The best food for a baby is mother's milk. Not all children can enjoy this healthy food, but even those who receive it in sufficient quantities should gradually switch to food that is familiar to an adult.

Complementary feeding rules

First, formula-fed babies can try “adult” foods earlier than formula-fed babies. Artificial babies begin to be given complementary foods from 4-5 months, breast-fed children from 5-6 months (this applies to full-term babies). Before 4 months, there is no point in feeding the baby anything other than milk or formula. His intestines are not yet ready for such a test, and the early introduction of roughage will not bring benefit. Secondly, you need to enter products correctly:

one product at a time (for example, zucchini puree for 5-7 days, then mashed potatoes for 5-7 days, and only then zucchini with potatoes);

the first time the product should be given little by little (from 1/4 of a spoon of fruit, up to 1 teaspoon of hypoallergenic vegetables or a few drops of juice), then every day you need to add 1 teaspoon of the product, bringing it to the required volume (the volume depends on the type of product);

unfamiliar food should be given in the first half of the day (but not at the first feeding);

Complementary foods should be given before feeding with milk, the baby is hungry.

You should not introduce your baby to new food if the weather is very hot. Do not start complementary feeding when the child is sick. And they do not introduce new food on vaccination days.

You should feed your baby “adult” food exclusively from a spoon. You can start complementary feeding when the baby's tongue thrust reflex disappears. This means he does not choke on the water that his mother gives him from a spoon.

What foods to start complementary feeding with?

The choice of the first product is based on the condition of the body and the weight of the baby, as well as the work of its intestines:

if a child is overweight, it’s worth starting with vegetable dishes;

If the baby is gaining weight normally and there are no digestive problems, preference should be given to vegetables, which can be alternated with fruits.

In general, it is better to start complementary feeding with vegetables and cereals, and then introduce fruits. Vegetables contain a sufficient amount of nutrients that the child’s body is able to absorb. The most suitable for the first try of “adult” food are zucchini, pumpkin, potatoes or cauliflower. By 4.5 months, vegetable puree can already replace one feeding if you started feeding your baby at 4 months.

When introducing porridges, preference should be given to gluten-free cereals. Since the child’s intestines do not produce the required quantities of peptides that can digest gluten (gluten). It can stick together the baby’s intestinal villi and lead to colitis. Buckwheat and corn are good for babies. You can give him rice, but less often than the first two porridges. Since rice is an excellent natural sorbent, but, unfortunately, it does not differentiate substances into useful and harmful. And it removes from the body, including essential microelements.

Meat can be introduced into a baby’s diet from six months of age. You should also start with half a teaspoon, then increase to 30 grams of pure meat per day. It can be crushed and mixed with breast milk to make it easier to give.

Meat broths are not used in feeding children 1 year of age.

Complementary feeding standards

Fruits, vegetables, cottage cheese, and meat are not rationed equally. In addition, the norms depend on the age of the baby:

• vegetables can be given at 4-5 months 120 g per day, at six months - 150 g, by one year the child can eat up to 200 g of vegetables per day;
• By the age of 5 months, porridge can be given to a child in the amount of 150 g, by 7 months the amount can be increased to 170 g, by the age of one year, the volume of porridge that your child is quite capable of handling is 200 g;
• fruit puree and juices can be given 30-50 g at 5-6 months, 50-60 g at 8 months and 100-110 g at one year;
• meat can be given to the baby 30 g per day for six months, 50 g for 8 months and 60-70 g for one year;
• According to various sources, it is suggested to give egg yolk from 6-8 months in the amount of 1/4 part, by one year you can give 1/2 part;
• There is also no need to rush to introduce cottage cheese, it is recommended to introduce it no earlier than six months, but it is better from 8 months in the amount of 10 g, by 9-10 months - 30 g, by a year - 50 g.

You can offer your child 100 g of baby yogurt starting from 7-8 months, increasing the volume by the year to 600 g per day. Butter and vegetable oil, 5 g each. Crackers and cookies are allowed from 7 months, 1-3 g each; a baby can be given 10-15 g per year.

Before administering to your child, consult your pediatrician. He will offer the best option for your baby. If the child’s body reacts inadequately to any product (a rash, bloating or diarrhea appears), postpone its introduction to a later time.

By observing the timing of complementary feeding and the simple rules described, you can avoid not only a lack of nutrients, but also diseases of the child’s gastrointestinal tract.

An additional type of food of animal or plant origin. In composition, taste, and form of administration, it differs sharply from breast milk, promotes the development of the chewing apparatus, stimulates the enzyme systems of the gastrointestinal tract and prepares the baby for weaning.

Rules for introducing complementary foods:

Complementary foods are given only to healthy children

Complementary feeding is given before breastfeeding (as opposed to juices, which are given after feeding), starting from 5 g and gradually (over 2-4 weeks) increasing the volume of complementary feeding to 150 g. In the second half of the child’s life, complementary feeding should not exceed 180 g.

Complementary feeding dishes should be homogeneous in consistency and not cause difficulty in swallowing for the child. With age, you need to move on to thicker, then denser foods.

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.

Do not give the same type of complementary food 2 times a day.

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.

When introducing complementary foods, monitor the baby's stool; if it remains normal, then the next day the amount of complementary foods can be increased.

The introduction of complementary foods and new complementary foods cannot be combined with preventive vaccinations.

The introduction of vegetable puree as complementary foods should begin with one type of vegetable, gradually moving to a mixture of them. Pay attention to the degree of their grinding. As the first vegetable complementary food, we can recommend pureed zucchini and potatoes, as they are the least allergic and do not cause increased gas formation.

When introducing porridges as complementary foods, use gluten-free cereals - rice, buckwheat and corn flour, so as not to induce the development of gluten enteropathy in children in the first months of life (do not start complementary feeding with semolina porridge).

Cottage cheese (at a dose of 3-5 g/kg body weight) and yolk (1/4-1/2 part) should be prescribed no earlier than 6 months of life, since early administration of foreign protein leads to allergization, damage to functionally immature kidneys, metabolic acidosis and dismetabolic nephropathy.

From 7-8 months, raw ripe fruits and meat in the form of minced meat (rabbit, turkey, beef, veal, lean pork) are introduced into the child’s diet - 3-5 g/kg body weight. At 9 months, meatballs are given in the same volume; by one year, steamed cutlets are given. It is recommended to use industrially produced canned meat for baby food, produced in glass containers. Canned meat can be divided into purely meat and meat-vegetable. Canned meat is produced with varying degrees of grinding: homogenized (from 8 months), puree (from 8-9 months) and coarsely ground (from 10-12 months). The last two types differ from homogenized canned food not only in the degree of grinding, but also in the presence of spices in them, as well as the possible replacement of water with meat broth. Most canned foods are fortified with iron.

Meat broths have been removed from complementary foods because they contain a lot of purine bases, which leads to damage to functionally immature kidneys.

Puree soups are prepared using vegetable broths. Food should be lightly salted: the kidneys of an infant do not remove sodium salt from the body well. In industrially produced purees, the sodium content should not exceed 150 mg/100 g in vegetables and 200 mg/100 g in mixtures of meat and vegetables.

From 8 months, kefir or other fermented milk mixture can be prescribed as complementary foods. Unreasonable widespread use of kefir as complementary foods in the first months of life can cause acid-base imbalance, acidosis in the child and create additional stress on the kidneys. It is not recommended to dilute cottage cheese with kefir, as this sharply increases the amount of protein consumed. Cottage cheese should be used with fruit or vegetable puree.

From 9 months, a child can be given lean fish instead of meat 1-2 times a week: cod, flounder, saury, pike perch. In the intervals between meals, your child can be offered fruit juices that do not contain sugar. Lightly salted varieties of cheese can be given to a child from one year of age (they are rich in proteins, calcium, vitamins A and B).

When to start complementary feeding?

By 4–6 months, the baby’s need for additional energy, vitamins and minerals increases, and breast milk or its artificial substitute do not meet the baby’s increased needs for vitamins, calories and microelements. In addition, complementary feeding accustoms the child to accept denser foods and develops chewing. At this age, it is necessary to introduce additional nutrition to the child. Before 4 months, the child’s body is not physiologically prepared to accept new dense foods. And it is undesirable to start later than six months, as problems may arise with adaptation to food with a denser consistency than milk. Therefore, according to most experts in the field of baby nutrition, the first complementary foods should be introduced between 4 and 6 months of life. With artificial feeding, you can start complementary feeding from 4.5 months, with breastfeeding - from 5–6 months. Remember that the timing of introducing complementary foods varies from person to person.

