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

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

With what product should you start the first complementary foods? The advice of pediatricians and nutritionists boils down to starting complementary foods with vegetable puree. This recommendation is explained simply: cereals are closest in taste to breast milk, so babies like them more. Having got used to such complementary foods, babies may subsequently refuse less tasty (or simply unfamiliar) vegetable puree. Especially green vegetable puree is recommended for children prone to constipation and overweight.

Attention! If a child has loose stools, lack of weight, he suffers from colic, then the introduction of vegetables can aggravate the situation. In this case, choose porridge as the first food.

What vegetables to choose?

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

Rule 3

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

The first in the baby's menu are low-allergenic cereals that do not contain gluten (rice, buckwheat, corn). Gluten (gluten)- vegetable protein, which is part of the shell of the grain of wheat, oats, rye and barley. It is difficult to digest in the immature intestines of babies. As a result, at early introduction in complementary foods containing gluten (especially up to 6 months), the child may experience pain in the tummy, bloating, impaired stool, skin rashes and other negative reactions. In rare cases, if there is a hereditary predisposition, the baby may develop a severe disease of celiac disease, requiring a gluten-free diet (the exclusion of all foods containing gluten) for the rest of his life.

• Buckwheat porridge It is gluten-free and an excellent source of highly digestible plant-based protein, making it a great starter to complementary foods. Due to the high content of fiber and a small amount of starch, this porridge perfectly stimulates the intestines, so it is especially useful for babies who have constipation.
• Rice is considered a hypoallergenic product, so it is better to start introducing complementary foods to children prone to food allergies with it. Due to the high starch content, rice porridge is well absorbed and does not irritate the gastrointestinal tract, so it is useful to give it to babies with unstable stools, but to children suffering from constipation and having excess weight, do not offer it too often.
• Corn porridge hypoallergenic and high-calorie. Cooked by yourself, it turns out to be too hard to digest, but industrial-made porridge is easier to digest (since corn grains have been specially processed), besides, it is enriched with vitamins and, due to the absence of gluten, is suitable for the first feeding.

How to introduce porridge into complementary foods?

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

Rule 5. Not all meat is suitable for complementary foods

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

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

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

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

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

Based on the same principles, they introduce and fruit juices. The first to give one-component clarified juices without pulp (usually green apple juice), starting with a few milliliters and gradually bringing the volume to the age norm - babies 10-12 months old can be given 80-100 ml per day.

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

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

In the absence of negative reactions to cottage cheese, its amount is brought up to 40 g within 5–7 days, and up to 50 g by 9 months. This amount should not be exceeded, since with an excess of protein, the load on the kidneys of the crumbs increases, which can lead to violations in their work.

Rule 8. Fish menu for kids

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

What fish to start with?

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

Attention!

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

Sample menu for a child.

All the menus below are only relatively approximate and the real menu for the baby should be made by the mother herself.

About the timing of the introduction of complementary foods - see the article “MOM & BABY. Feeding strategy baby". Be sure to determine whether the baby is ready for the introduction of new food into his diet. An early encounter with a new food can result in digestive disorders, intestinal colic, allergies and other "troubles". Be sure to give complementary foods from a tea or coffee spoon - the child should chew new food, and not “drink” from a bottle.

Be sure to coordinate your actions with the pediatrician observing the child or your family doctor.

Once again I want to remind you that the menus below are relative. This is not a RULE, but an EXAMPLE. In the example that will be considered, the introduction of complementary foods into the diet of a child is started from 5 months. I hope on this example you will be able to MAKE YOUR OPTION MENU for your baby.

Attention! When complementary foods are introduced, the amount of milk or mixture in this feeding decreases !!!

5 months.
The first complementary foods should be carefully crushed and liquid.
If the child is given thick food immediately, he may have difficulty swallowing.
With improper or forced feeding, a negative reflex to any thick food can be fixed.
The best option for the first feeding is vegetable puree - it is rich in vitamins, minerals, pectins, fiber.
If porridge or fruit puree is introduced as the first complementary food, then in the future there will be problems with introducing vegetables into the child's diet.

