Five months old baby food

5 month old feeding schedule: Timings and food types

A general feeding schedule can help parents and caregivers organize their day. However, feeding on demand — when the baby shows signs of being hungry — ensures that the baby gets enough food.

At 5 months old, a baby should get the majority of their nutrition from breastmilk or formula. Most babies do not require solids at this stage. Anyone considering starting a baby on solid food before they are 6 months old should talk to a pediatrician first.

Share on PinterestAll or most of a 5-month-old baby’s diet should comprise of breastmilk or formula.

At 5 months, breastmilk or formula is the most important ingredient in a healthful diet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend exclusively breastfeeding for about 6 months. However, for those who are unable or choose not to breastfeed, formula milk is available for babies of all ages.

Most 5-month-old babies should not be eating solids. Even when a baby shows signs of readiness for solids, this should only be a small portion of their diet. Always check with a pediatrician before starting a baby less than 6 months old on solids.

Parents and caregivers should not try to restrict a baby’s food intake, regardless of a baby’s growth. Instead, devise a loose schedule and then feed babies when they are hungry.

According to one source, this means getting to know a baby’s hunger cues, which might include licking their lips, rooting, or sucking hands.

A 2013 analysis of more than 10,000 children compared children whose parents or caregivers fed them on demand with those who received food according to a predetermined schedule.

The analysis found that parents and caregivers who followed a feeding schedule had higher confidence and better sleep. However, the study revealed that schedule-fed babies went on to do less well at school than demand-fed babies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most babies need to eat at least every 2–3 hours, which is about five to six times per day. At 5 months, some babies sleep through the night. Others still wake to feed.

Parents and caregivers who follow a schedule should try to remain flexible. A baby who is hungry an hour before snacktime needs to eat, just as a baby who is tired early should go to sleep.

Formula or breastmilk

Formula or breastmilk is the most important ingredient in a 5-month-old’s diet. According to Infant Nutrition and Feeding, babies should get five or more nursing sessions per day or 26 to 39 ounces (oz) of iron-fortified formula.

Some babies nurse more during growth spurts or when they do not feel well. Likewise, people who use a combination of formula and breastmilk may nurse slightly less often and give less formula.

Some research suggests that doing a “dream feed,” which involves the parent or caregiver feeding the baby relatively early in the evening before going to bed, helps babies sleep longer at night.

Other liquids

Do not give 5-month-old babies juice, cow’s milk, or water. Babies get water from formula or breastmilk. The World Health Organization (WHO) explain that giving babies water to drink increases the risk of diarrhea and may cause them to drink less breastmilk or formula.

Solids

Most parents and caregivers should breastfeed or formula-feed the baby for at least 6 months. The CDC indicate that a baby might be ready for solids a little earlier if:

they have good control over their head
they can sit on their own without support
they lean forward or open their mouth when a caregiver offers food

The American Academy of Pediatrics warn against introducing solids before 4 months as this can lead to increased weight gain.

Most babies do not need solids at this age. Some people may use solids as a supplement to formula or breastmilk but never give a baby solids without talking to a pediatrician first.

According to the Sleep Foundation, most 5-month-olds take two to four naps a day. Some naps may be longer than others. For example, a baby might take a short early morning nap, then a longer nap late in the morning and in the mid-afternoon.

Some people feed the baby right before they go to bed, hoping this will help them sleep longer. Others use an eat, play, sleep schedule. Neither is “right.”

Instead, people should choose the approach that works for them. Some babies need to nurse just before sleep. Others are eager to fall asleep after a play session.

Some tips that can help shape a schedule around a baby’s eating and sleeping routines include:

Be prepared to feed a baby when they awake. Expect babies to be particularly hungry and need more food after long naps and in the morning.
Each person must consider which schedule works best for them and the people around them. Some people choose to play, then feed, then put the baby to sleep, while others adopt a feed, play, sleep approach.
Know that a child’s napping needs may change when they are unwell, growing, or stressed. Similarly, many babies nurse for comfort during challenging times. Allowing a baby to nurse when they want, even if it is not feeding time, may help soothe them.
Do not put solid foods in a bottle, including before naptime.