Insufficient energy and nutrient supply from breast milk alone can lead to growth retardation and malnutrition;
due to the inability of breast milk to meet the baby's needs, micronutrient deficiencies, especially iron and zinc, may develop;
The optimal development of motor skills, such as chewing, and the child's positive perception of new tastes and textures of food may not be ensured.

Therefore, complementary feeding should be introduced at the right time, at the appropriate stages of development.

There remains much disagreement about exactly when to start introducing complementary foods. And although everyone agrees that the optimal age is individual for each individual child, the question of whether to recommend introducing complementary foods at the age of “4 to 6 months” or “about 6 months” remains open. It should be clarified that "6 months" is defined as the end of the first six months of a baby's life when he or she reaches 26 weeks, not the beginning of the sixth month, i.e. 21–22 weeks. Likewise, "4 months" refers to the end, not the beginning, of the fourth month of life.

There is almost universal agreement that complementary feeding should not be introduced before 4 months of age and should be delayed until after 6 months of age. Several WHO and UNICEF publications use language recommending complementary feeding at “4–6 months” or “around 6 months.” But the scientific basis for recommending a period of 4–6 months does not have sufficient documentary evidence. In a published WHO/UNICEF report on the introduction of complementary feeding in developing countries, the authors recommended that full-term infants be exclusively breastfed until approximately 6 months of age.

When introducing complementary feeding before 6 months, factors such as birth weight and fetal age at birth, clinical condition and general developmental and nutritional status of the child must be taken into account. A study in Honduras found that feeding high-quality complementary foods from 4 months of age to breastfed infants weighing between 1500 and 2500 g at birth did not provide any benefits for physical development. These results support the recommendation to exclusively breastfeed for approximately 6 months, even for low birth weight infants.

What and how to give in the first complementary feeding?

The first courses of complementary feeding are vegetable purees or porridges. 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.

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.

Complementary foods - vegetables.

Vegetable puree is rich in mineral salts (potassium, iron), organic acids, pectin substances and plant fibers that normalize stool. 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, puree for children 6–9 months, and coarsely crushed (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. There is no need to additionally salt them or add vegetable oil.

Puree of legumes, tomatoes, and spices should not be given as complementary food to 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 introduced from 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 than 7–8 months. Onions and garlic, containing essential oils that irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines, and kidneys - only from 8-9 months, spices - from 9 months and older, preferably after one and a half years.

How to feed a child?

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 your child does not accept one or another vegetable, do not immediately switch to porridge, try another, sweeter vegetable.

How to prepare baby food puree?

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).

Butter is another new complementary feeding product that 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 introduced from 4.5 months, butter - no earlier than 5-6 months.

Complementary foods - porridge

Two weeks after the baby gets used to vegetable puree, you can begin introducing cereal complementary foods. Dry instant porridges are the 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 gluten-free cereals should be used as the first cereal complementary food - 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 of 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.
Do not sweeten commercially produced cereals
It should be borne in mind that the child is just getting used to new tastes, and his future eating habits depend on how healthy he is taught to eat in the family. As a result, the habit of sweet foods can lead to obesity and related diseases.

How to introduce a new complementary food product?

You need to start with one type of least allergenic product. The interval between the introduction of various complementary foods should 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 stop feeding and consult a doctor.

A new product should not be introduced if the child is unwell or during preventive vaccinations; it is not advisable to start it in hot weather.

It is recommended to give the “new product” before breastfeeding - then a hungry baby will most likely react positively to the 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.

Complementary feeding is given to the baby only from a spoon, and not through a pacifier.

You should not strive for excessive variety in the diet of a small child; for a start, 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:

Day 1 – 1 teaspoon (5g)

2nd day – 2 tsp. (10g)

3rd day – 3 tsp. (15 g)

4th day – 4 tsp. (20 g)

Day 5 – 50 ml (50g)

Day 6 – 100ml (100g)

Day 7 – 150 ml (150g).

An example of introducing vegetable and melted butter:

If a child eats industrially produced porridge, it already contains oil and should not be added additionally.

1st day – 1 drop

2nd day – 2 drops

3rd day – 5 drops

4th day – ¼ tsp.

5th day – ½ tsp. (3g)

Nutrition for a 6 month old baby (volume of porridge and puree up to 150 ml, feeding frequency 5–6 times a day)

First feeding. Formula or breast milk
160–200 ml

Second feeding. Porridge
150 ml

Third feeding. Vegetable puree
150 ml

Fourth feeding. Formula or breast milk
160–200 ml

Fifth feeding. Formula or breast milk
160–200 ml

Sixth feeding. Formula or breast milk
160–200 ml

An approximate scheme for introducing complementary foods and dishes when breastfeeding children of the first year of life:

	Child's age, months							Note
	3	4	5	6	7	8	9-12
Fruit juices, ml	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100	from 3 months
Fruit puree, g	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100	from 3.5 months
Cottage cheese, g			10-30	40	40	40	50	from 5 months
Yolk, pcs.				0,25	0,5	0,5	0,5	from 6 months
Vegetable puree, g		10-100	150	150	170	180	200	from 4.5-5.5 months
Milk porridge, g			50-100	150	150	180	200	from 5.5-6.5 months
Meat puree, g					5-30	50	60-70	from 7 months
Fish puree, g						5-30	30-60	from 8 months
					200	200	400-500	from 7.5-8 months
					5	5	10	from 7 months
Rusks, cookies, g				3-5	5	5	10-15	from 6 months
		1-3	3	3	5	5	6	from 4.5-5 months
Butter			1-4	4	4	5	6	from 5 months
Whole milk		100	200	200	200	200	200	from 4 months

An approximate scheme for introducing complementary foods and dishes when artificially feeding children of the first year of life:

Names of complementary feeding products and dishes	Child's age, months
	0-1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9-12
Adapted infant formula or “follow-up” infant formula, ml	700-800	800-900	800-900	800-900	700	400	300-400	350	200-400	200-400
Fruit juices, ml				5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	80-100
Fruit puree, g				5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	80-100
Cottage cheese, g						40	40	40	40	40-50
Yolk, pcs.							0,25	0,5	0,5	0,5
Vegetable puree, g					10-100	150	150	170	180	180-200
Milk porridge, g						50-100	150	170	180	180-200
Meat puree, g							5-30	50	50	60-70
Fish puree, g									5-30	30-60
Kefir and other fermented milk products or “follow-up” mixtures, ml								200	200-400	200-400
Bread (wheat, premium quality), g								5	5	10
Rusks, cookies, g							3-5	5	5	10-15
Vegetable oil (sunflower, corn)					1-3	3	3	5	5	6
Butter						1-4	4	4	5	6
Whole milk					100	200	200	200	200	200

Keep in mind that the schemes are approximate and, if the child is fully breastfed and develops normally (this must be decided by a pediatrician), all dates for introducing complementary foods can be shifted by 2-3 months. The table shows what a child of his age can already eat.

Notes on introducing complementary foods:

• Whole milk is used to prepare complementary foods (vegetable puree and cereals).
• The amount of kefir depends on the volume of the adapted or “follow-up” formula received by the child.

Give fruit juices little by little, first diluting 1:1 with boiled water. Fruit puree is introduced only 2-3 weeks after the juice. It's better to start with apple juice and puree. We exclude berries for up to 6 months.

Recently, with natural feeding, the introduction of complementary foods has been recommended for good weight gain from 6 months of age, so the tables are approximate. Before introducing complementary foods, consult your pediatrician.

The tables were developed in accordance with guidelines No. 225 (1999) “Modern principles and methods of feeding children in the first year of life” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

The proposed recommendations for feeding children in the first year of life are based on the results of an analysis of modern world scientific literature and our own research. Their validity has also been confirmed by clinical experience in monitoring children in the first year of life.

03.09.2008

What is complementary feeding? These are nutritional supplements given to a baby in addition to breast milk or formula. That is, complementary foods are not the main food. The main food for up to one year is breast milk or formula, because they contain all the beneficial substances necessary for the child in the most digestible form. And complementary feeding is an introduction to new taste sensations for the baby.

