What time the first complementary foods are introduced to the child. The introduction of complementary foods with artificial feeding. Complementary feeding with baby food

The excitement of the first months of a child's life, characteristic of all young parents, subsided. Mom decided on the diet necessary for breastfeeding or selected a formula suitable for the baby. But the baby is growing and even supporters of prolonged breastfeeding by the age of six months are thinking about complementary foods. Parents of artificial people begin to worry about this issue much earlier, since even the most ideal mixture is not able to fully satisfy the needs of infants for vitamins and minerals. The first feeding of a baby causes a lot of questions and doubts among inexperienced parents. Grandmothers, acquaintances, mothers with experience and pediatricians often advise different things, and the well-being of the baby depends on when and how correctly complementary foods are introduced.

When to introduce complementary foods

Soviet pediatricians adhered to strict rules for feeding babies, so the opinion of our grandmothers, who know exactly how many months complementary foods are introduced, are often based on universal recommendations that are the same for everyone. Modern doctors believe that the baby's readiness to assimilate adult food is formed individually, therefore, it is necessary to start introducing complementary foods, focusing on the signs of the baby's readiness for this process.
The factors that indicate that the baby is ready for the introduction of complementary foods are:

1. Doubled weight
2. The kid's ability to hold an object in a fist and pull it into his mouth
3. The ability to sit and reach for a spoon while leaning forward or leaning back (head away) rejecting food offered
4. Interest in the food parents eat
5. Ability for babies to drink water from a spoon without pushing the spoon out of their mouth and without spilling water on the chin

You need to start introducing complementary foods only when the child can no longer eat breast milk (mother gives both breasts in one feeding, but the baby clearly wants more). For an artificial person, an indicator of the need to introduce complementary foods is the need to eat more liters of the mixture per day.
Since the stomach of a baby under 6 months is not able to normally digest any food, except for breast milk, the World Health Organization recommends starting the introduction of "adult" food into the infant's diet after six months, if the baby feeds on breast milk. And on the recommendation of a pediatrician after 4 months, if the child is fed with formula.
Many people advise introducing complementary foods after the first tooth appears, focusing on the fact that, on average, teeth erupt at the age of 5-6 months. But there are babies whose first teeth appear by 11 months. By this time, these children are perfectly eating vegetable and fruit purees, grated soups and even crackers. Other babies have teeth as early as 4 months. Therefore, the appearance of the first tooth cannot serve as a signal that it is time to start giving the baby complementary foods.
In order not to harm the baby, the introduction of complementary foods requires adherence to certain rules.

Complementary feeding rules

Even if you are tired of breastfeeding your baby, and the child is actively pulling his hands to adult food, do not rush to give the baby the dish to which he is drawn. The basic rule is to start introducing new food gradually, with half a teaspoon.

Keep in mind - the baby can push food back out with his tongue, as children are very conservative and wary of food of unfamiliar consistency and taste.

After the child has tried a new food, he needs to be supplemented with breast milk or formula, and then carefully observe the baby's reaction to complementary foods. Attention should be paid to:

1. Chair. Increased flatulence, constipation or an upset bowel signal that it is too early to give the dish that you offered to the child. Changes in the color of feces should not be scared
2. Skin condition. Any rashes are contraindications to the introduction of this product at this time
3. Sleep and behavior

If during the day you did not notice any changes, the dose of the new product can be gradually increased slightly (up to a teaspoon), and then, in two weeks, the amount of this product can be brought up to the age norm. The maximum amount per feeding is from 180 to 200 grams.

To introduce complementary foods correctly, you also need to:

1. Give new food only to an absolutely healthy child (since the baby is weakened after vaccination, it is not recommended to introduce complementary foods during this period)
2. Do not insist if the baby refuses food, but try to offer him this dish the next day. A new product is offered about 10 - 15 times - it is during this period that new taste sensations develop
3. Introduce only one new product, and start the next one only when the first complementary food has already become habitual for the baby (that is, the introduction of products should be phased). The interval between the introduction of new products into the diet is on average from 10 days to 2 weeks.
4. It is better to introduce your baby to a new product during the first feeding - this way you can control the baby's reaction to food, and if the baby develops colic, it is easier for you to help him during the day.
5. Give the crumbs dishes that are uniform in consistency and initially as close as possible in density to milk or a mixture. It is necessary to switch to thick food gradually, since the baby must get used to swallowing it, and then learn to chew. By 10 months, you can offer meals with small pieces of food
6. Give food only freshly prepared and warm. Jars with ready-made puree must be warmed up. At first, you will have to finish the mashed potatoes yourself, since the shelf life of an open jar is limited
7. For complementary foods, it is important to use only low-allergenic foods that grow in your area of ​​residence. For children of those regions where oranges and bananas grow, these products are quite acceptable in the form of mashed potatoes and juices, and for children of those countries in which bananas are exotic fruits, it is better to start complementary foods with an apple.
8. You need to give complementary foods only with a spoon, even if you offer the baby juice