All babies and families are different. Most babies eventually develop a rhythm that parents and caregivers can slowly shape into a schedule.

While some people prefer a fairly strict schedule, others take a more relaxed approach. Neither approach is right.

As long as babies get enough food and eat every 2–4 hours, it is fine to experiment with different schedules.

When is baby rice cereal safe for infants to eat?

Baby cereal is made with oats, barley, rice, or other grains that are ground finely. Fortified baby cereal has added iron and other vitamins and nutrients, making it a good first food for your baby. It has a number of minerals, including iron, zinc, and magnesium; and some varieties have vitamins (such as vitamins A, E, D, and B), too.

To prepare baby cereal, you can add 1 tablespoon of breast milk, formula, or water to 4 or 5 tablespoons of cereal to give it a soupy consistency; add less fluid as your baby gets the hang of eating more textured food. You can also mix baby cereal with other baby food to introduce your little one to a variety of textures and tastes.

When do babies start eating cereal?

As soon as your baby is ready to eat solid foods, they can try baby cereal. Babies are usually ready to start solids around 6 months. Signs that they're ready include having good head and neck control, being able to sit up on their own, and showing an interest in food (opening their mouth and leaning forward when it's near).

You can also mix baby cereal with other purees, like pear, squash, or prunes, to help them get used to varieties of food. This could be helpful if your baby likes the taste of cereal, but seems reluctant to try other foods. If the puree seems too thick for them, add more liquid to thin it out and make it easier to swallow.

Always feed your baby cereal with a spoon – don't add it to formula or breast milk in a bottle, since your baby could choke on it and they may end up eating more than they need.

Is baby cereal safe?

Baby cereal is safe as long as it's prepared correctly and your baby is ready for solid foods. In fact, baby cereal can be an important part of your baby's diet, since many varieties are fortified with essential nutrients.

Fortified baby cereal is an excellent source of iron, which babies need starting at around 6 months. This is especially important if your baby is breastfed, since breast milk doesn't contain very much iron. (Many formula varieties are fortified with iron.)

Any time you give your baby a new food, wait three to five days before adding another new food to their diet. That goes for different types of grains, too – if you start by giving your baby oat-based cereal, wait before giving your baby another type of grain, like wheat. This way, if your baby has an allergic reaction, it'll be easier to pinpoint what might have caused it.

Signs of a food allergy include hives, itchy skin rashes, swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing/trouble breathing and pale skin. If you notice any of these symptoms after your baby eats, let their doctor know.

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If your baby has symptoms that involve multiple parts of the body (such as hives with vomiting or diarrhea), it could be an anaphylactic reaction. Other signs of an anaphylactic reaction are throat tightness, breathing problems, wheezing, lightheadedness, and loss of consciousness. If your baby shows signs of an anaphylactic reaction, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately.

Is rice cereal bad for babies?

Rice cereal isn't necessarily bad for babies, but it can contain higher levels of arsenic, which can be dangerous if your baby eats too much. Too much rice cereal can also cause constipation.

Arsenic is a common metal that has two forms – organic and inorganic – and many foods and beverages contain both forms in varying levels (including fruit juice). Arsenic is naturally present in water, soil, and air, but processes such as mining, manufacturing, and pesticide use have increased the level of inorganic arsenic in the environment.

Inorganic arsenic is more toxic than organic arsenic and in rare cases can cause certain cancers. (The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that arsenic in rice causes four cases of lung and bladder cancer over a lifetime for every 100,000 people in the U.S.)

Early exposure to arsenic (in the womb, or at a very young age) may also be associated with impaired intellectual development.

Rice is the top dietary source of inorganic arsenic, both because it's a staple in people's diets all around the globe and because rice plants tend to absorb more arsenic than other plants.