Why was complementary feeding introduced early 20 years ago, but now it is being pushed back further and further? Previously, there was a great rush in matters of nutrition, and in raising children in general. From birth, children were taught to be independent; many mothers went to work two months after giving birth. Now the introduction of early complementary feeding can only be justified by extreme need. Enzyme immaturity at the age of up to 4 months (for some children this period is six months, a year, or even a year and a half) does not allow the absorption of all useful substances from foods. Scientific research on this topic forced our doctors to move the period of complementary feeding from three weeks to 4 months. It is known for certain: feeding children under 4 months is unnecessary and very harmful.

Doctors - the creators of the new Russian complementary feeding scheme - admit that in the near future they will reconsider their views on the timing of introducing complementary foods; the last time these views changed was in 1997. In our country, many products are still introduced to children not because they are useful and necessary, but because they are not very harmful. Like, there won't be much harm. For example, juice, which contains a tiny dose of vitamins (and industrial juices do not have them at all, except for artificial additives), is still prescribed to children from 4 months with the only justification “it won’t hurt.”

An excerpt from a famous interview with Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences Igor Yakovlevich Kon. It is his department that develops schemes for introducing complementary foods.

- Igor Yakovlevich, let's start with the most surprising thing - why are juices now recommended for infants only in the 4th month?

Keep in mind - we are talking only about children receiving mother's milk. They don't really need juices in the first months of life. And do you know why? Our general assessment of the diet showed that even with freshly prepared juice, a 2-3 month old child does not receive any special vitamins that are not included in human milk. It’s even worse with canned juices - some of the vitamins in them are still destroyed, and there aren’t very many minerals. But the fact that most children at such an early age do not tolerate juices well is a proven fact. We conducted a special study, observed 100 children divided into two groups. One regularly drank juices from the age of three weeks according to previous recommendations, while the other “met” them only at the 4th month. Children from the first group had several times more allergic reactions, and gastrointestinal disorders were observed much more often. In a word, it turned out: there is practically no benefit from juices at this age, but there may be troubles. So the best time for a baby to get acquainted with carrot, apple and lemon moisture will be the 4th month.

- I wonder if the point of view of our specialists coincides with the recommendations of Western pediatricians?

Yes, we agree here, and Western colleagues often recommend giving juices even later. I do not exclude that, after conducting new research, we will agree with them.

A perplexing postscript: at three months a child will have gastrointestinal disturbances from the juice, but after a month for some reason not... Probably this is the case: most will not have them. And the minority is again waiting for these schemes to take into account the necessary benefits, and not the probable ones.

The Myth of Village Health

When another dispute arises in the forum regarding the timing of introducing complementary foods, some opponents say: in villages, children are fed adult food from birth, and they are healthier than urban ones! This myth has no scientific basis, but is extremely persistent. He was probably inspired by the image of a strong village youth who killed seven in one fell swoop. Or the ubiquitous grandmothers whispered: “before, in the villages...” So what really happened there?

Due to insufficient awareness on breastfeeding issues, village mothers have historically and spontaneously been divided into “dairy” and “non-dairy”. It was believed that becoming “non-dairy” was very simple, and the first reason remained ignorance. The “non-dairy” mother, who became such from excessive suspiciousness - or from the need to feed ten more - very early introduced complementary foods to the baby (from bread crumb to goat’s milk). Official statistics say that up to 40 percent of infants died under this regime. In villages, child mortality has long been very high. This indisputable fact is somehow overlooked by fans of the “village theory of early complementary feeding.” Now let's return to the notorious village red-cheeked baby, who is healthier than all the city ones combined: only the strong survived! Children survived who for some reason did not die from numerous diseases, frostbite, intoxication, early complementary feeding and other unpleasant factors of survival in an ancient Russian village. Why be surprised: they remained alive and pleased the eye with their health, only truly good fellows. Now in rural areas, babies are offered cow's milk, paying tribute to tradition, and also due to the lack of competent information, and not because of the exceptional benefits of fresh milk, which is intended for a calf, and not for a child. Donkey milk is considered to be the closest to the composition of breast milk. In second place is mare's milk. Cow, despite intensive advertising by lovers of “their pair,” lags behind the list.

And here is what an eyewitness, a pediatrician from the Rusmedserver forum, who worked in the village of our time, writes:

I have already written that in 2000 I began working as a local pediatrician in a remote area of ​​the Novgorod region. Where I saw strange traditions. Most mothers cooked rolled oats for their children from the age of one month, fearing underfeeding. That is, they boiled milk and diluted it with oatmeal broth. As a result, 99% of children became “artificial” by two months, and rickets, anemia, and atopy went off scale. Over the course of a year, I managed to defeat this tradition, convince them to give high-quality formula in critical situations, and increase breastfeeding to 85% (at three months of age) and 50-60% (by 6 months).

In rural areas, children were given early complementary feeding not out of wisdom, but out of need or ignorance. And repeating this experience for a modern mother, surrounded by supermarkets, steamers and country harvests, is very strange and not at all wise. And now about the “milk” village mothers. These mothers breastfed ten in a row - and also grabbed the neighbors. There has always been poverty in most villages: is a Russian housewife really so stupid that she would refuse a free source of food for her children? According to official data, in villages children up to 2-6 years old were breastfed. By the way, urban babies were often sent to the village to be raised; this fact was quite official. Even in tsarist times, newborns who ended up in an orphanage (“Education House”, etc.) were sent to the village until a certain age, where wet nurses were “assigned” to them. For some reason, no one had any ideas to replace free and affordable food with something else.

To ensure the best growth, development and health, babies should be exclusively breastfed, meaning they receive only breast milk, during the first six months of life. “Exclusive breastfeeding” means excluding all other foods and drinks, even water, from the infant’s diet, in addition to breast milk. However, infants can be given drops and syrups (vitamins, minerals and medications). Breast milk is an ideal food for promoting healthy growth and development of babies; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process, which is of great importance for maternal health.

According to WHO recommendations, infants should be given complementary foods in addition to breast milk at six months (180 days) of age. At the age of 6-8 months, complementary foods should be given 2-3 times a day, and at the age of 9-11 months - 3 times a day with one light snack between meals. Between 12 and 24 months of age, your baby should be fed three times a day and, if desired, given two snacks between meals. These feedings must be sufficient, that is, they must supply the child’s growing body with a sufficient amount of energy, proteins and micronutrients. Food must be prepared and served in a safe manner to minimize the risk of infection. Young children should be actively encouraged to eat during feeding times.

Table 1

Source: WHO official website

Age

Cooking method

Feeding frequency

Amount for each meal

From 6 months

Liquid or thoroughly pureed food

2 times a day plus frequent breastfeeding

2-3 full tablespoons

7-8 months

Puréed food

3 times a day plus frequent breastfeeding

Continuously increase to 2/3 of a 250 ml cup at each meal

9-11 months

Finely chopped or pureed food, or food that a child can handle with his or her hand

3 feedings plus one between-meal snack plus breastfeeding

3/4 250 ml cup/bowl

12-24 months

Regular family food, chopped or pureed as needed

3 feedings plus 2 snacks between meals plus breast milk feedings

Full 250ml cup/bowl

And here is the scheme our doctors developed based on WHO recommendations.

table 2

Source: materials from the site “Mom and Baby”.

Name of products and dishes

Age, months

Fruit puree, ml.

Vegetable puree,

Cottage cheese, city

Yolk, pcs.

Meat puree,

Kefir and other fermented milk products, ml.

Whole milk, ml.

Fruit juices, ml.

Fish puree,

Bread (wheat), g.

Crackers, cookies, Mr.

Vegetable oil, g.

Butter, g.

In recent years, there has been a trend in all countries towards the introduction of complementary feeding at a later date than previously thought. This happens because previously the properties of breast milk were not as well studied as they are now, and the quality of infant formula left much to be desired. Nowadays, a child up to six months receives the best nutrition (breast milk or a high-quality substitute), so a healthy child does not need early complementary feeding.

