The first complementary foods during breastfeeding at 6. How to introduce the first complementary foods correctly. Where is the best place to start complementary foods?

An additional type of food of animal or vegetable origin. In composition, taste, form of administration, it differs sharply from breast milk, promotes the development of the chewing apparatus, stimulates the enzyme systems of the gastrointestinal tract and prepares the child for weaning.

Complementary feeding rules:

Complementary foods are introduced only to a healthy child

Complementary foods are given before breastfeeding (in comparison with juices given after feeding), starting from 5 g and gradually (within 2-4 weeks) bringing the amount of complementary foods to 150 g. In the second half of a child's life, complementary foods should not exceed 180 g.

Complementary foods should be homogeneous in consistency and not cause difficulties for the child when swallowing. With age, you need to move on to thicker, then - dense food.

Complementary foods are given warm, with a spoon, in a sitting position. It is inappropriate to give 2 dense or 2 liquid complementary foods in one feeding.

Do not give the same type of food 2 times a day.

The main rule of complementary feeding is the gradualness and consistency of the introduction of new products. A new type of complementary food is introduced after full adaptation to the previous one.

When introducing complementary foods, watch the baby's stools; if it remains normal, then the next day the amount of complementary foods can be increased.

It is impossible to combine the introduction of complementary foods and new complementary foods with preventive vaccinations.

It is necessary to start the introduction of vegetable puree as a complementary food with one type of vegetables, gradually moving on to their mixture. Pay attention to the degree of their grinding. As the first vegetable feed, you can recommend mashed zucchini, potatoes, as the least allergic and not causing increased gas formation

When introducing cereals as complementary foods, use gluten-free cereals - rice, buckwheat and corn flour, so as not to induce the development of celiac disease in children in the first months of life (do not start complementary foods with semolina).

Cottage cheese (at a dose of 3-5 g / kg of body weight) and yolk (1 / 4-1 / 2 part) should be prescribed no earlier than 6 months of life, since the early introduction of a foreign protein leads to allergization, damage to functionally immature kidneys, metabolic acidosis and dysmetabolic nephropathy.

From 7-8 months, raw mature fruits and minced meat (from rabbit, turkey, beef, veal, lean pork) are introduced into the child's diet - 3-5 g / kg of body weight. At 9 months, meatballs are given in the same volume, by the year - steam cutlets. It is recommended to use canned meat for baby food of industrial production, produced in glassware. Canned meat can be divided into purely meat and meat-vegetable. Produced canned meat with varying degrees of grinding: homogenized (from 8 months), puree (from 8 to 9 months) and coarsely ground (from 10-12 months). The last two types differ from homogenized canned food not only in the degree of grinding, but also in the presence of spices in them, as well as the possible replacement of water with meat broth. Most canned foods are fortified with iron.

Meat broths are removed from complementary foods because they contain a lot of purine bases, which leads to damage to functionally immature kidneys.

Puree soups are prepared with vegetable broths. Food should be lightly salted: the kidneys of an infant poorly remove sodium salt from the body. In mashed potatoes produced by an industrial method, the sodium content should not exceed 150 mg / 100 g - in vegetables and 200 mg / 100 g - in mixtures of meat and vegetables.

From 8 months, kefir or other fermented milk mixture can be prescribed as complementary foods. Unreasonable widespread use of kefir as a complementary food in the first months of life can cause a violation of acid-base balance in a child, acidosis and create an additional load on the kidneys. It is not recommended to dilute cottage cheese with kefir, as this dramatically increases the amount of protein consumed. Cottage cheese should be used with fruit or vegetable puree.

From 9 months old, instead of meat, a child can be given low-fat varieties of fish 1-2 times a week: cod, flounder, saury, pike perch. Sugar-free fruit juices can be offered to your child between meals. Lightly salted varieties of cheese can be given to a child from one year old (they are rich in proteins, calcium, vitamins A and B).

When to start complementary foods?

By the age of 4–6 months, the baby's need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases, and breast milk or its artificial substitute does not meet the baby's increased needs for vitamins, calories and microelements. In addition, complementary foods accustom the child to the perception of denser food, develops chewing. at this age it is necessary to introduce additional food to the child. Earlier than 4 months, the child's body is not physiologically prepared for the perception of new dense food. And after six months it is undesirable to start, as there may be problems with adaptation to food of a denser consistency than milk. Therefore, according to most experts in the field of baby food, the first complementary foods should be introduced during the period from 4 to 6 months of age. With artificial feeding, you can start complementary feeding from 4.5 months, with breastfeeding - from 5-6 months. Remember that the timing of the introduction of complementary foods is individual.

Inadequate energy and nutrient intake from breast milk alone can lead to stunted growth and malnutrition;
due to the inability of breast milk to meet the needs of the baby, micronutrient deficiencies, especially iron and zinc, may develop;
optimal development of motor skills such as chewing and a positive perception of new tastes and food structure may not be ensured by the child.

Therefore, it is necessary to introduce complementary foods in due time, at the appropriate stages of development.

Much controversy persists over exactly when to start introducing complementary foods. While everyone agrees that the optimal age is individual for each child, the question of whether to recommend complementary foods at “4-6 months” or “about 6 months” remains open. It should be clarified that "6 months" is defined as the end of the first six months of a child's life when he turns 26 weeks, not the beginning of the sixth month, ie. 21-22 weeks. Likewise, “4 months” refers to the end, not the beginning of the fourth month of life.

There is almost universal agreement that complementary foods should not be started before 4 months of age and delayed until over 6 months of age. Several WHO and UNICEF publications use language recommending complementary foods at “4–6 months” or “around 6 months”. But the scientific justification for the recommendation of a period of 4–6 months does not have sufficient documentary evidence. In a published WHO / UNICEF report on complementary feeding in developing countries, the authors recommended exclusively breastfeeding term infants until about 6 months of age.

When introducing complementary foods before 6 months of age, factors such as weight and intrauterine age at birth, clinical condition and general developmental status and nutritional status of the child should be considered. A study in Honduras found that feeding breastfed babies between 1,500 and 2,500 g with high-quality complementary foods from 4 months of age did not provide any developmental benefits. These results support the recommendation to exclusively breastfeed babies for about 6 months, even for LBW babies.