Babies typically eat much more rice in relation to their weight than adults do, since rice cereal is often a big part of babies' diets when they first start eating solid foods.

While research shows that most rice cereal brands contain less arsenic than the federally recommended maximum, experts still say it's best to avoid relying on rice cereal as a main source of iron and other nutrients. Instead, give your baby cereal made from different kinds of grains, like oat, barley, whole wheat, and multigrain, since those contain less arsenic. If you do give your baby rice cereal, make sure it's part of a varied diet.

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what is the diet in 5 months, the menu of complementary foods for a five-month-old baby

Published: 07.10.2019

Reading time: 5 min.

Number of reads: 231117

By 5 months the infant reaches a certain maturity of the digestive and immune systems, allowing for non-dairy nutrition. Today, there are many points of view on the timing of the introduction of complementary foods, but there are criteria by which parents can absolutely understand whether their child is ready to change something in their own diet.

Contents: Hide

When should we start introducing complementary foods?
What to prepare for a new stage in life?
How to start complementary foods at 5 months?
Which products are we introducing first?
What not to give before 1 year
Where to be vigilant?
So all the same PORRIDGE or VEGETABLES?

Of course, the ideal period for the introduction of complementary foods at 6 months is, but only if the baby receives the optimal amount of nutrients from breast milk/formula, has a good increase in height and weight, and meets the normal criteria for neuropsychic development.

But in real life, unfortunately, by the age of 5-6 months, children often begin to experience a deficiency in certain nutritional components, which requires parents to correct the child's diet. At the same time, allergists are unanimous in their opinion, who argue that the introduction of complementary foods in the interval of 4-6 months can reduce the risks of developing food allergies in the future, since it is in this age period that the immune system is most tolerant to new food agents.

When to start introducing complementary foods?

There are several signs that a baby is ready to start weaning.

One of the first is food interest. If the child is at the table with adults, he actively reaches for his mother's plate and is ready to try the food offered.
And the next logical sign is coordination of movements: hand - spoon / food - mouth. The child may pick up pieces of food with his fingers and bring them to his mouth or try to put a spoon in his mouth. And do it consciously, not by accident!
Child can sit. If he does not sit up on his own, but sits with support on an adult's lap, then this can also be considered a sign of maturity and readiness for complementary foods.
Extinguishing reflex. The younger the child, the more actively he pushes any object, medicine, food out of his mouth. Gradually, the ejection reflex fades away and the little person is ready to accept other consistency than milk. But in the first days of acquaintance with complementary foods, some children have a gag reflex, which is very scary for parents. Thick porridge or pieces of fruit, when hit on the middle and back of the tongue, lead to a spasm of the larynx, and the person returns the food to the front of the tongue and / or spit out the product. This is also one of the stages of development, and the faster the gag reflex fades, the more often you feed the child with complementary foods and do not take breaks in the new diet.

What to prepare for a new stage in life?

Your baby will definitely need a high chair and a colorful plate (with a rubber bottom or with a suction cup). Comfortable spoon, not too small and not too big, with a comfortable handle that the baby can hold in his hand. Bibs should be exactly at least two, waterproof and with a convenient lock. Lots of paper towels and a huge amount of patience.

How to start complementary foods at 5 months?

At present, there is no strictness in the sequence of introduction of certain products. The only thing children's nutritionists, pediatricians and other specialists agree on is that the child should receive the foods that are traditionally eaten in his family. If the family lives in Siberia, then the baby should try the apple earlier than the mango or blackberry.