10-00 vegetable puree* + breast milk or formula
14-00 breast milk or formula
18-00 breast milk or formula

*- vegetable puree should gradually replace breast milk. Its amount should smoothly move from 1/2 tsp. up to 100 -150 g. But at the end of feeding, you can offer the baby a breast.
As an exception, in cases where the child has unstable weight or insufficient weight gain, porridge can serve as the first complementary food.

6 months.

It's time to introduce the baby to cereals. If you introduced porridge in the first complementary foods (see above) - take a "step back" this month - introduce vegetable puree.

When porridge is already in the child’s diet, fruit juice and puree are added to his diet. Do not introduce porridge and fruit puree into the child's diet at the same time. You can enter them in any order, but I would recommend that you first introduce porridge (one type - for example, buckwheat), and then introduce the first type of fruit juice (mashed potatoes).

Approximate diet and regimen for a child:
6-00 breast milk or formula
10-00 porridge* + fruit juice or puree** + breast milk or formula
14-00 breast milk or formula + fruit juice or puree**
18-00 vegetable puree + vegetable or fruit juice** + breast milk or formula (if the child wants)
22-00 breast milk or formula
* from 1/2 tsp. up to 50-100 g
** st 1/2 tsp up to 30-70 g
Porridge should be given to a child no more than 1 time per day.
Sometimes when porridge is introduced into the diet, a child's appetite may decrease. If at the same time the child looks calm, cheerful and playful, then there is no reason for concern; just porridge is "more satisfying" than milk or a mixture. In no case should you force-feed a child or with the help of persuasion, or sweetening food. This can cause the child to develop an aversion to food. Always remember that even a healthy child can experience periods of decreased appetite. In addition, by the next feeding, the child must necessarily feel hungry, as a result of which the child will eat with pleasure (or, as they say, with appetite).
Also remember that a long break between breastfeeding - 8 or more hours in a row significantly reduces lactation. Therefore, it is recommended to give complementary foods in the 2nd and 4th feedings this month (with IV, you can give complementary foods in the 2nd and 3rd feedings).

Seven months.
Two more new products appear in the child's diet - cottage cheese and yolk. You can also offer your child a cracker.

Approximate diet and regimen for a child:
6-00 breast milk or formula
10-00 porridge + fruit juice + cottage cheese**
14-00 vegetable puree + fruit juice + yolk*
18-00 breast milk or formula + fruit puree
22-00 breast milk or formula
New products are introduced at intervals of 2 weeks.
* from minimum doses up to 1/2 of the yolk and this dose lasts up to 1.5 years
** from 1/4 tsp up to 4 tsp

8-9 months.
The baby's menu becomes even more diverse - meat and dairy products appear in it.

Approximate diet and regimen for a child:
6-00 breast milk or formula
10-00 porridge + yolk + fruit puree
14-00 vegetable soup + meat puree*
18-00 fermented milk drink** + cottage cheese + fruit puree + cracker
22-00 breast milk or formula
* from 1/2 tsp up to 50 g
** from 1/2 tsp up to 100-150 ml
As fermented milk products in the child’s diet, you can use the ready-made fermented milk product AGUSHA, kefir from the dairy kitchen, and you can also prepare NARINE kefir yourself. About “NARINE” it is written in detail in the article “MOTHER & BABY. Dysbiosis. Practice"
The baby receives breast milk only 2 times a day - the rest of the feedings can be alternated in any order (depending on the wishes of the child). If you breastfeed your baby once a day, lactation quickly fades away.
At 9 months, the “day regimen” of the child changes
7:00 a.m. - first feeding
11-30 - second feeding
15-30 - the third feeding
19-00 - fourth feeding
22-30 - night feeding