What and how to give in the first complementary foods?

The first complementary foods are vegetable purees or cereals. If the child is underweight or has unstable stools, it is best to start with cereals. Conversely, with excess weight, normal weight or a tendency to constipation, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree.

If your baby is devoid of such troubles and is absolutely healthy, then the advice of pediatricians and nutritionists is currently reduced to starting complementary foods with vegetable puree.

Complementary foods - vegetables.

Vegetable puree is rich in mineral salts (potassium, iron), organic acids, pectin substances and plant fibers that normalize stool. It is better to start with foods such as zucchini, all types of cabbage, potatoes, they are the least likely to cause allergies. Later you can try carrots, beets and tomatoes. The modern children's industry offers a wide range of different types of puree. According to the degree of grinding, they are divided into homogenized, which are offered to children from 4.5 months, puree 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. You do not need to additionally add salt and add vegetable oil.

Puree from legumes, tomatoes, with spices should not be given as complementary foods to babies at the age of 4–6 months, since tomatoes, which are among the vegetables that often cause allergies in children, can be introduced into the diet not earlier than six months. It is better to introduce tomato paste containing salt from 6-7 months. Legumes, which contain a high level of plant fibers and special types of sugars that can irritate the intestinal mucosa and increase gas production no earlier than 7-8 months. Onions and garlic containing essential oils that irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines, kidneys - only from 8-9 months, spices - from 9 months and older, better after one and a half years.

How to feed your baby?

A new dish should be offered not once, but at least 10-12 times, and only after the baby stubbornly refuses it, switch to another type of vegetables. After the child has not taken one or another vegetable, do not go straight to porridge, try another, sweeter vegetable.

How to make complementary food puree?

You can make your own vegetable feed using both fresh and frozen vegetables. To do this, boil them, then make mashed potatoes (in a blender or using a regular crush). Add a little vegetable or melted butter (no more than 3-4 grams).

Oil is another new complementary food product that children get to know from the moment they introduce vegetable puree or porridge. It is a source of nutrients, energy, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E). Vegetable oil is allowed to be introduced from 4.5 months, butter - not earlier than 5-6 months.

Complementary food - porridge

Two weeks after the baby gets used to the vegetable puree, you can begin the introduction of cereal complementary foods. The most convenient dry instant cereals. To prepare them, you just need to mix 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 porridge that requires cooking, flour for baby food, as well as ordinary cereals, previously ground on a coffee grinder. It is important to emphasize that gluten-free cereals should be used as the first cereal complementary food - rice, also buckwheat and corn flour; other cereals - rye, wheat, barley, oats - contain gluten. It is the main protein in cereals and can cause unpleasant symptoms such as pain and bloating in babies. The principles of introducing cereals are the same as for other types of complementary foods - start with one type of cereal, gradually, a week after the introduction of the first porridge, try another type, even later - you can switch to porridge from a mixture of cereals.
Do not sweeten industrially produced cereals
It should be borne in mind that the child is only getting used to new tastes, and his future eating habits depend on how well he is taught to eat in the family. As a consequence, the habit of sugary food can lead to obesity and related diseases.

How to introduce a new complementary food product?

You need to start with one type of least allergenic product. The interval between the introduction of various complementary foods should be at least 5–7 days. While the baby begins to try something new, you should carefully examine the skin every day for the appearance of any rash, and also monitor the stool. If rashes appear or the nature of the stool changes (frequent and liquid), it is necessary to cancel the complementary food dish and consult a doctor.

A new product should not be introduced if the child is unwell or during preventive vaccinations, it is undesirable to start in hot weather.

It is recommended to give a "novelty" before breastfeeding - then a hungry baby is likely to react positively to food. In addition, it is better to offer a new dish in the morning to monitor the baby's condition throughout the day.

Complementary foods are given to the baby only with a spoon, and not through the nipple.

You should not strive for excessive variety in the diet of a small child; for a start, 2-3 types of vegetables introduced progressively (one per week) are enough. It is necessary to adhere to certain schemes for introducing new products into the baby's diet.

An example of the introduction of 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 - 100ml (100g)

7th day - 150 ml (150g).

An example of the introduction of vegetable and melted butter:

if a child eats industrial cereals, they already have oil and should not be added additionally.

1st day -1 drop

2nd day - 2 drops

3rd day - 5 drops

4th day - ¼ tsp

5th day - ½ tsp. (3d)

Nutrition for a child 6 months old (the volume of porridge and puree is up to 150 ml, the frequency of feeding is 5-6 times a day)

First feeding. Formula or breast milk
160-200 ml

Second feeding. Porridge
150 ml

Third feeding. Vegetable puree
150 ml

Fourth feeding. Formula or breast milk
160-200 ml

Fifth feeding. Formula or breast milk
160-200 ml

Sixth feeding. Formula or breast milk
160-200 ml

An approximate scheme for the introduction of foods and complementary foods during natural feeding of children of the first year of life:

	Child's age, months							Note
	3	4	5	6	7	8	9-12
Fruit juices, ml	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100	from 3 months
Fruit puree, g	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100	from 3.5 months
Curd, g			10-30	40	40	40	50	from 5 months
Yolk, pcs				0,25	0,5	0,5	0,5	from 6 months
Vegetable puree, g		10-100	150	150	170	180	200	from 4.5-5.5 months
Milk porridge, g			50-100	150	150	180	200	from 5.5-6.5 months
Meat puree, g					5-30	50	60-70	from 7 months
Fish puree, g						5-30	30-60	from 8 months
					200	200	400-500	from 7.5-8 months
					5	5	10	from 7 months
Rusks, biscuits, g				3-5	5	5	10-15	from 6 months
		1-3	3	3	5	5	6	from 4.5-5 months
Butter			1-4	4	4	5	6	from 5 months
Whole milk		100	200	200	200	200	200	from 4 months

An approximate scheme for the introduction of foods and complementary foods during artificial feeding of children of the first year of life:

