How To Introduce The First Complementary Food

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

How to introduce the first complementary food

During the first six months of a baby's life, breast milk is considered the healthiest and tastiest food. But time passes - the child's first teeth appear, interest in new food awakens. Has your baby started to keep his back straight? So, it's time to put him on a high chair and introduce him to new products for him, the time of the first feeding.

If earlier pediatricians advised to include juice in the baby's diet, starting from several weeks, today the World Health Organization advises not to start the first feeding earlier than six months of age. Satisfy the child's curiosity, if he is interested in food, treat him to a slice of peeled apple, pear, or a spoonful of porridge.

How to introduce the first complementary food? Start with a one-part meal: porridge, vegetable or fruit puree. It is advisable not to start the day with complementary foods - it is better to offer the baby a new product for him as a second or third feeding. Also, do not give your child unusual food at night. A rash on the skin or pain in the abdomen, which began after the baby's acquaintance with a new dish, are alarming signs. Exclude this product from the child's diet for a while and give up any complementary foods for at least a few days. If the first feeding went well, gradually increase the portion to normal. A week later, after the baby has mastered the new product, start introducing another.

Where to start the first feeding? It is better to choose vegetable puree or porridge - oatmeal, buckwheat, rice, pre-crushed in a coffee grinder. For vegetable matter, use pumpkin, squash, potatoes, and cauliflower. A month later, the baby can be introduced to soup with vegetable broth, egg yolk, cottage cheese, kefir, berry and fruit puree.

Starting at 9 months of age, meat and fish can be introduced into the baby's diet. At this stage, rabbit, beef, turkey, chicken are perfect. As for fish, it is better to choose

low-fat varieties - hake, sea bass, cod. By this time, you can already add greens to soups - parsley, dill, cook semolina and other cereals, serve borscht. You can offer freshly squeezed juice (diluted 1: 1 with water). Despite the fact that by the age of 10-11 months, the baby can already try most of the products, it is too early to completely transplant him to the “adult table” - it is better to rid the child's delicate stomach of fried, smoked, salty foods, sweets, cakes, sweets, etc. other, according to parents, goodies. Form your baby's habit of eating right from the first meal!

Found a mistake in the text? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter.