When to start feeding. How to properly give the first complementary foods to your baby. Traditional scheme for introducing complementary foods to a child

Mother's breast milk is considered the best nutrition for a newborn. However, as the baby’s body grows, it requires more nutrients, so he no longer has enough of such food. The baby's first complementary food should consist of vegetables and fermented milk products. Moreover, new elements should be introduced gradually to prevent allergies.

When can complementary foods be introduced?

According to the standards of world pediatrics, the first complementary foods should be offered to a child no earlier than six months old. Until this time, breast milk or a properly selected formula fully satisfies all the needs of the growing body. However, some children develop faster than their peers, so for a certain group of children, the introduction of complementary foods may be indicated a little earlier, starting at 4-5 months.

You can determine whether your baby is ready to accept adult foods by the following signs:

• The baby has learned to sit and can hold small objects in his hands. These skills are necessary for confidently sitting in a 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 he will be able to protest if he doesn’t like the food;
• the child independently shows interest in adult plates and tries to taste food from your dishes;
• the newborn has at least doubled its weight and requires eating 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 to complementary foods. But what products and in what quantities the baby needs should be calculated by month. Of course, you can deviate somewhat from the established norm. However, in general terms, the recommended indicators should be followed.

How much should a newborn eat?

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

1. Body weight - the larger the child, the more food he needs, and vice versa;
2. State of health - a sick baby is not in the mood to eat a lot, so you shouldn’t force him;
3. Volume of breast milk - the more often you breastfeed your baby, the less he requires complementary feeding. Accordingly, when you begin introducing regular food into your diet, you have the opportunity to gradually stop breastfeeding, eliminating one feeding after another over and over again.

On average, a baby from six months to 1 year should eat 1/10 of his own weight per day. For example, if a baby weighs 7 kg, its daily share of food is about 700 grams. Considering that there are usually 4-5 meals, feeding a child at a time should be about 150 grams of food.

These are general guidelines, so if your baby is not getting enough to eat, the amount of complementary feeding may need to be increased slightly. And on the contrary, when the baby refuses additional products, you should not force him. Maybe he just doesn't like the food you offer. Try replacing the composition and increase the one-time dose gradually.

Products for feeding newborns

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

• 5-6 months - vegetables, porridge, a little butter (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, fermented milk products: kefir, cottage cheese, curd mass;
• 8-12 months – bread, pasta.

Vegetables

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

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

It is best to prepare vegetable purees for your child yourself, 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 rub through a fine sieve or beat with a mixer.

Porridge

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

• buckwheat;
• corn.

Choose sifted and unprocessed cereals; they contain more useful minerals and vitamins. Instant cereals are very easy and convenient, but most of them contain gluten. It is not recommended for use by babies under 10 months. You can use ready-made formulas from the “Nutrition for Children” series, but it is better to accustom your baby to natural, regular cereals from the very beginning.

The first complementary food should be prepared without milk. Let the porridge be on the water. The cereal should be washed, pour boiled water and cook over low heat until the liquid evaporates. Then grind with a blender and add a little vegetable oil. If necessary, place in a water bath and steam for another 4-5 minutes.

The second option for preparing baby porridge is to first grind the prepared cereal in a coffee grinder. After this, cook the required amount of product in the usual way. This method does not require final grinding of the porridge.

Dairy products

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

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

Today there are a lot of manufacturers of children's products. You can use the products of any of them as complementary foods. Just check the expiration date carefully.

If you wish, you can prepare cottage cheese for your child at home. To do this, you will need to add a tablespoon of full-fat sour cream to ½ liter of boiled milk and leave the resulting mixture in a warm place to sour. The sour mass should be placed on low heat and brought to a boil, immediately removed and cooled. If desired, you can supplement the resulting curd mass with grated fruit or a small amount of honey.

The introduction of meat and fish is allowed from the 7-8th month. Initially, these products should be offered to the child in the form of purees. Be sure to thoroughly cook the pieces of meat, and steam the fish in a water bath or in a double boiler. Gradually, the baby's complementary feeding should change somewhat. With the appearance of the first teeth, you can already give pieces of vegetables in the form of straws or cubes. Tear meat and fish into thin fibers.

At 9 months, try introducing your baby to pasta; it is better to choose horns and noodles made 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 chop food. In general, the sooner you switch from pureed food to regular food, the better for the baby. In addition, chewing will not only help develop basic reflexes, but also eliminate pain during teething.

Proper nutrition is the foundation of a child’s health, which is laid from early childhood. By 4–6 months, the baby’s need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases. Food should provide the baby with all the beneficial substances that are necessary for the growth and formation of his body. The child's first meals should consist of vegetables (vegetable purees), dairy products for children and cereals. The first additional nutrition promotes the development of the chewing apparatus, stimulates the enzyme systems of the gastrointestinal tract and prepares the child for weaning.

Feeding the baby

Children on breastfeeding

The best food for a child in the first months of life is mother's breast milk. Complementary feeding of a healthy baby who is breastfed should begin no earlier than 6 months of age. By this age, mother's milk is no longer able to fully provide the baby with the necessary substances. The increased growth of its muscular, digestive, nervous, renal and protective systems requires additional nutrition. Learn more about complementary feeding for a breastfed baby

Children on IV

A child who has been drinking formula since birth is ready to receive new food by the age of 4 months. By this age, the baby’s digestive system matures, intestinal immunity is formed and the increased permeability of its mucous membrane is normalized. Mechanisms responsible for swallowing and digesting more solid food are formed. If you do not start feeding a baby artificially at the age of 4 - 4.5 months, a deficient state of vitamins and microelements may develop in his body, and this will lead to the occurrence of various pathologies. Details about artificial feeding

The readiness of children for the first complementary feeding can be determined based on their age and taking into account the following signs:

• the child asks for mother’s breast or formula in a bottle more often than usual (does not get enough);
• the weight at which the baby was born doubled;
• the baby is able to sit with the support of an adult, while confidently holding his head and turning it in all directions;
• when solid food gets into the child’s mouth, there is no reflex to push it out with the tongue;
• the child has not been sick for several weeks, he has not been and will not be vaccinated in the near future;
• The baby is interested in the parents' food, looking into the plates and mouths of those chewing.

Read in more detail about how to determine that a child is ready for complementary feeding - 10 signs

Rules for introducing complementary foods

1. Offer any new product to your baby, unless he is absolutely healthy. The introduction of new complementary foods is also contraindicated in preparation for vaccinations, the period after them and recovery from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Give complementary foods before breastfeeding (juices after feeding). We start with 5 g and gradually (over two weeks - a month) increasing the volume of complementary foods to 150 g. All this time, carefully monitor the baby.
3. When preparing juices and purees at home, take the necessary measures: thoroughly wash your hands, kitchen utensils, and fruits.
4. Food for an infant should only be freshly prepared. Even short-term storage of the finished product in the refrigerator quickly leads to a deterioration in its quality.
5. Complementary foods are given warm, with a spoon, with the child sitting. It is not advisable to give 2 solid or 2 liquid complementary foods at one feeding.
6. It is not recommended to give the same type of food 2 times a day.
7. Switch to another type of complementary feeding only after the child gets used to the first - after 10-15 days.
8. The basic rule of complementary feeding is the gradual and consistent introduction of new foods. A new type of complementary food is introduced after complete adaptation to the previous one.
9. When introducing complementary foods, monitor your baby's stool. If the stool remains normal, then the next day the amount of complementary foods can be increased.
10. At each new stage of introducing complementary foods, be sure to consult with your pediatrician.

The video talks about how to balance a child’s diet and provide him with all the necessary nutrients.

Where to start the first feeding

Previously, it was believed that the first product a baby should try was juice (can be introduced at 4-5 months). (By the way, we read on the topic: Teaching a child to drink from a mug) but this is not so.

Porridge and vegetables are actually the main products for introducing the first complementary foods. If the child is underweight or has unstable stools, it is better to start with cereals. Conversely, if you are overweight, normal weight or prone to constipation, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree.

Attention!

A few words about fruit purees and vegetable purees.

Fruit puree(usually a green apple and a pear) is a traditional complementary food that has been one of the first to be introduced to a child for decades, because... it contains fiber, which has a good effect on intestinal function, and children eat it with pleasure. But some nutritionists and mothers notice that when children try sweet fruits first, they don’t want to eat vegetable purees and cereals later.

Vegetable puree quite difficult to enter. It is not easy for a child to go from the sweet taste of breast milk or substitute to a completely unsweetened vegetable. You should be patient. You need to offer a new dish not just once, but at least 10–12 times, and only after the child stubbornly refuses it, move on to another type of vegetable.