Name of foods and meals	Child's age, months
	0-1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9-12
Adapted milk formula or "subsequent" milk mixtures, ml	700-800	800-900	800-900	800-900	700	400	300-400	350	200-400	200-400
Fruit juices, ml				5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	80-100
Fruit puree, g				5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	80-100
Curd, g						40	40	40	40	40-50
Yolk, pcs							0,25	0,5	0,5	0,5
Vegetable puree, g					10-100	150	150	170	180	180-200
Milk porridge, g						50-100	150	170	180	180-200
Meat puree, g							5-30	50	50	60-70
Fish puree, g									5-30	30-60
Kefir and other fermented milk products or "subsequent" mixtures, ml								200	200-400	200-400
Bread (wheat, top quality), g								5	5	10
Rusks, biscuits, g							3-5	5	5	10-15
Vegetable oil (sunflower, corn)					1-3	3	3	5	5	6
Butter						1-4	4	4	5	6
Whole milk					100	200	200	200	200	200

Keep in mind that the schemes are approximate and, if the child is fully breastfed and develops normally (this should be decided by the pediatrician), all the timing of the introduction of complementary foods can be shifted by 2-3 months. The table indicates that a child of his age can already eat.

Notes on the introduction of complementary foods:

• Whole milk is used for preparing complementary foods (vegetable purees and cereals).
• The amount of kefir depends on the volume of the adapted or "subsequent" mixture received by the child.

Fruit juices are given a little, first diluting 1: 1 with boiled water. Fruit puree is only introduced 2-3 weeks after the juice. Better to start with apple juice and puree. We exclude berries up to 6 months.

Recently, with natural feeding, the introduction of complementary foods is recommended with good weight gain from 6 months of age, so the tables are approximate. Before introducing complementary foods, consult your pediatrician.

The tables were developed in accordance with methodological guidelines No. 225 (1999) "Modern principles and methods of feeding children in the first year of life" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

The proposed recommendations for feeding children in the first year of life are based on the results of the analysis of modern world scientific literature and our own research. Their validity is also confirmed by the clinical experience of observing children in the first year of life.

According to the WHO recommendations, at the age of 6 months, a healthy baby is as ready as possible for complementary foods. Although mother's milk continues to be the main source of all substances important for vital activity, the body no longer lacks energy, vitamins and microelements. The baby's digestive system is physiologically ready to digest rougher foods. Moreover, its use can cause the release of special enzymes that have a positive effect on the motility of the gastrointestinal tract.

Age features - why from six months?

Many mothers mistakenly believe that if their milk is not enough to saturate the baby, then it is time to move on to the introduction of complementary foods from 2-3 months. Indeed, how can a couple of teaspoons of applesauce or "so healthy" carrot juice harm? In fact, this is a fundamentally wrong point of view. The baby's digestive system is unable to digest anything other than mother's milk. In case of insufficient lactation, the pediatrician must pick up the child. The introduction of early feeding is fraught with such unpleasant consequences for the crumbs as:

• indigestion;
• (which can persist for many years);
• the subsequent development of obesity.

On the other hand, late feeding is also harmful: it will lead to:

• lag in mental and physical development;
• the risk of developing deficiency conditions (hypotrophy, anemia, hypovitaminosis);
• protein-calorie deficiency.

The body of a baby up to 5-6 months is not adapted to the digestion of any food, with the exception of breast milk and adapted milk formulas, which are used in cases of insufficient lactation. But 6 months is an average. Only a pediatrician who supervises his development can provide accurate information about whether a baby is ready for the introduction of complementary foods. Babies do not grow according to the exact scheme, each baby is individual: one is ready for complementary foods at 5 months, the other only at 9. The main factors that it is time for your son or daughter to start giving complementary foods are:

• The child is absolutely healthy:
• He takes an interest in food from the diet of the adults around him;
• The baby's weight has doubled since birth;
• The baby does not have enough breast milk: he is increasingly being applied to the breast;
• The baby sits confidently without support;
• The pushing reflex (regurgitation) gradually fades away.

Complementary feeding for breastfeeding - where to start at 6 months

The basic principles that must be followed when introducing complementary foods for a breastfed baby:

• Complementary foods can be introduced only if the baby is completely healthy: there is no disorder of the digestive system (constipation, diarrhea), an increase in body temperature, there has not been and will not be vaccinated 5-7 days before and after the planned complementary feeding;
• An additional dish must be given to the child when he is hungry, then breastfeed;
• The consistency of the dish should be as homogeneous and liquid as possible, the temperature should be moderately warm. It is especially useful to steam vegetables and then grind them in a blender (or rub through a strainer). With this method of cooking, vitamins and nutrients are better preserved in vegetables;
• The baby should be fed from a spoon and always in a sitting position;
• A new product can be given to a child only once a day. You should start with 0.25 - 0.5 teaspoons. Within two weeks, the portion should be increased to 150 g, which will replace one breastfeeding;
• New dishes are being introduced gradually. The next product can be used in the diet after the body has adapted to the previous one;
• Constantly monitor the condition of the child, his reaction to new products;
• Simultaneously with the introduction of complementary foods, teach the baby to a 5-meal meal at intervals of 4 hours between feedings.

Products for the first menu

The choice of the first courses for complementary foods depends on the characteristics of the body and the condition of the baby: if there is a problem of underweight, then it is better to start with gluten-free cereals: corn, buckwheat or rice. If the child has a tendency to constipation, then with vegetable and fruit purees.

At the first stages, the dish should consist of one type of product: you should not mix two types of vegetables, fruits or berries in one puree or juice.

The best foods for your first vegetable feed- cabbage of all varieties, the most useful of which are cauliflower and broccoli, potatoes and zucchini (especially if the baby has constipation). Then you can introduce green peas. Painted fruits and vegetables (red apple, dark grapes, carrots, beets, pumpkin) are offered to the baby a little later.

You do not need to add sugar to fruit puree, and salt to vegetable puree. Half the yolk, vegetable oils (olive or sunflower) are added to the vegetable puree, starting with 1 drop and bringing to 1 tsp. for a full serving of mashed potatoes (150 g).

