Pediatricians recommend starting complementary feeding between 4-6 months (no earlier than 4 months and no later than 6 months of the child’s life) and using vegetable purees or low-allergenic and dairy-free cereals.
Vegetables as a first food
From 4.5-5.5 months, thicker foods can be introduced into the child’s diet than breast milk or an adapted milk formula, which is referred to as “complementary feeding.” It is preferable to prescribe vegetable puree as the first complementary food. Vegetable puree - source organic acids, potassium, iron and dietary fiber, including pectin. Vegetable puree as the first complementary food should be prescribed to children with exudative-catarrhal diathesis, rickets, obesity, anemia, and premature birth.
Vegetable puree for complementary feeding is a product obtained by pureing whole or peeled fresh or frozen vegetables of one or more types, previously subjected to heat treatment (blanching).
Introduction of vegetables as a second complementary food, after the introduction of cereals
The second complementary food in the form of vegetable puree from natural vegetables for baby food(without adding milk and not containing legumes) is introduced in parallel with the first, a month after the introduction of the first complementary foods and the complete replacement of one feeding.
What vegetables to start complementary feeding with?
The introduction of vegetable complementary foods should begin with one type of vegetable that has delicate fiber and is light in color (from green or white vegetables), for example, with zucchini or cauliflower, then moving on to a mixture of vegetables, with a gradual expansion of the assortment using potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, and later tomatoes, green peas.
Vegetables for first feeding
Zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli take priority among the first vegetable complementary foods, since these vegetables are hypoallergenic products and are the most optimal for starting complementary feeding. It is cauliflower and broccoli that are often called “cabbage with higher education", as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Vegetables to expand your diet
If complementary foods are introduced at the age of 4-4.5 months, then the first vegetables can be monocomponent, homogenized purees: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, carrots.
At 5 months of age During the life of a child and older, the assortment is expanded to include vegetable purees from pumpkin, beets, and white cabbage.
At 6 months of age the life of a child and older, it is possible to add tomatoes.
At 7 months of age it is possible to expand the vegetable diet by adding green peas.
Vegetable purees industrial production for the first feeding there may be varying degrees grinding:
- homogenized(highly crushed, the number of pulp particles measuring 0.15-0.3 mm) - for children over 4 months of age;
- pureed(particle size no more than 0.4 mm) and coarsely ground (particle size 2 - 5 mm) - for children over 6 months of age.
Complementary feeding dishes made from vegetables should be semi-liquid, well pureed, homogeneous; the transition to thicker food should be gradual, accustoming the child to chewing with age.
How to introduce complementary foods from vegetables (introduction scheme for vegetable puree)
Zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli are hypoallergenic foods and are the most optimal for starting the first feeding. One-component vegetable puree is given to the child from a teaspoon, preferably in the morning for breakfast. There is no need to salt or sweeten vegetable purees for your child.
Scheme for introducing vegetable puree as complementary foods:
First day The baby is given ½ teaspoon of vegetable puree (for example, zucchini), and then the baby is fed with regular food (breast milk or a bottle of formula). During the day, monitor the body's reaction to the introduced product - carefully examine the skin for rashes, pay attention to the stool, whether there is mucus and greens in the stool.
On the second day, if there are no signs of allergies or tummy problems, the child is given 1-2 teaspoon zucchini (5-10 g) and supplemented with formula or milk.
On the third day– 3 teaspoons (15 g).
On the fourth– 4-5 teaspoons. (20-25 years).
On the fifth day– 50 g. If there is no negative reaction to the introduced product, then you can double the portion.
On the sixth day– 80-100 g. You can give your child a portion twice as large as the previous one.
On the seventh day– 120-150 g, which completely replaces one feeding. The norm in grams per feeding is indicated for six month old baby If complementary foods were introduced earlier, the amount of product should be reduced. If your child is on breastfeeding, then after taking vegetable puree, be sure to supplement your baby’s breastfeeding, even if the volume of complementary foods already completely replaces the whole feeding, so you can maintain lactation for a longer time.