Error. After a child does not accept one or another vegetable, parents usually switch to cereal, making a big mistake! There is a high probability that the baby will not want to eat vegetables at all after introducing sweet porridge. Another mistake mothers make is when they additionally sweeten industrially produced cereals.

• Vegetables (vegetable purees). Ideal for starting complementary feeding: zucchini, broccoli, potatoes, cauliflower. It is important to first offer 1 type of vegetable and observe the child’s reaction for 5-7 days. If no allergies or digestive disorders occur during the adaptation period, you can introduce a new type of vegetable and then make a mixed puree. There is no need to add salt to the puree until the child is accustomed to different tastes; he will like everything. (Read a detailed article about the rules for introducing vegetable complementary foods + 3 popular recipes for vegetable purees)
• Porridge. It is important to choose one-ingredient, low-allergenic cereals that do not contain sugar, lactose, gluten (gluten-free cereals): buckwheat, corn, rice and oatmeal. It is better if it is an industrially produced product, since it is quite difficult to prepare porridge from the most crushed cereals, saturated with all the elements and vitamins necessary for the baby. Do not sweeten porridge! We repeat - introducing porridge as a first complementary food is recommended for children who are not gaining weight. (We read about the first porridges)
• Dairy products. If the baby does not suffer from cow's milk protein intolerance, cottage cheese can be introduced into his diet at 6-7 months (About cottage cheese). It is better to prepare it yourself by heating kefir in a water bath.
  • See about cow's milk for newborns;
  • See about goat milk for newborns.
• Meat puree. At 7 months the baby is ready to eat meat puree. It is best to offer industrially produced canned purees at the beginning, starting with turkey, rabbit, beef or chicken (For more information about meat purees, see the article - when to introduce meat into a child’s diet).
• Juices and fruits It is better to offer the child later: at 7-8 months. The least allergenic are pears and green or yellow apples, followed by apricots, cherries, bananas, and plums. After 8 months, you can offer the baby kiwi and strawberries. If your baby eats cottage cheese, add fruits that he tolerates to it - you will get a ready-made afternoon snack.
• Fish. Only after the child is 9 months old should he be given fish dishes. Such complementary foods should be introduced very carefully, since fish is a strong allergen. Flounder, hake, and pollock are suitable for starting fish feeding. At the same age, you can give your child kefir or bifidok at night.

(An article is being prepared with a clear menu for feeding a child by month up to a year. A link will appear here soon)

(Complementary feeding introduction table. Clickable)

Complementary feeding table (click to enlarge)

5 mistakes in introducing complementary foods

Proper introduction of complementary foods into a baby's diet is the key to his good health. But often parents themselves provoke allergies and other problems, wanting to feed their baby something healthy.

On the topic of complementary feeding:

• What to do if a child refuses to eat complementary foods (does not eat from a spoon and does not want to eat porridge)
• Introducing soups (meat broth)
• We select and buy the first necessary utensils -

Anna Gapchenko advises and answers questions: at what age and where to start complementary feeding, in what quantity to introduce new products

Video: Introduction of complementary foods

Young parents have always been interested in the question “At what months can you start feeding your baby?” The question is asked regardless of what kind of feeding their baby is on: natural or artificial. They associate all the whims of their baby with insufficient nutrition and are in a hurry to feed the little one enough, forgetting about the basic requirements and caution. What signs indicate the need to introduce complementary feeding and how to organize it correctly without harming the baby? Our conversation will be about this and more.

Timing and reasons indicating the need to introduce complementary foods

Children in the first months of life receive mother's milk as their only source of nutrition. Together with it, the baby’s body takes in a set of microelements and vitamins necessary for full physical and mental development. In most cases, with natural feeding, only at 6 months does the baby begin to need a portion of complementary foods. Good health, an increase in body weight, the presence of healthy reflexes and physical indicators indicate that the baby’s development is in full accordance with his age.

Modern mothers, for various reasons, replace breast milk with artificial nutrition, depriving the child of natural immune protection. A deficiency of the vitamin complex can lead to the development of pathologies at an early age. It is for this reason that such children are recommended to introduce complementary foods from 4 months of age. Additional nutrition also contributes to the development and normal functioning of the digestive tract.

How much additional nutrition should small children eat, what foods are introduced first, the dosage of complementary foods and how the child should poop at this time are questions that should be answered by the local pediatrician, and not by random people, even those with several children. A new product in a baby’s diet can cause an allergic reaction, which will slow down the process of complementary feeding, making it poor and monotonous.

During a routine examination, analyzing the baby’s development indicators, the doctor gives the mother recommendations on introducing the first individual complementary food dish and information about how much the baby should eat at one feeding. The basis for such a conclusion may be:

• doubling body weight;
• the child requires frequent feeding;
• interested in the adult menu;
• the child is seated from a lying position;
• pureed food is not reflexively pushed out of the mouth.

What rules should be followed during complementary feeding?

In order to eliminate the likelihood of developing food allergies, diarrhea, constipation, and intestinal colic, young mothers should remember that haste and inattention in complementary feeding are simply unacceptable. For the first time, the baby should eat ¼ teaspoon of an unfamiliar product. The new dish is introduced within 2 weeks and is given in full, provided that none of the following symptoms threaten the baby. How many mistakes can be avoided by knowing in advance the main principles of introducing complementary foods.

Introduction of products in a certain order. It is determined by the pediatrician, and only he can make adjustments to the menu.

Health saving. Give new food provided that the child is completely healthy. It is forbidden to start complementary feeding after vaccinations, at the time of adaptation to a new climate, in unfamiliar conditions, in hot weather. The baby should eat a new dish in the first half of the day, during the rest of the time the mother monitors his reaction, behavior, and how he goes to poop . If deviations from the child’s usual state occur, stop feeding and consult a doctor.

The baby should start eating a new dish at the beginning of feeding. Then comes his usual breast milk or formula.

The baby should eat complementary foods from a teaspoon, and not suck from a bottle. This develops the child’s chewing muscles and promotes better teething.

Age limits for introducing complementary foods

Before you get acquainted with the age intervals of complementary feeding, you should remember that each dish is introduced separately. There are as many types of products as there are adaptation periods.

4 months. Fruit juice, puree. Fruits should be, first of all, from the region where the baby lives: pears, apples. But the very first one should be an apple, which does not cause food allergies and is rich in vitamins. You can prepare complementary foods yourself or buy them in small portions in the baby food department.

5 months. Vegetables are introduced one by one: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, potatoes. If they are well absorbed, you can cook stew.

6 months. Porridge is added. We give preference to a hypoallergenic industrial product based on rice, corn, and buckwheat. Porridges are diluted with water or milk formula, which the child is currently consuming, so that the baby can poop safely. The volume of complementary foods starts from 1 tsp and increases to 100 g. How long does it take to fully introduce cereals into a baby’s diet? You need to increase the weight of complementary foods based on the child’s well-being and his desire to eat the entire dish. It is worth considering that complementary feeding products cannot be mixed!

7 months. After the porridge, the meat product is introduced, rubbing it to the consistency of puree. Preference is given to turkey and rabbit meat. The variety should be low-fat and hypoallergenic.

8 months. During this period, it is allowed to introduce fermented milk products: kefir, cottage cheese, and certain types of cookies. A prerequisite is good tolerance to cow's milk. If symptoms of food allergies are observed, the child does not want any kind of food, then complementary feeding will have to be suspended for a couple of months.

9 months. You should know that complementary fish foods can cause an allergic rash, so you should be very careful when introducing them into your diet. Preference is given to pike perch, pike or other types of low-fat fish. There is no need to rush into this type of complementary feeding; it is better to wait a little more time for the child to fully adapt to new products.

10 months. The baby is offered yolk and broth.

How long should it take after introducing a new product? If the baby is feeling well, there are no whims, or refusals to eat, new complementary foods are introduced immediately after the previous one has been digested.

It is worth considering that fried, smoked, and pickled foods are contraindicated for children. By the end of the year, the baby's main diet should be solid food, with milk and formula serving as drink.

How to introduce new foods to your baby

Parents are required to know not only how many times to feed the baby, the volume of meals and the requirements for complementary feeding of the baby. They should also have an idea of ​​how to properly present a new dish to their child. Let's look at a few tips for creating a comfortable environment during the introduction of additional nutrition.

• Table setting. During feeding, you should sit with your child at a beautifully decorated table. We teach him from early childhood to aesthetics and food culture.
• Availability of bright, beautiful dishes. It will attract the baby's attention to what is in it.
• Calm and friendly tone of parents. Affectionate communication makes the child want to try a new dish.
• Artistic word. The ability of parents to use jokes, sayings, and poems when communicating with their child attracts the child’s attention and encourages him to eat food in a playful way.
• Lack of toys on the table. Nothing should distract the child's attention from the eating process.
• New introductions should be carried out without unnecessary fuss, assertiveness, nervousness, or the desire to feed the baby at all costs. If the child categorically refuses to eat everything, stop and offer him an already familiar dish.