The introduction of complementary foods requires an individual approach even when a certain scheme for the introduction of new products is observed, since different children have their own individual reaction to the same products.

Watch a short video about the baby's first feeding, but do not forget to read the article to the end, because we have a lot interesting information For you.

What foods, at what age and in what order should be introduced into the baby's diet

If thirty years ago there was a unified rigid scheme for introducing complementary foods, then the opinions of modern experts on how to properly introduce complementary foods and what product to start with differ.
The introduction of complementary foods can be started according to the traditional scheme, or you can use the pedagogical method.
The traditional scheme suggests introducing new products in a specific order and at a specific time, however, the procedure for introducing certain products into the baby's diet is different.
The introduction of complementary foods according to the pedagogical scheme requires much more time, but the pedagogical scheme assumes a complete absence of violence against the will of the baby - the child is offered small (pinch) doses of the products that the parents are currently eating. Thus, the child gets acquainted with new tastes and chooses those that are suitable for himself. The amount of the product you like is gradually brought to 3 teaspoons, but the baby is still saturated with mother's milk or mixture, so the mother must eat right.
Usually, mothers prefer to introduce complementary foods according to the traditional scheme, but initially they are often not sure that they have chosen the correct sequence of foods for complementary foods.
Previously, children's doctors recommended starting complementary foods with juices (carrot in the first place), and at the age of 4-5 months, the crumbs were offered mashed potatoes from a baked apple.
Modern pediatricians advise against starting feeding with juices. For babies who gain weight well, a one-component vegetable puree is offered. Mashed zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli can be used as a first meal. In some babies, zucchini provokes colic, therefore, if this product is poorly tolerated, it is better for babies to give cauliflower.
Starting complementary foods with sweet foods, such as fruit purees and juices, you run the risk of the child's categorical refusal to eat vegetable purees, which will seem less tasty to him.
The table below clearly shows which foods are allergenic and which are not. We advise you to familiarize yourself with it and take into account its data in order to reduce the risk of allergic reactions in infants during the introduction of the first complementary foods.

When the crumb gets used to this food, you can add mashed potatoes from carrots, green peas, pumpkin or potatoes. Gradually, with good tolerance of the listed products, one-component purees can be replaced with multicomponent ones. See the table below for information on when and what vegetables can be added.

If you plan to make mashed potatoes yourself, and buy vegetables for it in a store or on the market, it is recommended to put them in cold water so that nitrites and nitrates, to which the child's body is very sensitive, do not get into the baby's food.

After vegetable purees, cereals and lactic acid products are introduced into the child's diet, and juices and fruit purees can be given according to this scheme after the baby has adapted to vegetable complementary foods, but not earlier than 6 months.
If the baby is not gaining weight well, complementary foods are introduced according to the following scheme:

1. Dairy-free, gluten-free porridge (rice, buckwheat, corn). If the baby is prone to constipation, rice should be excluded.
2. Vegetable purees
3. Meat puree
4. Fruit purees
5. Wheat, oat and multi-grain porridge (possible after 9 months)

The table below provides information on how many grams of each product can be given to infants, depending on age.

The most the best time- this is from 6 months, tk. baby's stomach is ready for other types of food. But your pediatrician or grandmother may say that you need to introduce complementary foods from 4 months, and it is up to you to follow this advice or not, but you need to take into account all the facts for and against, and they are as follows: breastfeeding or with a bottle, the baby's health, his growth, needs and your own considerations.

At 6 months, the child is physiologically ready to eat, the tongue pushing reflex gradually disappears; also, his body produces all the necessary enzymes for the digestion of various plant foods.

When breastfeeding at the time of the beginning of the introduction of complementary foods, many mothers wonder where to start. You don't really need to be wise here, nor do you need to reinvent the wheel. Start with harmless and simple foods that mom herself eats, for example, cottage cheese or kefir. Just prepare these products for the baby - make them liquid (it is important for cottage cheese, kefir is already liquid).

