When a woman gives birth to a baby, she faces the main question: to establish lactation or use adapted milk formulas. Of course, natural nutrition for crumbs would be the best option. However, over time, you still have to introduce the baby to other foods. This article will tell you how to feed a baby 5.5 months old. You will find out the features of the regimen of the day crumbs at this age, you can also find out what the table of feeding the children says.
Newborn baby food
Even in ancient times, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers began to introduce babies to adult food at the age of one month. At this stage, the parents gave the child juice and injected egg yolk into the diet. All this was explained quite simply. Women needed to get to work as soon as possible. They could not sit with the baby until the age of three, as is now possible. That is why there was a need for premature familiarization of the baby with an adult environment.
Now everything has changed a lot. Experienced pediatricians and doctors say that baby food should be primarily useful. What could be better than mom’s milk? It is this product that is able to give the child the necessary portion of vitamins and nutrients necessary for the normal growth and development of all systems.
First lure
How to feed a baby 5.5 months? Most experts will answer this question as follows. The main food for the baby during this period is mother's milk. However, it is perfectly acceptable to start introducing the first lure. This will be porridge or mashed vegetables - depends on the individual characteristics of the child's body. Be sure to consult with a specialist and find out what exactly to give your baby in the first place.
Many mothers who advocate breastfeeding say that baby food at the age of five or six months should be exclusively natural. With adult food you need to introduce the baby only after a year. It is worth noting that this is not entirely correct. Nobody forces you to deprive the baby of natural food. However, the first lure should be administered no later than six months. Otherwise, it will be much more difficult for the child to adapt to the outside world and establish digestion.
What can be the baby’s food: store goods and home-made products
First of all, the baby's food should be fresh and varied. Be sure to consider the benefits and harms of certain products. Currently, you can buy absolutely any food for your crumbs in the store. This includes mashed vegetables, cereals, instant soups, fruit treats, curds and so on.
You can also make your own meal for your child. In this case, you need to choose only healthy products and grind them after careful processing. If you pay attention, you can note that the finished baby food does not contain salt and artificial sweeteners. This must be taken into account when preparing this or that dish yourself.
5-month baby's diet
At this age, the baby is awake for about 8 hours. At the same time, his games are interrupted several times a day by sound sleep. If a few months ago the baby fell asleep while sucking his mother’s breast or eating food from a bottle, now everything has changed a bit. Most often, the baby eats immediately after waking up. After this comes the time for active games, training and gymnastics. After another sleep and rest, the baby again needs a serving of food.
About four or five hours, an infant at this age can do without food. The baby eats about one liter of mother's milk per day. If you add extra meals to the diet, the amount of natural food consumed may be slightly reduced. You can visually familiarize yourself with how the baby is fed for 5 months. A table of daily routines and sample menus are presented to your attention. Remember that all data can be considered conditional. The diet of each baby is individual.
Children feeding table
This form is in every children's clinic. If you wish, you can ask your pediatrician to provide you with this information. The table indicates that each product should be introduced gradually and very carefully.
If the baby is overweight and is gaining body weight quite well with his mother’s milk, then complementary foods begin with fruit puree or vegetable substances. At the same time, the first ingredients are zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, apples and pears. The introduction of each component is given at least two weeks. Only after the infant is fully accustomed to new food can one begin to get acquainted with the next dish.
When the baby is gaining weight poorly (provided that the baby is 5 months old, the food is artificial), complementary foods can be introduced a little earlier. In this case, doctors recommend starting with porridge. The very first cereals for crumbs should be the following: buckwheat, millet, rice. They must also be introduced gradually. The very first dish should be prepared without the use of milk. Later, you can add this component to increase the calorie content of porridge.
The table of introduction of complementary foods for children suggests that you can give your child soups for up to a year. At the same time, the constituent dishes should already be familiar to the baby. If the baby has problems with stools, it is advisable to add olive oil and beets to his diet. With frequent bowel movements, you offer the crumbs more rice dishes.
Five-month baby diet
How to feed a baby 5.5 months? Depending on your desire and the health of the baby at this age, one or two feedings may already be replaced. However, it is not forbidden to completely abandon complementary foods during this period. How to feed a baby 5.5 months? Consider a possible baby diet.
First meal or breakfast
Immediately after morning awakening, the baby will require a serving of food. It can be breast milk in an amount of about 200 milliliters. Often, mothers want to soak in bed longer and it’s easier for them to give the baby a crumbs than to run to the kitchen and cook breakfast.
If you feed your baby with a mixture, then the natural diet is replaced by an adapted milk composition. The amount of food remains the same (200 milliliters). However, some babies can eat a few more. You should not adapt to generally accepted standards. If your child needs 300 milliliters of milk or 150, then give him that much.
Second meal
This process most often occurs in the afternoon. Many mothers position him with breakfast. You can give the crumbs at this time milk porridge. If you are just starting complementary foods, then a new product should be introduced at this particular time. This method will allow you to closely monitor the child’s reaction to the new ingredient.
If you wish, you can give the baby natural food - breast milk. If you are completely satisfied with such a diet, then no one insists on the forced introduction of porridge. It is worth recalling that a child can eat about 100 milliliters of cereal product.
Third meal, or lunch
If the baby is familiar with many vegetables, then you can offer him soup. To do this, all the ingredients are thoroughly cleaned and boiled. After that, the mass is crushed by a blender and oil is added to it. Such food for the child should be in the amount of 50-100 milliliters.
After lunch, be sure to offer your baby breast milk, a mixture, or plain water. The fluid in his body must come in unlimited quantities.
Snack or lunch
Often, mothers give sour-milk products to the baby during this meal. Pediatricians also note that curd products need to be introduced only when the baby is six months old. However, according to the testimony, you can start offering tiny adapted cottage cheese now. The amount of product should not exceed 25-30 grams per day.
Kefir is an excellent substitute for infant formula. If you offer the baby this drink, then adhere to a limit of up to 150 milliliters. Some children may consume more, but at this age, digestion problems often arise and gas production increases.
What to give the baby for dinner?
At 5.5 months, crumbs dinner should consist of an adapted mixture or breast milk. Many mothers try to feed their baby with more high-calorie and satisfying food. Women hope that after such a meal the baby will sleep longer. However, this opinion is erroneous. After a heavy dinner, a baby’s sleep can be very bad. Undigested food will remain in the stomach throughout the night. This will cause discomfort and pain in the peritoneum.
Give your child food that is familiar to him before going to bed. If you are breastfeeding, then offer your baby a natural feeding. Let the baby suck until it is full. With artificial nutrition, the volume of the milk mixture should not exceed 300 milliliters. Such food quickly saturates the body of crumbs and allows it to fall asleep in a sweet sleep.
Night feedings
Many babies at the age of five months still wake up at night for another snack. This is not a pathology. What to feed the baby in this case? Of course, breast milk or a prepared mixture. Surely it won’t occur to mommies that at this time you can give your child soup or porridge. Such food should be postponed until the morning.
Summing up, or a small conclusion
You now know the approximate nutrition of the baby at 5 months (menu). Do not look up to your friends, neighbors or relatives. If your kid at this age is still unfamiliar with adult food, while the neighbor is already eating venison with sausages, there is nothing wrong with it. Adjust to the desires of your crumbs. If he is interested in adult food, then give him a try new products. Most likely, the baby will like the unusual taste of various dishes. At the same time, you can continue breastfeeding as you wish.
Feed your baby not only tasty, but also healthy food. Make sure your baby’s diet is varied and nutritious. In this case, the baby will develop correctly and delight you with its success.