The number of times complementary foods are introduced, the more often the baby’s reaction will be unpredictable. You need to be patient and use ingenuity to help you adapt to a new dish successfully. Good luck to you and may your child be healthy.

Detailed video on the topic of feeding a baby

Nothing found

When a child is born, not a single mother has a question: what to feed him? Everyone knows that a baby needs breast milk, or if the mother is unable to breastfeed, then formula is used.

However, as he grows up, parents begin to wonder: when can they start introducing more “adult” foods into their baby’s diet?

At what age should you start feeding your baby?

If you ask grandmothers with this question, you will hear the opinion that feeding the baby should begin at two months of age. However, this opinion about the beginning of complementary feeding is outdated.

Currently, according to the instructions of the World Health Organization, the first complementary feeding should be offered to a child no earlier than 6 months if he is breastfed, and no earlier than 4 months if he is bottle-fed.

It is by this age that children mature the functions responsible for swallowing more solid food, and also form the enzyme system responsible for digesting new food.

Signs of readiness to start complementary feeding

In order to determine whether your baby is ready for the introduction of the first complementary foods, you should watch him.

The presence of the following signs will help determine whether a child is ready to be introduced to more adult foods:

• he doesn't eat enough. Breastfeeding or formula feeding has become more frequent as the baby shows clear signs of hunger;
• there is no reflex to push food out of the mouth with the tongue. You can check this by offering your child some water from a spoon;
• the baby is able to sit independently or does this with the help of a parent, but at the same time holds his head statically;
• the child has a clear interest in his parents’ food, he may curiously climb into your plate;
• The baby has gained at least twice the weight since birth.

Rules for introducing new products

The introduction of complementary foods requires compliance with a number of rules:

1. You can introduce new dishes into your child’s diet if he is completely healthy and does not have to be vaccinated soon.
2. Before introducing complementary foods, you should consult a doctor who will explain to you how to do it correctly and where to start.
3. The child should be offered new food in the first half of the day in order to be able to monitor his reaction to the product - the quality of his stool, skin rashes and other signs.
4. The dishes you offer should have a puree-like structure, more liquid at first, and as they grow older, they should master thicker foods.
5. Complementary feeding should be offered before feeding the baby breast milk or formula.
6. You should start with small volumes (5g), gradually increasing the volume of complementary feeding portions to 150g if the child tolerates the new food normally.
7. You should start feeding with single-component purees, and after getting used to the individual components, mixing them is allowed.
8. You can add a new vegetable or other product to the diet during complementary feeding only after the baby adapts to the previous one.
9. For complementary feeding, you should use only freshly prepared juices and purees. Before the cooking process, you should take care to thoroughly wash the products themselves, your hands and the necessary utensils.
10. Don't force feed. If the baby does not want to eat, you should not force him; offer him a new product a little later or the next day.

What to feed your baby: introduction plan

Here is a plan for introducing new food to the baby, starting from 6 months of age. If your child is fed artificial milk formulas, the introduction of complementary foods should begin according to the same plan, only at the age of 4 months.

An approximate table for introducing complementary foods is presented below:

Vegetable purees

It is best to start complementary feeding by introducing crumbs of pureed vegetables into the diet. In exceptional cases, if you have low body weight, your doctor may advise you to start with dairy-free cereals.

First, the least allergenic vegetables are introduced into the diet - zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli. Then vegetables such as pumpkin and carrots are added.

Carrots should not be offered to a child more than three times a week as they can cause pigmentation in the child's limbs. Vegetable purees are started at lunchtime, followed by supplementary feeding with breast milk.

Start with a volume approximately equal to half a teaspoon, then gradually increase the amount of vegetable puree given up to 150 grams, while reducing the amount of breast milk consumed.

Gluten-free cereals

At seven months, gluten-free porridges (rice, buckwheat and corn), which are prepared without milk, are added to complementary foods. Both cow's and goat's milk should not be included in the diet of a baby under one year old, since they are poorly digestible and burden the digestive system.

It is allowed to add breast milk or formula to the porridge. Porridges are introduced during breakfast, also starting in small quantities.

Potato

At 8 months, several products are added to the diet at once - meat, yolk and potatoes. Potatoes are introduced later than all other vegetables because they often bring with them allergic reactions.

In the final introduction, potatoes should not make up more than a third of the vegetable puree.

Egg yolk

The yolk is added to the morning meal; it can be mixed with porridge or given as an independent product. If a child is prone to allergic reactions, then complementary feeding should start with quail yolk, which is less allergic.

Start with a quarter of the yolk, gradually increasing its quantity. Give the yolk no more than twice a week.

Meat puree

Meat puree is introduced at lunchtime; it is often recommended to mix it with vegetables, since children eat it better in this form. The least allergenic turkey and rabbit are introduced first; closer to nine months, beef, veal, chicken and lamb can be introduced into complementary foods.

Meat should not be added in quantities of more than 50 grams to the total volume of vegetable puree.

Cottage cheese and kefir

At the age of 9 months, cottage cheese and kefir are gradually introduced into the diet. Begin by introducing cottage cheese into the evening feeding with a small volume, about one teaspoon. Cottage cheese should not have a grainy structure, it should be made homogeneous, and it should not contain sugar.

Kefir is also introduced into complementary foods in small volumes, gradually increasing it to a volume of 100 ml.

Fruits

At 10 months, you should try introducing fruits for snacks. By this age, children, as a rule, already have teeth, so you can give fruit either in the form of puree or in separate pieces.

You should also start with small volumes, and it is also better to choose fruits for your baby that grow in our region - apples, pears, prunes. At the same age, it is possible to add freshly squeezed juices and dried fruit compotes to the diet.

What to do if a child refuses complementary feeding?

Knowing how to properly introduce complementary foods is one thing, but in reality, it may turn out that your baby simply refuses to accept a new type of food. What to do in this case? Offer again.

You should offer it at least 10 times, and then try to switch to another type of vegetable. And after a week or two, try again to give the previous one. If the child refuses again, do not insist. All children are individual, perhaps yours just doesn’t like this vegetable.

Another trick is that you can add a little breast milk or formula to that vegetable puree that the baby refuses to eat. This will slightly sweeten the taste of the dish, which may be quite enough for your baby.

At the same time, under no circumstances should you feed your child foods seasoned with salt, sugar or any spices. This way you will only harm his fragile digestive system.

Complementary feeding is food prescribed to infants when they reach a certain age and physiological norms. Such food is intended to complement mother's milk or artificial formula, whose composition and calorie content can no longer satisfy the baby's increased needs.

Since in the first 12 months the foundations for the child’s future lifestyle and health are laid, every parent needs to understand at what age it is best to start feeding their babies, how to properly introduce complementary foods and what food should be given in each month.

When to start complementary feeding?

The question of how many months can a child be fed worries every new parent. But there is still no definite answer, there are only recommendations.

It should be realized that age alone cannot be a “symptom” of children’s readiness; several important characteristics of child development must be taken into account, for example:

• type of feeding of the child (breast milk or formula);
• body weight, which should be twice the weight of the baby at birth (for children born prematurely - about 2.5 times);
• the child’s lack of a repulsive tongue reflex in response to the offer of a drink or food in a spoon;
• the baby’s ability to sit (including in a “feeding” chair), leaning his body towards the spoon or leaning back (this demonstrates the desire to eat or refusal to eat);
• signs of hunger, when the child very often asks for a breast or a bottle and still does not get enough;
• children's interest in adult food and desire to try it.

A complex of all signs of readiness appears in different children at their age. As a rule, the introduction of complementary foods occurs between 5 and 8 months (everything is individual).

With natural feeding, when the child’s needs for essential nutrients are fully satisfied by milk, there is no need to rush into introducing complementary feeding. Children who are bottle-fed are given complementary foods at 5 months.

What are the dangers of early feeding?

Parents should understand that it is better to be a little late with complementary feeding than to introduce it prematurely.

For example, complementary feeding at 4 months is fraught with not the most favorable reactions from the digestive tract, which is not yet ready to accept new foods.