For another week, the child is allowed to get used to vegetable puree from zucchini, and only after 5-7 days a new vegetable, for example broccoli, is introduced into the diet. This rule is important to follow if complementary feeding is introduced to a child at the age of 4-4.5 months.
Eighth day– ½ teaspoon of broccoli, then add zucchini puree.
Ninth day– 1-2 teaspoons of broccoli (5-10 g) and give zucchini up to the age dose, etc. Gradually, the amount of broccoli is replacing the first vegetable for complementary feeding - zucchini.
If a child refuses vegetable puree, then take a break of several days and offer the child puree again or replace the vegetable - for example, zucchini with cabbage.
What is better – buy or make your own vegetable puree for complementary feeding?
The advantage of factory-made canned food is that it is sterile, the mother does not need to bother at the stove: cooking, grinding, it is better to devote this time to the child. Jarred vegetable puree is also convenient to take on the road. Canned baby food is recommended for consumption by leading global and domestic health organizations, so the choice of parents depends only on their preferences and financial capabilities.
If you plan to purchase factory-produced vegetable puree, then carefully read the composition. Apart from vegetables and water, there should be nothing in the jar - no preservatives, dyes, flavors or flavor enhancers, including starch as a thickener. It is desirable that vegetable puree for complementary feeding does not contain even salt and sugar, and has a uniform structure and natural color.
Purchased puree in jars must be heated in a water bath before giving it to the child. Before you give the puree to your baby, be sure to try it yourself. If you notice any signs of spoilage such as Strong smell, sourish taste or when opening the jar you did not hear a characteristic pop, which means that the seal of the jar was broken and the jar should be thrown away. However, an adult may simply not like the taste of baby vegetable puree due to the lack of additives such as sugar and salt, but this does not mean that it is not suitable for complementary feeding. The opened jar should be stored only in the refrigerator and no more than a day.
If parents are limited in funds or eat their own vegetables from the garden or personal plot (imported vegetables often contain nitrates), then the mother will be able to prepare vegetable puree for complementary feeding on her own. If you don’t have your own garden, then when purchasing, pay attention to the country of origin and, if possible, choose vegetables grown in your area. When choosing vegetables for complementary feeding, pay attention to appearance: there should be no defects (black dots, brown spots, dry or wrinkled areas of the skin, dents, etc.), but they should not look large and glossy (such vegetables have most likely been subjected to strong chemical processing). If the introduction of complementary feeding with vegetables occurs during the “off season”, when fresh vegetables no or only imported ones, pre-made frozen preparations are perfect. Just remember that vegetables should not be defrosted before cooking, since most of the vitamins are destroyed during the process of slow defrosting.
To make your own vegetable puree, it is advisable to purchase a steamer and a blender. Before cooking, vegetables must be thoroughly washed and peeled, since most of them harmful substances contained precisely in the peel. Remove all the top leaves from the cabbage and remove the stalk. And cut off the large “tail” of carrots and beets.
Take one type of vegetable, for example zucchini, wash, peel, cut and cook in a double boiler or in an enamel saucepan with a small amount water. To retain more nutrients, boil vegetables whole or cut them into large pieces. Vegetables should only be placed in boiling water and cooked with the lid closed, but the best option for baby food this is steaming vegetables.
Then transfer the vegetables to a blender, add a little boiled water if necessary (so that the puree is not very thick). Vegetables for the first feeding should be completely boiled, without lumps. It is advisable not to add salt at all, otherwise the baby will not be able to eat fresh food later.
You can add vegetable oil to vegetable puree, a few drops per serving. The best vegetable oils are considered to be cold-pressed olive oil, as well as sunflower, corn and flaxseed. Each time the puree must be freshly prepared.
Pediatricians believe that optimal age for the introduction of cereals and purees to infants - six months. Complementary feeding at 5 months is required for those children who are on artificial feeding. In order not to harm the baby’s digestive system, all new foods should be introduced carefully.
At how many months should complementary foods be introduced?
- If the baby is on breastfeeding, is healthy, develops correctly and feels great, then the first new products are introduced at 6-7 months.
