducing sweet porridge. Another mistake mothers make is when they additionally sweeten industrially produced cereals.

It should be taken into account that child He is just getting used to new tastes, and his future eating habits depend on how correctly he is taught to eat in the family. As a result, the habit of sweet foods can lead to obesity and related diseases. So, let's introduce vegetables. It is better to start with products such as zucchini, all types of cabbage, potatoes, they are least likely to cause allergies. Later you can try carrots, beets and tomatoes. The modern children's industry offers a wide range various types puree. According to the degree of grinding they are divided into homogenized which are offered to children from 4.5 months, pureed for children 6–9 months and coarsely ground(9–12 months). Canned vegetables for children are prepared with a small amount of salt, and some manufacturers leave the taste of vegetables natural without adding salt at all.

Please remember that when purchasing ready meals, you should not add extra salt or vegetable oil. Foreign manufacturers, trying to improve the taste of their products, use legumes (beans, peas, etc.), tomatoes and tomato paste, onions, garlic, and spices (in particular, pepper) when making vegetable purees. In this case, they recommend introducing them from 5–6 months. This does not comply with the prescriptions of domestic pediatricians and nutritionists.

Such purees should not be given as complementary foods babies aged 4–6 months, since tomatoes, which are among the vegetables, are especially often causing allergies in children, it can be introduced into the diet no earlier than six months. Tomato paste containing salt is best administered with 6–7 months . Legumes, which contain a high level of plant fibers and special types of sugars that can cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa and increased gas formation no earlier 7–8 months . Onions and garlic containing essential oils irritating the mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines, kidneys - only with 8–9 months , spices - with 9 months and older .

You can prepare vegetable complementary foods yourself using both fresh and frozen vegetables. To do this, you need to boil them, then make a puree (in a blender or using a regular masher). Add some vegetable or melted butter(in a volume of no more than 3–4 grams). Oil another new product complementary foods, which children become familiar with from the moment they introduce vegetable puree or porridge. It is the source nutrients, energy, and fat-soluble vitamins(A, D, E). Vegetable oil allowed to enter with 4.5 months , creamy – not earlier 5–6 months .

We introduce porridge

Two weeks after the baby gets used to vegetable puree, you can begin introducing cereal complementary foods . Dry instant porridges are most convenient. To prepare them, you just need to mix the dry powder with warm boiled water and stir. The advantage of these products (as well as canned baby food) is their guaranteed chemical composition, safety and saturation with essential vitamins, calcium, iron and minerals. You can also use dry milk porridges that require cooking, flour for baby food, as well as regular cereal, previously ground in a coffee grinder.

It is important to emphasize that as the first cereal complementary foods should be used gluten-free cereals - rice, also buckwheat and corn flour; Other cereals - rye, wheat, barley, oats - contain gluten. This is the main protein of cereals, and in babies it can cause such unpleasant phenomena like pain and bloating. The principles of introducing porridges are the same as for other types complementary foods- start with one type of cereal, gradually, a week after introducing the first porridge, try another type, and even later - you can switch to porridge from a mixture of cereals.

Introducing a new product

You need to start with one type of least allergenic product. Interval between injections various dishes complementary foods must be at least 5–7 days. While your baby begins to try something new, you should carefully examine the skin every day for any rashes, and also monitor your stool. If rashes appear or the nature of stool changes (frequent and liquid), you must cancel the meal. complementary foods and consult a doctor.
A new product cannot be introduced if child unwell or during preventive vaccinations, it is not advisable to start in hot weather.
It is recommended to give the “new product” before breastfeeding- then hungry child will most likely have a positive attitude towards food. In addition, it is better to offer a new dish in the first half of the day in order to monitor the baby’s condition throughout the day.
They give complementary foods baby only from a spoon, not through a pacifier.

You should not strive for excessive variety in the diet of your little one. baby, for starters, 2-3 types of vegetables, introduced progressively (one per week), are enough. It is necessary to adhere to certain schemes for introducing new foods into the baby’s diet.

Example of introducing cereals and vegetable purees

1st day – 1 teaspoon (5g) 2nd day – 2 tsp. (10g) 3rd day – 3 tsp. (15 g) 4th day – 4 tsp. (20 g) 5th day – 50 ml (50g) 6th day – 100 ml (100g) 7th day – 150 ml (150g).

An example of introducing vegetable and melted butter:

1st day – 1 drop 2nd day – 2 drops 3rd day – 5 drops 4th day – ¼ tsp. 5th day – ½ tsp. (3d) 6th day and beyond – 1 tsp. (5–6g).

Diet baby 4–6 months (volume of porridge and puree up to 150 ml, feeding frequency 5–6 times a day)

Discuss on our forum

When a child is born, not a single mother has a question: what to feed him? Everyone knows that a baby needs breast milk, or if the mother is unable to breastfeed, then formula is used.

However, as he gets older, parents begin to wonder: when can they start introducing more “adult” foods into their baby’s diet?

At what age should you start feeding your baby?

If you ask grandmothers with this question, you will hear the opinion that feeding the baby should begin at two months of age. However, this opinion about the beginning of complementary feeding is outdated.

Currently, as directed world organization health care, the first complementary feeding should be offered to a child no earlier than 6 months if he is breastfed, and no earlier than 4 months if he is bottle-fed.

It is by this age that children mature the functions responsible for swallowing more solid food, and also form the enzyme system responsible for digesting new food.

Signs of readiness to start complementary feeding

In order to determine whether your baby is ready for the introduction of the first complementary foods, you should watch him.

The presence of the following signs will help determine whether a child is ready to be introduced to more adult foods:

he doesn't eat enough. Breastfeeding or formula feeding has become more frequent as the baby exhibits obvious signs hunger;
there is no reflex to push food out of the mouth with the tongue. You can check this by offering your child some water from a spoon;
the baby is able to sit independently or does this with the help of a parent, but at the same time holds his head statically;
the child has a clear interest in his parents’ food, he may curiously climb into your plate;
The baby has gained at least twice the weight since birth.

Rules for introducing new products

The introduction of complementary foods requires compliance with a number of rules:

You can introduce new dishes into your child’s diet if he is completely healthy and does not have to be vaccinated soon.
Before introducing complementary foods, you should consult a doctor who will explain to you how to do it correctly and where to start.
The child should be offered new food in the first half of the day in order to be able to track his reaction to the product - the quality of his stool, skin rashes and other signs.
The dishes you offer should have a puree-like structure, more liquid at first, and as they grow older, they should master thicker foods.
Complementary feeding should be offered before feeding the baby breast milk or formula.
You should start with small volumes (5g), gradually increasing the volume of complementary feeding portions to 150g if the child tolerates the new food normally.
You should start feeding with one-component purees, and after getting used to individual components mixing them is allowed.
You can add a new vegetable or other product to the diet during complementary feeding only after the baby adapts to the previous one.
For complementary feeding, you should use only freshly prepared juices and purees. Before the cooking process, you should take care to thoroughly wash the products themselves, your hands and the necessary utensils.
Don't force feed. If the baby does not want to eat, you should not force him; offer him a new product a little later or the next day.

What to feed your baby: introduction plan

Here is a plan for introducing new food to the baby, starting from 6 months of age. If your child is fed artificial milk formulas, the introduction of complementary foods should begin according to the same plan, only at the age of 4 months.

An approximate table for introducing complementary foods is presented below:

Vegetable purees

It is best to start complementary feeding by introducing crumbs of pureed vegetables into the diet. In exceptional cases, if you have low body weight, your doctor may advise you to start with dairy-free cereals.

First, the least allergenic vegetables are introduced into the diet - zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli. Then vegetables such as pumpkin and carrots are added.

Carrots should not be offered to a child more than three times a week as they can cause pigmentation in the child's limbs. Vegetable purees are started at lunchtime, followed by supplementary feeding with breast milk.

Start with a volume approximately equal to half a teaspoon, then gradually increase the amount of vegetable puree given up to 150 grams, while reducing the amount of breast milk consumed.

Gluten-free cereals

At seven months, gluten-free porridges (rice, buckwheat and corn), which are prepared without milk, are added to complementary foods. Both cow's and goat's milk should not be included in the diet of a baby under one year old, since they are poorly digestible and burden the digestive system.

It is allowed to add breast milk or formula to the porridge. Porridges are introduced during breakfast, also starting in small quantities.

Potato

At 8 months, several products are added to the diet at once - meat, yolk and potatoes. Potatoes are introduced later than all other vegetables because they often bring with them allergic reactions.

In the final introduction, potatoes should not make up more than a third of the vegetable puree.

Egg yolk

The yolk is added to the morning meal, it can be mixed with porridge or given as stand-alone product. If the child is prone to allergic reactions, then complementary feeding should start with quail yolk, which is less allergic.

Start with a quarter of the yolk, gradually increasing its quantity. Give the yolk no more than twice a week.

Meat puree

Meat puree is introduced at lunchtime; it is often recommended to mix it with vegetables, since children eat it better in this form. The least allergenic turkey and rabbit are introduced first; closer to nine months, beef, veal, chicken and lamb can be introduced into complementary foods.

Meat should not be added in quantities of more than 50 grams to the total volume of vegetable puree.

Cottage cheese and kefir

At the age of 9 months, cottage cheese and kefir are gradually introduced into the diet. Begin by introducing cottage cheese into the evening feeding with a small volume, about one teaspoon. Cottage cheese should not have a grainy structure, it should be made homogeneous, and it should not contain sugar.

Kefir is also introduced into complementary foods in small volumes, gradually increasing it to a volume of 100 ml.

Fruits

At 10 months, you should try introducing fruits for snacks. By this age, children, as a rule, already have teeth, so you can give fruit either in the form of puree or in separate pieces.

You should also start with small volumes, and it is also better to choose fruits for your baby that grow in our region - these are apples, pears, and prunes. At the same age, it is possible to add freshly squeezed juices and dried fruit compotes to the diet.

What to do if a child refuses complementary feeding?

Knowing how to properly introduce complementary foods is one thing, but in reality, it may turn out that your baby simply refuses to accept a new type of food. What to do in this case? Offer again.

You should offer it at least 10 times, and then try to switch to another type of vegetable. And after a week or two, try again to give the previous one. If the child refuses again, do not insist. All children are individual, perhaps yours just doesn’t like this vegetable.

Another trick is that you can add a little breast milk or formula to that vegetable puree that the baby refuses to eat. This will slightly sweeten the taste of the dish, which may be quite enough for your baby.

At the same time, under no circumstances should you feed your child foods seasoned with salt, sugar or any spices. This way you will only harm his fragile digestive system.