Since the kidneys of a child under one year old are not fully formed, in no case should the baby be given meat broths, which contain a large number of purine bases. It is better to use vegetable broth for the soup.

The healthiest way to cook vegetables is to steam and grind them in a blender or through a strainer. With this heat treatment, a greater amount of vitamins and other useful substances is retained. Mashed potatoes must be made liquid, the baby is not yet adapted to swallow thick food.

Porridge for a child 6 months old (we are starting to give one-component porridge, gluten-free. Such types include buckwheat, rice and corn porridge) are first cooked from one type of cereal. After three weeks, you can start mixing the cereals. Previously, it is recommended to grind them in a coffee grinder and only then cook. Both water and breast milk are suitable for cooking. It is useful to add melted butter to the finished porridge.

Child's taste preferences

Be very attentive to the desires and taste preferences of the baby itself. If a dish is unpleasant to him and he turns away from the spoon, in no case insist. Discard this product for a while. It can be resubmitted after 3 or 4 weeks.

Do not force your child to eat all of the complementary foods. In this case, the baby will suck less milk from the breast, which will lead to a decrease in its production and the extinction of lactation. It can also cause disgust for the new dish and poor appetite in the future.

It is necessary to supplement the baby with breast milk as long as possible. It remains the main food for up to a year, a source of growth hormones and antibodies that form the child's immunity. Remember that the main task of complementary foods is not transferring to the general table, but the formation of natural eating behavior. Therefore, it is not so important whether the products and their quantity are in accordance with the recommendations. It is necessary to take into account the desire of the crumbs. If parents do not pursue the goal of observing a quantitative portion of baby food, then an active interest in food will continue, and breastfeeding will not be supplanted. In this case, the transition to eating from a common table will be gradual.

For babies who, for one reason or another, eat adapted artificial mixtures, complementary foods are introduced a little earlier: from 4 to 5 months. This should be done on the prior recommendation of the supervising pediatrician and taking into account his advice. The introduction of complementary foods at such an early stage is due to the fact that for the full development of the growing body, there are not enough nutrients obtained from the mixtures.

The feeding regimen corresponds to that of a breastfed infant. First, vegetable and fruit purees are also introduced into the diet. At 6 months of age, artificial people move on to the second stage of complementary feeding - dairy (depending on milk tolerance) and dairy-free cereals with the addition of butter, juices diluted with water, cottage cheese, yolk, meat and fish purees.

Artists can be obese, so don't overuse semolina. In addition to high nutritional value, it is essentially not useful in anything. With the frequent use of this cereal, the possibility of the appearance of conditions such as anemia or rickets increases significantly.

When adding meat and fish dishes to the menu, you can use ready-made canned food () intended for children, but mashed potatoes or mashed potatoes prepared in a blender at home will be more useful. The first mashed potatoes are made from rabbit, turkey, veal or chicken. ()

Our Complementary Feeding Story (6 months)

Closer to six months, the baby begins a more active life: he learns to sit and crawl. Most often, by the age of 6 months, he already has his first tooth. And these events are the first signal to parents that their baby needs additional nutrition, that is, complementary foods. After all, his body needs an increased amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. All of them are very important in the further development of the little person. Therefore, the mother of a six-month-old baby is faced with a difficult task - to decide where to start complementary feeding at 6 months.

Early complementary foods

Even now, when science has stepped forward, pediatricians cannot agree on when to start complementary foods, and which product should be the first. The older generation of specialists assures that complementary foods can and should be introduced as early as 4 months. They explain their point of view by the fact that at this age the child begins to grow actively, and by this time there are not enough nutrients in breast milk.

At 6 months, the child's body has already sufficiently adapted to the world around him and his digestive system will quickly cope with the digestion of unfamiliar food.

But modern pediatricians argue that such early complementary feeding can harm the child's body. After all, his digestive system will begin to function normally only by 6 months. Moreover, by 4 months, babies only have painful colic. And loading the intestines with heavy food during this period is absolutely not worth it. Even formula-fed babies are not recommended to introduce complementary foods earlier than 6 months. Manufacturers of infant formula create products that are as similar as possible in composition to breast milk. Therefore, you can postpone new food.

Complementary feeding at 6 months is considered one of the most optimal. But is your baby ready for it? You can assess the degree of its readiness by the following points:

1. Child's age. A special role is played when the baby was born, whether it was a full-term pregnancy or the baby was born prematurely. For example, if the baby was born a few weeks earlier, then complementary foods should be introduced later, adjusted for this period of time.
2. Baby's weight. From birth until the moment you decide on complementary foods, your baby's weight should be two or two and a half times more.
3. Ejection of the tongue. This reflex in babies from birth as a protective one, when something that is unusual or unusual gets into their oral cavity. If the tongue continues to carry out reflex movements, it is likely that complementary foods will have to be postponed. You can check the readiness with a spoon: give the baby water in it, if you see that the liquid flows down the chin, then it is really early to introduce complementary foods at 6 months.
4. Physical capabilities of the crumbs. If your baby is already sitting up, this may be the first signal to start complementary foods. If the baby is unsure of his head movements and sits uncertainly, then the time for complementary feeding has not yet come.
5. It also happens that the baby simply does not have enough mother's milk, because he is growing rapidly and he needs more and more energy every day to learn about the world around him. Therefore, the baby will have to be fed so that he is not hungry. It is not difficult to understand that the child does not have enough food: he will drag foreign objects into his mouth, ask for food much more often.
6. If the crumbs have their first teeth, it may be time to start introducing the first complementary foods at 6 months.
7. Another important feature in the development of the baby, by which you can determine the readiness of your baby for complementary foods, is the ability to pull the lower lip forward in order to take food from a spoon, as adults do.
8. It's good if the baby has mastered the skills of chewing. This can be determined if the child grasps food with his tongue and pushes it deep into the oral cavity.
9. If your child is interested in what he sees on your plate, and wants to taste your food, he is probably ready for complementary foods.