The first complementary foods most often are cereals or vegetables. The baby gets acquainted with each product for 1-3 days, and after that, parents can continue to get acquainted with new types of complementary foods or expand the range within the same group. If we stretch the acquaintance with each new dish for 7-10 days, then by the age of 1 we will not have time to introduce into the diet all the food groups that the family eats every day. 3 days is the optimal period for which any parent will understand the reaction to a particular product of their child. Therefore, we boldly begin complementary foods with the appearance of all signs of readiness and teach the little person adult nutrition.
Acquaintance with new products is better to start in the morning or in the afternoon. This rule is conditional, and it is necessary to observe it only so that in the event of a negative food reaction (rash, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) in response to a new dish, parents can quickly contact a specialist and receive medical assistance if necessary, which is better. do during the day, not late in the evening or at night.
Diet when transferring a child to an adult table must be observed. This is done so that the child is psychologically and physiologically ready for a certain interval between meals. Children do not perceive the variability of the environment well, and for harmonious development they need to follow the rituals and the usual sequence of actions of their parents: after sleep, breakfast always follows, and after a walk, lunch. Also, observing the intervals between meals allows the child to feel hunger and satiety, thereby correctly hearing the signals of his body and forming eating behavior.
Snacking before 1 year of age is not necessary, most infants receive on-demand breastmilk for a long time, and formula-fed infants have an optimal nutritional profile in formula, which eliminates extra meals outside of the main ones.
At the age of 5-6 months of age, the number of non-dairy meals should be at least 2 times a day, by 9 months the number increases to 3 times a day. Most likely it will be breakfast and lunch. Only a mother and her baby can choose the time for complementary foods, because even babies can be larks or owls. Look at the biological rhythm of your baby. If he is very sleepy by 8 in the morning and has no interest in food, then breakfast should be shifted by 9−10 in the morning, and if you have a lark, then it is likely that porridge at 7 in the morning will make it even more active and cheerful.

Which products are we introducing first?

Due to the fact that the need to introduce complementary foods is dictated by the physiological needs of the baby for additional nutrients that the baby can no longer get with breast milk / formula, then products with a high nutritional value should be chosen.

One of the earliest deficiencies is iron deficiency in infancy. Based on this, pediatricians recommend the first to introduce cereals, meat, fish or eggs. Previously, meat and fish were offered in complementary feeding regimens after 6-7 months of age, but studies have confirmed the benefit of early introduction of meat into the diet of children under one year old to maintain normal blood hemoglobin levels.
It is important that for better absorption of iron from animal products, they should be combined with vegetables rich in vitamin C (broccoli, sweet peppers or pumpkin).
But most parents, of course, are more accustomed to starting complementary foods with a cereal dish. Therefore, of all cereals, we choose buckwheat, the richest in trace elements and iron (7 mg / 100 g of cereal). The first porridge for the baby should be dairy-free, without additional enrichment with sugar and salt, without gluten (the protein of some cereals). Therefore, buckwheat, as well as rice and corn, are ideal for a first acquaintance.
Thus, porridge, vegetables and meat will be the first complementary foods on the baby's table. By 6-7 months, the child may well become familiar with all these food groups and absorb them well.
The volume of the dish should not exceed the conventional norm (the size of the fist of a small person ≈ 80-100 g at the beginning of the journey) and then grow with the child.

Sample menu at 5 months. for artificial owl:

6:30 - mixture.

09:30 - dairy-free porridge 80 g + mixture.

13:00 onwards - mixture.

Sample menu for 6 months for an infant-lark:

5:00 - GV.

7:30 - dairy-free porridge + GW/mixture.

10:00 − GV.
13:00 - vegetables with meat + GW / mixture.
16:00 and beyond - GW / mixture.

What not to give before 1 year

ALL food groups must be included in the menu of young children so that it is varied and complete, but a number of adult dishes should not fall on the children's table. It is important for parents to know what should be EXCLUDED from children's diet:

Added sugar and salt, which increases the load on the excretory system and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in older age.
Honey - due to the risk of botulism.
Large varieties of fish (tuna, salmon) due to high mercury content.
Seaweed due to its high iodine content, which can disrupt thyroid function.
Spinach and beets, because they easily accumulate pesticides, the dose of which is toxic to children.

Where to be alert?

