Maternal instinct always makes a young mother do everything possible for the health and well-being of her child. Establishing a healthy diet that will benefit a growing body is a primary concern for every parent. Fish is one of the most important and nutritious foods in the diet. But when and with what fish to start feeding a child, not every mother knows. There are many subtleties in this matter that should be understood. The consequences of improper feeding of this highly allergenic product can be the most serious, including hospitalization.
Benefit and harm
The usefulness of seafood lies in the abundance of macro and micronutrients, amino acids, and vitamins in the composition. Fish is rich in valuable fats, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, iodine, fluorine, zinc. Her meat is tender, without hard fibers, which contributes to the easy assimilation of valuable protein, which is still unformed in the gastrointestinal tract of the baby.
The harm is that fish can cause a rather strong allergic reaction, especially its marine species, of which cod is the most dangerous. It is important to know that unlike protein, fish oil is not considered allergenic. Even during preparation, allergens are released through steam and can harm a particularly sensitive body by penetrating the airways.
Marine
Of the advantages of sea fish, the following can be noted:
- Contains a large amount of omega polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- The maximum iodine content.
- The inhabitants of the sea are less infected with parasites and chemical poisons, which can not be said about the freshwater fauna. This is a significant criterion in deciding which fish to start feeding a baby with.
- Easy to clean from bones. In some species, they are large, while in others they are very few.
- A wide price range allows you to choose a fish afford.
Unfortunately, freshly caught fish is rarely seen in stores. It is supplied, as a rule, in frozen form.
Freshwater
Advantages of river and lake fish:
- Less likely to cause allergies.
- On sale there is fresh chilled, or even live.
- Much cheaper than the marine counterpart.
Minuses:
- Due to the poor ecology of water bodies and toxic emissions, it can be infected with harmful substances and many types of parasites.
- The presence of very small and sharp bones requires careful processing.
When to start?
According to the research institute of pediatrics and baby food, fish for the first feeding is offered to the child no earlier than 9-10 months. For children with food allergies, tasting a new and healthy dish is postponed until a later date.
Also, you should not serve fish to the baby during infectious and colds, during the vaccination period. A weakened body can respond to a delicacy with rashes, redness, hives, swelling of the mucous membrane, diarrhea, vomiting, complaints of abdominal pain, although at another time everything could have gone quietly.
How to start?
You need to start treating the baby with 5 grams, gradually increasing the portion, until the maximum 50-60 grams is reached. It is advisable to do this before lunch in order to observe the reaction of the body all day. Then feed the baby with light familiar foods. Zucchini, cauliflower, carrots are quite suitable. Fish days are arranged no more than 2 times a week.
Fat content is that indicator by which it is necessary to determine which fish is the first to be introduced to a baby's food. Species such as salmon, mackerel, herring contain a lot of fat, they can cause digestive problems. Hake, pollock, freshwater and sea bass contain up to 4% fat, so they are more suitable for babies.
Where could I buy?
Seafood sales representatives are the best place to buy saltwater fish. There the product is always of high quality, there are documents and licenses about the manufacturer and suppliers. Not in any village there are any. In this case, you should visit one of the popular supermarkets. Frozen fish is usually delivered there. If it is possible to find out where the deliveries are made from, then fish farms should prefer fish from open water bodies.
Typically, live freshwater fish are traded in the markets first hand immediately after capture, which is without a doubt the ideal option.
Selection tips
Fish for feeding a baby of 9 months must be guaranteed fresh. Therefore, before you go to the store, you should arm yourself with a few tips:
- When pressed, there should be no dents, the meat on the carcass should be resilient and the surface shiny.
- Fresh fish have transparent and clear eyes, while stale fish have cloudy and dry eyes.
- Do not rely on the sense of smell. An unscrupulous seller is fluent in a number of tricks and tricks to remove rotten odor. Although, sometimes the fish is so spoiled that there is no way to hide the amber.
- Fresh gills have bright red gills.
- It is worth paying attention to the fins. If not damaged and shiny - a good sign.
Cooking Tips
How to cook fish for the first feeding of the child, the following recommendations will prompt:
- In no case should you fry fish in oil. Only boil in water, steamed or in a slow cooker.
- Water in which the product has boiled for several minutes should be drained and pure added. This technique will help get rid of harmful substances, if any are present in it.
- No need to salt and add spices. But, if the child has already managed to appreciate the enhancers of taste, then you will have to use them. Otherwise, he simply will not eat.
- Fish dishes, as a rule, have a specific aftertaste. If the crumbs did not like him, then how to cook fish for a child? You can try using parsley or lemon during cooking. They will help change the taste and smell of the dish.
- It is necessary to thoroughly clean the finished meat from the bones, and then break the pieces in mashed potatoes with a blender.
- Undercooked fish is dangerous surviving parasites that have not died due to defective heat treatment.
- Only freshly prepared fish food is recommended.
How much to cook?
How much to cook fish to feed a child depends on the type and size of the pieces or carcass. For example, pollock or hake will be ready in 15 minutes, but pieces of sturgeon of the same size will be cooked in only half an hour. If you cook in the oven, the cooking time will double.
Fish Meatballs
It doesn’t matter which fish to start feeding the baby with when it comes to meatballs. This dish will appeal to kids and indifferent to fish. Even adults can hardly guess which type of seafood was used.
Ingredients per Serving:
- Fillet of any fish - 1 piece.
- Egg - 1/4 pieces.
- The pulp of a sweet loaf, mashed in milk (with milk intolerance, in water) - 1 handful.
- Ghee - ½ tablespoon.
- A pinch of salt.
Place all ingredients in a blender, smash. Form meatballs, roll in flour and dip in boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes until cooked. They can also be steamed and in a slow cooker. But it will take twice as much time.
Oven-baked mackerel in foil (recipe with vegetables)
Wash the mackerel, dry it with a paper towel. Form a foil boat so that the carcass fits freely into it. Grease the fish with olive oil, grate with a pinch of salt. Put two slices of lemon in the abdomen. Dice potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower inflorescences or broccoli in an arbitrary ratio to spread around the carcass. Since mackerel is quite a fatty product, it is not recommended to add oil in addition. Pinch the edges of the foil so that only minor openings remain for steam to escape.
Put in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees for 45 minutes. Mackerel with vegetables is ready.
Lazy Mackerel
Another recipe for mackerel baked in foil in the oven. Many lovers of this healthy fish believe that it is self-sufficient and does not need supplements.
A cleaned carcass without salt and other ingredients commonly used in recipes is placed in a foil boat. Wrap and place in an oven warmed up to 180 degrees. Bake for about 45 minutes. Fish prepared in this way is suitable not only for babies, but also for people who adhere to special diets.
All about canned fish
You won’t have to puzzle over which fish to start feeding your baby with, if you trust the professionals.
Increasingly, young mothers periodically visit stores with baby food and make a menu for the baby, based on the assortment on the shelves, completely free of the burden of worrying about the nutrition of their child. Considering this topic, you can highlight the advantages of canned fish in jars:
- This option saves the strength and time of the newly made mom.
- The product has passed all checks, tests and is completely safe for crumbs.
- The combination with other nutrients, such as cereals, vegetables is a clear advantage in favor of canned food.
- The banks always indicate the age at which this or that meal should be included in the diet.
Cons of ready-made food from the store:
- High price.
- During feeding, most of the product is not used and disappears, because it cannot be left until the next time.
- Judging by the reviews, the kids are not too fond of canned goods. They like home food more.
- A small number of varieties of meat and fish dishes.
Obviously, the ideal combination for a child is a competent combination of specialized food and homemade delicacies prepared with care by a loving mother.