- Children feeding artificial mixtures, it is recommended to feed them at five months.
- If the baby lags behind in weight gain, then complementary feeding should begin at 4-5 months.
- Breastfed babies are introduced to new foods at five months in cases where the mother's milk is not fatty enough.
The menu of a 5-month-old toddler should include both breast milk or an adapted formula, and complementary foods.
The amount of food consumed per day should be about 1 kg. It is recommended to eat food five times a day at intervals of 3-3.5 hours.
Vegetable purees are suitable for complementary feeding at 5 months, and the child eats them with pleasure
Is complementary feeding necessary at this age?
High-quality formulas contain all the microelements that are required for the full development of children. However, over time, the components available in baby food become insufficient for the growing body, and then useful substances must be introduced in the form of complementary foods. Porridges and purees help compensate for the lack of iron, calcium and other microelements, so that the baby’s body can fully grow and develop.
Formula-fed babies should start introducing complementary foods at the age of 5 months. The exception is for babies who have developmental problems. In this case, complementary foods are introduced already at four months of age.
Natural food is necessary for babies for the following reasons:
- Required nutrients contribute to strengthening the musculoskeletal system and active growth.
- Children should get used to eating thick food, which, moreover, contributes to the formation of correct taste preferences.
- Complementary foods help the child gradually transition to a new diet.
- If the baby suffers from diarrhea or constipation, then natural food will help normalize stool.
- Using solid food, babies acquire chewing skills.
Where to start complementary feeding?
The scheme for introducing the baby to adult food must be agreed upon with the pediatrician. The doctor must examine the baby, assess his development indicators and explain to the mother where to start feeding the baby at 5 months.
You need to start introducing new foods with cereals, vegetable and fruit purees, dairy products, and non-concentrated green apple compotes.
To clarify the timing of the introduction of new products, you can use the complementary feeding table for babies up to one year old, which was approved by WHO pediatricians.
This table is not a rigid norm, but a recommendation from leading experts.
Approximate daily feeding schedule for 5-month-old babies:
Over time, each mother develops her own regimen for introducing complementary foods.
Feeding vegetable puree
First of all, you should remember that new foods cannot be given to the baby within 7 days after vaccination.
- The first introduction of vegetables is best done with the help of children's one-component homogenized purees, since in the first days the baby requires a minimal amount of a new product.
- The baby is given one teaspoon of warmed puree before feeding the mixture. If the baby refuses to eat a new product, then there is no need to insist - try again the next day.
- During the day, observe your toddler’s body’s reaction to a new product. When skin rash It’s better to exclude it from your diet for a week, and then you can try giving it again.
- If the introduction of the first product was successful, then after two weeks offer the baby another. It can be given either separately or in combination with the first vegetable already tried.
- Start giving each new product in a minimal amount, and gradually increase the dose every day.
What vegetables are best for feeding a baby? These can be zucchini, cabbage (except for white cabbage), carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, celery. Beetroot has a laxative effect, so it is recommended to give it only in cases where the baby is prone to constipation.
Introduction of cereals
It is recommended to start complementary feeding with cereals at 5 months if the baby is not gaining weight well. It is advisable to cook porridge yourself, using water and without sugar. If your toddler refuses to eat unsweetened porridge, you can use fruit puree as a sweetener.
The first grains a baby is introduced to should not contain protein or gluten, as these substances can cause tummy pain. The best options for a baby's first porridge at 5 months of age are corn, rice and buckwheat. Manna and oatmeal It's better not to give it yet.
Cow's milk contains amylase, which the child's body cannot break down due to the lack of the necessary enzymes. Give each individual child cow's milk follows, based on individual characteristics his body. If the mother wants to introduce this product to the baby, then it is necessary to consult with the local pediatrician, who will explain at what months this milk can be given.
Cottage cheese
To provide the child’s body with calcium and phosphorus necessary for proper development bones and teeth, you need to feed the baby with cottage cheese every day. Before giving him this product, it is recommended to visit a pediatrician, who will tell you how much cottage cheese a 5-month-old baby should eat and what fat content of cottage cheese should be chosen.
