Complementary feeding of a child at 5 months
According to the World Health Organization, which collects and analyzes all the accumulated experience in the field of medicine and human health, breast milk is the best food for a child until the age of six months.
However, sometimes, for a number of reasons, the mother is not able to feed the baby exclusively with breast milk, or the baby is completely artificially fed. In this case, complementary foods are introduced to the child at 5 months, which is due to his physiological needs.
Introduction of complementary foods to a 5-month-old baby with artificial or mixed feeding
Starting from 4-5 months, the child has the appearance of the first chewing movements, and the sucking power also increases. In addition, along with artificial mixtures, children also receive some adaptation to "alien" nutrition, which significantly facilitates the transition to "adult" nutrition.
The time of introducing complementary foods to a child at 5 months is usually negotiated with a pediatrician, who assesses the degree of readiness for this difficult process for the child. Also, the scheme for introducing new products should be discussed with him.
Complementary foods for a 5-month-old baby can include:
- Vegetable purees, while it is better to give preference to dim (white and green) vegetables. Full volume - 100-150 g;
- Fruit puree from dull fruits. Full volume - 60 g;
- Porridge, best of all gluten-free - rice, corn, buckwheat. Full volume - 100-200 g.
Meat and fish dishes, as well as fermented milk products are recommended to be introduced into the child's diet at a later age.
General rules for introducing complementary foods to a child at 5 months
The general rules for introducing complementary foods to a 5-month-old baby include recommendations that determine the rules for introducing new products, the volumes and time required to increase the portion to the required volume, taking into account various factors.
Any new product in complementary foods for a 5 month old baby should only be introduced when he is completely healthy.
Juices and fruits, which were previously considered the best products for the first complementary feeding, are now recommended to be introduced at a later age - from 7-8 months, since they quite often cause indigestion and various allergic reactions.
Complementary feeding of a child at 5 months should start with puree dishes. This consistency will gradually prepare the gastrointestinal tract for rougher food, so that by 10-12 months the baby can eat from the common table.
The introduction of complementary foods should be started only with a single product. If you have an allergy or a tendency to it, this approach will help to identify negative trends in the early stages. When determining how much to give a baby food, you should know that the initial portion should be no more than half a teaspoon. The increase in volumes occurs gradually - over 10-14 days. Normally, during this time, a volume of 100-200 g of complementary foods should be reached, which can completely replace one of the feedings.
The child should eat the resulting complementary foods with pleasure, and this is what determines how much complementary foods to give to the child. After reaching the full volume of the portion, butter or vegetable oil is gradually added to cereals or vegetable purees. You can also diversify the diet with fruit supplements. In some cases, it is possible to halve the feed portion.
It is recommended to spoon-feed the baby when introducing complementary foods. Products that are used to prepare food for a child must be carefully pre-processed. Industrial baby food can be used as complementary foods for a 5-month-old baby. As a rule, organic products are used in its preparation, and in some cases such food is additionally enriched with vitamins and minerals necessary for the child.
Sugar and salt should not be added to meals prepared for children. These products are not only not useful for a child at this age, but can also cause significant harm, triggering the development of various diseases.
From the moment of the introduction of complementary foods, a 5-month-old baby must be provided with a sufficient amount of liquid. This can be either plain drinking water or herbal teas that improve digestion.
Contraindications to the introduction of new foods into complementary foods
It is not recommended to introduce new foods into the child's diet a week before and within a week after vaccination, which is associated with the risk of developing allergic reactions.
Hot weather is also considered an unfavorable time for the introduction of new complementary foods. During this time, the child may be moody, which can increase the likelihood of rejection of the new product.
For the duration of the illness, it is better to postpone the introduction of new complementary foods to a child at 5 months. If the baby falls ill when any of the complementary foods have already been introduced into his diet, after recovery he can be returned to the diet in the same volume.
Approximate feeding scheme for a child of 5 months
Towards the end of the fifth month, the child can be switched to a 5-time feeding regimen, in which the interval between meals will be 4 hours.
An approximate feeding regimen at this age is:
- 6.00 - feeding with breast milk or artificial formula;
- 10.00 - vegetable puree (100-150 g) and 3 tablespoons of fruit puree;
- 14.00 - feeding with breast milk or artificial formula;
- 18.00 - feeding with milk or dairy-free porridge with the addition of butter;
- 22.00 - feeding with breast milk or artificial formula.
When introducing complementary foods to a child at 5 months, of course, one should be guided by the recommendations of a pediatrician and other authoritative sources. However, in any case, the responsibility for organizing proper feeding lies with the mother, therefore, first of all, you should be attentive to your child and take into account his taste preferences in nutrition, and also show the necessary flexibility when organizing the diet.
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