They also start with broccoli and zucchini vegetable purees. The main thing is to start with one thing and monitor the reaction. Semolina should not be given to a child under one year old, there is little useful in it and it interferes with the absorption of calcium.

The child tried with a spoon, licked it and that's it, do not expect that he will eat more, and most importantly, do not shove him forcibly, but if possible, increase the dose of spoons of food every day so that you can replace one full breastfeeding. After 7 months, you can give broths and soups from lean meat, for example, eat soup, pour it into a personal plate, cool, if necessary, mash potatoes, meat with a fork and offer to the child.

When you start giving your baby regular food, the baby does not want to eat or drink from the bottle, only the breast. Therefore, it is important to regularly teach (not to be lazy and do it every day) such a child to eat, otherwise problems will arise later. Why? Yes, because mom's milk may stop producing one fine day or it will be less; and because the child needs all kinds of foods, they contain the necessary trace elements, minerals, vitamins.

Why does the child refuse to feed, because he is so necessary. Maybe because you are giving the wrong products? My child categorically turned away from artificial milk and artificial cereals, but with interest he ate borscht, chicken soup, and those products that I eat. When you eat something, the child is also interested in it and he will eat with you.

When introducing complementary foods, the main thing:

1. Start with one product and serve semi-liquid.


2. Monitor your reaction to this product.


3. Skip breastfeeding, but don't stop!


4. After 7 months, introduce meat and yolk into the diet.

How and what to feed a child

Your baby never ceases to amaze his mom and dad. He is just smart: he is active in his movements, turns over on his own, learns to sit, enjoys his favorite toys and, most importantly, recognizes you. Well, you can surprise him with a new diet.

The infant's need for certain vitamins is often not met by their content in the mother's milk. To prevent the consequences of a lack of vitamins, a child is given raw juices of berries, fruits or vegetables from the age of three months.

When giving juices, it is advisable to be very careful so as not to cause digestive upset in the crumbs. Raw juices are best given before breastfeeding. You need to start with just a few drops. Making sure that neither the appearance nor the frequency of the baby's stool changes, you can gradually increase the dose and at the end of the fourth month reach four teaspoons a day, and in the fifth month - up to two to four teaspoons twice a day.

It is good to feed your child with mixtures of juices, for example, a mixture of berry or lemon juice with carrot juice, which contains vitamins A and C. A mixture of tomato and orange juice, which also contains vitamins A and C, is very useful. Carrot juice weakens a little; it is useful for your child's tendency to stool retention.

At about the fifth month, the baby should be given vitamin D to prevent rickets (a few drops a day).

In children, after four months, a significant amount of saliva usually begins to be released, which at first they do not yet know how to keep, so that it often flows out of the mouth. Human saliva acts on starch, converting it into sugar. Consequently, the appearance of saliva means that the baby can already digest food containing starch, and that he has a need for such food.

A five to six month old baby, regardless of the amount of milk from the mother, needs to be fed, since he grows, develops and mother's milk can no longer satisfy all the needs of his body. During this period, the baby tries products that are qualitatively new for him. Therefore, you need to be very careful, because it is at this time that gustatory habits and preferences are formed. Everything will go absolutely smoothly if you follow the following rules.

Complementary foods are introduced in the morning to monitor if there is an adverse reaction (skin rash, changes in stool pattern, abdominal pain) when a new product is introduced.

You always need to start with very small amounts of food (one teaspoon), gradually (over the course of a week) bringing the portion volume to the full, set for the crumbs by age.

You cannot start complementary feeding if the child does not feel well or even is capricious. "Forced" feeding will lead to a negative reaction to food and the child will remember this negative experience for a long time.

The doctor should advise which product to choose for the first complementary feeding.

Most often, complementary foods start with grain products. Porridge is very healthy and has a high nutritional value. Currently, doctors recommend feeding a child with industrial cereals, since they have a guaranteed composition, are enriched with trace elements, minerals and vitamins important for children.

On the label it is necessarily written what the product is enriched with. For example, if calcium and magnesium are added to it, then with such a porridge in the diet, the child is not afraid of thyroid diseases, he will grow smart, because iodine helps the brain work correctly. For the successful formation of bone tissue, buckwheat porridge with the same additives is useful. Eating it tasty dish, the baby is growing strong, strong and healthy. There are cereals, in addition to iodine, containing iron. This element is added so that the child does not develop anemia.

