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Baby's first foods: How to introduce solids to your baby

Babies are typically ready to start solids between 4 and 6 months, as long as they're showing signs of readiness, such as being able to sit upright with good head control. Talk to your baby's doctor about which foods to introduce first, particularly if you're concerned about a risk for an allergy. In general, infant cereal and pureed, one-ingredient veggies, fruits, and meats are great first foods. Try spoon-feeding or baby-led weaning, and keep up the breast milk or formula until your baby's first birthday.

When do babies start eating baby food?

It depends. As long as your baby shows signs of readiness, your pediatrician will probably give you the go-ahead to start baby food (also called solid food or solids) any time between 4 and 6 months.

Until then, breast milk or formula provides all the calories and nourishment your baby needs. Infants don't yet have the physical skills to swallow solid foods safely, and their digestive system isn't ready for solids until they're at least 4 months old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of your baby's life and introducing solids at 6 months old. The AAP advises breastfeeding until age 1 – and longer if you and your baby want to.

Signs your baby is ready for solids

Your baby will give you clear signs when they're ready. Look for:

  • Head control. Your baby needs to be able to keep their head in a steady, upright position.
  • Sitting well when supported. Your baby needs to be able to sit upright in a baby seat or highchair to swallow well.
  • Losing the "extrusion reflex." Your baby's mouth and tongue develop in sync with their digestive system. To start solids, they should be able to move food to the back of their mouth and swallow it, instead of using their tongue to push food out of their mouth.
  • Curiosity about food. Your baby may start showing interest in what you're eating, reaching for your food or even opening their mouth if you offer them a spoonful.

Starting solids by 6 months old is important for your baby's oral motor development (the use of their lips, tongue, jaw, teeth, and hard and soft palates). Also, solid foods can provide specific nutrients your baby needs, such as iron and zinc. (These are especially important if your baby has been exclusively breastfed.)

What are the best first baby foods?

Start your baby with any pureed, single-ingredient food. Although it used to be standard for parents to give rice cereal as a first food, that's not necessary. In fact, pediatricians often don't recommend baby rice cereal since it can contain inorganic arsenic, and it's not as nutritious as some other first foods.

Good first baby foods include

  • pureed squash
  • applesauce
  • mashed bananas
  • mashed avocado
  • pureed peaches
  • pureed pears
  • pureed meats
  • whole-grain, iron-enriched baby cereal such as oatmeal

If your baby is breastfed, the AAP suggests meat as a first food because the iron in beef, chicken, and turkey helps to replace iron stores, which start to diminish at about 6 months of age.

How to introduce solids to your baby

The traditional way to start solids is by spoon-feeding your baby cereal or purees, but some parents use a different method called baby-led weaning. Using this method, you put chunks of soft, developmentally appropriate food on the highchair tray or table and let your baby grab the food and feed themself.

Here's how to start spoon-feeding your baby:

For your first few feedings, start with just 1 or 2 teaspoons of pureed solid food or baby cereal about an hour after nursing or bottle-feeding (so your baby isn't too hungry or full).

Use a soft-tipped plastic spoon to feed your baby to avoid injuring their gums. Put a small amount of food on the tip of the spoon and offer it to them. If your baby doesn't seem very interested, just let them smell the food for now and try again another time.

If you're feeding your baby ready-to-eat jars or pouches of baby food, put some into a small dish and feed them from that. (If you dip the feeding spoon into the jar, it's not a good idea to save the leftovers because bacteria from your baby's mouth will now be in the jar. ) Store leftovers in the fridge and throw away any opened baby food jars or pouches within a day or two of opening them.

If you decide to start with cereal, give your baby 1 to 2 teaspoons of diluted infant cereal. Add breast milk or formula to a tiny pinch of cereal. It will be very runny at first, but as your baby starts to eat more solid foods, you can gradually thicken the consistency by using less liquid.

Begin with one daily feeding in the morning whenever your baby isn't too tired, hungry, or cranky. Your baby may not eat much at first, but give them time to get used to the experience. Don't be surprised if your baby is confused or rejects solid food at first. Some babies need practice keeping food in their mouths and swallowing.

Eventually you can start giving your baby more solid food until they're having a few tablespoons a day, over two feedings. In general, your baby could start with pureed or semi-liquid food, then move on to strained or mashed food, and finally graduate to small pieces of finger foods.