This product should be introduced gradually, starting with 2-3 g and increasing the portion daily to 40 g per day as a final result.
Fruit puree
Complementary food for toddlers, both breastfed and bottle-fed, includes fruits and juices. Pediatricians advise starting to give a green apple as early as four months, since it does not cause allergic reactions.
Applesauce can be purchased as special baby food or prepared independently using the following recipe:
- Wash and peel the green apple, remove the core and place the peeled slices in a small bowl.
- Then you should place the apple in the microwave for 4-6 minutes.
- Grind the baked slices to a puree using a blender or fork.
Applesauce is also prepared using another recipe:
- Remove the core from the apple.
- Then bake it in the oven or microwave, cool and feed the baby, scooping out the pulp with a teaspoon.
After the little one gets used to the apple, move on to other fruits: banana, pear, plum, apricot. You can make juices and compotes from the same fruits. Raisins are great for making the latter. Citrus fruits tend to cause allergies, so they must be given very carefully.
It is up to the mother to decide which purees to give to her child - homogenized or prepared with her own hands. The main thing is to choose only fresh and high-quality products so as not to harm the health of the baby.
Summary
Complementary foods at this age include purees, cereals, juices, compotes and cottage cheese. Each product must be introduced gradually, carefully observing the baby’s body reaction. It is important to use the tables given in the article and correctly calculate the amount of food required.
Lure– this is the beginning of the introduction of new types of products to replenish the baby’s energy costs.
Based on WHO research data, we developed general rules complementary foods:
- the first product in the baby’s menu is introduced between 4 and 6 months: at six months for natural babies, at 4 - 4.5 months for formula babies;
- great attention is paid to readiness for a new type of food;
- complementary feeding by month involves the introduction various types food: cereals, vegetables, meat, dairy products;
- food should be in pounded form (puree). If you have teeth, you can try kibble food;
- Breastfeeding is a guarantee of health and should be continued until the age of two.
Pediatrician, doctor highest category Yakov Yakovlev believes: “You need to treat the number 6 well. This is a great age for adult food."
When introducing complementary foods after optimal time the child will begin to lose weight and lack microelements. In the worst case scenario, there is a developmental delay.
With the early introduction of new products, the risk of developing allergies increases due to the unavailability of enzymes in the digestive system.
Complementary feeding rules
- you need to give new food from 5 grams, increasing the portions over 2 weeks to 150 grams;
- the child must be healthy;
- the first feeding is not advisable summer period of the year;
- another product should be introduced only after adaptation to the previous one, approximately every 2 - 3 weeks;
- food should be freshly cooked and warm.
- You need to carefully monitor the child’s condition. If diarrhea occurs, it is better to remove the product from the menu for a while and try again after a week.
Complementary feeding at 6 months
The baby's first dish is vegetable. If you are underweight, eat porridge. We start with hypoallergenic broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower.
Broccoli doesn't taste the best, so save it for last.
You can buy vegetable purees in jars or prepare them yourself. When preparing puree, you should take a vegetable, wash it, peel it. It's better to steam it. Then place the finished vegetable in a blender. Grind until pureed.
The most delicious purees from the Gerber company, but in terms of price they are much more expensive than “Babushkino Lukoshko”.
Do not add spices, salt, or sugar for up to two years.
In 2 weeks, the child should get used to zucchini. Monitor the condition of your skin and stool.
Cauliflower will be the next step in expanding the diet, but subject to the absence of rashes and other elements on the baby’s skin.
It should be given before breastfeeding, at 12 noon.
You can offer one dish 5-6 times. If the baby does not eat the entire portion offered to him, perhaps he is simply full of breast milk.
One of the last in vegetable feeding- pumpkin and carrots. They are allergenic products, be careful.
Potatoes are the latest of all vegetables to be introduced into a child’s menu. A very allergenic product, the absorption of which requires a mature enzymatic function of the intestine.
Important information for those parents who are interested.
Complementary feeding at 7 months
Fruits and cereals are next. Let's start with green apple and pears. Then offer prunes, apricots, peach or plums. Of course, in summer time There is a much larger selection of fruits.