It was once believed that formula-fed babies were introduced to complementary foods much earlier than breastfed babies. Now this postulate has been canceled. As already mentioned, the milk formulas were of low quality. And the child did not receive enough valuable substances, so they started feeding him earlier. Modern formulas, although not able to completely “copy” breast milk, have a fairly rich composition. A baby on IV is deprived of the support of enzymes from breast milk, so logically, complementary foods should be introduced not earlier, but later, so that the digestive systems mature. Children in IV are required to be offered pedagogical complementary foods so that they gradually become familiar with new foods.

Pedagogical complementary feeding

From about 4 years old, the child begins to be interested in his parents' food. This does not mean that he no longer has enough breast milk, it is just a desire to imitate adults. After all, a child, like a locator, scans the facial expressions of mom and dad, gestures. He always knows what mood his parents are in. And in general he understands them better than one might think. The child sees how adults are fascinated by the process of eating - and wants to receive the same pleasure. How pedagogical complementary feeding is introduced: the child is given microdoses (one crumb or one sip) of any food. It could be soup, porridge, even a roast, a crumb of cheese - anything. The child is also given pieces of vegetables so that he can smell and touch them with his tongue: carrots, peeled apples, dried cucumbers. Pedagogical complementary foods are given a month before the start of main complementary foods. In this way, we maintain the child’s interest in food if he has already developed an interest in food, and it is too early to introduce basic complementary foods. If a child likes a product and asks for more, you need to give something else to try.

Basic complementary foods

Modern experts agree that There is no single recommended age for introducing complementary foods. Each child has an individual situation. Age is just one of the factors, and readiness for complementary feeding can only be judged by a combination of the following factors:

1. Age 4-6 months.
2. Doubling of weight from birth.
3. The child can sit. He can lean towards the spoon or turn away from it, and confidently turns his head.
4. The child holds a small thing tightly in his fist and can purposefully put it in his mouth.
5. The child shows great interest in the parents’ diet and asks to try it.
6. Eruption of the first teeth.
7. The disappearance of the protective reflex of “pushing out” solid food particles with the tongue. This reflex weakens by 6 months. In some children it can last up to a year or even three years.
8. Complementary foods are offered only to healthy children. Contraindications to introducing complementary foods are: allergic manifestations, preparation for vaccinations and the period after vaccinations, intestinal diseases, recovery period after gastrointestinal diseases.

   When introducing complementary foods, you should follow some rules:

   • Complementary feeding is offered before breastfeeding, starting with a small volume (1/2 teaspoon), gradually increasing the portion to the required age norm.
   • The next type of complementary food is introduced only after the child gets used to the first (1st week - gradually increasing the volume, 2nd week - getting used to it, from the 3rd week - new complementary foods). You cannot administer two products at the same time.
   • If a child does not like a certain product, you need to pause (3-7 days) and offer him something else.

     FAQ

     What to do, if…

     ...a skin reaction to complementary foods appeared.

     Diathesis for introducing complementary foods occurs when the child’s body and its enzymatic systems are not ready to digest a new product. Not knowing how to digest an apple, porridge or kefir, the pancreas strains, trying to produce the necessary enzymes in the right quantities. Overstrain of the pancreas leads to slight inflammation (on ultrasound it is usually enlarged in such children). The child’s immune system must respond to any inflammation and heal it, but in the child all systems are still immature, unformed, and the inadequate reaction of the immune system “crawls out” on the skin in the form of diathesis. In case of a skin reaction, complementary foods are discontinued until recovery. The situation is resolved individually with a doctor.

     ...the baby is almost a year old, and he is still pushing out pieces of food!

     The ejection reflex can last longer than six months; in some children it lasts up to three years. Surely many people also know adults (among their acquaintances) who prefer boiled food or soups. If the pediatrician does not find any abnormalities, then this is an individual quality. In the world, a lot of healthy food exists in liquid and puree form - a child will not go hungry.

     ...it is not possible to replace at least one feeding with complementary foods.

     Be patient and think about why this is happening. A baby may ask to breastfeed in newborn mode for many reasons. For example, mother and child are tied to each other, mother cannot leave. Or the child’s teething has turned into an endless epic. There is also a completely trivial reason: the mother is tired, she has few helpers, and it is easier for her to breastfeed than to engage in developmental activities with him. The child might be distracted, but there is no one to distract him.

     ...6 months are long gone, and the child still has not developed an interest in food!

     The most common reason: lack of an example before your eyes. The child does not see his parents eating. He's not interested. Perhaps his parents began to “rent” him out to his grandmothers or nanny too early. Or they eat chaotically, grabbing pieces and carrying them around the apartment. The child must have authorities before his eyes. Eat in front of him (but don’t give it to him - that’s how cruel mothers are these days), eat more often, eat with taste, seat the whole family at the table. Introduce food rituals. Show him that this is IMPORTANT.

     ...the child refuses complementary foods.

     In the period up to one year, the child does not eat - he imitates. He needs breast milk or formula to keep him full. Complementary foods are an introduction to food, not the main food. By putting pressure or being nervous about “everyone eats, but mine doesn’t eat,” the mother reduces the child’s appetite. She shows him that eating is nervous and unnecessary. First of all, mom needs to feed herself with soothing tea. And then start feeding again. If you don't like cauliflower, try broccoli. No porridge is good - eat vegetables and fruits. You do not have the task of introducing ALL products for up to a year. Your primary task: to teach your child the right attitude towards food. Therefore, under no circumstances should you push, coax, dance or sing around a peacefully playing child, pushing food into him spoon by spoon. If he doesn’t want it now, he’ll eat it later. History knows many children who become addicted to food after one or two years. And he doesn’t know the children who didn’t eat, didn’t eat, and, well, got sick or died. It is a myth. Don't envy the playground moms who claim their 8-month-old baby is already munching on food in bowls. In children, appetite comes and goes in periods. After a year, the same child may abruptly turn away from all plates at once. And your “little one,” on the contrary, will love everything at once.

     ...the child does not want to try a new type of complementary food.

     Breastfeeding specialist, pediatrician Lidia Kazakova states: if a child eats one type of complementary food well and does not agree to the second, this means that he is overfed with the first. For example, if the porridge goes well, any mother will deliberately increase its quantity. On the one hand, baby food is made on such a principle that it is impossible to overfeed it. It does not contain substances that burden a fragile body (salt, sugar, spices, chemical additives, etc.). On the other hand, the child is full of breast milk/formula and previously introduced complementary foods - why does he need anything else. It makes sense to reduce the dose of complementary foods that have already been introduced.

     ...I want to introduce complementary foods later, but the grandmother presses: they say, you are depriving the child of food!

     For the sake of the peace of mind of your grandmother (mother-in-law, mother), you can go to great lengths. Pull extra socks on the child. Take away the scissors that he mastered a long time ago. Close the window... there is only one thing you don’t need to do: seriously experiment with your health. The child is yours, not grandma’s. Elderly relatives may have many reasons for insistent advice. For example, self-affirmation (“she will do as I say!”), narcissism (“I am a good grandmother, I care about the child’s health!”), moral instability and suspiciousness (“and Grandma Klava told me today that their child has been eats meat, but ours will remain a goner!”), intolerance to everything new (“these are your newfangled things, but the child is suffering!”) All these reasons have nothing to do with common sense. Moreover, in the time of grandmothers, information about the benefits of breast milk was zero, and many of them are still very, very ignorant.

     It’s not clear who to listen to, everyone has their own opinion on complementary feeding!

     Listen to yourself, your maternal intuition. After all, you have it (?). Study your child: his character, mood. Consider his health status! No one knows your child better than you. It is an absurd situation when a healthy child who has gained weight well is introduced to complementary foods at 4 months on the advice of a pediatrician. The doctor has a sign, it is one in a thousand children. And you have your own child, whom you began to feel, observe and understand even before birth.

     If complementary foods are introduced too early:

     • the child pushes out any food, he doesn’t even like fruit.
     • skin rashes, constipation or diarrhea appear.
     • the child cries and is naughty while eating.