Signs that your baby is full

Your baby's appetite will vary from one feeding to the next, so a strict accounting of how much they've eaten isn't a reliable way to tell when they've had enough. Look for these signs that your baby's probably done:

  • They lean back in their chair
  • They turn their head away from food
  • They start playing with the spoon
  • They refuse to open up for the next bite (Sometimes a baby will keep their mouth closed because they haven't finished the first mouthful, so give them time to swallow.)

Food allergies and introducing solids

Experts recommend that you introduce one food at a time to your baby, and wait 3 to 5 days before introducing another food, so you can watch for any allergic reactions. It's also a good idea to write down the foods your baby samples. If they have an adverse reaction, a food log will make it easier to pinpoint the cause.

You don't have to hold off on giving allergenic foods such as eggs, peanut butter, or soy. There's no evidence that waiting to introduce certain foods will help your baby avoid allergies. In fact, there's evidence that the opposite is true.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), incorporating commonly allergenic foods into your baby's diet starting at around 4 to 6 months (and continuing through childhood) may actually help prevent the development of food allergies.

Start with traditional first foods, such as iron-fortified infant cereal, pureed veggies, fruits, and meats. Once you've tried a few of these foods and your baby seems to be tolerating them well, you can introduce more commonly allergenic foods, such as soy, eggs, wheat, fish, and peanut products.

Food manufacturers have products on the market designed to help you incorporate commonly allergenic foods into your child's diet. These stir-in powders and finger foods may contain one commonly allergenic protein or a blend of several.

Special precautions need to be taken with certain babies. If your child falls into any of the following categories, consult with your baby's doctor or an allergist to create a customized feeding plan before adding solids to your baby's diet:

  • Your baby has a sibling with a peanut allergy.
  • Your baby has moderate to severe eczema despite following a doctor's treatment plan.
  • Your baby previously had an immediate allergic reaction to a new food or has been diagnosed with a food allergy.

If your baby is allergic to a new food, you'll see signs of a reaction within a few minutes or hours. Most children with food allergies have mild reactions. If you notice a few hives, a new rash, or diarrhea, call your baby's doctor for advice.

If you notice wheezing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, facial swelling (including the tongue and lips), or more than two body systems affected (such as hives and vomiting), your baby may be having a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Baby food feeding tips

  • Offer fruits or vegetables in any order. Some parents may tell you to start with vegetables instead of fruits so your infant won't develop a taste for sweets. But babies are born with a preference for sweets, so you don't have to worry about introducing sweet or savory foods in any particular order.
  • Feed cereal with a spoon only. Unless your baby's doctor asks you to, don't add cereal to a bottle – your baby could choke or end up gaining too much weight.
  • Encourage adventurous eating. You don't have to stick with bland and boring. See how to make your own baby food and use spices and seasonings to create delicious baby food flavors.
  • Give new foods time. If your baby turns away from a particular food, don't push. Try again in a few days.
  • Check for added sugars and too much salt. Check the Nutrition Facts label on canned, frozen, or packaged foods for "Added Sugars. " If there's 1 gram or more listed, give your baby something else. Also look at sodium amounts. Babies shouldn't have no more than 1,200 mg of sodium per day.
  • Avoid unsafe foods. Don't give your baby foods that could cause choking, such as whole grapes or popcorn. Babies under 1 can't have honey, cow's milk, or soy milk. Also, unpasteurized juices and undercooked fish, meat, eggs, or poultry could be a source of bacteria.
  • Watch for constipation. Your baby's poop sometimes changes when their diet does. Although it's usually temporary, your baby may have constipation after you introduce solids. If you notice that your baby is having less frequent bowel movements, or that their stools have become hard or dry and seem difficult to pass, let their doctor know. Some doctors recommend adding high-fiber fruits such as pears, prunes, and peaches to a baby's diet, or giving a few ounces of prune, apple, or pear juice every day until bowel movements are back to normal.

Also, don't be surprised if your baby's poop changes color and odor when you add solids to their diet. If your baby has been exclusively breastfed up to this point, you'll probably notice a strong odor to their formerly mild-smelling stools as soon as they start eating even tiny amounts of solids. This is normal.