10-11 months.
Fish appears in the baby's diet.
The volume of dairy products in the diet should be at least 600-700 ml per day.
Around the same time, you can introduce your baby to pasta.
7-00 - breakfast - breast milk or formula
11-30 - lunch - vegetable soup + vegetable puree + meat or fish steam cutlet+ fruit or vegetable juice
15-30 - afternoon snack - porridge with butter + egg yolk + fruit puree + fruit juice
19-00 - dinner - cottage cheese + fruit puree (in cottage cheese) or fruit (as an independent dish) + fermented milk drink
22-30 - night feeding - fermented milk drink or breast milk.
1 year
The baby is gradually moving to 4 single meal and 12 hours of sleep.
The baby can already be given meals prepared for the whole family.
8-00 - breakfast - milk porridge + yolk + fruit juice
12-00 - lunch - vegetable soup + vegetable puree + meat or fish steam cutlet + fruit or vegetable juice
16-00 - afternoon snack - cottage cheese + fruit puree (in cottage cheese) or fruit (as an independent dish) + fermented milk drink
19-00 - dinner - vegetable puree or vinaigrette (1-2 times a week can be replaced with pasta) + fermented milk drink or milk
24-00 - night feeding - sour-milk drink or milk.

As always, according to the tradition of the reference section of the site - an example: the menu of a baby located on artificial feeding:
5 months:
6-00 180 ml milk formula
10-00 120 g vegetable puree + 50 ml mixture
14-00 180 ml milk mixture
18-00 180 ml milk mixture
22-00 180 ml milk mixture
6 months
6-00 180 ml milk formula
10-00 120 g porridge + 60 g fruit puree
14-00 120 g vegetable puree + 50 ml juice
18-00 180 ml milk mixture
22-00 180 ml milk mixture
Seven months
6-00 180 ml milk formula
10-00 120 g porridge + 50 g cottage cheese + 60 g fruit puree
14-00 120 g vegetable puree + 1/2 egg yolk + 70 ml juice
18-00 180 ml milk mixture + 50 g fruit puree + cracker
22-00 200 ml milk mixture
8 months
6-00 180 ml milk formula
10-00 120 g porridge + 1/2 egg yolk + 60 g fruit puree
14-00 150 ml vegetable soup + 50 g meat puree
18-00 100 ml NARINE on milk formula +50 g fruit puree + 50 g cottage cheese + cracker
22-00 200 ml milk mixture
9 months

11-30 120 g porridge + 1/2 egg yolk + 60 g fruit puree or fruit
15-30 150 ml vegetable soup + 50 g meat in the form of a steam cutlet or casserole

22-30 200 ml milk formula
10 months
7-00 180 ml milk formula + biscuits


19-00 100 ml NARINE on milk formula +50 g fruit puree + 50 g cottage cheese + croutons
22-30 200 ml NARINE
11 months
7-00 180 ml milk formula + biscuits
11-30 150 ml vegetable soup + 50 g meat in the form of a steam cutlet or casserole
15-30 120 g porridge + 1/2 egg yolk + 60 g fruit puree or fruit
19-00 100 ml NARINE on milk formula +50 g fruit puree + 50 g cottage cheese + croutons
22-30 200 ml NARINE
1 year
8-00 - breakfast - 200 g of milk porridge + 1/2 yolk + 75 ml of fruit juice
12-00 - lunch - 100 ml vegetable soup + 125 g vegetable puree + 70 g meat or fish steam cutlet + 75 ml fruit or vegetable juice
16-00 - afternoon snack - 100 g of cottage cheese + 50 g of fruit puree (for cottage cheese) or fruit (as a separate dish) + 150 ml of NARINE
19-00 - dinner - 100 g vegetable puree or vinaigrette (1-2 times a week can be replaced with pasta) + 100 ml NARINE
24-00 - night feeding - 200 ml NARINE

by the most the best nutrition for a newborn, mother's breast milk is considered, but as the baby grows, the baby's body requires more nutrients, so he no longer has enough of such food. The first feeding of the child should consist of vegetables and dairy products for children, and new elements should be introduced gradually to prevent allergies.

When can I introduce complementary foods to a newborn?