We introduce fruits, like vegetables, starting with a teaspoon, from one fruit, after a month we move on to another.
Porridge is our nurse
Introducing complementary foods at 7 months should begin with dairy-free cereals. Up to 12 months there is no need for cow and goat milk, as grandmothers advise. These dairy products increase the acidity of the stomach and can provoke the development of gastritis or ulcers.
You can add breast milk or formula to the porridge.
Start with gluten-free porridges - corn, buckwheat or rice. For children under one year old, gluten is quite difficult to digest.
Don't be afraid to buy baby cereal in stores. They are already crushed and ready for use, just diluted with water. No additives needed. Nestle produces a number of very tasty cereals at reasonable prices.
Porridge is given for breakfast, along with fruit. The quantity is the same as with vegetables. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to the porridge.
8 months - meat time
By this time, the baby already has a full breakfast. Now we will create a menu for lunch. The first meat dishes are rabbit and turkey, as they are hypoallergenic. We start with 5 grams of canned meat puree, either separately or mixed with vegetables. You can prepare the meat dish yourself in the form of minced meat.
After turkey and rabbit, beef, chicken, and veal are given. It is better to avoid pork before 2 years of age.
In a jar meat puree do not add vegetable oil. But if you cooked it yourself, you should add ½ teaspoon vegetable oil in vegetables or meat puree.
Yolk is a storehouse of vitamins
We give the yolk 2 times a week, starting with ¼ part. Add to dishes or dilute with milk. Typically given in the morning. Then by the year we increase it to half.
Table for introducing complementary foods for breakfast and lunch while breastfeeding
| lure | 4 months | 5 months | 6 months | 7 months | 8 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable puree | - | - | 5-100 grams | - | - |
| Fruit puree | - | - | - | 5-100 grams | - |
| Fruit juice | - | - | - | 40-50 ml | - |
| porridge | - | - | - | 5-100 grams | - |
| meat | - | - | - | - | 5-100 grams |
| yolk | - | - | - | - | ½-1/4 |
Don't forget to give breast milk.
Formula-fed complementary foods table
| lure | 4 months | 5 months | 6 months | 7 months | 8 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable puree | 5-100 grams | ||||
| Fruit puree | 5-100 grams | ||||
| Fruit juice | 40-50 ml | ||||
| porridge | 5-100 grams | ||||
| meat | 5-100 grams | ||||
| yolk | ½-1/4 |
It's time for cottage cheese and kefir
Ukrainian doctor Komarovsky O.E. advises starting complementary feeding with kefir, as it is similar to mother's milk. But WHO recommends otherwise. It is better to buy kefir for children, from the companies “Nasha Masha” or “Frutonyanya”. Kefir should be unsweetened and without dyes.
We also start according to the “golden rule” - with a teaspoon. We serve kefir for dinner at 20.00. We also choose children's cottage cheese: “Agusha”, “Tyoma”. We start the cottage cheese with a teaspoon and by the age of 1 year we bring it to 50 grams. We serve it in the evening for dinner along with cottage cheese.
10 months - kibble food
The child can be given cookies and dried goods, since the baby already has the required number of teeth. Give the fruits in pieces, peeling them.
A child with food should always be supervised!
It is better to make fruit juices yourself. Store-bought ones contain a lot of acids and sugar.
At 10 months, give fish dishes 2 times a week. Start with low-fat varieties - hake, cod, perch.
What should not be given before 1 year of age?
- semolina porridge should not be given frequently, as it interferes with the absorption of iron and can provoke the development of anemia;
- candies, chocolate;
- goat, cow's milk;
- tropical fruits, citrus.
General table for introducing complementary feeding to children
| lure | 4 months | 5 months | 6 months | 7 months | 8 months | 9 months | 10 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable puree | 5-100 gr. | ||||||
| Fruit. Puree | 5-50 gr. | ||||||
| Fruit. Juice | 40-50 ml | ||||||
| porridge | 5-100 gr. | ||||||
| meat | 5-100 gr. | ||||||
| yolk | ½-1/4 | ||||||
| fish | 5-100 gr. | ||||||
| cottage cheese | 5-50 gr. | ||||||
| Kefir | 5-100 gr. |
Food in "banks"
Products are prepared only from environmentally friendly, carefully grown fruits and vegetables. This type of nutrition has a guaranteed composition. Lots of checks go through. It is impossible to find low quality baby food on the shelves.