If your baby shies away from new foods, here are a few things you can try:

  • Test a range of textures. If your baby doesn't like pear puree, try giving them pieces of very ripe pear instead.
  • In a similar vein, try different cooking methods. If your baby doesn't like steamed veggies, try giving them roasted vegetables.
  • Serve food at different temperatures. Some babies prefer broccoli cold rather than warm, for example.
  • Combine the new food with a familiar favorite. If your baby rejects a new food on its own, mix it in with something you know they like.
  • Add a dipping sauce! Try shredded chicken with applesauce, yogurt with baked apple slices, or hummus with well-cooked pieces of carrot.
  • Above all, be patient. Sometimes it takes a while for a baby to get used to new flavors and textures, so keep trying and eventually they'll accept the new food.

How many times a day should my baby eat solids?

At first your baby will eat solid food just once a day. By around 6 to 7 months, two meals a day is the norm. Starting around 8 to 9 months, they may be eating solid food three times a day plus a snack. A typical day's diet at 8 months might include a combination of:

  • Breast milk or iron-fortified formula
  • Iron-fortified cereal
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Small amounts of protein, such as eggs, cheese, yogurt, poultry, lentils, tofu, and meat
  • High-allergy foods, if appropriate

See our age-by-age baby feeding guide for more detail on how much to feed your baby and when.

How much breast milk or formula does my baby need after we introduce solids?

Even after your baby starts solids, breast milk or formula will provide the majority of their calories and nutrition until they're 9 months to 1 year old. Breast milk and formula contain important vitamins, iron, and protein in a form that's easy to digest.

You may notice that as your baby starts to eat more solid foods (around 9 months old), they'll gradually decrease their intake of formula or breast milk. This is normal. Over time, your baby will take fewer bottles with more ounces in each.

Here's how much breast milk or formula babies need after starting solids:

  • 4 to 6 months old: 4 to 6 feedings a day (breastfeeding, or bottles with 4 to 6 ounces)
  • 6 to 8 months old: 3 to 5 feedings a day (breastfeeding, or bottles with 6 to 8 ounces)
  • 8 to 12 months old: 3 to 4 feedings a day (breastfeeding, or bottles with 7 to 8 ounces)

What equipment do I need to introduce solids?

It's helpful to have:

  • A highchair
  • Baby bowls and plates
  • Baby spoons
  • Bibs
  • A splat mat on the floor

You may also want to introduce your baby to a sippy cup soon after you start solids.

If you're making your own baby food, you'll need:

  • A tool to puree the food, like a blender, food processor, or baby food maker

Storage containers for refrigerating and freezing extra portions (Some parents use ice cube trays – or similar devices made just for baby food – to store and freeze individual portions.)

Age-by-age guide to feeding your toddler

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Your growing toddler can enjoy a wide range of foods. Expect your little one to have about 2 cups of milk or yogurt, 3 ounces of whole grains, 1 cup each of fruit and vegetables, and 2 ounces of protein a day. Help your toddler eat well by offering healthy foods including dairy products, iron-fortified cereals, whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and protein. Limit added sugars and watch out for choking hazards. It's fine to give your toddler a vegan or vegetarian diet as long as you make sure to include enough essential nutrients.

Photo credit: Thinkstock

Use this guide to find out what and how much to feed your toddler. Don't worry if your child eats more or less than the amounts suggested – they're meant as general guidelines.

Your toddler may actually seem to eat less than before, and that's perfectly normal at this stage. If you wonder whether your child is getting enough calories, follow this guideline: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children get about 40 calories a day for every inch of height.

(See our article about what to feed children younger 12 months.)

What to feed a 1-year-old

Developmental milestones

  • Can use a spoon (though proficiency will take a while!)

What to feed

  • Whole milk
  • Other dairy products (soft pasteurized cheese, full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese)
  • Iron-fortified cereals (oats, barley, wheat, mixed cereals)
  • Other grains (whole wheat bread, pasta, rice)
  • Fruits (melon, papaya, apricot, grapefruit)
  • Vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower "trees," cooked until soft)
  • Protein (eggs, beans, thinly spread peanut butter, small pieces of meat, poultry, boneless fish, or tofu)
  • Honey

How much per day

  • 2 cups milk, or 2 cups yogurt, or 1 1/2 to 2 ounces cheese
  • 3 ounces grains, at least half whole grains (1 ounce = 1 cup cold cereal, 1/2 cup pasta or rice, one slice of bread)
  • 1 cup fruit (fresh, frozen, or canned. Cut fresh fruits into very small pieces.)
  • 1 cup vegetables (a variety cut in small pieces and cooked well)
  • 2 ounces protein (1 ounce = one slice of sandwich meat, about 1/3 of a chicken breast, 1/4 can of tuna, 1/4 cup cooked dry beans, or one egg)

