Many people cannot imagine their life without bread and other pastries. This is perhaps one of the most versatile food products. And what about the addition of it to the diet of babies, at what age can a child be given bread and how much?
What is bread made from?
Such a product is made from different types of flour with the addition of water and other ingredients (salt, baking powder, yeast, various seeds, nuts, and so on). It is obtained in various ways: by baking, roasting or steaming. For the manufacture of the product, rye, wheat, corn, buckwheat or barley flour is most often used. So, at what age can a child be given bread?
Experts do not recommend doing this for up to a year. The reason is that it must be thoroughly chewed, which babies cannot do. They swallow large chunks and may choke. In addition, baking is not an obligatory product in the diet. Eating bread is an acquired habit; a person may well do without it.
Bread can be given to small children, but not any. It should take into account the composition of the product and what benefits or harm it can cause to the baby’s health.
Right steps
So, since how many months have children been given bread? Families of a young child with this culinary product can begin after 7 months. Varieties should be gradually introduced into complementary foods:
- Drying
- Biscuits.
- Crackers.
All these products must certainly be designed for babies, as manufacturers report on the product packaging.
In the process of introducing a new product, not only the age of the child is important, but also in what form this will be done. For example, you can give baby cookies, which dissolve in the mouth under the influence of saliva. Allergies to these products are excluded because they are gluten free and are made from environmentally friendly products. In addition, with the use of such cookies, the baby will definitely not choke on crumbs, which cannot be guaranteed when eating bread. But this does not mean that you do not need to control the process, you cannot allow him to completely push the product into his mouth.
When can a baby eat bread?
Wondering when a child can be given bread? With the advent of the first teeth, wheat crackers can be added to the diet, but not earlier than seven months old. From such feeding, the baby will receive only benefit, he will learn to bite foods and scratch gums.
Cookies, drying, crackers, bagels are given to children only after preliminary softening in a mixture, juice, milk or kefir. Over time, these products can act as an independent dish.
Fresh bread can be given to a one-year-old baby with main dishes:
- The meat.
- Mashed vegetables.
- Soup.
You do not know what time children can be given bread, and in what quantity? Many kids love soup with the addition of small crackers or scrambled eggs with croutons. At the age of 1 year, 80-100 grams is considered the norm of bread consumption. In this case, the amount of white should not exceed 60 g, and black - 10-15 g.
Interesting! Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had a tradition of offering bread to a child by cutting off the crust or wrapping the crumb in a cloth. Thus, they replaced the pacifier. There is no such need in modern life, but some families still honor traditions and try to observe them.
Product benefits
Bread contains carbohydrates, so it is considered the main source of energy. In addition, its composition contains such valuable elements as: vitamins of group B and PP, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese and phosphorus.
When using this product, plant fiber enters the body, which allows normalizing the activity of the digestive tract and metabolism. But this does not mean that bread should be given to children up to a year, at this age an excess of fiber can interfere with the absorption of iron and cause anemia.
The harm of baking
Dietary fiber provokes colitis and inflammation of the intestine. In rye black bread contains 7% fiber, and in white - 3%. For this reason, experts advise starting acquaintance with the product only at the age of one year, and not earlier. Moreover, the introduction of complementary foods does not affect this in any way.
Many manufacturers add when kneading the composition of thermal yeast and baking powder. This helps to reduce the time for the "maturation" of the test, and the second ingredient is responsible for the splendor of the finished product. Thermal yeast after entering the child’s body begins to take from it useful vitamins and trace elements, using them for their own growth. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase bakery products from trusted manufacturers, but it is better to bake them yourself.
What kind of bread can be given to children?
First of all, it is bread baked from first-class wheat flour. Ideally, it should be baked on its own at home. Only in this case, you can be completely sure of the quality of the product and that it does not contain harmful impurities.
If this is not possible, and you have to purchase bread at the supermarket, then you need to pay attention to its freshness and integrity. In addition, it is important that there are no dents or burnt spots on the product. It is not recommended to buy loaves for a small child, it is better to give preference to the usual "brick".