There are no preservatives in this diet. Why do they last so long? Vacuum packaging and aseptic storage conditions do not allow the product to deteriorate.
You can start introducing complementary foods with industrial products. Then, when the child gets used to it, cook on his own. Be sure to check expiration dates.
Complementary feeding for children with atypical reactions
It is very difficult to feed a child if he has allergies. The following rules must be taken into account:
- do not add sugar to prepared foods, especially juices;
- start complementary feeding only with “clean” skin;
- observe monocomponentism. Don't mix multiple vegetables or fruits. This will make it easier to identify what you are allergic to if it appears;
- leave sweet fruit juices, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin for last, by 10-11 months;
- egg, fish are best introduced from 12 months;
- It takes at least 7 days for the baby to get used to each new dish;
- if a rash appears, the new product is canceled;
- If you are allergic to cow's milk, allergic reactions to beef are also likely.
Until the age of one year, the health of the baby is established. Correct balanced diet will help avoid many problems in the future. Your child will definitely like new foods if they are prepared with love. Each baby is individual, and only the mother will be able to understand when it starts new period feeding.
Often, parents of five-month-old children begin to think about complementary feeding, because they believe that it is time to diversify the baby’s diet with new foods. This is not justified in all cases; there is no need to rush into introducing complementary foods to infants, children with allergies and some others.
According to modern data, you can take your time with feeding children until the baby reaches six months. This is especially true for those children who are breastfed, gain weight well and develop normally. Complementary feeding before this age is prescribed for insufficient weight gain, bowel problems and for some special health reasons. If you decide to introduce complementary foods earlier than six months, you should consult your doctor about what you can feed your baby at 5 months. An experienced pediatrician will advise you not to rush and start by introducing single-component vegetable purees or dairy-free cereals.
Let's figure out how to start feeding your baby from 5 months. At the time of starting complementary feeding, the baby should be healthy, he should not have any scheduled vaccinations, changes in environment, or allergies. You need to start complementary foods gradually, literally with half a teaspoon of new foods, carefully monitoring the baby’s reaction to the introduced foods over the next 24 hours. If the child refuses to eat complementary foods, it is worth mixing it with the usual formula or several spoons breast milk. If after this the baby again refuses complementary feeding, it is worth postponing getting to know him for several weeks.
What will the menu of a 5-month-old bottle-fed baby look like if you plan to introduce complementary foods from this time on? Usually the mixture is given at the same hours as before, but one of the morning feedings at 8-9 o'clock or at 11-12 o'clock can be started with the introduction of complementary foods, gradually replacing the mixture with it. Usually these are vegetable purees or dairy-free porridges. They are administered starting with one spoon, gradually increasing over one to two weeks to a volume of 50-70 ml. The nutrition of a 5-month-old baby on mixed feeding will be similar.
When introducing complementary foods, it is important to carefully monitor the baby’s reactions to new foods, the nature of his stool and behavior, and the condition of his skin. If any health problems or allergies are detected, the child’s menu at 5 months with complementary foods is returned to the original for about a month, leaving only formula or breast milk in the diet. Then they try again to introduce new food.
The first complementary foods for children of this age will be greenish or light-colored vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, and zucchini. For now, puree is given with only one of the selected vegetables, boiled in water without salt or any additives. The choice of porridges is special, gluten-free, such as rice, buckwheat or corn. The cereal is ground to flour and boiled in water without adding salt or sugar. You can add breast milk or formula to the finished product.