In general, trace elements and vitamins are very important for the body, especially for a fast-growing baby. Very few of them are needed, but if they are not enough, health problems may arise. For example, a lack of vitamins causes various hypovitaminosis, and this is always a restless sleep, a capricious child, and increased fatigue. And even such a kid will be reluctant to play. To avoid a deficiency of a particular vitamin or trace element, you can use fortified foods that help your baby's full growth and development.

Now cereals are also enriched with some natural food additives, for example, such as inulin. After all, inulin is a natural carbohydrate that is not broken down in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Reaching the large intestine, under the influence of bifidobacteria, inulin is fermented. Thus, there is a beneficial effect on the composition of the microbial flora in the intestine, bowel emptying is very gentle and regular. Thanks to the addition of inulin, the absorption of calcium, which is so necessary for the strengthening of bones and teeth, is optimized. If such a product is present in the baby's daily diet, his nutrition will be useful and complete.

If you are breastfeeding, at the sixth month you should give the baby a liquid porridge (5% in half milk) once a day before feeding. Start with a teaspoon of porridge. Then the portion is increased daily. By the end of the sixth month, you can bring it to 150 g. In this feeding, the baby should not be given a breast.

In the seventh month, you can use a 10% porridge for complementary foods. For one feeding, the child receives 170-200 g of such porridge. Before the second breastfeeding, it is advisable to give 100 - 150 g of liquid jelly. In the other three feedings, the baby receives 170-200 g of breast milk.

At the eighth month, another breastfeeding is replaced with mashed potatoes in milk (or some other). At this time, it is advisable to give the child twice a week half a soft-boiled egg yolk (if he is not prone to allergic reactions). It is very useful to add grated fresh carrots to puree once or twice a week. In this case, milk in mashed potatoes can be replaced with vegetable or meat (chicken) broth. During this period, it is already possible to start giving grated raw apples with sugar instead of berry juices. Usually babies eat them with great pleasure.

At the eighth or ninth month, you can add fresh cottage cheese to breastfeeding or porridge (now many similar products are produced for children under one and a half years old). It is essential for the proper formation of your baby's bones.

From the age of nine months, the baby's nutrition becomes even more varied. The assortment of dishes includes minced meat diluted with broth, and if the crumbs have teeth, meatballs or even a steam cutlet. Puree can be replaced with soft vegetable cutlets. It is better to give egg yolk whole two or even three times a week, sometimes with broth, sometimes with grated sugar (eggnog).

As a rule, in the last months of the first year, the mother breastfeeds her baby only in the morning and at night. Before feeding, they usually give cottage cheese, a baked apple, cookies ... By the year, and sometimes even earlier (it all depends on the quantity and quality of milk from the mother), a small one can be weaned from the breast.

For a healthy baby, weaning is easy with this gradual increase in complementary foods. However, mothers need to remember that weaning a baby can only be done with the advice of a doctor. It is not recommended to stop breastfeeding in the summer months, as well as during any illness of the baby.

Hello! The last Scientific research showed that one should not rush to introduce complementary foods. Modern recommendations currently in force in our country provide for the introduction of complementary foods no earlier than 4 months of age for children who are bottle-fed. Indeed, only by this age in a healthy child the increased permeability of the intestinal mucosa is leveled, a number of digestive enzymes mature, a sufficient level of local intestinal immunity is formed, the systemic mechanisms necessary for swallowing semi-liquid and solid food begin to operate. And children on breastfeeding the introduction of complementary foods is postponed up to 6 months. Signs of readiness for complementary foods: 1. An increase in the frequency of feedings that lasts longer than a few days and is not associated with illness or. 2. The baby's weight has doubled since birth and now weighs about 6 kg. 3. Ability to sit with support. 4. Extinction of the reflex expulsion of solid food from the mouth by the tongue. 5. Increased interest in food for adults. When getting to know new food, it is important to follow some rules: 1. Start introducing a new product only when the child is healthy. 2. Avoid introducing new food into hot weather and during preventive vaccinations. 3. We introduce each new product gradually, with small amounts (juice - from a few drops, mashed potatoes and porridge - from ½ teaspoon), gradually increasing it to the age volume in 5-7 days and carefully observing its tolerance. We introduce one new product in one week. This rule is especially important for sensitive babies, for children at risk of occurrence. It is better to start with monocomponent products and dairy-free cereals (rice or buckwheat), which are diluted with water or a mixture familiar to the child. 4. New food should be given before feeding with formula, with a spoon, and not through a teat. It is better to introduce complementary foods in the morning, during the second feeding, so that you can observe the condition of the child during the day. If an adverse reaction occurs, the new product should be discontinued. The introduction of the first vegetable puree takes about 2 weeks (for 1 week, bring the puree to the required volume and 1 week is spent on adaptation). Then add 1 type of vegetables in turn every 4-6 days, starting with ½ a teaspoon (cauliflower, potatoes, pumpkin). It is better to introduce cereal products into the child's diet with gluten-free dairy-free cereals. They can be introduced after the child adapts to vegetable puree. If the child has a tendency to, then it is better to first introduce dairy-free buckwheat porridge. Start with 1 tsp and gradually work up to 50-100g. Dairy-free porridge can be diluted with breast milk, mixture or water. But juices are best introduced after the introduction of cereals, it should be started with monocomponent juices (apple or pear).