Feeding tips

  • Experts used to say you shouldn't give a young child eggs, fish, or peanut products because the child might develop a food allergy. But the latest research from the American Academy of Pediatrics found no evidence to support this claim. Talk to your child's doctor if you have a family history of food allergies.
  • Limit added sugars. Toddlers' added-sugar intake should be no more than 10 percent of their total daily calories. Keep in mind that these sugars and syrups creep into common foods toddlers love, from breakfast bars to mac n' cheese to flavored drinks. Check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods, and try to steer clear of foods that list 1 gram or more of "Added Sugars. "
  • Choking is still a danger. Learn more about which foods pose the greatest hazard.

What to feed a 2-year-old

Developmental milestones

  • Self-feeding
  • Eagerness to make own food choices

What to feed

  • Low-fat milk (It's okay to switch to low-fat or nonfat milk once your child is older than 2, but check with your child's doctor if you have questions.)
  • Other dairy products (diced or grated cheese, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding)
  • Iron-fortified cereals (oats, barley, wheat, mixed cereals)
  • Other grains (whole wheat bread and crackers, bagel pieces, pretzels, ready-to-eat cereal, pasta, rice)
  • Fruits (sliced fresh or canned)
  • Dried fruit, soaked until soft to prevent choking (apples, apricots, peaches, pears, dates, pitted prunes)
  • Vegetables (a variety cut in small pieces and cooked well)
  • Protein (eggs, beans, thinly spread peanut butter, small pieces of meat, poultry, boneless fish, or tofu)
  • Combo foods like macaroni and cheese, casseroles

How much per day

  • 2 cups milk, or 2 cups yogurt, or 1 1/2 to 2 ounces cheese
  • 3 ounces grains, at least half whole grains (1 ounce = one slice of bread, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, cooked whole wheat pasta, or cooked oatmeal)
  • 1 cup fruit (fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. Cut fresh fruits into very small pieces.)
  • 1 cup vegetables (a variety cut in small pieces and cooked well)
  • 2 ounces protein (1 ounce = 1/4 cup cooked dry beans or peas, one egg, 1 ounce of meat, poultry, or fish)

Feeding tips

  • Experts used to say you shouldn't give a young child eggs, fish, or peanut products because the child might develop a food allergy. But the latest research from the American Academy of Pediatrics found no evidence to support this claim. Talk to your child's doctor if you have a family history of food allergies.
  • Limit added sugars. Toddlers' added-sugar intake should be no more than 10 percent of their total daily calories. Keep in mind that these sugars and syrups creep into common foods toddlers love, from breakfast bars to mac n' cheese to flavored drinks. Check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods, and try to steer clear of foods that list 1 gram or more of "Added Sugars."
  • At this age, children can have strong opinions about food. Let your child have a say in what to eat, while you provide the balance, boundaries, and encouragement to make healthy choices.
  • Choking is still a danger. Learn more about which foods pose the greatest hazard.

What if we're vegetarians?

If you're a vegan or vegetarian, you can still provide your infant or toddler with everything she needs. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Academy of Pediatrics agree that well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets are fine for infants and toddlers. Just pay attention to make sure your child gets plenty of the following nutrients:

  • Vitamin B12: Vegetarians can get this nutrient from milk products and eggs. Vegans can use fortified soy beverages, cereals, and meat substitutes.
  • Vitamin D: Breastfed babies should get an additional 400 IU per day from fortified cow's milk or soy milk.
  • Calcium: Vegan babies may need calcium-fortified foods, beverages, or supplements. Check with your doctor or a dietitian.
  • Zinc: This important nutrient helps the immune system and can be found in beans, fortified cereal, milk, and wheat germ.
  • Iron: You can find this mineral in iron-fortified cereal or supplements. Serve with foods high in vitamin C – like oranges, tomatoes, and strawberries – to improve iron absorption.
  • Protein: Vegetarians can get added protein from yogurt and eggs. Vegans can get plant proteins from beans, cereals, and fortified soy milk.
  • Fiber: Good sources of fiber include whole grain breads, fortified cereals and pastas, and high-fat plant foods like sunflower butter and avocados.

Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

AAP. 2016. Serving Sizes for Toddlers. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Serving-Sizes-for-Toddlers.aspx [Accessed April 2021]

AAP. 2017. Feeding and Nutrition Tips: Your 2-Year-Old. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Feeding-and-Nutrition-Your-Two-Year-Old.aspx [Accessed April 2021]

USDA. MyPlate. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.myplate.gov/life-stages/toddlers [Accessed April 2021]

USDA and DHHS. 2020. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://DietaryGuidelines.gov [Accessed April 2021]

Karisa Ding

Karisa Ding is a freelance health writer and editor with expertise in preconception, pregnancy, and parenting content. A mother of two, Ding finds great joy in supporting new and expectant parents by providing information they need for the life-changing journey ahead. Ding lives in San Francisco with her family.

Child at 1 year 3 months - development, mode

After reading the article, you will learn how the little one develops, what he already knows and how to make a children's menu.

Content:

  1. Child development 1 year 3 months
  2. We make a menu for a child 1 year 3 months

If you compare the development of a child 1 year 3 months with a newborn baby, it becomes clear what a long way you have already come. The baby knows his name, talks a little himself, walks, crawls, knows how to perform simple actions and fully understands you.

Teachers say that the development of a child at 1 year 3 months is still aimed at deepening, consolidating and expanding previously acquired skills. Especially quickly develops independent walking. The baby learns to run, and can run quite a long distance. Tries to step over obstacles, begins to understand the location of things and objects in space.

A small toddler resembles a bunch of bright, radiant energy. He is always on the move, he wants to get everywhere, he is afraid not to be in time, and he loves you, his parents, very much. Although, she still cries and takes offense at your even fair remarks and prohibitions.

On average, the height of a child at 1 year 3 months is 73-78 cm (girls) and 74-79 cm (boys).

The weight of a child at 1 year 3 months is 10.00-10.7 kilograms.

Head circumference within 46-47 cm. They believe that everything is normal in a child at 1 year and 3 months if:

  • He walks on a flat surface by himself, and on stairs with support
  • Good crawling up and down stairs
  • Learns to get off high furniture by himself
  • Moves around the house by himself, alternating between walking and crawling
  • Can fit on a sofa, bed, armchair
  • Sits firmly on chair
  • Throws, kicks and rolls the ball
  • Knows how to use several household items: comb, cup, spoon
  • Continues to explore drawers and cabinets
  • Helps you get dressed

The norm in emotional and mental development consists of the following skills:

  • Demonstrates excitement and joy from walking
  • Hugs and kisses loved ones, favorite toys
  • Shows signs of resentment and independence when prohibited
  • Recognizes close people not only by face, but also by name
  • Can fulfill simple requests
  • Interested in organizing objects and toys
  • Plays with blocks and likes to take them out of the box and then put them back together
  • Plays with ordinary things, not toys
  • Accompanies games with conversation
  • Learn to draw with finger paints or pencils

    • Remember!

    Experts recommend playing sports with a child 1 year 3 months mostly outdoors.

    Moreover, the baby should take an active part in them: load the truck with pebbles, throw and kick the ball, walk on the grass or collect sand in a bucket. All this allows the child to get to know the world around.

    Nutrition planning for a 1-year-old and 3-month-old child raises a lot of questions, because the most general recommendations are usually given in the literature.

    General questions also need to be studied, this is indisputable, but specifics are needed no less! Especially when planning a long-term menu (at least for a week), with the help of which you can additionally distribute all the necessary healthy foods in the child’s diet and specify the amount of sweets.

    Remember!

    The nutrition of the little one is gradually expanding, more and more products are being added to it.

    At the same time, the degree of food grinding decreases - the baby must learn to chew everything on his own.

    Be sure to remember which foods to give your child every day and which to give every other day or two.

    So every day give the baby cereals, bread, milk and dairy products, various vegetables and fruits.

    The baby should receive meat about 3 times a week, liver once, fish twice.

    Distribute the baby's receipt of eggs and cottage cheese. The egg can be alternated every other day with the liver. And cottage cheese must be included 2-3 times a week.

    If it is not possible to cook what you planned earlier, replace the missing products with equivalent ones in terms of digestibility, calorie content and nutritional value.