       The main thing that should not be forgotten is that for parents there are no age standards for introducing complementary foods. They exist for doctors, for their CONVENIENCE. Because comparing the needs and problems of thousands of children without summary tables is inconvenient. This is time-consuming. Therefore, under no circumstances should you worry if your child does not eat porridge. And he is “already” 9 months old, but here are other children... Sometimes truly terrible advice appears in forums: for example, give the child enzymes (Creon), dill water, espumizan with complementary foods - or, what is even worse, do not pay attention to the alarming symptoms that appear . Like, he will suffer and eat it. This mistake can ruin all subsequent victories at the table. One child likes vegetables, another is ready to eat only porridge, the third will become addicted to complementary foods only at 10 months... and this is NORMAL. These are manifestations of individuality, not deviations from the norm. Why is an adult allowed to dislike certain foods, but not a child? But an adult does not even have the unique nourishment of breast milk.

       Until one year of age, complementary foods do not have the status of mandatory food. And he can receive this status if the introduction of complementary foods was not too early, did not cause intestinal upset and did not cause both mother and baby to experience unnecessary stress.

       In the second part of the article we will describe all products by age and grams:

       The third part contains details about butter, eggs, salt, sugar, etc.

       Useful links on the topic:

       • Household appliances will help make complementary feeding faster, healthier, and tastier:
       • • Blender:
         • Double boiler:
         • Myths about complementary feeding, as well as the unequal battle between artificial nutrition and breastfeeding:
         • Section "Nutrition" on the website:
         • Section “Child nutrition” in our forum:

           Let's introduce complementary foods! Part II: How much to weigh in grams?

           • 
             ! It is important! Until the age of three, a child receives food intended only for children. All products must be marked “for baby food.” Pay attention to this. Very often sellers mislead the buyer. For example, on 0.5 packs of “children’s” juice, which is in a row of children’s juices, you will not see the inscription “for children from so many months.” This is NOT a children's juice because it cannot be sold in such a large package. Manufacturers of children's curds are also disingenuous. If you are still buying 100-gram packs of cottage cheese, read for interest whether they indicate “children’s” or “for children.” For example, our local cottage cheese “Mu” is for children only in 50-gram packages. One hundred gram “Mu” contains a “curd product”, and it is NOT for children, and in principle it is NOT cottage cheese.

             Which scheme to believe?

             We have already talked about this in: all schemes are individual. Find an adequate doctor so that he can write out an individual complementary feeding scheme for your child, and not the one designed for children of the entire planet who were born about 30 years ago (a typical sign of such a scheme: starting complementary feeding with a few drops of juice). For example, a quite pleasant scheme from pediatrician-gastroenterologist Nika Vadimovna Drozdovskaya (Family Clinic, Moscow) has been circulating on forums for a long time:

             Give each new product for at least 7 days. Start with 1 tsp. and bring it back to normal within a week.

             6 months

             At about 12 noon (future lunch) - vegetables.“Squash” (zucchini-pumpkin) is still a type of pumpkin, and not our stripe - don’t give it away. Remove pumpkin and carrots. Leave everything yellow for later. Start with green. It's better to cook everything yourself. You can puree frozen vegetables.

             Zucchini – frozen. For example, the company “4 Seasons”.

             Cauliflower – “Semper” or frozen.

             Broccoli - “Semper”, “Top-top” (not to be confused with “Tip-top”).

             Green beans - make your own.

             Green peas – “Gerber”.

             Potatoes – “Gerber” ordinary, don’t give sweet ones (also not our style), do it yourself (pre-soak for 2 hours in boiled cold water, when starch is released, change the water).

             Parsnips and spinach - after a year, something is washed out of the body, it seems like calcium - I won’t lie, I don’t remember. (comment by ptica_we: iron is washed away, just like parsley)

             When you try everything, you can mix, but no more than 3 types.

             Vegetable oil from 8 months.

             7 months

             At 17:00 (future afternoon snack) – fruits: Green apple – “Semper”, “Top-top”. Bake it yourself. Red later. Pear - (if there is no constipation) “Semper”. We personally are allergic to Gerber. Banana - make it yourself. Apricots, peaches - jars, do it yourself in the summer, they are not watered with anything harmful, as for cherries and cherries - later, do it yourself in the summer. Recommended jars: “Gerber”, “Beach Nat”, “Semper”.

             Porridge- give in full. At night (especially if you wake up at night to eat). Completely replace one feeding. Buckwheat, corn, rice without additives.

             Oatmeal, semolina, milk and soy porridges are not included in the diet for up to a year. It is harmful.

             The packaging should say: “no sugar, salt, gluten, milk, dyes.”

             It is best to give it in water, since with the addition of milk there is a greater burden on the gastrointestinal tract. If he doesn’t eat, add fruit puree, then milk (mixture) diluted with water.

             “Gerber”, “Baby Sitter”, “Low-allergenic Baby”, “Hipp”

             Cottage cheese - after 8 months. For an afternoon snack, add to fruit puree. Strictly no more than normal.

             Meat - after 12 m. (load on the gastrointestinal tract) add to vegetable puree. Do not exceed the meat norm! Strictly prepared purees with vegetables. "Gerber" - turkey, pig, lamb, beef. Children should not be given meat broth until they are at least one year old. It contains too many carcinogens. They serve soup with vegetable broth.

             Kefir– after 12 m. (it has too high acidity, and in children with perinatal damage to the central nervous system (90% of children) the gastrointestinal tract already has high acidity. Kefir in children under one year old causes microbleeding in the intestines, which leads to severe hypochromic anemia. Give at night . Bifi-kefir Agusha without sugar. If the child refuses, do not insist.

             It is better to drink before meals, do not wash it down.

             Juices, diluted with water (min. 1/1), after a year.

             Salt after a year, sugar, in general, the later, the better.

             Always feed your child at your table, so that there are no distractions.

             Do not snack between feedings - apples, bread, snacks.

             In grams

             7 months. Fruits – 60 gr., vegetables – 150 gr., porridge – 150 gr.

             8 months. F. - 70, O. - 170, K. - 150

             9 months. F. - 80, O. - 180, K. - 180

             12 months. F. - 90-100, O. - 200, K. - 200.

             So, let's go!

             
             Vegetables

             The first vegetables should contain little fiber (aggressively affecting the gastrointestinal tract) and be low-allergenic (green). Another fact that many people don’t know is that hypoallergenic vegetables are easier to digest. If the baby is not prone to allergies, he is still offered green vegetables; they are easier to digest than red and orange ones. In the Urals, the right vegetable for first complementary feeding is classically zucchini. It is non-aggressive to the intestines, rich in vitamins and minerals, and has a delicate taste. You can also offer your baby cauliflower as a first complementary food. Contrary to popular belief, it does not belong to the Ural vegetables; it is quite capricious, and they began to plant it relatively recently. But cauliflower is a weak allergen. Broccoli also qualifies as “my first vegetable.”

             Vegetables begin to be introduced with half a teaspoon. Norm of vegetables (per day): 50 g (7 months), 100 g (9 m.) and 150 g (11 m.), per year - 200 g. Vegetables are given in the first half of the day. The order of introducing vegetables: zucchini (cauliflower), broccoli, kohlrabi, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, peas, green beans. Corn up to one and a half years old is offered only in cans; fresh or frozen, it has hard shells. White cabbage is too hard for the stomach, it is also introduced no earlier than a year, at which time beets are also carefully tried. Vegetable mixtures are introduced no earlier than ten months. Cucumbers, tomatoes and eggplants - after a year.

             For the first feeding, fresh vegetables are used only from their own garden. Store-bought ones contain large amounts of nitrates. If you use fresh vegetables, mash them as best you can to avoid any tough fibers. And be sure to serve them with oil (olive, corn, sunflower) so that they are better digested - but not with the first feeding! After a month, add oil one drop at a time.

             Canned vegetable purees suitable for first feeding (containing only vegetables and water): Babushkino Lukoshko, Spelenok, Gerber, BEECH NUT, Semper.

             Porridge

             Porridge is given at 6-7 months with 1-2 teaspoons, gradually increasing the volume to 150 grams. It is optimal to use industrially produced cereals, the so-called instant ones, in feeding infants. They are enriched with vitamins and minerals, and a child under one year old should receive only fortified foods. Sometimes doctors advise starting complementary feeding with porridge according to individual indications: for example, a child has unstable stools, some kind of stomach problems, in which case vegetables and fruits will only do harm. The first to introduce gluten-free porridges without milk and sugar: rice, buckwheat or corn. Then - oatmeal. Mixtures of cereals are introduced closer to the year. The healthiest porridge for a child is considered to be buckwheat, the heaviest is millet, and the most “empty” is corn. There is no need for milk porridges up to a year.