Mothers of babies 3-4 months old often ask the question - is it time to think about the introduction of complementary foods? The time the baby is ready to get acquainted with new food is determined individually. It depends on the development, the type of feeding, the state of health, the tendency to allergies, the rate of weight gain.

You should not be ahead of the introduction of complementary foods and offer products that are not age-appropriate. After that, digestive problems, allergic reactions are possible, which ultimately will postpone the time for the introduction of complementary foods. Some doctors insist on adding apple juice and cereals to the diet from 3-4 months. Others, on the contrary, recommend waiting for the first teeth to appear. It is important for a baby's mother to listen to their opinion, but trust only her intuition and conclusions from observations of the child.

Infant readiness criteria for complementary foods

Five-month-old children actively explore the world and show interest in everything that is on the kitchen table. If one of the parents holds a child on handles in the kitchen, he is interested in everything - napkins, spoons, food. This is a healthy interest in the world around you, but should not be taken as a signal to introduce complementary foods. The readiness of the child on GV for new food is evidenced by:

• weight gain 2 times from what was at birth (3 times in premature babies);
• the baby does not gorge himself on breast milk (for more details in the article:);
• the appearance of the first teeth;
• the child takes food from the table, pulls it into his mouth, tastes it;
• extinction of the tongue pushing reflex - the child can chew with his gums without experiencing a gag reflex and without pushing food back;
• the baby can show with a gesture which piece he wants to try;
• after the crumb has tried adult food, he does not have constipation, indigestion.

When to postpone the introduction of complementary foods?

Dear reader!

This article talks about typical ways of solving your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Some breastfed babies are not ready for complementary foods at 6 months of age (we recommend reading :). This is due to the peculiarities of weight gain, development, readiness of the gastrointestinal tract to assimilate new foods. You should not rush with complementary foods in such situations:

• the child was born with the help of a cesarean;
• the baby is often sick;
• vaccination period;
• allergic manifestations;
• pathology in the development of the central nervous system;
• low weight gain;
• hot summer weather, flowering period of allergenic herbs.

You should also not rush with complementary foods during the acclimatization period in a new place of residence. Lagging behind the schedule and peers is nothing to worry about. The child will catch up on time. It is important for mom to continue to feed him with breast milk, tracking the increase in height and weight.

During the vaccination period, it is better to refrain from additional stress in the form of new food.

At what age should a baby be fed?

At the moment, there are uniform rules developed by WHO. They indicate that a child on HB does not need supplementation and complementary foods in the first 6 months. Until six months, it is not recommended to offer the baby anything other than breast milk. In some cases, babies start feeding at 7-8 months and later. Mixed and bottle-fed babies can be introduced to new tastes at 4-5 months.

Modern feeding schemes

Experts have developed two schemes for feeding infants: pediatric (traditional) and pedagogical. The first involves the gradual introduction of certain products. Initially, they are offered in a small volume, leading to the age norm within a week. This method helps to gradually displace breast milk from the diet and prepare for the transition to a common table.

Pedagogical complementary feeding involves receiving complementary foods in small portions from the parent's plate. At the same time, the child gets acquainted with the food that the family loves. However, formula or breast milk remains the main food by the year. Most mothers who want to quickly transfer their children to adult food and are interested in the age at which this can be done choose pediatric complementary foods.