According to the norms of world pediatrics, the first complementary foods should be offered to a child at the age of no earlier than six months, since until that time breast milk or a properly selected mixture completely satisfies all the needs of a growing organism. However, some babies develop faster than their peers, so for a certain group of babies, the introduction of complementary foods may be shown a little earlier, starting from 4-5 months.

You can determine the readiness of your crumbs to receive adult products by the following signs:

• the baby has learned to sit and can hold small objects in his hands. These skills are necessary for confident sitting at the Danish highchair, and developed hand motor skills will allow the child to independently hold a spoon or fork;
• the baby knows how to refuse inappropriate objects and toys, which means that he will be able to protest if he does not like the food;
• the child independently shows interest in adult plates and tries to try food from your dishes;
• the newborn has at least doubled its weight and needs to eat much more often than before;
• the baby literally hangs on the mother's breast, and the intervals between feedings have been reduced to 30-40 minutes.

All these indicators mean that your child can and should be introduced complementary foods. But what products, and in what volumes the baby needs, should be calculated by months, of course, you can deviate somewhat from the established norm, however, in in general terms recommended values ​​should be adhered to.

How much should a newborn baby eat?

The amount of food eaten at a time depends on several indicators:

• firstly, from the mass of the baby, the larger the child, the more food he needs, and vice versa;
• secondly, from the state of health of the crumbs, the sick baby is not in the mood to eat a lot, so you should not captivate him;
• thirdly, from the volume of breast milk, the more often you breastfeed the baby, the less he requires complementary foods, respectively, starting the introduction of regular food into the diet of crumbs, you have the opportunity to gradually stop breastfeeding, removing time after time one feeding after another.

On average, a baby from six months to a year should eat 1/10 of its own weight per day. For example, if a baby weighs 7 kg, its daily share of products is about 700 grams. Considering that meals are usually 4-5, then feeding a child at a time should be about 150 grams of food. However, these are only general recommendations, if your child is not full, the amount of complementary foods should be slightly increased, and on the contrary, when the baby refuses additional foods, you should not force him, maybe he just doesn’t like the food you offer - try replacing the composition and increasing the one-time share gradually.

Products for complementary foods for newborns

As the child grows, his diet also expands, and therefore, a special feeding schedule has been developed for months:

• 5-6 months - vegetables, cereals, a little oil (for porridge - butter, for vegetables - vegetable, olive or sunflower);
• 6-7 months - cottage cheese, lean meat, chicken yolk, dry biscuits, fruit juice;
• 7-8 months - low-fat fish, dairy products: kefir, cottage cheese, cheese mass;
• 8-12 months - bread, pasta.

According to the traditional monthly feeding scheme, the introduction of adult foods into the baby's diet begins with vegetables. As a first introductory dish, you can offer your baby the following purees:

• squash;
• carrot;
• cauliflower puree;
• potato - introduced along with cereals.

Cook vegetable puree for a child, it is best to do it on your own, resorting to store-bought ready-made meals as a last resort, for example, on the road or on a long walk. Vegetables should be boiled in boiled water, then rubbed through a fine sieve or beaten with a mixer, it is not recommended to salt and sugar the products, which will allow the baby to accustom the natural taste of vegetables. It is allowed to add a small piece of butter if the baby is not allergic to milk.

The next step will be the introduction of complementary foods in the form of cereals. The fragile body of a newborn will perfectly perceive such cereals as:

• buckwheat;
• corn.

Choose sifted and unprocessed additional cereals, they have more useful minerals and vitamins. Kashi fast food very simple and convenient, but most of them contain gluten, not recommended for babies under 10 months. You can use ready-made compositions from the “Baby Nutrition” series, but it is better to accustom the baby to natural ordinary cereals from the very beginning.

The first complementary foods should be prepared without milk, let the porridge be on the water. Rinse the groats, pour boiled water over them and cook over low heat until the liquid evaporates. Then chop with a blender and season a little with vegetable oil, if necessary, put in a water bath and steam for another 4-5 minutes. The second option for preparing baby porridge is that the prepared cereal should first be ground in a coffee grinder, after which the required amount of the product should be cooked in the usual way, this method does not require final grinding of the porridge.