             We cook the porridge ourselves

             Cooking porridge at home is also easy. The cereal can be pre-grinded in a coffee grinder to the state of flour, or the already prepared porridge can be broken in a mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. It is better to cook the cereal in water, and immediately before feeding, add 20-30 ml of breast milk or the formula that the baby usually eats. This will improve the taste of the dish and make it more “familiar” for the child.

             Collection of popular misconceptions

             1. “If the child is low birth weight, you need to introduce porridge as early as possible.” As surveys on mother's websites show, out of hundreds of children, 2% of children gain weight from the introduction of cereals. If a child is really behind in weight (not by 100-500 g from the norm, but by at least 2 kg), you need to understand the reasons, and not fatten him up like a pig.

             2. “Porridge at night promotes long sleep.” There is no scientific evidence for this folk wisdom. In the time of grandmothers, children were fed semolina porridge with butter and sugar at night. It’s no wonder that after such a carbohydrate hit, the child slept all night, stunned. We no longer live in the last century and understand that such a cocktail at night is very harmful. However, you can give your child thin porridge for dinner so that he doesn’t want to eat at night; small children tend to feel hungry at night.

             3. “Children’s cereals are less healthy than homemade ones.” If you have time to grind cereal in a coffee grinder, and your child eats this porridge well, great. But it is better to feed a child up to one year only with fortified foods. Because he has an actively growing body. And vitamins are always in place.

             What additives may industrial baby cereals contain:

             Maltodextrin is a mixture consisting of glucose, oligosaccharides and malt sugar. Improves digestion, helps increase insulin, and gives the porridge a natural sweetness.

             Glucose, dextrose - fruit sugars, dextrose - grape sugar.

             Vanillin is an odorous substance from the vanilla fruit. Unfortunately, manufacturers often use synthetic vanillin without specifying it. Vanillin may be an allergen.

             Industrial cereals suitable for first feeding (without sugar and other additives): HEINZ (hypoallergenic series with a hippopotamus in a robe on the box), Hipp, BabySitter, Nutricia (Malyshka, Top-Top).

             Fruits

             
             Fruit complementary foods traditionally start with a green apple or pear. They need to be baked: the allergenic properties will go away, but beneficial pectin will be released, which cleanses the body. A month later, plum is introduced. Exotic fruits are offered later due to possible allergic reactions, as well as to ensure that sufficient enzymes are accumulated to digest them. Bananas, peaches, and apricots are introduced no earlier than 9 months. We try citruses closer to the year; grapefruit and pomelo are considered the least allergenic. Why exactly this sequence of introducing fruits? Imagine apple puree, pureed in a blender. And now the same banana puree. Feel the difference. A fibrous and starchy banana is much heavier, more viscous, and less digestible. Plum has a laxative effect, so it is also introduced only after the child has tasted it and is accustomed to the fruit.

             Fruits are introduced in the same way as vegetables: from ½ teaspoon, gradually increasing the norm to 40 g. Up to three years, the daily norm of fruit is 100 g per day.

             Dairy products

             A scientific study conducted at the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences showed that the early introduction of kefir or milk into the diet of infants can lead to a loss of iron in their body. Kefir is characterized by high acidity, a coarse curd structure, and the content of alcohol and yeast cells. Kefir contains a lot of “coarse” casein protein, which is not only difficult to digest, but also unbalanced in amino acid composition. The fat composition of kefir is not diverse enough, and the ratio of fatty acids in this product is not physiological for the baby’s body. Kefir carbohydrates are not at all similar to those present in breast milk or its artificial substitutes, and it contains much more mineral salts. Therefore, kefir is administered no earlier than 6-8 months and no more than 200 ml per day - and does not replace breast milk or formula. Many pediatricians advise introducing fermented milk products only by the age of one year, if the child is healthy and gaining weight well.

             Special children's yoghurts (such as "Agushi") can be offered to a child aged 10 months or older. The amount of yogurt at one year of age: no more than 100 ml.

             They begin to try cottage cheese from 8 months, or even later. For a child who consumes breast milk or formula in sufficient quantities, cottage cheese is simply not relevant. In the first year of life, you should not give your child more than 25 - 40 grams of cottage cheese per day. Cottage cheese contains heavy protein. Protein breakdown products are excreted by the kidneys. When bottle-fed, the immature kidneys of an infant may not be able to cope with the excessive protein load that occurs if the child consumes cottage cheese in quantities exceeding those recommended. It is known that excess protein load in the first year of life, especially with artificial feeding, can lead to atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension in the future. Alternatively, a child after one year can be given 100 g of cottage cheese every other day. These norms last for up to three years, remember: 100 g of cottage cheese per day is the norm for an adult.

             There is no point in introducing cow's milk before one year of age. It contains little fat, protein denatured by pasteurization with a digestibility of less than 50%, a complete absence of iron and vitamins, excluding the lone artificial vitamin C. Modern pediatricians do not recommend introducing whole milk before a year, and it is better to replace whole milk with infant formula until 2-3 years of age. where the protein is in split form).

             Meat

             If the child began to be fed at six months, meat is introduced no earlier than 10 months. This is one of the heaviest products; meat takes a long time to digest, so there is no need to rush to introduce it. Begin administering with half a teaspoon. You can give this dose for three days and monitor the reaction. It is advisable to immediately mix the meat with the vegetable puree that you have already introduced. If the meat goes well, the volume increases to a spoon, two, etc., at 10 months a child can receive 30 g of meat, by a year - 40-50 g. 100-200 g of meat per day is the norm for an adult. It is not beneficial for a child to increase the amount of meat, taking into account the protein load (as a rule, a child up to one year old receives enough protein from GM or mixture).

             Meat that is introduced BEFORE a year: rabbit, turkey, beef; AFTER a year, veal, chicken, pork and red fish are introduced. Meat broths are not used in children's diets; they contain harmful substances boiled from meat. The broth has the ability to be absorbed very quickly into the intestines; a child’s liver is not able to filter out all carcinogens. The kidneys also suffer: due to the huge amount of salts, urolithiasis can develop. Children's soup is cooked in vegetable broth without salt. You can add canned children's meat to it - you get a “broth”. Meat dishes prepared for children are not stored at all, they must be consumed immediately; the best time for meat is lunch.

             If you prefer to buy meat in jars, choose puree made from one type of meat (mono-product) without adding spices and potato starch, marked “1st step”. Reheat canned meats immediately before use. An open glass jar with unused puree can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. If introducing meat for the first time, look for the indication “homogenized” (finely ground) on the cans.

             Juices

             Previously, it was believed that breast milk is depleted by 6 months, and the baby needs to be given juices from five weeks as an easily digestible product rich in vitamins. Now we know: juices for a child under one year old are more likely a variety in the diet than a benefit. The introduction of juices before 4 months is not advisable, since it does not make a significant contribution to meeting the needs of children for vitamins and minerals, but often leads to allergies and disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Juices with pulp are introduced no earlier than a year. Any juices must be diluted so as not to spoil the gastric mucosa. With the early introduction of juices, the pancreas does not “train”, as some lovers of early complementary feeding believe, but strains, trying to produce enzymes for digesting an unknown product. She won’t be able to do anything before the allotted time: the child develops enzymes for digesting fruits from the age of 4 months. It is recommended to start feeding fruits with puree as it is less aggressive for the intestines, because puree contains substances that protect the intestines from acids. Another myth: “a child from 3-4 months needs apple juice to increase hemoglobin.” Any hematologist will tell you: iron from plant foods is absorbed extremely poorly, even in adults.

             According to modern recommendations, juices are introduced no earlier than 6 months from one teaspoon with a gradual increase in volume up to 100 g. Children up to three years old are given juices marked “baby food” on the packaging. Directly pressed juices can be offered to children from 1.5-2 years of age, if there are no medical contraindications. At the same age, freshly squeezed juices are given in the amount of 150-200 ml per day (half diluted with water), only if the baby does not have gastrointestinal diseases or allergic reactions. Keep in mind that industrial juices contain hidden natural preservatives: they add a small amount of grape juice - or red currant juice. Therefore, a child may be allergic to juice from one company, but not to the same juice from another company. Perhaps the first juice contained a hidden preservative, and the child reacted to currants or grapes.

