For the infant, the best food is its mother’s milk, or, in extreme cases, the milk mixture. The child simply will not be able to digest something else the first time. However, over time, milk becomes small for the child’s body, which means that it is time to introduce complementary foods.
Every young mother is tormented by the timing of the introduction of complementary foods. For a long time, it was believed that already at the age of one month, fruit juices can and should be introduced into food. However, today most experts believe that at this age the baby’s body is not yet sufficiently developed, which means that the introduction of complementary foods at this age is premature.
The baby’s gastrointestinal tract only after four months of age begins to prepare for a meal other than mother’s milk or milk formula. It is logical to assume that it is not worth introducing new products before this deadline. However, there is no consensus on the timing and can not be, because all children are different and developmental features also matter. So, the introduction of complementary foods with artificial feeding is recommended to start early, at about 4 months, while it makes sense for a baby breast-feeding to wait a bit.
How to understand that a child is ready for new food? Some are of the opinion that the appearance of the first teeth testifies to this. This opinion is not meaningless, but do not follow it too strictly, in some children, teeth appear only by 12 months. But you can’t wait for so long, it can affect the health of the child.
Proponents of natural development believe that the child himself will "tell" parents when the introduction of complementary foods will be timely. In their opinion, at this time the child develops a food interest: he begins to observe how adults eat, trying to try food from his mother’s plate. There is a certain logic in this.
It is best to consult a pediatrician who constantly watches the baby. He knows all the features of development and can tell not only the time of the introduction of complementary foods, but also the product from which to start.
As mentioned above, for a long time, the introduction of complementary foods began with fruit juices. However, for a number of reasons this is not very practical. First of all, because there is a high risk of an allergic reaction. At the moment, it is believed that it is better to start complementary foods with vegetable purees, best with zucchini, or dairy-free cereals.
How to introduce complementary foods infants? There are several rules that must be followed.
First of all, do not forget that during the introduction of complementary foods, breast milk or a mixture is the main nutrition of the baby. That is why complementary foods are given before breastfeeding. And, even if it seems that the child is full, it must be applied to the chest so that lactation does not decrease.
You can not enter several products at once, the first dish of the baby should consist of just one. A new product is introduced gradually, starting with half a teaspoon. Then during the week the amount increases to a suitable age (age in months multiplied by 10 in ml). The next product can be offered only after two weeks, when the child’s body gets used to it.
It is necessary to keep a food diary in which they record when and how a new product was introduced. This helps track changes in a child’s condition. In the event that a negative reaction has occurred to a product: rash, irritation, bloating, etc. it is necessary to temporarily abandon it.
The first meal should be homogeneous and sufficiently fluid. Then the density gradually increases, and over time, solid products are introduced. New food is given to the child from a spoon, even if it is completely liquid.
And, of course, you can’t introduce complementary foods if the child is sick or weakened after an illness.
Thus, the introduction of complementary foods is not such a difficult thing as it might seem initially, but it is very, very important, because the harmonious development of the child directly depends on proper nutrition.