A month after the successful introduction, it is time for dairy products. You can offer a little gourmet:

• cottage cheese and thick cheese mass;
• kefir;
• fresh cow's milk (can be used to make milk porridges).

Today, there are many manufacturers of baby products, you can use the products of any of them as complementary foods, just carefully study the expiration date. And if you wish, you can cook cottage cheese for a child at home. To do this, you need to add a tablespoon of fat sour cream to ½ liter of boiled milk and leave the resulting composition in a warm place for souring. The sour mass should be put on a slow fire and brought to a boil, immediately removed and cooled. If desired, you can supplement the resulting curd mass with grated fruits or a small amount of honey.

The introduction of meat and fish is allowed from the 7-8th month, at first these products should be offered to the child in the form of mashed potatoes. Be sure to carefully cook the pieces of meat, and steam the fish in a water bath or in a double boiler. Gradually, the baby's complementary foods should change somewhat, with the advent of the first teeth, it is already possible to give the baby pieces of vegetables in the form of straws or cubes, and tear the meat and fish into thin fibers. At 9 months, try to introduce your baby to pasta, it is better to choose horns and noodles from durum wheat, but cook them for a long time. At this age, the baby is already able to chew on its own, so there is no need to grind food. And in general, the faster you move from mashed food to regular food, the better for the baby, besides, chewing will help not only develop basic reflexes, but also eliminate pain during teething.

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

The beginning of complementary foods for a child: important indicators

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

• baby's weight: by the time the first complementary foods are introduced, it should be at least 2 times more than birth weight (see weight and height standards);
• ability to sit independently;
• lack of a pushing reflex of the tongue: the baby does not push the offered spoonful of food out of the mouth;
• feeling of hunger: the baby does not have enough milk or an artificial mixture;
• Showed interest in adult food (stretches, wants to try the food that parents eat).

An important fact for the timing of the introduction of the first complementary foods is the type of feeding: breastfeeding or artificial. The recommended times vary: breastfeeding pediatricians are not recommended to rush with complementary foods and not introduce new food before 6 months - until this age, the baby has enough mother's milk.

For artificers, earlier complementary foods are possible.

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

From what month to start feeding a child

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

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

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

Why is early feeding dangerous?

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

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

What foods to start feeding a baby with

The baby's first complementary foods should include foods that will not cause an allergic reaction and are easily digested. Most often, young mothers who are faced with a choice - with which foods to start complementary foods for a child, prefer zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower.

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

The choice of zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower as first foods is also explained by hypoallergenicity: soft and green vegetables, as a rule, do not cause rashes on baby skin.

Baby's first feeding

Basic rules for the first complementary foods:

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

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

Complementary foods during breastfeeding differ in the timing of the introduction of new foods:

How to prepare baby food for the first time

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

The first feeding of a child is a very responsible matter, due to the tender age of the crumbs. So if you decide to make your own puree, be sure to high quality vegetables. Be sure to check them for nitrate content.

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

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

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

Mothers of babies 3-4 months old often wonder - 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, type of feeding, health status, tendency to allergies, speed of weight gain.

After the baby is four months old, mothers begin to think about the introduction of complementary foods.

You should not be ahead of the deadline for the introduction of complementary foods and offer products that are inappropriate for age. After that, digestive problems, allergic reactions are possible, which will eventually delay 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 appearance of the first teeth. It is important for the mother of a baby to listen to their opinion, but to trust only her intuition and conclusions from observations of the child.

Criteria for breastfeeding readiness

Five-month-old babies actively explore the world and show interest in everything that is on the kitchen table. If one of the parents holds the child on the 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 for the introduction of complementary foods. The readiness of the child for breastfeeding for new food is evidenced by:

• an increase in weight by 2 times from what it was at birth (3 times in premature babies);
• the baby is not fed up with breast milk;
• the appearance of the first teeth;
• the child takes food from the table, puts it in his mouth, tastes it;
• extinction of the tongue thrust 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 you want to try;
• after the baby has tried adult food, he does not have constipation, indigestion.