             And finally...

             The child's body has a unique ability to regulate its needs. Let us remember the popular saying “a child always knows what he needs.” If your child stubbornly refuses porridge, most likely he simply does not need it. He has enough nutrients. Nutritionists call children under three years of age clairvoyants in nutrition: children always know what they need. Of course, this does not apply to situations where they start sweetening a child with kefir and porridge very early, and then make excuses that the child eats “that’s the only way” or that he doesn’t have enough glucose... Children will always prefer sweets, because breast milk or formula was their first food. sweet. Don't be upset if your child doesn't eat vegetables or fruits. He'll still have time. Perhaps he understands that he does not need them. Or, by your behavior, you provoked him into refusing behavior (feeding too early or nervous exclamations while eating, attempts to “push”). And if someone “drips on your brains”, scolding you for your “poor” son, who “still” does not eat meat or porridge - just answer: THE CHILD HIMSELF KNOWS WHAT HE NEEDS! And period.

             In the third part of the article we will find out what OTHER products can be introduced BEFORE the year.

             useful links

All this time the baby has been pleasing his parents with his achievements and successes, and now he is already celebrating his first little anniversary. The baby has turned 18, which means he has many exciting and new discoveries ahead of him. It's time to introduce your baby to other foods. All this time, the baby was fed only breast milk or formula, but now his body is ready to accept other foods. Many mothers are concerned about the question of where to start feeding their baby and whether there is a difference in feeding artificial and breastfed babies. In this article we will look at how and where to start feeding your baby.

Before determining what is the best way to start feeding your baby, you should decide when it is best to offer to try new food. For example, a baby who is breastfed receives all the necessary substances for its development along with milk. Therefore, if a child is gaining weight well, then there is no need to introduce complementary foods until he is 6 months old. But it is worth noting that in case of poor weight gain, you do not need to immediately start introducing complementary foods; it may be due to the mother’s nutrition or improper attachment of the baby. For bottle-fed babies, the timing of introducing complementary foods is slightly delayed. It is better to offer such babies new products from 5-5.5 months.

In addition to the appropriate age of the baby, there is another point where it is better to start complementary feeding - the child’s desire to try new food. If the baby is drawn to food, and often demands it, then, of course, satisfy the baby’s interest. However, if the child pushes away the spoon and resists eating, then it is better to postpone the introduction of complementary foods to a later date.

First feeding where to start?

Vegetables

It is best to start complementary feeding with vegetables. As a first complementary food, it is best to use a monocomponent puree of white or green vegetables. For example, zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower. If your baby has loose stools, then zucchini should not be taken yet. It is advisable to keep a food diary and keep records of what and how much your baby ate. In this case, if an allergic reaction to food occurs, you can quite easily identify the allergen. Don’t rush to offer your child canned puree; try preparing it yourself first. But for this you need to take a very responsible approach to choosing products. It is advisable to give preference to vegetables “from the garden”. It is best to boil the vegetables in a double boiler, so they will retain all their beneficial properties as much as possible, then blend everything in a blender until pureed. You can’t add salt to the puree, much less add spices. It is worth starting the introduction of complementary foods with 1 teaspoon, gradually increasing to the volume of one feeding. You can introduce new foods into your baby’s diet only if he is feeling well and wait a few days, or preferably a week, before introducing the next product.

Later you can offer your baby zucchini, carrots, pumpkin. It is better to put the potatoes aside and at first it is advisable to soak them in water for about an hour, because due to the high starch content it is quite difficult for the child to digest them.

At the age of 8, it is worth introducing beets and green peas into the baby’s diet. After the child gets acquainted with all types of vegetables, you can offer him a mixture of 2-3 types of vegetables. After several months of eating pureed puree, you can try mashing the vegetables with a fork. If the baby begins to choke, then postpone eating large foods until a later time.

Porridge

Porridge should be offered to your child a month after he has mastered vegetables. Introducing porridge to your baby's complementary feeding is the second stage in getting to know new products. You should also start feeding with one teaspoon, bringing it up to 150-200 grams. The cereal can first be boiled until very soft, and then chopped in a blender. Or first grind it in a coffee grinder and then boil it. In addition, today different manufacturers offer a huge selection of cereals for infants. The first thing you can give your child to try is rice porridge or buckwheat. Afterwards it is worth offering millet or corn. It is not at all necessary to give semolina porridge, because it does not have any nutritional value, and many experts recommend giving it to a child after a year.

The first porridge should be cooked in water without adding salt or sugar. In addition, the first porridge must be gluten-free and do not contain palm oil.

Meat feeding where to start

It is better to introduce meat into a child’s diet from 7.5 to 8 months, however, some experts recommend later meat feeding. Meat should be given to the child in the form of puree and in very small portions. First, offer your child half a teaspoon and observe the child's reaction for about five days. If the child’s body tolerated the introduction of meat complementary foods well, then gradually you can increase its amount to 50-60 grams. After another week, you can introduce the child to another type of meat.

If a child refuses to take meat puree, then you can combine it with vegetable puree, especially since in this form meat products will be better absorbed. From 9 months, your baby can be offered steamed meatballs. It is not recommended to give meat broth to a child under one year of age.

Fruits

It is best to start getting acquainted with fruits at the very last stage and with puree from one fruit. Ideal for fruit feeding are pears, apples, bananas, etc. But it is better to postpone the consumption of exotic fruits until the age of 3. There are no rules for introducing fruits into a child’s diet, but parents should understand that some have a strengthening effect, while others have a laxative effect.

You should start introducing fruit puree with one teaspoon. If the baby does not develop a rash or bloating during the day, then the next day the portion can be increased to 2-3 spoons.

In addition, from the age of 8-9 months, a child can be offered dairy products (kefir and cottage cheese), but one must remember that cow's milk is contraindicated for children under one year of age. You can also offer your child bread or special cookies for babies. But fish can be given to a child only if he is not allergic from 10-12 months.

Komarovsky where to start complementary feeding

Dr. Komarovsky talks very competently and in detail about the rules for introducing the first complementary foods.

Author of the publication: Polina Zelenina

Complementary feeding is not supplementary feeding or a replacement for the main meal. A new product is introduced with the goal of diversifying a child’s diet, introducing him to other tastes, and gradually introducing him to adult food. Many parents mistakenly believe that when breastfeeding the baby has enough of everything, they can hold off on complementary feeding. In fact, late introduction can also lead to various problems, including complete refusal of normal products.

Content:

When to introduce complementary foods

For breastfed children, complementary foods are introduced later than for formula-fed children, unless there are other indications. In case of poor weight gain or in emergency situations (separation from the mother is expected, she is ill, etc.), the timing is shifted downward. But under any circumstances, it is necessary to assess the child’s readiness.

Main features:

1. The tongue thrust reflex has disappeared. It is present in the child from birth and protects against foreign objects getting into the mouth.
2. My weight has doubled since birth. In premature babies 2.5 times.
3. The child sits with support or independently. A recumbent baby should not be introduced to solid food.
4. Interest in adult food has appeared, the baby opens his mouth, stretches out his lower lip, and reacts to the spoon and food of his parents.
5. Chewing skills have appeared. The child does not just suck an object that has fallen into his mouth, but works with his jaw.

Not all of these signs need to be present. Each child develops individually. Usually by six months you can start complementary feeding while breastfeeding, but many pediatricians insist to wait until 7-8 months. In any case, the readiness will not go unnoticed; the parents themselves will understand everything.

Interesting: Sometimes a sign of readiness for complementary feeding is the appearance of teeth. In fact, this sign has no scientific basis. In some children they appear before six months, in others 8 or even 10 months.

Video: Doctor Komarovsky about complementary feeding

Pedagogical complementary feeding: all the pros and cons

Pedagogical complementary feeding is a common scheme for introducing a child to adult food. It has existed for many millennia, but only recently acquired a name. The baby is gradually given food from the common table. It’s convenient, you don’t need to waste time on separate cooking, there’s no need to buy expensive baby purees or cereals, you don’t have problems with lack of appetite, it always appears in company. This technique has been popular for a long time. From 5-6 months (sometimes earlier), infants were given rich soups, meat on moss, mashed potatoes and other dishes prepared for the whole family. However, pediatricians are unanimously against this system:

1. This technique has no scientific basis.
2. The food consumed is often not beneficial, and sometimes harms the baby’s fragile body.
3. It is difficult to control the size of portions eaten, especially from the first to the fifth, when the count is by grams.
4. The consistency is not suitable for a small child. At first, he may choke on pieces.
5. If an allergy occurs, it will be difficult to track down the culprit, since the reaction may not appear immediately, but after a few days.

