The first three months passed completely unnoticed. Your darling is almost 4 months old, and the question already arises: is it time to diversify his diet? If yes, then how to introduce complementary foods at 4 months, what exactly should you start giving your baby and in what sequence? That's what we’ll talk about today. But these will not be hard recommendations, but the most optimal options.
Is the baby ready for feeding ?
4 months is the age when the introduction of new food into the baby’s diet is justified. He is considered ready for such innovations if:
- the child is already 4 months old (for preterm infants, the gestational age is taken as the basis);
- the baby’s weight has doubled at the moment (a coefficient of 2.5 is used for premature babies);
- the ejecting reflex of the tongue is completely absent, that is, the baby no longer spills water on his chin when he is watered from a spoon (it is necessary to feed a child from a spoon, since food should be processed with saliva);
- the child is already sitting and can reach for a spoon if the food is pleasant and, on the contrary, deviate if the dish did not taste;
- it is no longer saturated with the usual food: with artificial feeding, the baby does not have enough 1 liter per day, and with breastfeeding, the baby is applied to both breasts during feeding, but remains hungry;
- can hold objects by clamping them in a cam;
- He is interested in what lies on his mother’s plate and tries to try it “by the tooth” (as a rule, the first tooth is already erupting at this time).
It is not necessary that all signs appear simultaneously. On average, they manifest themselves between 5 and 9 months of a baby's life. But again, everything is purely individual. For example, even in twins, signs of readiness for the introduction of complementary foods are very rarely observed in the same period. For some children, pediatricians postpone the introduction of complementary foods due to medical indicators.
Is the child physiologically ready for new food?
4 months is the stage when the baby’s digestive system becomes more perfect. The stomach begins to produce hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes are activated. The structure of the intestine undergoes changes: its walls cease to pass large molecules. The reflex characteristic of children of an earlier age, when the baby pushes with his tongue a more dense food than breast milk or a mixture, disappears. It is gradually being replaced by chewing movements.
But all these changes require time, and each child has a purely individual time period. Therefore, many experts believe that it is most advisable to introduce complementary foods at 5 months. This is exactly the period when the child’s body is ready to change the usual diet.
8 basic rules for introducing complementary foods
When expanding the diet of the child, the basic rules must be observed:
- Before introducing a product, consult a pediatrician;
- the introduction of a new dish is allowed 1 time within 21 days;
- feed your baby exclusively from a spoon;
- always start accustoming to a new taste with the minimum norm - 1 teaspoon per day, daily increase the norm by 1 teaspoon, reaching a serving of 150 grams (this usually takes 1 week);
- Do not rush with the simultaneous introduction of several products;
- carefully monitor the condition of the baby and, at the slightest sign of digestive upset, cancel the dish;
- do not offer the child unfamiliar food if he is unwell or has been given a routine vaccination;
- feed the baby before applying to the breast.
Where to start complementary foods?
So, the baby is 4 months old. To determine what kind of complementary foods to introduce first, you should pay attention to its physiological parameters. An overweight child can use mashed vegetables as a first course. They should be the first lure that an overweight baby will receive.
4 months is the time when children are prone to either constipation or intestinal upsets. If the baby’s stool is not completely stable or the child is underweight, then complementary foods should start with cereals.
Rules for the introduction of new food
Quite often, you can hear the following phrase from young mothers: "A 4-month-old child is over, complementary feeding recommended by a pediatrician. Why?" Let's see what lies behind the term “complementary foods.” In fact, this is a substitute nutrition for the child. New types of food introduced into the daily diet help replace mother's milk, which can no longer fully provide the baby with all the substances necessary for the full development.
We introduce complementary foods at 4 months very carefully. If the child is unwell or a routine vaccination has been made, then this is not the best time to change the usual diet.
Let me remind you, the conversation is on the topic: "How to properly introduce complementary foods at 4 months." Therefore, it will be most advisable to give a new type of food before breastfeeding. The explanation for this is quite simple: a hungry baby is most likely to swallow at least a little of this unusual dish.
The introduction of new food should begin with a small teaspoon. Then gradually over a period of 14 days the total volume is adjusted to 150 grams, but this figure depends on the weight of the baby. On this day, you should especially carefully monitor the general condition of the child, as an allergic reaction or other troubles may occur.
What foods does a 4 month old baby consist of?
Commencement of complementary foods at 4 months - vegetable puree. This is due to the fact that vegetables contain a significant amount of nutrients that are most fully absorbed by the children's body.
The first lure at 4 months is best to start with mashed cauliflower, pumpkin, squash or mashed potatoes. This group of vegetables is the safest in terms of allergic reactions.
Children are extremely difficult to get used to a new kind of food, so unlike breast milk. Therefore, do not despair if the baby spits out mashed vegetables, over time, he will still get used to this new taste. Also, do not immediately enter several types. The child should get used to each new type of vegetable gradually.
You can alternate mashed fruits and vegetables, but this option is allowed if juices are already present in the baby's diet. Fruit purees are always sweet, and there is a danger that the child will refuse quite fresh vegetable foods.
Proper feeding at 4 months should start with applesauce, as apples practically do not cause allergies.
Cooking mashed potatoes yourself
Mashed potatoes can be bought ready-made, or you can cook yourself. To do this, wash the vegetable thoroughly, peel it and cook in a small amount of liquid for 15 minutes. When it is completely ready, mash it with a fork or blender. To get the necessary consistency, you should add a little vegetable broth.