Starting complementary feeding too early leads to the following problems:

1. Due to the lack of necessary digestive enzymes, abdominal pain, intestinal colic, belching, and stool disorders may occur. That is, complementary feeding from 4 months will be useless at best, since the products will not be absorbed.
2. Another serious consequence is allergic conditions, which are caused by increased permeability of the intestinal walls to allergic particles and the immaturity of the child’s defense system. At the same time, the immunity of children suffers, as a result of which they get sick more often and longer.
3. Complementary feeding at 4 months and earlier may even pose some danger for the baby if he does not yet know how to swallow thicker food than milk or formula. An undeveloped swallowing reflex can lead to vomiting and loss of interest in food.
4. The increased load experienced by unformed internal organs (liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract organs) can result in their chronic diseases.

Another likely consequence is that the introduction of complementary foods before 6 months of age leads to a reduction in breastfeeding, which may result in cessation of lactation.

Of course, this rule does not work if the baby is bottle-fed.

Thus, it is better to start feeding a child at an appropriate age and only after the approval of the doctor who is observing the baby.

Principles of introducing complementary feeding

To ensure that the first feeding of a baby goes without any “accidents” and leaves only pleasant impressions for mother and child, it is worth learning the rules for introducing complementary feeding.

They look like this:

1. A new product should be given to a child who is absolutely healthy and in good spirits. You should not start introducing complementary foods if your children have been vaccinated.
2. The first complementary food should be one-component, that is, consist of only one dish. If the baby is used to a new product, they give the next one and so on. The last thing you should give is porridge with fruit additives, vegetable mixtures with a meat component.
3. Before buying industrial complementary foods, be sure to review the composition to exclude products that include highly allergenic ingredients.
4. It is necessary to feed the baby with an unfamiliar product in the morning in order to track the reaction of the child’s body. During the day, mother needs to pay attention to the condition of the skin, feces and general activity.
5. Offer new foods when your baby is hungry, and then supplement with breast milk (if breastfed) or formula (if bottle-fed).
6. The optimal amount of complementary feeding is half a teaspoon (or 3-5 grams), gradually the volume of complementary feeding increases to age levels.
7. Don’t give up the product, even if your child rejects it once. To get used to a new taste, you need to taste it thoroughly. This should be done at intervals of 3 days. If the toddler continues to refuse the dish, do not insist, but replace the product with a similar one (rice with buckwheat, pear puree with apple puree).
8. Monitor the temperature. This should be done to avoid burns to the oral mucosa (the dish should be warm, not hot).
9. Make sure that the dish is homogeneous (uniform). Lumps cause difficulty in swallowing and the child rejects the product.
10. Avoid feeding your baby directly from an industrial container. The food is placed on a plate, otherwise saliva will get into the jar, as a result of which the dish will become unsuitable for further storage.
11. It is necessary to give the next dish only after the kids are completely accustomed to the previous one. Typically the time period is about 2 weeks.
12. Combine several products. For example, you should not give two liquid (milk and juice) or two thicker (mashed potatoes and porridge) dishes at one meal.

You need to feed children very carefully and with great patience. It will take a long time for your baby to learn to swallow foods that are thicker than breast milk or formula. That's why you shouldn't be nervous and worry if something doesn't go as you would like.

Baby's first products

The first complementary foods should include foods that have a neutral taste. This must be done so that the bright taste does not make the baby reject the new food or, on the contrary, eliminate the preference for one dish over all others.

This is why, for example, experts do not recommend introducing sweet and aromatic juices or fruit purees into the first complementary foods. Of course, they are much more attractive than zucchini or meat products, which is why it is necessary to prevent the formation of incorrect taste preferences at an early age.

It is not so important at what age you start introducing new products - complementary feeding at 5 months with artificial feeding follows the same principles as complementary feeding from six months with breastfeeding.

Infant feeding table by month

Age	Products
Six months	Vegetable purees: zucchini, pumpkin, carrot and cauliflower or broccoli.
6-7 months	The baby's menu includes cereals; gluten-free ones are best. You can make porridge from buckwheat, rice or corn grits.
7 months	You can give your child puree from the usual vegetables, flavoring it with olive oil. Children are also allowed to make vegetable soups.
8 months	For an older baby, products made from boiled meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit, beef) are suitable; they also provide egg yolks
9 months	You can already give fermented milk products - low-fat kefir and cottage cheese.
10 months	At this age, fish dishes are given - low-allergenic cod, pollock. Completely new dishes are also suitable for kids - berry puree, natural yogurt. For babies, prepare puree from apples, pears or peaches (unless, of course, the child is allergic to them).
11 months	The child is offered soups made with meat broths without frying. You can give a small piece of bread, oatmeal, millet, pearl barley porridge.
Year	Most dishes found in an adult diet are suitable for a baby.

This table is for informational purposes only. It is worth understanding that the amount of complementary foods will depend on the type of food.

With natural feeding, milk remains the main product, but with formula feeding, the main “dish” is the formula.

In addition, the table shows how the consistency of complementary foods changes. After six months, the baby’s chewing strength increases, so he can eat various purees (vegetables, fruits). After 7 months, when chewing skills are more perfect, mashed, chopped dishes are given.

And only after 12 months do babies experience stable jaw function; at the same age, chewing becomes more mature. Usually, at one year old, the baby is transferred to the family table with some reservations.

Feeding a baby at six months

WHO recommends introducing vegetables into the first complementary foods, but if babies are underweight, it is better to give porridge. We will focus on the recommendations of the World Health Organization.

Experts recommend the following order of vegetable feeding:

• zucchini;
• cauliflower;
• asparagus cabbage;
• pumpkin puree;
• carrot dish.

First of all, you should puree hypoallergenic vegetables. Pumpkin and carrot dishes are among the last to be introduced, since children often experience allergic reactions.

Let us repeat once again, you need to start with one-ingredient dishes. Mixing different vegetables is possible, but when the child enjoys them separately, and you note the absence of allergic reactions. A novelty is given only to a hungry baby.

How to make a vegetable dish yourself? Very simple. Zucchini or broccoli should be washed under running water, peeled and seeds removed.

To understand how to introduce complementary foods at six months, you need to consider an example - the table for introducing vegetables will show all the nuances of proper feeding of babies.

Vegetable introduction table

Day	Dish	Quantity (grams)	Features of complementary feeding
1	Zucchini puree	5	It is best to introduce complementary foods in the morning, then give milk or formula.
2		10
3		20
4		40
5		70	From this day on, you should make puree with the addition of vegetable oil.
6		120
7		120
8	Zucchini puree and cauliflower dish	5+115	Prepare 2 types of purees, which are first given separately (with a short break) and then mixed. You can add a little olive oil.
9		10+110
10		20+100
11		40+80
12		70+50
13	Dish consisting of cauliflower and butter	120	One-component meals are prepared for children.
14		120
15	Zucchini or cabbage puree with cabbage dish	5+115	2 types of purees are prepared. The first is from the already familiar fruit, the other is from asparagus cabbage. First they are offered separately, and then mixed. Add a drop of olive oil.
16		10+110
17		20+100
18		40+80
19		70+50
20	Asparagus cabbage puree	120	Feed the baby with a one-component product with the addition of vegetable oil.
21		120

The table shows that the “introduction” of three fruits into the children's menu will take approximately 21 days. Each dish should be brought up to age specifications carefully, since the indicated grams do not mean that the child should be forced to finish everything.

Complementary feeding at 7 months

Another option for both the second and first feeding is porridge. It must be remembered that cereals must be gluten-free. You should also not cook porridge with cow's or goat's milk, since the bodies of children under one year old are not able to digest this heavy product.

If your child refuses to eat dairy-free porridge, add a little of your milk or formula to it. This will help the baby quickly get used to the new product.

Gluten-free grains include rice, corn and buckwheat. Such an assortment will satisfy the needs of a little gourmet. Porridges containing gluten can cause severe pathological conditions of the intestines.

In pharmacy chains and specialized departments of supermarkets you can purchase the most suitable porridge for babies. Some mothers are afraid to purchase them, but their fears are unfounded.

Industrially produced porridges for complementary feeding are absolutely safe and enriched with all useful components.

Cereals should be given according to the scheme proposed in the table above. When feeding them, you need to monitor the child’s condition: does the stomach hurt, is bowel movement disrupted, or does a rash appear on the skin. You cannot combine different cereals!

Feeding babies at 8 months

At this age, the introduction of complementary foods becomes more varied. The baby is growing up, which means he is already allowed dishes that are heavier for a child’s stomach:

• mashed potatoes;
• chicken or quail yolk;
• meat products.

Potatoes are introduced later than other fruits, since they are hyperallergenic vegetables. The mother should give the child 5 grams first, and by the seventh day increase the volume to 50 grams. Potatoes should not exceed a third of all vegetables in a child's diet.

It is better to feed an eight-month-old baby quail yolk, since it rarely becomes a source of allergies. This product is given twice a week. Moreover, for the first time you should pour a pinch onto a spoon, the next time - half a quail or a quarter of a chicken yolk.