Pedagogical complementary feeding cannot be gradual, since the rest of the family members are unlikely to want to eat the same thing throughout the week. No less acute is the question of how to prepare food, since the baby should not be given fried, salted, peppered, or fatty foods.

Video: Doctor Komarovsky about pedagogical complementary feeding

General rules for introducing complementary foods

Changing the diet requires parents to pay increased attention to the child. It is important to monitor your well-being, mood, stool and skin. If any changes occur, complementary feeding should be stopped immediately.

Basic Rules:

1. Complementary foods are administered only to a healthy child. If the baby is unwell, teething, or vaccinations are expected in the near future, then introduction to the new product should be postponed.
2. Acquaintance with each product lasts at least 7 days. If there is no negative reaction, a new species can be additionally introduced.
3. You cannot mix several types of vegetables (or fruits) if the child is not familiar with each of them.
4. The consistency of complementary foods should be homogeneous, semi-liquid. Gradually, as the child grows up, the dishes can be made thicker, allowing for grains, then lumps.
5. You cannot give the same food 2 times a day.
6. Complementary feeding is not an independent meal. At first, it is offered in addition to breast milk before meals, and later it replaces one feeding.

Important! Any new product, regardless of its type, is introduced gradually, starting from 5 g. Even if the child liked the taste, this rule should not be neglected so as not to provoke the risk of developing allergies.

What foods to start complementary feeding with?

Juices are a controversial product. Once upon a time they were given to children very first. First from 3 months, then they were introduced at 4 months. But, as recent studies show, there is little benefit from such drinks; they contain a lot of acid, cause serious harm to children’s digestive system, and can cause gastritis in the future. When breastfeeding, juices do not combine well with milk. It is recommended to postpone their introduction until 8-12 months.

Vegetables are ideal for first feeding, especially if the baby is overweight. If, on the contrary, the child gains little, pediatricians recommend starting with cereals. It is advisable to introduce the popular fruit puree after vegetables. Since it has a sweet taste, the baby may simply refuse other foods. In general, in certain months of life, parents themselves choose the appropriate product, based on general recommendations. For example, Dr. Komarovsky recommends starting with baby kefir, but also at 7-8 months you can offer the baby meat or fish, especially if the fermented milk drink is not to your taste. If something doesn't work out, there is always an alternative.

Table for introducing different foods during breastfeeding

Product	Age (months)
Fruits, g
Cottage cheese, g

Complementary feeding at 6 months: vegetables

Vegetables are ideal for healthy breastfed babies. Usually the child is offered purees. It must certainly undergo heat treatment and contain only one component. You can use jarred baby food. Ideally, the first one should be zucchini. It has a neutral taste, light texture, is well absorbed by the child's body and contains a lot of fiber. If your baby has problems with bowel movements, zucchini puree will help solve them.

What other vegetables are given at 6-7 months:

• broccoli;
• cauliflower;
• carrot;
• pumpkin.

It is better to introduce potatoes after the first 2-3 types of vegetables. You also need to pay close attention to white cabbage. It provokes bloating in the abdomen, pain, and problems with stool. Turnips and radishes, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes are offered to babies only after one year.

Complementary feeding at 6.5-7 months: fruits

If the child is happy to eat vegetables, the diet is regularly expanded and replenished; fruits can be postponed for another 1-2 months, that is, introduced after 8. For complementary feeding, heat-treated puree, homemade or purchased, is mainly used. They begin their acquaintance with green apples. Next, they offer pears if there are no problems with stool, since they often provoke constipation.

What other fruits are offered to the child:

• peaches;
• apricots;
• plum;
• banana;
• berries.

Citrus fruits, strawberries and raspberries, and pomegranate have a high degree of allergenicity. But do not forget about individual intolerance. A reaction can even appear to an ordinary apple or pear.

Complementary foods from 7-8 months: cottage cheese

You can offer cottage cheese for six months if there are indications: rickets, insufficient weight gain, calcium deficiency, poor biochemical blood tests. But most often, babies who are breastfed are strong and healthy. Therefore, cottage cheese is introduced no earlier than 7, and preferably 8 months. It is very important that this is a baby food product.

Criteria for choosing cottage cheese:

• fat content (up to 10%, preferably within 5%);
• no additives;
• delicate consistency;
• freshness.

You should not give your child dairy products purchased at the market. Also, sweet masses with additives, sugar, and additional fats, especially vegetable ones, are not suitable. The curd product is a legal analogue of cottage cheese, but there is nothing useful in it, especially for a growing organism. If you can’t buy quality food, then there is the option of preparing it yourself.

Complementary feeding from 7-8 months: porridge

You should not introduce your child to cereals before 7-8 months if he is gaining weight well. If you are overweight, cereal complementary feeding can be postponed for almost a year; instead, you can actively expand your diet with fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. The main criterion for choosing cereals is the absence of gluten. You can start complementary feeding with buckwheat, rice or corn.

You can prepare porridge yourself or use instant semi-finished products for baby food. It is important to introduce dishes without milk and other additives in the form of fruits, berries, sugar. Only pure cereal, a small amount of salt and oil is allowed.

Complementary feeding from 8 months: fermented milk products

Dr. Komarovsky suggests that breastfed children be first introduced to fermented milk products, that is, baby kefir. It is good for the stomach, has a beneficial effect on intestinal function, but is not very popular. It is usually given to children after 8 months. In addition to kefir, you can offer children's yogurt and biolact. All drinks are free of additives, fruit, sugar and flavor enhancers. The fat content of the products is average, within 3%.

Complementary foods from 8 months: meat, poultry

Children under one year of age should be introduced to meat, as it is a source of valuable substances. The product is administered in the form of purees, steamed cutlets, and boiled meatballs. You can use canned food for children, which is also added to vegetables, in first courses.

What kind of meat (poultry) can be used:

• turkey;
• horse meat;
• beef;
• rabbit meat.

It is not recommended to introduce chicken early as it causes allergies. Types of meat that are difficult for children's stomachs: lamb, duck, goose, goat. In addition to meat, after 10 months, offal is given 1-2 times a week. Beef (veal) liver has the greatest value.

Complementary foods from 8 (12) months: fish

Fish is a necessary product in a child’s diet, but it often causes allergies. If there are no prerequisites for a reaction, complementary feeding begins at 8 months. But under no circumstances should it be combined with meat or poultry. First one thing, after a successful acquaintance you can begin to introduce another. If you are prone to allergic reactions, the product should be postponed until the age of one year.

Which fish is suitable for a child of the first year of life:

• pollock;
• navaga;
• river perch.

You should avoid fatty types of fish, which are difficult for a child’s stomach to handle. As in the case of meat, complementary foods are prepared independently or purchased in cans. It is advisable to combine mashed potatoes or cutlets with vegetables familiar to the child, unsweetened cereals, and soups. Fish does not need to be given daily; it is enough to replace meat with it 2 times a week.

Video: Fish for children under one year old

Additional Products

In addition to basic products, when breastfeeding or any other diet, the child needs supplements. Usually these are oils, spices, eggs. Until a year old, they only give you a yolk, which can be chicken or quail. Additives also include flour products. You should not get carried away with cookies and bread until you are one year old, as they contain gluten, yeast, sugar and other additives that the baby does not yet need.

Table of introduction of additional products

Cautions and Possible Problems

When introducing complementary foods, two problems may arise: allergies and disorders of the digestive system. In any case, you need to immediately stop feeding, temporarily switch to breastfeeding, and give the child’s body time to recover. Re-introduction to new food is possible only after all symptoms disappear and no earlier than a week later.

It is mandatory to take antiallergic medications. If your stool is upset, you will need antidiarrheal medications, for example, Smecta. Espumisan, dill water or fennel tea will help with colic, bloating and other intestinal problems. Gradual introduction and attentiveness are the key to successful complementary feeding.