Pedagogical complementary feeding allows the child to taste dishes from the parent's table

Complementary feeding schedule

Which product is the best for breastfeeding? Previously, pediatricians recommended fruit juices to mothers. However, modern research has shown that these drinks are hard on the gastrointestinal tract of infants. Doctors recommend these safe and nutritious complementary foods:

• Gluten-free buckwheat and rice cereals. The grain is ground into flour and a liquid porridge is boiled or ready-made baby food is used, which must be diluted with water (a portion of baby milk). With cereals, they begin to feed children who are poorly gaining weight.
• Vegetable purees. The ideal vegetables for the first feeding are hypoallergenic squash, potatoes, cauliflower. Puree should be prepared without salt or other flavorings. it the best way initial complementary foods for babies who are gaining weight normally.
• Dairy products. According to Dr. Komarovsky, children's kefir and cottage cheese are the most correct version of the first complementary food, since their composition is very similar to mother's milk. The digestive system of babies accepts fermented milk products well. With them, you should start feeding premature babies, allergy sufferers and children suffering from dysbiosis.

Fermented milk can be a great complementary feeding option.

Complementary feed input table for HW

It is worth introducing the baby to new products in the morning in order to track his reaction to the dish during the day. The first portions should not exceed a teaspoon. Perhaps the baby will like the dish and will express a desire to try more, but you should not offer more than expected. If the introduction of complementary foods was successful, the volume of the dish is gradually increased, replacing one of the feedings with it. The table-diagram shows the types of products and the period of their introduction into the diet of a breastfed baby:

Baby age	Dish consistency	Approved complementary foods	Features of filing
6 months	Liquid or sour cream consistency.	Zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes grown in the region of residence. It is offered as a mono-puree without salt, and later two types of vegetables are mixed.	Offer from 2-3 grams per day, bringing to two tablespoons for a week. Closely monitor the work of the digestive system.
7 months		Gluten-free unsalted porridge made from buckwheat, rice, corn flour. They are prepared in water, vegetable broth, breast milk or an adapted mixture. If the baby is not gaining weight well, cereals are introduced into the diet before vegetables.	They suggest 1-2 times a day for a teaspoon, bringing the portion within a week to 3 tablespoons, and by the year - 150 ml.
8 months (more in the article :)	Puree-like consistency (mashed or blended foods).	Lean meat: veal, pork, chicken, rabbit. The meat is boiled, chopped through a blender or meat grinder. Also, fermented milk products intended for baby food are gradually introduced.	Chicken yolk (quarter) is mixed into ready-made meals 1-2 times a week, by a year it is doubled (fed with half). The meat is cooked in the form of mashed potatoes, offered with a side dish of ½ teaspoon, bringing up to 30-50 grams per week. Yoghurts and curds are introduced carefully, by the age of one year, the baby should receive 100 g of curd or 150 grams of kefir per day.
9-11 months	Puree-like consistency (mashed or blended foods).	Fish: hake, flounder, trout, hake, cod. Chicken yolk. Oatmeal, bread, crackers.	The fish is introduced from 5 grams, gradually increasing to 100 grams. Meatballs are prepared from it, which serve as a good addition to vegetable or grain garnishes.
12 months	Chopped food without salt and sugar.	Fruit and vegetable juices made from green apples, peaches, plums, apricots. Initially one-component, then mixed (apple-carrot, apple-apricot and others).	Initially, they offer ½ tsp. juice. The portion is gradually increasing and by the year it is about 100 grams.

What are the rules for offering complementary foods?

It is important to offer your child only freshly prepared meals, serving them in a beautiful bowl or saucer. You should not feed the child from your own plate and spoon - the devices can contain bacteria that are dangerous for the digestive tract and oral cavity. The following rules will help to avoid problems with the assimilation of products:

• fresh organic products and young vegetables are selected for complementary feeding;
• a new dish is offered during breakfast or lunch before breastfeeding;
• products are injected one at a time, with small doses, tracking the reaction of the crumbs for 12 hours;
• in case of a negative reaction, the dish is canceled;
• gradually the volume is brought to the prescribed age;
• if your baby likes the "adult" food, do not stop breastfeeding.

After the baby tastes the porridge, butter (about 3 grams) should be added to them. You cannot offer mushrooms, exotic fruits, honey, tea, nuts until one year old.

Tracking the time, volume and amount of complementary foods will allow a food diary, which is recommended to be kept during the first three years of life. It is worth recording in it how much, when and what foods the baby ate, as well as fixing, after which a negative reaction was noted.