Over the next 7 days, a whole quail yolk or half a regular yolk is given. An important rule is that you need to feed your baby this product in the morning, rubbing it with milk or adding it to porridge.

The most low-allergenic types of meat are turkey and rabbit. It is from them that purees are prepared, then veal, beef and chicken meat are given.

Pork meat should not be given to a child under one year old at all. Meat purees should be introduced into the lunch meal, the volume is a teaspoon.

Good to know! If you want to make your own meat puree, make pure minced meat and form small meatballs. Boil them in boiling water for 6 minutes, then freeze. You need to take them out of the freezer and boil them in a double boiler with vegetables, after which this mixture is crushed and given to the child. This method prevents the meatballs from sticking together.

Feeding a baby at 9 months

During this age period, children are introduced to fermented milk products, and they are introduced extremely carefully. Of course, you should not feed your kids cottage cheese, which is sold in packs, especially with various additives.

A special baby cottage cheese is suitable for a child - for example, “Agusha”, “Tyoma”. The purchased dish should not contain sugar or fruit pieces.

First, a teaspoon is given, then gradually increased to 30 grams per day. For children of this age - the optimal dose.

Kefir is given in a volume of 1-2 teaspoons. Of course, this drink must also be for the baby, for which the mother should choose a product without fruits, sugars and flavoring additives. Then the volume is increased to 150 milliliters. It is best to offer kefir and cottage cheese in the evening.

Important! Not every child has a positive attitude towards kefir and cottage cheese, but the dish should not be sweetened. Wait 2-3 weeks and offer the product again. Some kids don’t like “sour milk” at all, but they develop and grow up quite normally.

Feeding a 10 month old baby

At 10 months, the baby is pampered with desserts in the form of sweet fruits. The most useful fruits are those that grow in close areas. Exotic fruits are put aside for later.

First of all, puree from apples, pears or prunes is given. By this age, many children acquire teeth, as a result of which they are already able to chew fruit slices. The fruits are introduced from a small volume - about 5 grams of puree or a small slice. The daily “dose” is approximately 100 grams of the product.

Some mothers will be surprised when they read that healthy fruits are given so late. There are many opinions on this matter, but experts are confident that with natural feeding, there are enough vitamins in breast milk, and for artificial babies they make formulas enriched with vitamin complexes.

Thus, fruits are not such a significant source of vitamin complexes; the most important elements for a baby are protein and fat ingredients. In addition, sweet apples contain a variety of fruit acids that irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth.

Another introduced product is fish. There should not be a lot of it, and it must be low-fat and low-allergenic - for example, hake, cod or pollock. Experts recommend giving your child a “fish day,” when this dish replaces meat purees. Of course, the initial portion is minimal - less than half a teaspoon.

Complementary feeding at 11 and 12 months

At this age, the baby is fed homemade soups with fresh herbs. Of course, the ideal option is borscht without frying with sour cream (now it is allowed). Green sprigs of dill or parsley should be grown in your own garden or in a pot on the window.

Bread spread with a piece of butter is ideal for a growing body.

At the end of the 12th month, the child can also eat gluten-free cereals - barley, oatmeal and millet. However, they should be administered carefully to avoid negative reactions.

One-year-old children can already eat many dishes from their parents’ table, but you need to forget about some of the favorite delicacies that some “irresponsible” mothers and grandmothers love to stuff their babies with:

• various fruit juices that contain various acids that irritate the mucous membranes;
• vegetables straight from the garden (they lead to gas formation and are also poorly digestible);
• sweet pastries, cookies;
• exotic fruits;
• milk from a cow or goat.

Problems of complementary feeding and mother's fears

Quite often, the start of complementary feeding is accompanied by constipation, diarrhea, allergies, and painful sensations in the abdomen, as a result of which the child begins to worry and cry.

If your baby reacts unconventionally to the appearance of an unknown product in his diet, you should not completely abandon the dish.

Forget about it for 4-8 weeks, and then reintroduce it into the diet, carefully monitoring the baby's well-being. The second time, the product should be administered as slowly as at the very beginning.

Another common difficulty that often arises when complementary feeding begins is the child refusing the food offered. You should not insist, since the baby himself understands what he wants to eat and what foods cause discomfort.

In addition, a certain difficulty arises if you need to make a choice - cook yourself or buy ready-made food. Some parents are categorically against store-bought foods for infants, while others are confident in the quality of store-bought complementary foods.

Experts believe that everyone is right, since cooking at home is much more profitable, especially for an older child who can eat almost any dish. However, food in jars is no worse, it’s just important to adhere to the following rules:

• do not pay attention to the timing of the introduction of products indicated on the jars, focus on age standards;
• choose the freshest products, making sure that they are not expired;
• a children's dish should not contain various unnatural additives, flavorings, flavor enhancers; ideal nutrition is one containing a minimum amount of ingredients.

Children's health largely depends on the correct introduction of complementary feeding and adherence to advice. However, it is important for parents to understand that all the recommendations described are approximate.

Only a local pediatrician can say exactly from how many months a child can be fed. And the joint efforts of the mother and the doctor will significantly facilitate the baby’s transition to adult food.

By 4–6 months, the baby’s need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases. Since breast milk or its artificial substitute do not fully satisfy the baby’s requirements at this age, it is necessary to provide the child with additional nutrition to increase the caloric content of the diet. The first courses of complementary feeding for a child are vegetable purees and cereals. In addition, they accustom the baby to accept denser foods and develop chewing. These complementary foods are designed to replace breastfeeding. Therefore they belong to replacement feeding.

When to start complementary feeding?

Why was the interval from 4 to 6 months taken for the introduction of the first complementary foods? This is due to the fact that before this age the child’s body is not physiologically prepared to accept new dense foods. And it is undesirable to start later than six months; the child may have problems adapting to food with a denser consistency than milk. Therefore, according to most experts in the field of baby nutrition, first feeding should be administered between 4 and 6 months of life. However, it should be remembered that the timing of the introduction of complementary foods varies from person to person. When artificial feeding, you can start complementary feeding with 4 - 5 months , with breastfeeding - with 5 - 6 months .

When to start complementary feeding?

The choice, firstly, depends on the condition child at the time of introducing new food. If child is underweight or has unstable stools, it is better to start with cereals. Conversely, if you are overweight and prone to constipation, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods with vegetable puree. If your baby is free of such troubles and is absolutely healthy, then the advice of pediatricians and nutritionists currently boils down to starting complementary feeding with vegetable puree.

Why? Many mothers may argue that introducing vegetable puree first is quite difficult. It is not easy for a child to go from the sweet taste of breast milk or substitute to a completely unsweetened vegetable. And here you should be patient. You should offer a new dish not just once, but at least 10–12 times, and only after the baby stubbornly refuses it, move on to another type of vegetable. After child parents, as a rule, switch to porridge, making a big mistake! There is a high probability that the baby will not want to eat vegetables at all after introducing sweet porridge. Another mistake mothers make is when they additionally sweeten industrially produced cereals.

It should be taken into account that child He is just getting used to new tastes, and his future eating habits depend on how correctly he is taught to eat in the family. As a result, the habit of sweet foods can lead to obesity and related diseases. So, let's introduce vegetables. It is better to start with products such as zucchini, all types of cabbage, potatoes, they are least likely to cause allergies. Later you can try carrots, beets and tomatoes. The modern baby industry offers a wide range of different types of purees. According to the degree of grinding they are divided into homogenized, which are offered to children from 4.5 months, pureed 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.

It should be remembered that when buying ready-made food, you should not add additional salt or vegetable oil. Foreign manufacturers, trying to improve the taste of their products, use legumes (beans, peas, etc.), tomatoes and tomato paste, onions, garlic, and spices (in particular, pepper) when making vegetable purees. In this case, they recommend introducing them from 5–6 months. This does not comply with the prescriptions of domestic pediatricians and nutritionists.

Such purees should not be given as complementary foods babies aged 4–6 months, since tomatoes, which are among the vegetables that especially often cause allergies in children, can be introduced into the diet no earlier than six months. Tomato paste containing salt is best administered with 6–7 months . Legumes, which contain a high level of plant fibers and special types of sugars that can cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa and increased gas formation no earlier 7–8 months . Onions and garlic containing essential oils that irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines, and kidneys - only with 8–9 months , spices - with 9 months and older .

You can prepare vegetable complementary foods yourself using both fresh and frozen vegetables. To do this, you need to boil them, then make a puree (in a blender or using a regular masher). Add a little vegetable or melted butter (no more than 3-4 grams). Oil another new product complementary foods, which children become familiar with from the moment vegetable puree or porridge is introduced. It is a source of nutrients, energy, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E). Vegetable oil is allowed to be administered with 4.5 months , creamy – not earlier 5–6 months .