If all these moments are passed and the child is already 6 months old, then you can safely start complementary foods. And here another problem arises: what product to introduce the child to? In the old days, pediatricians advised young mothers to give fruit juices for their first complementary foods at 6 months. But today there is scientific evidence that they do not have enough vitamins, and it is ineffective to introduce them into the child's diet. Therefore, it is better to start the first feeding at 6 months with vegetable puree. However, it is important to use only one type of vegetable to control the possible occurrence of an allergic reaction.

Serve the vegetable puree in the morning. So, the mother will be able to observe the reaction of the child's body to a new product.

It is better to start acquaintance of the kid with vegetables with zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower. These green vegetables are rarely intolerable and are easy to digest. Mom can make a delicious puree from one vegetable herself. To do this, take a zucchini or other selected vegetable, wash it thoroughly, peel it and cut it into small pieces, put it in a saucepan, add water and boil it for 5-10 minutes. Then the finished vegetables must be interrupted in a blender along with the liquid until smooth.

It is important to offer the baby no more than 1 tsp on the first day. vegetable puree. Approximate feeding scheme for the day:

• 1st feeding - breast milk or 200 ml of formula;
• 2nd feeding - breast milk (mixture);
• 3rd feeding - breast milk (mixture 180 ml), 5-10 grams of vegetable puree;
• 4th feeding - 200 ml formula or breast milk;
• 5th feeding - breast milk / formula.

If the child does not have an allergic reaction after a new product, then the next day the amount of vegetable puree increases to 30-40 grams. By the end of the week, it should be in the daily diet of 150 grams. If mom prepares vegetable puree at home, then by the end of the second week it is recommended to add 5 ml of olive oil to it. The child can be introduced to the next vegetable 14 days after the first.

Complementary feeding table from 6 months

How to introduce complementary foods at 6 months

There are several important rules that you should follow if you decide to introduce complementary foods to your child:

1. do not introduce complementary foods when your baby is sick. Also, it is not the best option to introduce complementary foods in the heat or if your baby was recently vaccinated;
2. the new product should be introduced in small portions - a quarter and a half of a teaspoon, the volume should be increased gradually over 7 days;
3. the next product is introduced in two weeks;
4. the optimal time of day for the introduction of complementary foods is morning. This will allow you to objectively assess the body's response to changes in the diet. Mom should carefully consider the baby's chair, examine the skin for rashes;
5. feeding the baby should be done before you give him the mixture or breast, but fruit dishes should be given to the baby after the main feeding;
6. keep in mind that the food you offer your baby for complementary foods must be thoroughly chopped so that the nutrients are absorbed to the maximum;
7. change the consistency of dishes from thin to thicker;
8. monocomponent complementary foods at 6 months are ideal for the first steps towards variety in the diet;
9. porridge or mashed potatoes will be the most suitable option for feeding a baby;
10. the first complementary foods at 6 months should include products that are recommended by experts for a given age, portions should also correspond to the baby's age;
11. to carry out complementary feeding, you may have to re-give the same dish several times;
12. if the crumb fundamentally refuses a certain product, go to the next one;
13. a gastronomic diary will help to trace the connection between a certain product and the negative reaction of the body to it.

There are times when it is better to postpone complementary foods:

• crumbs disease;
• if a child's teeth are climbing, he is capricious and the temperature rises;
• while traveling, moving or if you have recently changed your place of residence;
• while the baby is getting used to the new living conditions: a nanny or someone close to him is taking care of him, and his mother has gone to work;
• when, after the first feeding, the child has a digestive upset or allergy;
• got vaccinated.

The main thing is to adhere to the sequence. Mom does not need to rush and shove too much new food into the crumbs. If the baby refuses to eat squash puree, you can offer him another type of vegetable for complementary foods.

What porridge to start complementary foods with at 6 months

If for some reason the mother does not want to start giving the baby vegetables, then she can try to introduce porridge into the diet of a six-month-old baby first. It is also best to introduce this product first when the baby is underweight. The consistency of porridge is somewhat thicker than the main food. But due to the taste, even in the absence of sugar and salt, the child gets used to them quickly. Such complementary feeding of a child at 6 months has a number of features:

1. it is important to start the introduction of gluten-free cereals (buckwheat, rice);
2. porridge is cooked in water from one type of cereal;
3. buckwheat and corn porridge is suitable for a child with frequent constipation;
4. if the baby has loose stools, then it is necessary to introduce rice porridge;

Only after getting used to it, you can try to offer the crumbs porridge cooked in milk. After all, the nutritional value of milk cereals is much higher due to the high content of protein, calcium, fat and vitamins. The scheme for the introduction of cereals coincides with the complementary foods with vegetable puree - at first 1 tsp is offered, and by the end of the weeks the volume rises to 150 ml.

Vegetable feeding menu

According to pediatricians, vegetable supplements for babies should be started with squash, cauliflower, broccoli or potatoes. Serve one type of vegetable puree throughout the week. At this time, observe the child, his health and well-being. After that, you can start introducing a new vegetable, and then - to feeding the combined vegetable puree. Give your baby food without salt. During this period, the child is happy to perceive food without spices. And over time, when he grows up, he learns about food diversity, it will be possible to season his dishes with vegetable or butter, add a little salt.

Milk complementary foods at 6 months

If your baby normally tolerates milk protein of animal origin, then by 6-7 months you can diversify his menu with cottage cheese. Cook it yourself so that the baby gets a high-quality fermented milk product.

Meat puree for a child

When your baby is seven months old, you can gradually train him to eat meat. Pediatricians advise starting with ready-made meat purees, which can be purchased at baby food stores. Optimal for a child would be turkey, chicken, rabbit puree or puree of beef.

Fruit dishes for crumbs

Juices and fruit purees are most often administered over a period of 7-8 months. Better for this purpose are pears, a yellow or green apple, and a little later offer the crumbs a banana, apricot, plum. When the child reaches eight months, you can try giving him strawberries and kiwi. If the child's diet already contains cottage cheese, then at 8 months you can combine it with fruit puree. A child will like this dessert.

Fish feed

Suitable only for children who have reached the age of nine months. Fish dishes can cause allergies, so special care is required here. The first fish feed should be started with pollock, flounder or hake.