And the list of foods allowed for each month has various controversial answers. After all, 20-30 years ago, children were given their first adult meals in the form of drops of juice in the second and third months of life, but today this is strictly prohibited, and the period of introduction to new products has been pushed back to 5-6 months. In addition, the rules and order of introducing complementary foods have changed. Some mothers find themselves in difficulty and cannot decide what can be given to a child at 5 months? To understand this, you need to consider the modern point of view of scientists, based on many years of experience and research activity.
When to start?
Having conducted major studies in the field of nutrition of babies in different countries of the world, WHO has developed recommendations with which most pediatricians and mothers with experience agree. They say that complementary feeding products are given from the age of six months in addition to breastfeeding.
In practice today, children's specialists adhere to the WHO methodology for babies with normal indicators growth, weight, health and development are recommended to wait until 5.5 or 6 months. It is recommended to start complementary feeding for a child at 5 months if the child is fed an adapted formula. This recommendation is especially relevant for babies with underweight, poor appetite or, conversely, with a constant feeling of hunger, as well as problems in physical development(if low hemoglobin, rickets and others are observed).
Authorized Products
Having figured out the timing of administration, mothers ask the following question: what can be given to a child at 5 months? The main purpose of complementary feeding is to provide the baby's body with additional calories and energy, so the prepared portion of the new product should have high energy and vitamin-mineral value.
By this age, babies begin to develop a deficiency of iron and zinc, which means that one of the following dishes is suitable for introduction: vegetable puree or gluten-free porridge. The successful introduction of complementary foods has been completed - after 2-3 weeks you can choose the next product.
A child's diet at 5 months may include several components, porridge and fruit puree. Each dish has its own nuances, which should be understood so as not to harm the baby’s fragile body.
Meat complementary feeding will be next, but the child receives it already by the seventh month. Fish, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, eggs, cookies and juices are introduced later.
Diet
At the age of five months, the baby eats 5 times a day. at 5 months, with successful absorption of complementary foods, includes the following stages:
- The first time after waking up in the morning, the mixture must be given.
- After a year, the second meal will gradually develop into a full milk breakfast for the baby. After the porridge, you can offer dessert - fruit puree.
- For the third time at lunch, the baby receives vegetable mass.
- The fourth and fifth feedings are unchanged: the usual mixture.
At breastfeeding the scheme is the same, only additional products are given at the second breakfast and fourth meal, since a break of 6-8 hours is fraught with a decrease in the lactation process in the mother’s body.
Vegetables
The most preferred first serving of adult food is vegetable puree.
It contains relatively a lot of fiber, minerals and vitamins. Vegetables for complementary feeding are chosen when the toddler has normal or overweight or has problems with bowel movements in the form of constipation. Such products have an excellent effect on the functioning of the insufficiently mature intestinal tract.
There is another nuance. Having tried the sweet porridge, so close in taste to the familiar milk, a little gourmet may perceive the vegetable with disdain.
It is important to know what vegetables can be given to a 5-month-old baby. When choosing the first product, it is better to give preference to zucchini, cauliflower, light pumpkin or broccoli, while other products are not yet advisable at this age. If the baby’s body accepts the new product well, then after 10-14 days you can try offering a mixture of two vegetable components.
Which is better: homemade meals or canned food?
Some mothers cook for their babies themselves, others choose vegetable purees for children in jars. In fact, both options are good.
It’s not difficult to prepare a vegetable portion for your baby, especially in the summer and autumn periods. Choose a seasonal vegetable, boil it without adding salt, and then blend until smooth and thick. It will also be useful to cook it in a double boiler - it cooks quickly and almost all the vitamin components are not destroyed.
Food from jars is no worse, it is especially useful in the winter-spring season, when natural vegetables the amount of vitamin and mineral components decreases. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the composition, age group, production period and storage period. A children's finished product for this age should not have artificial additives or a large number of ingredients. You need to be prepared for the fact that at first the mother will have to finish almost all the puree from the jar. It is suitable for no more than a day when stored on the refrigerator shelf, and if you are late with the meal by more than 24 hours, then the next day the portion will no longer be suitable.