We introduce porridge

Two weeks after the baby gets used to vegetable puree, you can begin introducing cereal complementary foods . Dry instant porridges are most convenient. To prepare them, you just need to mix the 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 porridges that require cooking, flour for baby food, as well as regular cereal, pre-ground in a coffee grinder.

It is important to emphasize that as the first cereal complementary foods should be used gluten-free cereals - rice, also buckwheat and corn flour; Other cereals - rye, wheat, barley, oats - contain gluten. This is the main protein of cereals; in babies it can cause such unpleasant phenomena as pain and bloating. The principles of introducing porridges are the same as for other types complementary foods- start with one type of cereal, gradually, a week after introducing the first porridge, try another type, and even later - you can switch to porridge from a mixture of cereals.

Introducing a new product

• You need to start with one type of least allergenic product. Interval between introducing different dishes complementary foods must be at least 5–7 days. While your baby begins to try something new, you should carefully examine the skin every day for any rashes, and also monitor your stool. If rashes appear or the nature of stool changes (frequent and liquid), you must cancel the meal. complementary foods and consult a doctor.
• A new product cannot be introduced if child unwell or during preventive vaccinations, it is undesirable to start in hot weather.
• It is recommended to give the “new product” before breastfeeding - then the hungry child will most likely have a positive attitude towards food. In addition, it is better to offer a new dish in the first half of the day in order to monitor the baby’s condition throughout the day.
• They give complementary foods baby only from a spoon, not through a pacifier.

You should not strive for excessive variety in the diet of your little one. child, for starters, 2-3 types of vegetables, introduced progressively (one per week), are enough. It is necessary to adhere to certain schemes for introducing new foods into the baby’s diet.

Example of introducing 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 – 100 ml (100g) 7th day – 150 ml (150g).

An example of introducing vegetable and melted butter:

1st day – 1 drop 2nd day – 2 drops 3rd day – 5 drops 4th day – ¼ tsp. 5th day – ½ tsp. (3d) 6th day and beyond – 1 tsp. (5–6g).

Diet child 4–6 months (volume of porridge and puree up to 150 ml, feeding frequency 5–6 times a day)

Discuss on our forum

How and what to feed your baby

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

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

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

It is good to feed the child with mixtures of juices, for example, a mixture of berry or lemon juice with carrot, which contains vitamins A and C. A mixture of tomato and orange juice, also containing vitamins A and C, is very useful. Carrot juice is somewhat laxative; it is useful if your child is prone to stool retention.

Around the fifth month, you should give your baby vitamin D, which prevents rickets (a few drops a day).

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

A five- to six-month-old baby, regardless of the amount of milk the mother has, must be fed, since he is growing, developing and mother’s milk can no longer satisfy all the needs of his body. During this period, the baby tries products that are completely new to him. Therefore, you need to be very careful, because it is at this time that taste habits and preferences are formed. Everything will definitely go absolutely smoothly if you follow the following rules.

Complementary foods are introduced in the first half of the day to monitor whether there is an adverse reaction (skin rash, change in bowel habits, abdominal pain) when introducing a new product.

You should always start with very small amounts of food (one teaspoon), gradually (over the course of a week) increasing the portion size to the full amount required for age.

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

Your doctor should advise you which product to choose for your first complementary feeding.

Most often, complementary feeding starts with grain products. Porridges are very healthy and have high nutritional value. Currently, doctors recommend feeding a child industrially produced cereals, since they have a guaranteed composition and are enriched with microelements, minerals and vitamins that are important for children.

The label must indicate what the product is enriched with. For example, if you added

The question of how to introduce the first complementary foods to a child at a certain period is very important for every mother. There is very different information about how the baby’s first complementary foods are introduced. At the same time, information on the Internet is fundamentally different from what people of the older generation talk about.

But no matter how many recommendations a young mother receives, it is important that the baby’s first complementary foods are introduced as correctly as possible. That is why you need to familiarize yourself with those recommendations that will allow you to get answers to the most important questions. For example, at what age can you give water to a baby, at what months can you give cottage cheese, and the like.

Every mother needs to familiarize herself with this information in detail so that she can provide her baby with complementary feeding that will be introduced correctly. This, in turn, will guarantee that the child who is on natural feeding , and the artificial baby’s digestive system will function correctly.

First complementary foods during breastfeeding, general rules

Young mothers always have a lot of questions about how to properly introduce supplementary feeding, whether it is necessary to give water, etc. First of all, it is important to take into account that with full nutrition, that is, if the mother maintains the feeding schedule, the baby is actively growing, supplementary feeding before six months the child doesn't need it.

Sometimes mothers, believing that the baby is not receiving enough breast milk, begin supplementing mixture . However, most pediatricians, including Komarovsky, believe that there is no need to supplement well-developing babies. When to give additional formula and whether it should be done, it is better to ask your pediatrician.

A table or chart for introducing complementary foods during breastfeeding will help every mother understand how to practice introducing a new product. This table clearly outlines when to introduce complementary foods during breastfeeding by month, and exactly what foods should be given at certain times.

However, the beginning of the process of introducing complementary foods raises many questions about how and when to start giving a child a certain product. For example, is it the “right” product to start complementary feeding? cauliflower or corn porridge , is it possible to give prunes for a six-month-old baby, when to give water to a newborn, etc.

Ideally, every mother should not only study the literature, but also regularly consult with a pediatrician. It is he who will clearly answer questions about whether pumpkin is ok for breastfeeding, whether broccoli is ok, etc., and will also adjust the complementary feeding regimen that you intend to practice.

When to introduce complementary foods to an infant?

There are a lot of recommendations on when to start feeding your baby. And if you believe the experience of grandmothers, complementary feeding should be started as early as possible.

However, any questions that concern a young mother about how many months a baby can be fed and what exactly she should start feeding should first be asked to the pediatrician.

Indeed, in recent years, the approach to what time to start feeding a baby, and where to start best, has changed significantly. And if the majority of modern grandmothers really are of the opinion that, for example, porridge for a three-month-old baby or cottage cheese for a 4-month-old child is normal, then doctors believe otherwise.

All scientific research conducted by modern scientists and doctors confirms that the answer to the question at what age can a baby be fed is as follows: if exclusive breastfeeding is practiced, then feeding the baby should begin no earlier than 6 months . The recommendations are similar as to how many months you can start feeding a baby who is growing on artificial feeding : such children are introduced to complementary foods a month earlier, but it is also quite acceptable to begin acquaintance with “adult” food from 6 months.

It is very important to take into account all the nuances: what, when, how much to give to the baby. If the baby is approaching six months of age, you should ask the doctor all the pressing questions: when to give the yolk, when to introduce potatoes. It is equally important to know when to introduce meat into your baby’s complementary foods, and what meat to start with. In order to correctly carry out the process of introducing complementary foods and learn everything about its features, parents are also recommended to study special modern literature.

Why shouldn't complementary foods be introduced earlier?

Parents who are trying to take into account all the important rules for introducing complementary feeding should understand that for infants under 6 months of age, any food other than breast milk or formula is not only not beneficial, but also harmful.

The introduction of complementary foods to infants is not carried out earlier, since the baby does not have the necessary enzymes to digest new types of food. Therefore, if the rules are broken and the baby receives certain food earlier (even if it is pumpkin or other “light” foods), it will not be absorbed and will not benefit the body. And if the food is not digested, then it is inevitable, and even small quantities of any food will create a load. That is why the procedure for introducing complementary foods according to Komarovsky, as well as according to the recommendations of other specialists, provides for a certain sequence of introducing vegetables and other products.

When and how to start correctly depends on what the baby eats. First complementary feeding artificial feeding is introduced a little earlier due to the fact that the enzyme systems in such children mature a little earlier. There is a special table for introducing complementary foods during artificial feeding, which can greatly facilitate the introduction of new foods. However, there are certain general recommendations not only about when to start, but also how to introduce it correctly: the introduction scheme provides that any new food is given to the child in an amount of 5 g daily. Gradually, the volume of food increases, usually every day, over the course of a week, and is eventually brought up to 100 or 150 g.

It is advisable to introduce complementary foods during mixed feeding in the same way as during artificial feeding - approximately with five months . Correct administration during mixed feeding involves initially giving the child one of the types of vegetables and increasing the number of grams of supplementary food every day for 1-2 weeks.

There is a special complementary feeding table for infants who are on breast, artificial or mixed feeding . It suggests a special scheme for introducing complementary foods, there is information on where to start, etc. Similar schemes for how supplementary feeding occurs are offered by Dr. Komarovsky and other specialists.