Finished products

Baby food manufacturers create a variety of complementary foods. The state control allows us to say with confidence that most companies produce high-quality and safe purees and cereals. The advantages of finished products include:

• The composition and nutritional value that is appropriate for the child's age are indicated on the package.
• The products used in production are carefully selected and tested for the presence of nitrates, pesticides, antibiotics and other hazardous substances.
• The products are additionally saturated with vitamins, minerals, calcium and other useful components.

High-quality baby food allows parents to diversify the child's menu and introduce even non-seasonal or unaffordable products into complementary foods. In addition, a mother at home is unlikely to be able to achieve the required consistency of vegetable or fruit puree. It is better for her to take care of her beloved child and not be distracted by cooking.

Parents should understand that the first exposure to a new product can be spoiled by the baby's reaction. And now we are not talking about allergies or indigestion. The crumb may simply not like the taste of the offered vegetable, and he will spit out the puree and will not want to open his mouth again. In this case, the mother should not be nervous and show her displeasure to the baby. You can try to leave him a plate of food and put a spoon in the handle. And even then the feeding table and the child himself will be stained with mashed potatoes, but the next time the baby will not react so negatively to the product.

What should be the correct complementary foods at 6 months? There are some controversies about the timing of the introduction of additional nutrition for breastfed babies. Many experts are sure that there is no need to introduce additional foods into the baby's diet before six months. Bottle-fed babies can be fed complementary foods as early as the fourth month of life.

Complementary foods are any food other than breast milk or formula. You can diversify the baby's menu on artificial feeding with the help of vegetable purees, cereals, fruit juices and compotes, egg yolk and butter / vegetable oil. If a breastfed baby receives all the nutrients to ensure the functioning of the body from mother's milk, then a baby on artificial feeding already from the fourth month of life needs additional useful elements from other products.

In addition to saturating the body with minerals and vitamins, complementary foods solve a very important problem of adapting the digestive system of children to adult food.

The benefits of complementary foods also consist in consolidating the baby's chewing and swallowing skills, which appear at this particular time. It is necessary not to miss the right moment and help your baby to develop useful skills.

How to find out the time for introducing complementary foods, what are the rules and recipes for the menu for the baby? How to start introducing it, what consequences to fear? All these questions disturb young mothers, and various schedules and schemes are confusing. Don't worry. All babies develop individually, there is no single rule for entering food products. In case of any doubt, the help of a local pediatrician is needed. And the child himself tells the mother when to give new food.

Right time

Your baby is six months old and is eating breast milk. Do I need to feed him with porridge? The answer of specialists will be definite - a child at six months needs to introduce vegetable and fruit purees, juices and compotes into the menu. You should also introduce him to cereals.

How to understand that a breastfeeding baby is ready to receive complementary foods, and what is the correct rate?

Signs of a child's readiness to enter additional nutrition include:

• interest in the pieces of food in mom's plate;
• when the child sits down on his own;
• the ability to hold a spoon in hand.

At three months, the body begins to prepare for the transition to adult nutrition and produces hydrochloric acid. At the same time, the intestines begin to transform, the walls of which become less permeable to liquid food. All these transformations occur at approximately the same time, but taking into account the individual structure of the baby's body on artificial and mixed nutrition and genetic characteristics.

The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommends introducing the first complementary foods no later than 6 months of age.

What can your baby eat

The scheme, table and schedule of nutrition for children depends on the type of milk feeding and the time of the beginning of the first feeding. Babies on IV are already familiar with fruits, cereals and vegetables from the fourth month.

Babies on mother's milk often did not try anything else until six months old, because they were well saturated with everything they needed. For them, additional nutrition is the beginning of the beginning.

The rules for introducing new food products and recipes depend on the characteristics of the development of the baby's body:

1. underweight babies need cereals;
2. overweight - vegetable purees are useful.

Regardless of whether the child eats porridge and vegetables at 6 months, he should receive fruit juices and mixtures. Fruits are rich in nutrients, they are well absorbed by the body and do not cause digestion problems.

The 6-month-old baby's menu should include:

• green apple;
• plums;
• pears;
• banana.

You should not take red fruits so as not to provoke allergies. The menu of young children should not contain citrus and exotic fruits. The recipes for mashed potatoes are the same: grate the pulp without the peel on a grater.

Many nutritionists believe that first you need to give a baby half a year old vegetables, and then fruits. This position is explained by the fact that the baby often does not eat vegetables of a neutral taste after tasting sweet fruits. However, this is not always the case (due to the personality of the child's character).

After tasting the vegetable and fruit puree, the introduction of cereals can begin. Porridge in the baby's menu is an important food product that provides additional energy for movement and building of body cells. The introduction of cereals to infants on artificial nutrition is especially indicated.

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Power circuits

The recipes and the correct nutritional schedule for preparing a menu for a 6-month-old baby differ for children with varying degrees of preparedness for new foods.

For infants on artificial feeding, who are familiar with fruits, cereals and vegetables, the table and dietary scheme looks like this:

At lunchtime, fruit juice is allowed.

For children on mother's milk, who are just starting to get acquainted with new products, the nutrition scheme looks like this:

Important! The day should start and end with the consumption of breast milk or formula. It is allowed to take liquid porridge.

Delicious dishes

Recipes for preparing cereals and fruit and vegetable dishes for children at the first feeding have a basic rule: the dish should resemble milk mixture in appearance.

It is necessary to accustom to a thicker consistency gradually.

Reception table for a new dish by day:

If the baby eats well and assimilates this type of product, in the second week, you need to continue to give this dish. Then a new type of food should be introduced (the reception table is the same). The appearance of an unfamiliar dish on the menu should not be unexpected, it is not recommended to combine two new dishes at the same time or within one day.

The recipes for making fruit juices for babies using mother's milk and artificial feeding are the same: a well-washed fruit should be peeled and grated on a baby grater. The dishes should be well washed and scalded with boiling water.

Do not give your baby undiluted juice. The first introduction of new juices should consist of a mixture of boiled water and fruit.

Often mothers are worried that they do not know how to properly introduce thick foods into the diet of the crumbs. The scheme of introducing complementary foods from 6 months to a year will help you to properly organize the diet of infants, and the recommendations of experts will tell you where to start the first complementary feeding - high-protein foods, cereals or vegetable side dishes.