There is a group of foods with a high allergenic potential: wheat, fish, eggs, nuts, seafood and cow's milk. These foods are more likely than others to cause food allergies. But studies have shown that the introduction of food allergens in the first year of life reduces the risk of developing food allergies at an older age. Therefore, it is not necessary to sharply limit the introduction of these products, it is necessary to apply a more careful attitude to them. The introduction of any allergenic food should be against the background of the relative health of the baby, outside the day of vaccination and without the combination of other NEW foods. Within 3-5 days, mix small amounts of new into the main dish and observe the reaction.
But red fruits and vegetables are long gone from this list. The presence of moderate redness of the cheeks, chin after eating strawberries is not a cause for excessive concern. It is necessary to repeat the introduction of the berry in a couple of days and make sure that there is no reaction or that it is only a local short-term one.

So is PORRIDGE or VEGETABLES?

In order to make a rational decision to start introducing complementary foods, parents should contact their pediatrician. There are benefits to each type of food, and according to the child's health and maturity, the pediatrician will help the loving mother make the choice.
Porridge is an ideal cereal product that is a rich source of energy, dietary fiber and trace elements. For the first feeding, both buckwheat and rice porridge are perfect. Specialized children's cereals are additionally enriched with a vitamin-mineral mixture, which helps to maintain a balance of nutrients in the child's diet and prevent the development of nutritional deficiencies. Baby Premium porridge for the first feeding is a lifesaver for mom, because it meets all the requirements for the transition of the child to adult nutrition, dissolves easily (without prolonged stirring and lumps) to the desired consistency and is represented by several cereals (rice, buckwheat , corn).
Vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, trace elements and fiber. Vegetable purees or light vegetable soups can also be introduced first due to their low allergenic potential, good digestibility and high nutritional value. The most common FIRST vegetables are zucchini or types of cabbage (broccoli or cauliflower), but this is not a strict rule, carrots or avocados can also be offered to the child. Against the background of the introduction of vegetable puree, the child very often begins to change the chair, which is normal and natural and should not frighten parents. Vegetables should be offered to the child in larger quantities than cereals or meat, as they contain fewer calories per unit weight. If you combine vegetables and grains or vegetables and meat in one meal, then the feeling of satiety will last longer.

What YOUR choice will be is up to YOU!

#Nutrition for children up to a year #Complementary food

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5 months baby | Bibikol

Five-month-old babies are active learners: they try to get on all fours, sit down, some even start to crawl. It takes a lot of energy to develop and practice new skills.

Introduction of complementary foods

The World Health Organization does not recommend introducing complementary foods to breastfed children under 6 months of age. Mother's milk fully covers the nutritional and drinking needs of babies. If the baby eats formula, then at 5 months, most likely, the pediatrician will advise introducing complementary foods, if he has not already done so.

Modern pediatricians recommend introducing complementary foods, starting with vegetable purees. In some cases, when the child has a clear underweight, some cereals can be introduced first. They are more nutritious and give a greater weight gain compared to vegetable purees.

Regardless of the first product, the rules for introducing complementary foods are the same for all groups: small doses and gradualness. The first product is given in a minimal amount and is prepared immediately before consumption. Then, during the day, the mother should carefully monitor the reaction of the baby: are there any allergic reactions, does the stomach hurt. Gradually, from half a teaspoon, you can reach 3-4.

When introducing complementary foods, it is worth focusing not only on the advice of a pediatrician, but also on the readiness of the child himself. The most important thing is whether the child is ready to accept new food, whether he pushes it out. If the child already shows interest in food and, for example, stretches out his hands to his mother's plate, this indicates the child's readiness to try something new. It is important whether the child sits by himself. Of course, some children are introduced to complementary foods for medical reasons, but ideally, the child should maintain an upright position on his own during feeding. In some children, the food interest is so pronounced that they intercept the spoon from their mother and try to bring it to their mouths. Moms should watch very carefully what and how much an active baby eats.