Table of supplementary feeding for breastfed and bottle-fed children

Modern table for the introduction of complementary feeding according to WHO (by baby’s age)

Baby's age	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Fruit puree	< 30 мл	< 50 мл	< 60 мл	< 70 мл	< 90 мл	< 100 мл	100 ml
Vegetable puree		< 30 г	< 50 г	< 60 г	< 70 г	< 90 г	< 100 г
Porridge		< 100 г	< 150 г	150 g	< 180 г	< 200 г	200 g
Fruit juices		< 30 г	< 50 г	< 60 г	< 70 г	< 90 г	< 100 г
Vegetable oil		< 3 г	3 g	3 g	5 g	5 g	6 g
Cottage cheese			< 30 г	< 40 г	< 50 г	50 g	< 80 г
Wheat bread			< 5 г	5 g	5 g	< 10 г	10 g
Cookies, crackers			< 5 г	5 g	5 g	< 10 г	10 g
Butter			up to 4 g	4 g	4 g	5 g	5 g
Egg yolk				1/4	1/2	1/2	1/2
Meat puree				up to 30 g	50 g	up to 70 g	up to 80 g
Kefir					100 ml	up to 150 ml	up to 200 ml
Fish puree					up to 30 g	up to 60 g	up to 80 g

How to introduce complementary foods by month

Each modern monthly complementary feeding table provides that the child receives additional feeding from 6 months . However, many families still practice earlier introduction of complementary foods, believing that the nutritional norm for a newborn involves more abundant nutrition than exclusive breastfeeding.

Some sources, which describe the introduction of complementary foods by month, note that complementary foods should be included in the menu of a child under one year of age, focusing on the following indicators:

• compared to the original birth weight, the baby’s weight has become twice as large;
• the child sits independently;
• The baby's feeding schedule is changing: the baby asks for the breast more and more often;
• The development of a child under 1 year of age is very active: he is already interested in what is on adults’ plates;
• The baby does not push pieces of food out of his mouth.

Nutritional standards also take into account that the introduction of complementary foods should begin at the moment when the baby will not receive any food in the near future. vaccinations .

When new mothers first begin to study the months, they often believe that when breastfeeding, they should start supplementing their baby with fruit juice. But both research by specialists and the complementary feeding table for children under one year old indicate something else: juice can cause not only digestive problems, but also manifestations of allergies , as well as a set excess weight due to the high sugar content in fruit juices . Therefore, the monthly menu should be written differently.

Also, the mother should take into account the food norm for the newborn. Complementary feeding needs to start with very small portions, and sometimes it takes up to a month until the baby is completely accustomed to a certain type of food.

If a child feels unwell and becomes restless, before introducing complementary foods, it is worth doing blood tests to determine the norm in newborns, etc.

Is it worth introducing complementary foods from 3 months?

Not every modern table provides for complementary feeding at 3 months of breastfeeding, since, according to most pediatricians, it is quite enough for a baby at this age to be breastfed regularly. Normally, in the fourth month, the baby receives approximately 200 g of milk at each feeding, eating 5 times a day.

Those who nevertheless decide to practice complementary feeding at 3 months using artificial feeding must strictly take into account what is possible for a child of this age.

It is recommended to start complementary feeding with a small piece of yolk , which should be given before breastfeeding. After one week, the child should eat half a yolk per day. What else you can feed such a small child depends on the recommendations of the pediatrician. But most doctors still recommend waiting to introduce complementary foods for at least 2-3 months.

What complementary foods should I give my baby at 4 months?

Those mothers for whom the main table for introducing complementary foods is not a direct recommendation are often interested in how to introduce complementary foods at 4 months correctly.

Complementary feeding is generally started at 4 months. artificial feeding .

First "experience" - chicken egg yolk how to give it is described above. To properly feed your baby further, you can gradually introduce the next product.

For example, some experts recommend gradually introducing cottage cheese starting with half a teaspoon. But still, ideally, a complementary feeding regimen at this age should be approved by a specialist. Therefore, you should talk to your local pediatrician about what complementary foods you can give from 4 months of age while breastfeeding. It is necessary to take into account individual recommendations on how to properly start complementary feeding at this age, since the state of the digestive tract and the health of the baby as a whole depends on this in the following months, when you expand his diet, introducing porridge, potatoes and other products.

What complementary foods should I give my baby at 5 months?

How to properly introduce complementary foods to a 5-month-old baby depends on many factors. First of all, it depends on what kind of feeding, breast, artificial or mixed, the child is on. Children who are breastfed at 5 months may not be supplemented for some time. But many mothers, believing that the child’s weight is too low for his age, are actively interested in what they can feed and what they can give the baby to eat.

Every mother who is interested in what to feed a child at this age should take into account that a child at 5 months should receive complementary feeding, starting with the smallest amount of new food. The daily scheme suggests that initially the baby needs to be given half a teaspoon of the new product ( yolk , vegetable puree etc.). Only after the baby gets used to a certain food can you start giving him another product. Accordingly, if at five months a child begins to try a certain product, then at 5.5 months he can already eat several products every day that will be introduced into his menu by this time.

At five months, a formula-fed baby's menu may be the same as a breast-fed one, with the difference that new foods are introduced into the baby's diet a little earlier.

How to introduce complementary foods at 6 months?

If a mother begins to introduce complementary foods to her baby at 6 months while breastfeeding, as suggested by the modern table for introducing complementary foods and the advice of pediatricians, it is important to gradually introduce each new product to the menu.

As a rule, the first foods introduced into the diet of children at six months are: vegetables . However, for children who have a very low weight for their age, it is advisable to give porridge . You can ask your doctor what cereals can be given to such a baby. Basically it's rice, buckwheat porridge .

The complementary feeding scheme from 6 months onwards is as follows: initially the baby needs to be introduced into the diet vegetable puree , it is best to do this at lunchtime. What can a child who is starting to be fed with vegetables eat? Experts recommend initially giving your baby zucchini, followed by broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and pumpkin. Vegetables are the food from which children are least likely to develop allergies. However, the menu for a bottle-fed baby suggests that a 6-month-old baby eats vegetables such as pumpkin and carrots no more than 2-3 times a week.

At 6 months They begin to give such puree with a small dose - initially the baby should eat 1 teaspoon of the dish, then the dose should be gradually increased.

If bottle-fed feeding was initially practiced, and the child’s development, in the opinion of the pediatrician, does not deviate from the norm, already during this period you can gradually begin to mix vegetable purees. However, such a vegetable mix can be given to the baby only after he has tried puree from one type of vegetable, and he does not develop any symptoms. allergic reaction .

A new type of food is given to the baby only on an empty stomach, so that one can clearly determine how the baby reacts to such food. For example, if a mother is just starting to give yolk to her child, you need to wait with vegetables.

In many ways, where to start the first complementary feeding at this age depends on the preferences of the parents. So, mom can prepare puree from broccoli and other vegetables on her own. Having decided which vegetables to start with, you need to take the vegetables, rinse them well under running water and remove seeds and peels. Next, they are cut and placed in a double boiler or pan. Cooked vegetables (it is better to steam them to puree) are chopped with a blender, after adding water or vegetable broth. As a result, you need to prepare a puree similar in consistency to kefir. An older baby can be fed with thicker purees, but during this period, as a rule, he already eats porridge and other foods.

Such food should not be stored - the complementary feeding norm stipulates that the baby receives only freshly prepared food. By the way, salt, spices, and sugar are not added to the puree.

The diet of a child at 6 months stipulates that it is too early for the mother to think about the questions of what kind of fish or what meat to start complementary feeding with.

Approximate schedule for introducing vegetable complementary foods

Days	Scheme
First	5 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Second	10 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Third	20 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Fourth	40 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Fifth	80 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Sixth	120 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Seventh	150 g of zucchini puree, then supplement with breast milk or formula
Eighth	5 g of cauliflower puree, you can add zucchini if ​​you are not allergic to it.
Ninth	10 g of cauliflower puree, after which the scheme is repeated every day, as with zucchini puree

When can you give it to your child? mashed potatoes , depends on what vegetables you have already introduced before this period of his life. As a rule, potatoes are introduced a little later.

If the child does not eat the entire portion, it means that the amount of supplementary feeding is too large for him. The baby refuses, which means there is no need to force him, since eating habits are formed already in the first year of his life.

How to introduce complementary foods at 7 months?

The age of seven months is the period when porridge should appear on the baby’s menu. The mother can ask the pediatrician which cereals can be introduced first. But it is important that gluten-free and dairy-free cereals are gradually introduced to a 7-month-old child.