Eruption of the first teeth - an indication of readiness for complementary foods

When should we postpone the introduction of complementary foods?

A proportion of breastfed infants are not ready for complementary feeding at 6 months of age. This is due to the peculiarities of weight gain, development, readiness of the gastrointestinal tract to assimilate new products. With complementary foods, you should not rush in such situations:

• the child was born by caesarean section;
• the baby is often sick;
• vaccination period;
• allergic manifestations;
• pathologies in the development of the central nervous system;
• low weight gain;
• hot summer weather, flowering period of allergenic herbs.

With complementary foods, you should also not rush during the period of acclimatization at a new place of residence. lagging behind calendar plan and from peers there is nothing to worry about. The child will make up for everything in due 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?

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

Modern feeding schemes

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

Pedagogical complementary foods involve receiving complementary foods in small portions from the parent's plate. At the same time, the child gets acquainted with the foods that are loved in the family. 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 at what age this can be done choose pediatric complementary foods.

Pedagogical complementary foods allow the child to taste dishes from the parent's table

complementary feeding schedule

What is the best product for breastfeeding? Pediatricians used to recommend fruit juices to mothers. However modern research showed that these drinks are heavy on the gastrointestinal tract of infants. Doctors recommend these safe and nutritious complementary foods:

• Gluten-free cereals made from 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 not gaining weight well.
• Vegetable purees. Ideal vegetables for the first feeding are hypoallergenic zucchini, potatoes, cauliflower. Puree should be prepared without salt and other flavoring additives. This is the best way initial complementary foods for babies who are gaining weight normally.
• Dairy products. According to Dr. Komarovsky, baby kefir and cottage cheese are the most correct option for the first complementary foods, since their composition is very similar to mother's milk. Digestive system infants are well tolerated by fermented milk products. With them, you should start feeding premature babies, allergy sufferers and children suffering from dysbacteriosis.

Dairy products can be a great complementary food option

Complementary feeding table for breastfeeding

It is worth introducing the baby to new products in the morning, in order to follow his reaction to the dish during the day. The first servings should not be more than a teaspoon. Perhaps the baby will like the dish and he will express a desire to try more, but you should not offer more than it should be. 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-scheme shows the types of products and the period of their introduction into the diet of a breast-fed baby:

Baby's age	Dish consistency	Permitted food items	Feed Features
6 months	Liquid or sour cream consistency.	Zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes grown in the region of residence. It is offered in the form of monopurée without salt, and later two types of vegetables are mixed.	Suggest from 2-3 grams per day, bringing up to two tablespoons during the week. Closely monitor the work of the digestive system.
Seven months		Gluten-free unsalted cereals made from buckwheat, rice, cornmeal. They are cooked 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 offer 1-2 times a day for a teaspoon, bringing the portion during the week to 3 tablespoons, and by the year - 150 ml.
8 months	Puree-like consistency (mashed or blended products).	Lean meat: veal, pork, chicken, rabbit. The meat is boiled, chopped through a blender or meat grinder. Sour-milk products intended for baby food are also gradually introduced.	Chicken yolk (quarter) is mixed into ready-made dishes 1-2 times a week, doubled by the year (fed by 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 in a week. Yoghurts and cottage cheese are introduced carefully, by the age of one the baby should receive 100 g of cottage cheese or 150 grams of kefir per day.
9-11 months	Puree-like consistency (mashed or blended products).	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 a vegetable or grain side dish.
12 months	Chopped food without salt and sugar.	Fruit and vegetable juices made from green apples, peaches, plums, apricots. Initially single-component, then mixed (apple-carrot, apple-apricot and others).	Initially offer ½ tsp. juice. The portion gradually increases and by the year is about 100 grams.

What are the guidelines for offering complementary foods?