    Children's nutritionists advise:

    • In the morning, cook porridge, cottage cheese, vegetables, fish for the baby, and then you can offer the baby tea, milk or fruit drink
    • Lunch must be complete, consisting of three courses: liquid soup, meat or fish with a side dish and dessert.
    • A little later it will be possible to offer salads to the baby before the main course.
    • In the afternoon, offer fermented milk products.

    Remember!

    In general, dinner should have the same calories as breakfast.

    Plan most of your daily protein intake for the first part of the day.

    One of the dishes in any meal should be hot.

    You might like a sample menu for a week for a child of 1 year and 3 months:

    • Monday

    Breakfast - porridge, bread with butter, tea

    For lunch - soup, rice and meatballs, bread, compote

    Snack - baked apple, 2 cookies, kefir milk

    • Tuesday

    - Porridge, bread with cheese, tea with milk

    - Salad, vegetable soup, mashed potatoes, cutlet, bread, compote

    - Banana and cottage cheese0003

    • Wednesday

    - Mashed potatoes, boiled egg (half), bread, juice

    - Salad, soup, meat puree and porridge, bread, jelly

    - Cottage cheese casserole, with milk , kefirchik

    • Thursday

    - Porridge, bread with cheese, tea or cocoa (if not allergic) with milk

    - Salad, boiled fish with vegetable puree, bread, compote

    - Cottage cheese with peach

    - Potato casserole, bread, seagulls

    • Friday

    -dairy soup, bread with butter, tea

    -salad, borsch, boiled chicken with rice, bread, jelly

    -banana and milk with cookie

    -porridge, tea

    • Saturday

    - Cheesecakes, bread and butter, tea.

    - Salad, pickle, cutlet, vegetable stew, bread, compote

    - Peach with cottage cheese

    - Porridge with milk, bread with jam, tea

    • Sunday

    - Porridge, bread with cheese, kefir

    - Salad, soup, boiled egg with mashed potatoes, compote, bread

    - Pear, bun, kefir proposed order You only need to make your own amendments.

    So you can individually for your child:

    • change all breakfast items by day
    • for salad use seasonal vegetables
    • the same applies to the proposed fruit
    • use all types of cereals to prepare porridges

    Do not forget about bread: offer white and black bread.

    In addition to the main moments of feeding, the baby can be given rosehip juice or decoction in the morning, for example, at 10 o'clock before a walk. This will help work up an appetite and enrich the child's body with useful vitamins.

    But snacks are also necessary for the baby, but in the form of an apple or a dry cookie.

    Remember!

    Do not force the little one to eat "by force", such feeding will not bring any benefit!

    Plan your baby's diet and then he will grow up healthy and strong!

    Do you want to see how it happens in real life?

    Special baby food

    Baby food special


    Meals for children has its own characteristics and complexities.
    When planning a child's diet, consider certain features of the child's body.
    Child growth

    The main difference between baby food is the growth of the child's body. That is, a baby needs more protein than an adult. Knowing about it many adults make the mistake of focusing on creating a high protein diet, although even the usual protein food consumed by adults contains


    more protein than breast milk.


    High mobility

    Another feature of baby food is that children are very mobile in different from adults. Greater mobility of the child's body contributes to exchange normalization. If children are forcibly restricted in their movements, this provokes insufficient secretion of growth hormones, diseases, and as a result - developmental delay.


    Consumption of sweets

    Due to the high metabolic rate, children, unlike adults, are able to absorb significantly more sweets without much harm to themselves. However, they should not be encouraged to do so. Although sweet foods are natural origin are very beneficial for the child.

    About cholesterol
    In addition, children are much more active than adults. use cholesterol. It is very important for health, is the main component of the membrane, which surrounds cells throughout the body. And the child grows, and he forms a lot new cells.
    An important nuance is the fat cells that make up the "fat" according to most are formed during the first years of life. Subsequently they grow and grow in size. Therefore, what it looks like an adult is largely associated with nutrition in childhood.
    Regulatory Excellence mechanisms

    The most important feature baby food . Regulatory mechanisms in the child's body controlling the inflow and outflow of energy, function perfectly. His The body knows exactly what food and in what quantities it needs. However, if there is an abundance of deliciously cooked (with spices, fried, fatty and etc.) and sweet dishes, the appetite will be coordinated by the tongue, and not by the physiological need.


    This level of regulation remains until the age of 14-17. Further it is preserved under the condition that a person leads a healthy lifestyle.