And at what age can you give your child bread? For babies who have not yet turned a year old, pick up only high-quality wheat products, then you can gradually introduce a rye product. Bread with bran can be tasted no earlier than two or three years, since cereals in the body of young children are poorly digested and can disrupt digestion.
Important! In no case should babies be given freshly baked products! They contain a lot of gluten, which can disrupt the digestive system.
It is equally important to know how to give your child bread. For the first feeding, the product should be softened by soaking in the mother's milk or mixture. This point must be observed, as young children still do not have a chewing reflex, and they can choke.
How to introduce bread into a baby’s diet
Many newly-minted parents ask themselves: “At what age can a child be given bread?” You can start complementary foods after 7 months with special cookies or unsweetened crackers for babies. As for the bread itself, experts do not recommend giving it earlier than a year, the only exception is the product of home cooking or bought in a proven bakery. But the age of the child should be more than 8 months.
It is important not only at what age children are given bread, but also how they do it. The first portion is recommended to be given at the beginning of the day, so that it is possible to track the body's reaction to a new product. A piece should not be more than three grams. If the baby reacted well to the new food, then after two days, the serving can be gradually increased. In a year, a child is allowed to eat 20 grams of bread. This product should be given for lunch in addition to soup or vegetable puree. In the process of increasing the portion, it can be added for breakfast and afternoon tea.
The child does not want to eat bread
Sometimes it happens that parents are tormented by the question of how much they can give the child bread, and after the test he refuses it. Or, for example, the baby with pleasure begins to eat baked goods as a separate product, but does not want to combine it with the main course. Adults in this situation begin to insist, curse, although this is not a big deal.
If the child has sufficient body weight and eats up the first and second course, then you should not force, let him eat as he likes. Food is supplemented with bread for a sense of fullness. And from those 2-3 slices that he is supposed to eat, you can make croutons for soup (again, if the baby is not against it) or put on sandwiches.
Many adults wonder how many months you can give your child bread, but you should understand that not all children love him. There is nothing wrong with the fact that he completely abandons the bakery product. He can receive the necessary dose of “flour” carbohydrates from fritters, pies and other pastries.
First of all, parents need to understand what causes such dislike for this product. The reason may be an allergic reaction to the gluten protein found in wheat grains.
If the reason is not in health, but in the vagaries, then you need to try to draw the attention of the child to food. It is very simple to do this - show your imagination when serving. For example, all the little ones are enthusiastic about small sandwiches in the form of canapes. They can be made from a crumb of bread fried in a toaster and cut in the shape of different shapes (stars, rhombuses, squares, triangles, etc.). From above, you can add melted cheese, spread the liver paste, put the crushed yolk with a spoon of sour cream and herbs.
Baby Allergy to Bread
Quite often, babies have an allergic reaction to bakery products. As already noted above, this is due to the high content of gluten and other additives in the composition of the product. In addition, such a reaction can occur to yeast, not only in children, but also in adults.
If a child develops an allergy to a product purchased in a store, it should be replaced with a bread baked at home. In this case, you can choose absolutely any flour from a huge assortment presented on the shelves of supermarkets.
Allergies to bread can occur in different ways:
- Constipation or diarrhea.
- Skin rashes.
- Flatulence.
- Vagaries, refusal to sleep.
- Swelling.
- Nausea and vomiting.
The reaction rate is individual - from several hours to several days. Often, the body responds to crops such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Porridge from these grains also cause allergies.
Getting rid of allergies
When confirming the diagnosis, bread should be completely excluded from the children's diet. To relieve symptoms, doctors prescribe medications:
- Antihistamines ("Zodak", "Fenistil", "Zirtek", "Suprastin").
- Bronchodilator.
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Immunostimulants.
- Drink plenty.
Conclusion
It is generally accepted that bread is the head of everything, but, as you see, this is not always the case. We decided to study in detail the information about how many months you can give your child bread? They did it right, because in this case there is no need to rush. Introduce new flour products into the baby’s diet gradually and with caution. And do not worry, if the baby completely refuses bread, listen to him. If the baby is provided with good nutrition, then he will receive all the necessary elements.