Exotic and allergenic fruits are best introduced after 1 year

Cereal introduction plan at 6-7 months

At 6 months, the baby is offered vegetables or cereals before breastfeeding, gradually replacing one feeding with a dish. Any dish should be offered from a spoon; the use of bottles and a nipple is unacceptable, no matter how convenient it is for the mother. If the baby is not gaining weight well, cereals are given from 5-6 months, adhering to the following scheme:

• They offer cereals daily for breakfast, without salt and sugar. At first, the consistency of the dish should resemble breast milk, gradually it becomes thicker.
• The first week - buckwheat porridge of the consistency of cream is offered for testing in the morning in the amount of 1 teaspoon. If there is no negative reaction, 2-3 teaspoons are offered on the second day. On day 4, the consistency is made thicker (like sour cream), the baby can already eat 5 teaspoons. By the end, a portion of creamy porridge should be 100 g per day.
• The second week - they give rice porridge according to the same system as buckwheat, or alternate buckwheat and rice, bringing the amount of rice to 100 grams per day.
• Third week - cornmeal porridge is introduced. The feeding schedule is the same as for rice and buckwheat.
• Fourth week - oatmeal is introduced, monitoring the reaction of the crumbs. The dish contains gluten (a vegetable protein that not all children digest).
• Subsequent weeks. A dish of porridge is gradually replacing one feeding with milk.

Over time, complementary feeding with porridge replaces full feeding

Vegetable introduction plan at 6-7 months

Similarly to cereals, a plan for the introduction of vegetables is prescribed, carefully boiling them and preparing a monopure. It is better to start with a young squash or potatoes. Vegetables containing carotene (pumpkin, carrots) are offered after 8 months. When introducing vegetable complementary foods, it is worth adhering to the following scheme:

• The first week is the introduction of squash puree into the diet. The vegetable is boiled and chopped using a blender (fork, sieve). The first day give ½ tsp. mashed potatoes. On the second day, it is allowed to add a drop vegetable oil and suggest 2-3 tsp. before breastfeeding. For a week, the amount of complementary foods should be brought to 60 grams.
• Second week - add boiled cauliflower. At first they give only 1 tsp. mashed cauliflower and 6 tsp. squash puree, monitor the reaction of the crumbs. This portion can replace lunch, but the baby should be drunk with milk. On the second day, the volume of cauliflower is increased to 2-3 tsp. and supplemented with 5 tsp. squash puree. By the end of the week, cauliflower puree displaces the squash.
• The third week is the introduction of potatoes. First, they offer the baby 1 tsp for lunch. mashed potatoes and 6 tsp. zucchini. On the second day - 2 tsp. potatoes and 4 tsp. cauliflower. By the end of the week, a serving of potatoes should be 7 tablespoons.
• Fourth week - alternate vegetables, try to introduce boiled carrots. It is offered from ½ teaspoon, bringing to 2-3 tsp. in a day. It is not necessary to replace all complementary foods with one carrot puree. It is undesirable to change the order of introducing zucchini, potatoes, cauliflower, but it is possible.

Carrot puree is given in the fourth week of complementary foods

Is it possible for a baby to use semolina porridge as the first complementary food?

With a low weight gain of an infant, Soviet pediatricians often recommended that mothers of infants begin complementary foods with liquid semolina. Disciplined parents gave semolina to newborns from almost two months. What do modern doctors say about this? Gastroenterologists believe that it is undesirable to try semolina before one year old, since the gastrointestinal tract and the enzyme system of babies are not ready to digest it. An exception is babies underweight (they are allowed to try semolina from the 9th month).

Semolina is necessary for the baby, however, it interferes with the absorption of calcium, which is necessary for the formation of bones, teeth, muscle mass... Its presence in the children's menu should not be more often than once every 10 days up to 3 years of age. Since cow and goat milk is not recommended for children under 2.5 years old, the porridge recipe should be based on an adapted mixture or water. At 1.2-1.5 years old, you can use baby milk diluted with water 1 to 1.

The kid refuses to try complementary foods: what to do?

It happens that the child categorically refuses to try spoon-fed complementary foods, spits out the food. Sometimes he even vomits, which causes serious anxiety for mom. Experts advise not to be afraid of gag reflexes. They have a functional origin and usually occur when the lactation period is prolonged.