How not to lose milk and continue to breastfeed your baby after the introduction of adult food? How to properly introduce complementary foods at 6 months with breastfeeding, if the baby was born prematurely or suffers from constipation? Do I need to supplement it with natural fruit juice? You will find answers to these and many other questions in today's article.

How to feed your baby correctly? This is the question that arises in the minds of caring mothers whose children are six months old. After all, everyone knows that baby food should be complete and rich in vitamins, macro- and microelements. If you think about it, then, most likely, you steadfastly withstood all the teachings of mothers and grandmothers about the fact that the baby eats little, and you need to feed him with soup and yolk.

Indeed, if earlier doctors believed that adult food should be introduced into the diet of infants from 3-4 months, then modern medicine adheres to the position of Western doctors and insists on the introduction of complementary foods not earlier than from the age of six months. In the article, you will learn about how much the baby should eat, what signs indicate that it is time to introduce the first complementary foods during breastfeeding into the baby's menu.

Signs of a child's readiness to eat homogeneous food

Parents often worry: how will we understand that the little one can enter the first complementary foods and change his usual diet and daily routine? Among the signs, experts distinguish:

• The child holds his head confidently and can sit on his own.
• His reflex of pushing out foreign objects by the tongue has faded. It is vital for the baby, because in infancy it protects it from suffocation when small things get into the mouth. To check if the reflex has completely disappeared, invite your baby to drink water from a spoon. If he pushed it out with his tongue, then the reflex is still preserved.
• As a rule, doctors advise not to rush to feed the baby before the first teeth appear. But that's not the only sign that it's time. Therefore, if the other criteria are present, you can not wait for the day when the baby will finally acquire teeth.
• The baby needs to develop a nutritional interest in the contents of adult plates. The fact is that children are very fond of imitating their parents, therefore, by the age of 6 months, they look into their mouths while eating. During this period of time, it is very important that mom and dad eat with the child. This will pique your baby's interest in solid foods.
• It is possible to introduce the first adult food into the child's diet even if his body weight has doubled in comparison with the period of the newborn. As a rule, for premature babies, it is necessary for the weight to triple.

The baby shouldn't be feeding, if:

• by the appointed time, he continues to take medications (in this case, an organism weakened by the disease may react to a harmless product with an allergy);
• it is forbidden to start the first feeding of the child a few days before the planned vaccination;
• it is not necessary to introduce adult food into the diet during teething, since it will be more useful for the baby to "hang" on the mother's chest than there is a dish that is unfamiliar and not particularly pleasant to the taste.

Some doctors believe that in the summer, mothers should not worry about the question of how to feed the baby at 6 months. Experts say that in the hot season, the mode of operation of the immune system is somewhat different, so there is a high probability of an allergic reaction and subsequent dermatitis.

What to give a baby at six months, how to start feeding

This is the question that arises from parents who want the baby to develop well and gain weight according to generally accepted norms. Traditionally, it is believed that one should start with vegetables. They are most beneficial for frequent constipation because dietary fiber helps improve gastrointestinal function. If the child is not gaining weight well, we start with cereals. We suggest starting your acquaintance with vegetables. If the baby is not gaining weight, then just follow the recommendations for the 7th month first, and only then for the 6th month.

You can use ready-made mashed potatoes or prepare a treat yourself. At the same time, it is not recommended to sweeten the product; it is better to dilute it with breast milk. By the way, such a recommendation often helps mothers to start actively feeding the baby. After all, the taste of the new dish will be partially familiar to him.

You should start your acquaintance with vegetables with neutral fruits - squash, pumpkin, cauliflower. Only after a few weeks, you can introduce grated carrots into the baby's diet and, preferably, as part of another puree. Please note that this product can cause a rash on the face and limbs, so do not give carrots more than 2-3 times a week.

There is no need to rush with the introduction of mashed potatoes. In the first two months of complementary feeding, it is advisable not to include it in the baby's diet at all.

Modern pediatricians are trying to learn from the experience of American doctors, so they also suggest that mothers start feeding with a banana. This product is liked by all kids, without exception. But our doctors are adamant: you need to start with a banal vegetable product without added sugar. Otherwise, the child may not want to taste anything other than their favorite tropical fruit.

On the first day of complementary feeding with a new product, its amount should not exceed 2 tsp. The next day, increase the portion by a few teaspoons. Thus, by the end of the first week, the volume of mashed potatoes reaches 50 g. After mashed potatoes, we breastfeed the baby.

Over the next two weeks, the baby's portion should increase to 100-150 g. And completely replace one breastfeeding. Doctors advise, after getting acquainted with the next new product, to give the child a two-component puree. Some of the well-known puree is replaced with a new one.

Complementary feeding of toddler at 7 months

At this age, it is time to introduce porridge into the child's diet. Traditionally, it is recommended to continue your acquaintance with rice, buckwheat or special baby corn porridge. You need to start with dairy-free cereals, they can be diluted with mother's breast milk. In the first year of life, milk cereals are not recommended for children to use, since whole milk can become the culprit of intolerance to cow protein.

On the first day of feeding with cereals, give the crumbs 1 tsp. goodies. If you have not noticed any side effects, then the next day we double the serving size. In addition to porridge, we continue to give the child 120-150 g of vegetable puree daily. We gradually increase the portion of porridge to 150 g. Thus, in a few weeks we manage to replace one more morning feeding.

After that, you can start adding 5 g of butter to the dairy-free cereal porridge. From this period, food can be sweetened. By the way, if the child is not allergic to honey, then it is best to use it instead of sugar. Stevia, a honey herb powder, can also be used as a sweetener for baby treats.

Until the age of seven months, it is necessary to continue to breastfeed the baby up to 2 times at night. Do not abruptly stop lactation under any circumstances. Otherwise, it is fraught with lactostasis and even mastitis.