Goat and cow milk, as well as milk porridges, are introduced after the child reaches one year. Doctors, while advising what a child should eat, claim that the baby should not eat milk porridge , since they have a negative impact on gastrointestinal mucosa and increase the risk of digestive system diseases.

If it is difficult to introduce porridge into the diet because the child refuses to eat porridge without milk, you can add breast milk or formula to the porridge. Because gluten harmful for a child under one year old, as it provokes celiac disease (pathology of the large intestine), the nutrition table for a 7-month-old child suggests that he can be given gluten-free porridge - rice, buckwheat, corn.

When creating a menu for breastfeeding or creating a formula-fed baby's diet at 7 months, you should take into account that you can prepare porridge yourself or add ready-made porridge to the menu, which can be purchased in a specialized store. Making this porridge is very simple - you just need to add a little water. Your doctor will tell you what you can give your baby to eat at 7 months. But no matter what food the mother introduces, it is necessary to clearly monitor how the body of a seven-month-old baby perceives it: whether allergies are manifested, whether the baby’s growth and development are normal. If the product is poorly absorbed, the stool may change and an allergy may appear. It should be taken into account that allergic manifestations can appear not only during the first time after the introduction of a new product, but also after its volume has been significantly increased. Therefore, a new product should be introduced gradually, observing how the child behaves for a week or two.

What to feed a baby at 8 months?

The menu of an 8-month-old child can already be very varied, since the first complementary foods have already been introduced, and growth and development continue very actively.

During this period, the diet appears meat feeding , mashed potatoes . Potatoes are introduced during this period, since there is a high risk of allergies when taking them. Therefore, even at eight months, this product must be introduced gradually and very carefully, starting with 5 g and over the course of a week increasing its amount to 50 g. In this case, the basis of vegetable puree should not be potatoes, but other vegetables.

If it has not been entered yet yolk , now is the time to introduce your child to this product. For this purpose it is better to use quail egg . Nutrition at this age provides that the baby is given a yolk twice a week. It should be noted that you can give your child the yolk to eat in the morning, rubbing it with breast milk or adding it to porridge. Complementary feeding at 8 months of breastfeeding and a formula-fed menu suggest the gradual introduction of types of meat that are considered the least allergenic.

It is recommended to initially drive turkey , rabbit meat . These types of meat need to be changed periodically, and later the baby is given veal . It should be noted that the baby should eat meat for lunch, along with vegetable puree. You need to start with 5 g, and the norm for a child of 8-9 months is considered to be 50 g of meat per day. Often the child does not want to eat meat in its pure form, in which case you can give it in mixed puree - with vegetables.

Can be cooked meatballs made from pure fresh minced meat , freeze them after boiling them in boiling water. Minced meat balls can be boiled together with vegetables and pureed in a blender. How much meat to give depends on whether the baby is used to it.

What to feed a 9 month old baby?

There is a wider list of what a baby can eat at 9 months. First of all, the list of types of meat has been expanded: at this age it is recommended for a baby to eat beef , lamb , chicken .

Those who ask at what age can liver be given should take into account that pork, including liver, is not recommended for children under one and a half years old.

In the meantime, the menu of a 9-month-old baby when breastfed, like the menu on artificial feeding, should gradually expand due to the introduction of fermented milk products. In particular, you can start such complementary feeding with cottage cheese , which is administered very slowly, starting with very small portions - no more than a teaspoon. It is best to use special cottage cheese for children for this purpose, and you should not add sugar or fruit to it.

When can you give kefir , depends on how quickly the child will like cottage cheese. Initially, 30 g of cottage cheese per day is sufficient for a 9-month-old child with breastfeeding. As a rule, it is better to give cottage cheese and kefir before dinner. Children sometimes refuse to drink kefir. In this case, it is better to delay the introduction of this product: for now, the baby has enough other dishes, because his menu is already quite varied.

The answer to the question of what cereals can be given to a child at 9 months is already known: gluten-free.

What should you feed your baby at 10 months and later?

You can diversify the baby menu at 10 months desserts . It is advisable to gradually start giving your baby fruits And fruit juice . First of all, you should give those fruits that grow on our territory - pears, apples, prunes and fruit puree from them. The child is given fruit as a snack, about 100 g per day. Later, other fruits are also available - banana, kiwi, orange. There is no need to introduce fruits before, since breast milk and the formula contain everything the baby needs vitamins .

Gradually, other desserts appear on the menu - cookies, crackers, etc. Doctors warn that the baby should not drink fruit juices, which are sold in bags in stores, as they are not good for the baby.

At 11 months, you can introduce other desserts, because the menu of an 11-month-old baby while breastfeeding is already quite varied. At this time, mothers often have questions about this or that food: when can you give pasta, at what age can you give liver, is it possible to dry it, when should you cook soup for your child, etc. You need to be guided, first of all, by the tables that give an approximate complementary feeding calendar, as well as doctor’s recommendations.

From what age nibbler can be given to the baby, and whether he needs this device is decided by the mother herself.

What should a baby drink?

After the baby is introduced to complementary foods, he needs additional fluid. How much water a baby should be given per day depends on several factors. First of all, on temperature: if the day is not hot, the child drinks 100-200 ml of liquid. On hotter days, the baby drinks more. Also if you have to treat cold if the baby has high temperature , the child should be given to drink in large quantities. It is better to give liquid to a baby from a cup to teach him to drink correctly.

From the age of seven months, babies can be given children's tea , which contains various herbs, as well as dried fruit compotes .

While practicing breastfeeding, a woman should also adhere to the correct drinking and eating regimen. There is a special nutrition table for a nursing mother by month that will help answer the most pressing questions. But there are also general recommendations aimed at making a baby on breastfeeding feel good. For example, instead of coffee while breastfeeding, it is better for a nursing mother to consume chicory.

What problems are possible when introducing complementary foods?

During the process of introducing complementary foods, the following problems may most often occur:

• the baby refuses to eat the offered complementary foods;
• manifestation of problems with stool ( diarrhea , problems with the gastrointestinal tract due to the fact that food is not digested);
• allergic manifestations I am (allergic to zucchini, allergic to broccoli, allergic to raw carrots, etc.).

As a result of the manifestation of such problems, the baby becomes restless, constantly cries, and sleeps poorly. It is important to understand which product provoked such a reaction. It must be immediately removed from the child’s diet. So, if a baby has an allergy to pumpkin or an allergy to oatmeal, it is better to simply replace these dishes with others. It is possible to reintroduce foods that provoked an allergy no earlier than after 2 months. This is what the pediatrician advises Komarovsky and other doctors. Moreover, the introduction of such a product should be carried out as slowly and gradually as the first time and at the same time monitor the child’s condition.

If the child does not eat meat or other types of complementary foods, you need to temporarily abandon this product.

Food in jars

Those mothers for whom the question of how to introduce complementary foods to a child correctly is very important, often need an answer to the question of which food is better - canned food or homemade products (porridge, cottage cheese, kefir, etc.).

Doctors believe that canned food is one of the options for introducing supplementary feeding. At the same time, it is very important to give your child only high-quality products, and also to strictly ensure that the expiration date of such baby food does not expire. It is advisable to be absent and palm olein in baby food.

When giving your child canned food, you should adhere to the same rules as with “homemade” complementary feeding. If a child receives additional formula while breastfeeding, complementary feeding can be started a month earlier.

It is necessary to introduce the second vegetable only after the baby gets used to the first vegetable puree.

Before introducing porridge, how to introduce meat into complementary foods for a child, fish, etc., you need to make sure that the child’s body accepts well the foods that have already been introduced. In parallel with canned food, other foods are also introduced into complementary foods. For example, yolk is introduced into complementary foods after the child has already accepted several types of vegetable purees, etc.

What not to give to infants

Mothers who often bombard doctors with questions about when to give their baby liver when can you give kefir and other products, you must remember what food it is not advisable to introduce girls and boys in the first year of life to:

• juices – they are not recommended to be given even to children after 1 year, as they irritate the mucous membranes and do not benefit the child’s body;
• semolina porridge , as well as other cereals with gluten free ;
• butter cookies , sweets ;
• goat milk And cow ;
• exotic fruits .

Basic rules of complementary feeding - conclusions

So, if we summarize all the information, we can derive several very important rules that must be taken into account by all parents of young children who want to raise them healthy.

Education: Graduated from Rivne State Basic Medical College with a degree in Pharmacy. Graduated from Vinnitsa State Medical University named after. M.I. Pirogov and internship at his base.

Experience: From 2003 to 2013, she worked as a pharmacist and manager of a pharmacy kiosk. She was awarded diplomas and decorations for many years of conscientious work. Articles on medical topics were published in local publications (newspapers) and on various Internet portals.