    A number of general rules can be identified - recommendations to which it makes sense to listen in order to provide the child with the right diet.

    1 baby food rule - diet

    Proper nutrition of a child presupposes the absence of strict dietary compliance.


    What kind of lunch if you need to launch a rocket or put a doll to bed sleep? Such matters are as important for a child as love is for an adult, interesting work, rest. Children are tiny but full-fledged people who are still in need of care.


    In addition, when there is no feeling of hunger, then eat the body is not yet ready to eat, eat without pleasure, therefore food won't go well. When hungry, the baby will ask for it. And there is no problem in that the child ate instead of three, two or five times a day. If food normal and do not use violence against the child, then there will be neither malnutrition nor overeating.

    Baby food rule 2 - non-violence In most cases, the child is persuaded to "eat for dad, grandfather, mother, etc. ", or they simply order "until you finish eating, you won’t get up from the table." And if we imagine how we would feel in such a situation? The baby's body does not need food at the moment, so he does not want to, only Total. Appetite may arise after some time, and there is no point in being offended. However, the appetite should be for natural products - porridge, potatoes, apple, milk, not sweets and cookies. In some cases, however, there are whims and tricks.

    3 baby food rule - diseases
    Separately, it is worth dwelling on proper nutrition children with diseases. very wide the practice of "feeding" sick children is practiced. There is an opinion that this gives the body extra energy to fight the disease.
    Paradox - in following: the body really needs strength, it mobilizes all the resources to restore the shattered balance. And the patient has no appetite because all the energy is directed to the fight against the disease, and it simply does not remains on the process of digestion. Animal instinct is at work here. is aimed at survival, and no food simply "climbs". For example, patients animals do not touch food, even if it lies in front of their noses.
    And force-feeding for medicinal purposes directly harm the child.

    Preferably, offer him hot drink - tea with honey, warm fruit drink, etc.

    Rule 4 - freedom in everyday nutrition

    In terms of everyday nutrition, it is better if children have choice of products. Thus, the problem itself is solved nutritionally balanced flax substances and dietary calories.

    Based on long-term observations, it was found that with the presence of freedom of choice, children at the level of intuition or subconsciousness are able to create a menu that will be the best in every respect. adult function here - to orient the child in relation to the correct combination of products.

    5 rule - fruit

    Children can eat fruits without any restrictions, it is almost impossible to overeat them, and they are very useful. But if the child refuses, no need to force. With a lack of any mineral or vitamin, the child himself will ask he needs an apple or even greens.


    It is only necessary to coordinate the combination of fruits with other products. These combination rules are objective for both children and adults. If the products are combined correctly, healthy children will lack gas emission, the stool will be odorless with a normal consistency, the tongue will be red and clean.

    6 children's rule nutrition - protein food

    Protein food should be given to the child 1-2 times a day for desire, but do not worry if he prefers rice or potatoes instead of cottage cheese or pea porridge. But an excess, like a lack of protein, can lead to unpleasant consequences.

    You should not teach a child to sausage, because it unnatural food that deceives the taste organs. From natural products origin, the child should be able to choose from what they eat adults.

    7 baby food rule - dairy products
    Milk, curdled milk, kefir, yogurt represent makes great food for kids. However, they should not be combined with starches. A child at the age of one and a half should not be fed with cereals for milk. The best option is milk and dairy products (room temperature) give as a separate meal. good variation is a combination of cottage cheese with tomatoes (carrots) with kefir, yogurt or milk.

    8 baby food rule - sweets

    If you feed your child with sweets, then definitely not after eating. Better just give half an hour - an hour before the main meal. As a rule, they always give after.

    Sweet is really necessary for the children's body. Sweets natural origin - fruits, honey, dried fruits cover the needs child's body.

    In case of painful conditions, reduced immunity, good options will offer him soaked dried fruits, fruits, melons, watermelons and hot drinks. And no more dishes and products. Several of these days month will replenish the resources of the child's body.

    9 baby food rule - water

    Water should be given as much as how much the child wants. The best is melt water. It is advisable to gradually teach the child to drink a quarter - half a glass of water. after waking up in the morning, 30 minutes before the main meal and before going to bed, in the evening.

    10 baby food rule

    Children should not be prohibited from playing, running, and especially not worth persuading them to lie down. Because children almost never they eat for the future, unlike adults, do not "jam" their sorrows, boredom and bad mood.

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