When the child gets used to this one-component puree, you can start adding one drop of vegetable oil.
Introducing porridge into the daily menu
You can start introducing cereals into the child’s diet only after the baby begins to eat vegetable puree with pleasure. It usually takes at least three weeks to get used to the new dish. But if the child is gaining weight poorly, often spits up after eating or has problems with stools, then it is the porridge that is introduced first. Introduction to the diet of a small child porridge is a very important stage. They are a valuable source of carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and vegetable protein. How to introduce complementary foods in 4 months with cereals?
Order of Introduction
The first complementary foods at 4 months begin with cereals, which are classified as gluten-free. Gluten (or gluten in another way) is a vegetable protein, the digestion of which gives babies at this age a lot of inconvenience. Usually this is increased gas formation, bloating and intestinal colic. The baby’s intestines are not yet producing enough peptidase enzymes necessary for the full digestion of gluten. Coming up with porridge at 4 months begins with dishes prepared from rice, buckwheat or corn.
Rice contains a very small amount of vegetable protein, so the child’s body simply digests rice porridge. It is especially suitable for children who have unstable stools. But if the child suffers from constipation, then in this case it is better to start cereal foods with buckwheat. This is due to the fact that buckwheat contains a fairly large amount of fiber, which perfectly stimulates the digestion process. Buckwheat also includes mineral salts and a lot of iron. This makes it very useful for babies suffering from iron deficiency anemia.
Corn porridge has a less useful composition than buckwheat. But perfectly suited to diversify the kid’s menu. It is also rich in natural fiber, so it has a beneficial effect on digestion.
The first cereals of the child must be mono-cereal, that is, consisting of a certain type of cereal. During this period, the use of any additives is not recommended.
The principle of the introduction of cereal food
Porridge in the baby’s menu is entered according to the same rules as mashed vegetables. To make it easier for a child to get used to a new product and an unusual consistency of porridge, at first it is prepared in the following proportion: 5 grams of cereal per 100 ml of water. This is 5% porridge. The first cereals are always cooked on the water.
For the first feeding you will need only one teaspoon of such porridge. Then gradually by 7-10 days the total volume of the dish is brought up to 150 grams per feeding. If during this time no unusual manifestations were observed, there was no allergic reaction and the baby’s stool also did not change, then you can start feeding the child 10% porridge from the same cereal: 10 grams of cereal per 100 ml of liquid. The child will receive a thicker dish. The next week is completely devoted to getting used to such a dish, and only then you can begin to give the child a new type of 10% porridge or the next type of food.
Feeding baby porridge is best during breakfast. After feeding at the initial stage, the baby should be given breasts. If the baby is breast-fed, then the following condition must be met: the portion of the mixture received by the baby after the porridge must be in such an amount that together they make up a volume of 200 ml. This rule is observed subject to five times the baby.
Nutrient supplementation at 4 months (the table is slightly lower) is introduced according to a certain scheme. The table clearly shows an example of how to introduce cereal complementary foods by day:
| 1st day | 5 grams |
| 2nd day | 10 grams |
| 3rd day | 15 grams |
| 4th day | 20 grams |
| 5th day | 50 grams |
| 6th day | 100g |
| 7th day | 150 grams |
1 teaspoon = 5 grams.
What are the types of cereal foods?
Porridge can be of the following types:
- cooked independently (this will require either cereal flour, intended for baby food, or crushed grits with a coffee grinder);
- instant, that is, not needing to cook porridge;
- fully prepared canned cereals in glass jars (such canned foods contain fruits or vegetables, can be both dairy and dairy-free).
Cooking porridge yourself
First, you should carefully sort through the cereals, and then rinse in running water. When it dries to the level of flowability, it is crushed using a conventional coffee grinder. Remember to rinse the appliance thoroughly beforehand!
Then ground grits are poured with cold water. This option is suitable for making rice or buckwheat porridge. If you plan to cook oatmeal or semolina, the product is poured into boiling water. During cooking, porridge is constantly stirred to prevent lumps from forming. Particularly carefully monitor the semolina.
To make the dish more tasty, as well as to slightly increase its nutritional properties, you can add a little expressed milk or milk mixture, which is used for feeding. Then the porridge is laid out on a plate and cooled, after which you can start feeding.
In the porridge cooked on their own, during the third week (the stage of completely getting used to the dish), you can add butter. Start with 1 gram of product and gradually bring to 4 grams.
Instant porridge
Such cereals, unlike homemade cereals, are instant, that is, they do not require additional cooking. In order to prepare such a dish, you will need to make a minimum of effort: you just need to pour the required amount of dry powder with warm boiled water or a milk mixture (milk) and mix thoroughly. Product rates are indicated directly on the package itself.
For the manufacture of factory cereals, high-quality raw materials are used. In addition, they have a completely balanced composition, including proteins, carbohydrates and fats in exactly the amount necessary for a child at this age. Additionally, cereals are enriched with mineral salts and vitamins. They do not need to add salt, nor sugar, nor butter.
The range of industrial cereals is very diverse. It contains cereals from cereals difficult to cook, such as corn, rye and barley. Manufacturers also offer dishes consisting of several types of cereals.
We hope that you have received an exhaustive answer to your question about how to correctly introduce complementary foods in 4 months. Grow healthy!