Porridge
Most little gourmets eat this dish with pleasure. Porridge will gradually replace second breakfast, providing the baby with energy reserves, protein, fiber and vitamin and mineral components. It perfectly solves the problem with missing grams, therefore it is prescribed to babies with low body weight as a When introducing it, you should know what can be given to a child at 5 months from cereals. For this suitable age buckwheat, rice or corn porridge. Only such cereals are classified as hypoallergenic, since they do not contain gluten. This type of protein provokes tummy pain in babies and problems with completely immature digestive system. Introducing healthy oatmeal should be delayed until eight months, and semolina - up to a year.
How to cook porridge?
At the age of 5 months, a baby should not cook porridge with cow's or goat's whole milk. It contains amylase, which the baby’s body cannot break down due to the lack of certain enzymes. There are two ways to prepare a portion of porridge.
- The first is to thoroughly boil ordinary washed cereals in water and grind them in a blender into the finished mass. Sweetening or adding salt is not recommended.
- The second is to purchase age-appropriate commercially produced dry porridge from the baby food department. It is enriched with vitamin and mineral components and has a balanced formula. This method is more reasonable, since such porridge not only cooks quickly, but also has a pleasant taste, which is why it is very loved by growing gourmets.
When to introduce fruit puree?
According to the recommendations of experts, complementary feeding of a child begins at 5 months and then porridge is added to the diet. After successfully introducing the listed items, you can offer your baby fruit puree as an additional dessert. It stimulates the secretion of certain gastric and intestinal enzymes. With this additional intake with other types of foods, a fruit portion not only does not irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, but also helps to better digest other dishes.
Is it possible to give fresh juices and fruit purees?
Everyone knows that the most vitamin-rich food is fruit. In addition, they, as well as fresh juices or fruit purees, contain many different acids, coarse fiber and fructose, and therefore irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa.
As a result, the baby may experience such an unfavorable reaction as regurgitation, disorders such as diarrhea, intestinal colic, abdominal pain due to high gas production or allergic rashes on skin. Because of this, the introduction of fruits into fresh postponed for late date and not suitable for a five month old baby.
What should fruit purees be like?
At the age of 5 months, the baby can only consume fruit purees from jars prepared by industrial enterprises. They passed heat treatment, therefore do not cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract and in most cases do not have allergic consequences. Puree in jars contains thickening elements such as starch, pectin and guar gum, which are characterized by enveloping and softening functions. Thanks to them, the irritating properties of fruits are also reduced. Many types of purees are additionally enriched with mineral and vitamin components.
Before buying a jar of product, you need to pay attention not only to the period of suitability and recommended age, but also to the composition. Fruit puree should not contain sugar, sweeteners, various food acids, dyes and similar components. The opened jar can be stored for no more than 24 hours (only on the refrigerator shelf).
Mom can make puree in her home kitchen. To do this, fruits need to be baked or boiled, and then chopped with a blender or rubbed through a sieve.
The most suitable fruit purees for five months of age are made from apples, pears, plums or bananas.
Product table
To make the task easier for mothers, experts have developed a list of products included in a child’s diet, by month. The table below contains information about complementary foods, brief recommendations and the volume of portions at the age of 5-6 months.
Portion volume |
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Vegetable puree | Start with a one-component mass of white and green vegetables, after 2 weeks add another ingredient | The first time ½-1 teaspoon, then in 5-7 days the portion is about 150-170 g and replaces milk feeding |
Dairy-free porridge | Only gluten-free cereals. After successfully introducing one type, you can try the next one. | Initially, the baby tries ½-1 teaspoon, later a single serving (150-170 g) will displace formula or breast from one feeding |
Fruit puree | You need to start with a one-component dish prepared using heat treatment of fruits, and as you master it well, you can introduce the following type | The initial sample of dessert after porridge is ½ teaspoon; in 5-7 days the dessert additive increases to 60-70 ml |
conclusions
WHO and currently the Russian Ministry of Health emphasize that feeding a child at 5 months mainly consists of breast milk or adapted mixture. Complementary foods from “adult” foods are introduced as needed. It simply complements breast or formula, but is by no means a complete replacement. That is why at this stage of development, the introduction of new dishes in the specified quantities should not become an end in itself for the mother.