What complementary foods should look like at 8 months

It is at this age that it is time to introduce the child to meat. Most often, pediatricians advise giving babies chicken, veal and rabbit. But we would recommend starting with a turkey, because the meat of this particular bird is hypoallergenic. Veal should be discarded if the child has a reaction to cow's milk protein. For starters, give it no more than 5 g, increase the serving size to 25-30 g within a week.

If you decide to pamper your child with store-bought meat puree, then we advise you to pay attention to the composition of the product. Choose one that is free from starch and spices. Excessive load on the digestive tract is not needed at all.

At 8 months old, you can start preparing soups for babies. Please note that although you have introduced meat products into the child's diet, the first courses must be cooked in vegetable broths. Substances boiled from meat can adversely affect the functioning of a child's body up to one year of age.

In the same period, you can add half boiled yolk to mashed potatoes or soup. It is recommended to start adding teaspoons to mashed potatoes. vegetable oil.

Many mothers find it difficult to accustom the baby to meat after homogeneous cereals and vegetable purees. To make it easier for the baby to get used to the consistency of the new dish, mix it with puréed vegetables during the first days. After that, the carefully chopped minced meat can be diluted with breast milk.

Nutrition for a child at 9-10 months

It is at this age that products such as kefir and granular cottage cheese can be introduced into the toddler's diet. Gradually increase the volume of cheese to 20-30 g. You should also be careful with kefir, because at 9-10 months its portion should not exceed 100-150 ml. Thus, by introducing fermented milk and dairy products into the child's diet, we replace another breastfeeding.

Not all children enjoy unsweetened kefir. If the baby refuses to drink a traditional product, replace it with a fermented milk mixture.

For a child aged 9-10 months, the portion of meat should be no more than 40 g.

Many mothers introduce their baby to baby cookies in the first months of complementary feeding. But experts believe that this should be done right now. You can dip cookies in kefir. If you decide to give your child bread, then until he reaches the age of one, he can only eat a white product.

At 10 months, you can introduce fruit puree into the diet. The child is well acquainted with the thick consistency, so you can start from 10-15 g, gradually increasing the portion size to 100 g. Getting acquainted with this subspecies of food can start with an apple, banana or pear. It is recommended to give fruit puree in the same meal as kefir with cottage cheese.

By the age of 11, you can diversify the assortment of meat dishes in your baby's diet. Children at this age are happy to eat meatballs, liver soufflé or minced meat patties with the addition of vegetables. For such children, you should not cook a full-fledged potato side dish. It's best to incorporate it into a vegetable puree made from several familiar foods.

From 12 months you can offer your kids cereals with gluten: oatmeal and semolina. Instead of a whole egg, you can steam an omelette for your child. From this period, you can offer the child chopped pieces of vegetables and fruits: cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, apples or pears. This will allow him to strengthen his teeth.

The menu of a one-year-old child is no different from what it was before. The only thing is, you can experiment with variations of the dishes. For example, instead of cheese, serve cottage cheese casserole, and instead of boiled liver, make a natural pate and spread it on bread.

• Mothers who plan to continue breastfeeding at 6 months should only spoon-feed complementary foods. The use of a bottle can cause the toddler to refuse milk.
• The first complementary food should be one-component. For example, if you want to give your baby squash-pumpkin puree, then he must first get acquainted with the tastes of both.
• It is very good if your child eats pumpkin or squash puree with pleasure, but you should not forget about the introduction of new dishes into his diet. After getting used to one product, the crumb can refuse others. That is why it is necessary to apply the principle of a gradual variety of the children's menu. Each new delicacy is introduced into the diet 1-2 weeks after the previous one.
• Complementary foods should be offered to babies during the second feeding. Then apply it to your chest.
• If the child does not want to eat a new treat, be persistent and offer it during the week. If he still refuses, go to another product.

You have most likely noticed that there are no juices among the products for babies. Previously, it was believed that it was with them that the first complementary foods should begin. Nevertheless, modern doctors believe that these vitamin drinks can cause allergies, constipation, and disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In their opinion, juices can be introduced only after a year. It is by this age that the child's body is improving, all the necessary enzymes are being produced for the digestion of food that is heavy for the stomach.

Complementary feeding scheme at 6 months

The scheme and table of complementary foods from 6 months will help mothers and fathers to properly organize the feeding regime of the child.

Product	Age (months) and weight of dishes (g, ml.)
	4-6	7	8	9-12
Vegetable puree	10-150	170	180	200
Fruit puree	5-60	70	80	90-100
Milk porridge	10-150	150	180	200
Yolk (pcs.)	-	0.25	0.5	0.5
Curd (after 6 months)	10-40	40	40	50
Fruit juice	5-60	70	80	90-100
Kefir and other fermented milk drinks	-	-	200	200
Fish puree	-	-	5-30	30-60
Meat puree (after 6 months)	5-30	30	50	60-70
Wheat bread	-	-	5	10
Rusks, biscuits	-	3-5	5	10-15
Butter	1-4	4	5	6
Vegetable oil	1-3	5	5	6

What to do if your child does not swallow food

It so happens that the time has come for the introduction of the first complementary foods, and the child continues to push out the spoon with porridge with his tongue or spits it out. Usually, experts believe that, most likely, the body is not yet ripe for eating adult food, so it is worth keeping the baby fully breastfed for another 2-3 weeks.

But it should be remembered that a reflex not extinguishing and the inability to swallow homogeneous food can be an alarm bell and indicate the presence of health problems. In particular, such as:

• mouth breathing;
• late eruption of deciduous teeth;
• short frenum of the tongue.

Now you know how to properly introduce complementary foods for a child from 6 months old with HB. We would like to advise you not to rush if the baby does not like a certain product. Do not forget that he is used to delicious sweet milk, so the first time mashed potatoes or porridge without added sugar may not like the crumb.

Do not try to cram a healthy product into the toddler if it is not ready. Listen to him, he will let you know when he is ready for a complete feeding of complementary foods. And before that, unobtrusively offer the baby puree or porridge on a spoon and do not rush things.

Also, be sure to track your baby's reactions and keep a food diary.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video in which experts give recommendations on how complementary foods should look from the age of six months. A complementary feeding scheme for children will help parents avoid common mistakes and properly organize the feeding regime for their child.