It is important to offer the child only freshly prepared dishes, serving them in a beautiful bowl or saucer. You should not feed the child from your own plate and spoon - the devices may 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 foods;
• a new dish is offered during breakfast or lunch before breastfeeding;
• products are administered one at a time, from small doses, monitoring the reaction of the crumbs for 12 hours;
• with a negative reaction, the dish is canceled;
• gradually the volume is brought to the prescribed age;
• if the baby likes "adult" food, you should not stop breastfeeding.

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

Track the time, volume and amount of complementary foods will allow food diary which is recommended for the first three years of life. It is worth recording 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

Plan for the introduction of cereals 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 nipples is unacceptable, no matter how convenient it is for mom. If the baby is not gaining weight well, cereals are given from 5-6 months, adhering to the following scheme:

• They offer porridge daily for breakfast, without salt and sugar. At first, the consistency of the dish should resemble breast milk, gradually it becomes thicker.
• First week - buckwheat porridge cream consistency 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 serving of creamy porridge should be 100 g per day.
• Second week - 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.
• The third week - introduce porridge from cornmeal. The feeding schedule is the same as for rice and buckwheat.
• Fourth week - oatmeal is introduced, following the reaction of the crumbs. The dish contains gluten (a vegetable protein that not all children digest).
• subsequent weeks. A dish of porridge gradually replaces one feeding with milk.

Over time, complementary foods with porridge replace full-fledged feeding.

Plan for the introduction of vegetables at 6-7 months

Similarly to cereals, a plan for the introduction of vegetables is prescribed, carefully boiling them and preparing monopure. It is better to start with a young zucchini or potatoes. Vegetables containing carotene (pumpkin, carrots) are offered after 8 months. With the introduction vegetable complementary foods you should follow this pattern:

• The first week is the introduction of squash puree into the diet. The vegetable is boiled and chopped with a blender (fork, sieve). The first day give ½ tsp. puree. On the second day, it is allowed to add a drop of vegetable oil and offer 2-3 tsp. before breastfeeding. For a week, the volume of complementary foods should be reduced to 60 grams.
• Second week - add boiled cauliflower. First give only 1 tsp. cauliflower puree and 6 tsp. zucchini puree, monitor the reaction of the crumbs. This portion can replace lunch, but the baby should be supplemented with milk. On the second day, the volume of cauliflower is increased to 2-3 tsp. and supplement with 5 tsp. zucchini puree. By the end of the week, the cauliflower puree is replacing the zucchini.
• 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, the serving of potatoes should be 7 tbsp.
• Fourth week - alternate vegetables, try to introduce boiled carrots. It is offered from ½ teaspoon, bringing it up 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 have semolina porridge as a first complementary food?

With low weight gain by an infant, Soviet pediatricians often recommended that mothers of infants start 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 up to a year old, since the gastrointestinal tract and enzymatic system of babies are not ready to digest it. An exception is underweight babies (they are allowed to try semolina from the 9th month).

Baby needs semolina, but it prevents the absorption of calcium, which is necessary for the formation of bones, teeth, and muscle mass. Her presence in children's menu should not be more than once every 10 days up to 3 summer 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 baby refuses to try complementary foods: what to do?

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

• it is necessary to offer complementary foods after an active walk, when the child is hungry;
• take into account taste preferences: some children like light mashed potatoes, others eat yogurt, buckwheat porridge with great pleasure;
• if the new dish was not to your liking, the child is fed with his favorite food, and they return to the “rejected” product after a few days;
• you can feed the baby at the common table, demonstrating how the whole family eats with pleasure.

It happens that the baby refuses complementary foods when his teeth are cut, his tummy hurts. Children lose their appetite after catching a viral infection. Her symptoms (cough, runny nose, fever) appear later, and the first wake-up call is just the lack of appetite. Mom should be attentive to any situation when the baby does not want to try complementary foods. Patience and care will help to overcome all difficulties, introduce healthy foods into the baby's diet by the age of one.