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Food good for 6 months old baby


The Best First Foods for Babies 6 to 9 Months – Happiest Baby

By Happiest Baby Staff

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  • Best Baby Foods at 6 Months
  • Best Baby Foods at 7 Months
  • Best Baby Foods at 8 Months
  • Best Baby Foods at 9 Months

You've spent the first six months of your baby's life making sure that they are nourished with breastmilk or formula. As they grow and thrive, you might notice that your little sprout shows you some signs that they are ready to graduate from the bottle or breast to solid foods. If your baby can sit up and hold their head up, that's a great first sign! What's more, if they bring objects to their mouth and show an interest in what you are eating, your curious kiddo might be ready to start eating solid foods.

But what should you feed your baby? Here’s a list of perfect starter foods for your baby from ages 6 to 9 months.  

Best Baby Foods at 6 Months

At 6 months, babies may be starting to chew. Though this skill won’t be mastered just yet, they are typically ready to get messy with some mushy, pureed eats—helping them learn about flavor and texture. At this age, the goal is not to satiate your baby with full meals of solid foods but rather to get your child curious and excited about their culinary options. 

Because babies are growing so fast, their needs for iron are high to prevent iron-deficiency and support their overall health. Offer your little one iron rich foods like—infant cereal (read up on why you may want to skip rice cereal), well-cooked meat, poultry, mashed beans, and lentils. To keep your baby safe from choking, avoid adding solids like cereal to baby bottles.

Here are some great first foods for Baby to try:

  • Infant oat, grain, or barley cereals mixed with breastmilk or formula and spoon-fed to your baby
  • Sweet potato puree
  • Squash puree
  • Pea puree
  • Carrot puree
  • Mashed banana
  • Mashed avocado
  • Mashed or pureed beans
  • Mashed or pureed lentils
  • Pureed meats (beef, chicken, or turkey)
  • Soft, falling apart meats (salmon, beef, chicken, turkey)

Check out more of our favorite first food purees. Or, if purees aren’t your thing, read up on how to start baby-led weaning.

Best Baby Foods at 7 Months

By 7 months old, your baby will probably be eating more solids but not enough to replace breastmilk or formula as their primary source of food. The goal for this month is to keep introducing solid foods to your baby. What's fun is by 7 months, you can get more creative with mixing flavors and adding textures.

Here are a few nutritious and delicious food combos to try with your baby:

  • Peas pureed with breastmilk (or formula), sweet potatoes, or squash
  • Kale pureed with blueberry, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, pears, or bananas
  • Apples pureed with cauliflower, carrots, pears, prunes, or beets
  • Beef pureed with broccoli
  • Chicken pureed with carrots and potatoes
  • Chickpeas pureed with bananas, apples, or sweet potato
  • Sweet potatoes pureed with red bell pepper

Seven months is also the perfect age to start giving your baby a plate, bowl, and plastic utensils so they can begin to practice feeding themselves. If your baby is teething, you can place frozen chunks of fruit in a sieve feeder/mesh bag that allows them to gnaw on the fruit without choking. Learn more about helping your baby use a fork and spoon!

Best Baby Foods at 8 Months

By 8 months, your baby is likely eating more solids and relying a little less on milk as a primary meal (though it’s still where they get the bulk of their nutrition!). And they’re probably having lots of fun learning how to use their hands to feed themselves. Something else to consider: Babies should be exposed to potential allergen foods (like peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and fish) before their first birthdays to help prevent future food allergies. Starting at 6 months of age, peanut butter is safe to introduce as long as you are comfortable giving it to your baby.

In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that babies can begin having these foods when they start eating solids. But many families often feel more comfortable waiting to introduce these foods until around this age. Of course, consult with your little one’s pediatrician if you have concerns about potential allergen foods. 

Here are some foods to add to your repertoire:

  • Whole eggs, scrambled
  • Nut butter thinned out with water and mixed with cereal (nut butters are sticky and can cause choking)
  • Fully cooked fish, like salmon or tuna 
  • Full-fat yogurt

Here are some preparation ideas:

  • Well-cooked (think over-cooked until falling apart) pasta such as elbows or alphabet shapes 
  • Mashed meat with mashed or ground vegetables such as peas and potatoes or kale and squash
  • Rainbow on a plate: Using tiny pieces of soft, strained, pureed, and mashed food options, look for a variety of colors to offer. Some fun options could include banana, avocado, sweet potato, peas, blueberry, raspberry, cheese, and chicken. 

Best Baby Foods at 9 Months

Though there’s a greater variety of foods babies eat now, formula or breastmilk continues to be their primary source of nutrition until age 1. At 9 months old, babies get more comfortable with self-feeding and eating the foods their families enjoy. After all, eating solid foods is a sensory wonderland of texture, smells, and tastes. Not to mention all that fun making messes with those adorably curious fingers. 

As you begin to focus on meal planning for your baby, there are few things to keep in mind:

  • Babies need four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A serving size for a 9-month-old is less than a quarter cup.
  • "Eat the rainbow" is excellent advice because it gives your baby exposure to lots of different fruits, vegetables, grains, and starches. 

Here are a few menu ideas to help meal plan for your baby…

Breakfast Ideas for Babies

These morning meals pack a nutritional punch—and don’t forget to check out all of our favorite breakfast ideas for babies:

  • Soft fresh fruit cut up in small pieces (think: banana, raspberries, or blueberries)
  • Whole-grain waffles or pancakes
  • Unsweetened oatmeal made with breastmilk or formula combined with cut-up and cooked apples and pears or banana slices. (It is essential to steam the apples or pears to make them soft enough for your baby to mash with their gums.) 
  • Full-fat yogurt mixed with mashed or pureed berries such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries 
  • Soft scrambled eggs
  • Veggie frittata

Lunch Ideas for Babies

  • Spread hummus on soft crackers or bread
  • Grilled cheese sandwich with cooled tomato soup
  • Macaroni and cheese with cooked veggies like peas and carrots mixed in
  • Pizza bites with chopped bits of spinach in the sauce and melted shredded cheese
  • Quesadilla made with pureed spinach, squash, or beans

Snack Ideas for Babies

Babies this young won’t likely need to snack too much (remember, breastmilk or formula will provide the majority of your little one’s nutrition). Still, it’s not a bad idea to have snacks on hand for when your mini muncher needs something to eat that’s not quite a meal. A few baby snack ideas:

  • Apple and carrot slaw
  • Cheese slices
  • Full-fat plain yogurt
  • Hard-boiled egg
  • Avocado slices
  • Muffins made with fruits, veggies, and/or whole grains
  • Fruit and veggie pouches
  • Sugar-free, whole-grain cereal, like plain Cheerios

Dinner Ideas for Babies

To help your baby get and stay excited about eating solid foods, serve a version of whatever the family is having for dinner. Remember to steam or mash, grind or chop foods into appropriate softness and sizes to prevent choking. Some baby dinner ideas:

  • Pasta with softened vegetables
  • Well-cooked rice, soft veggies, and chicken
  • Baked sweet potato with butter or cheese
  • Beans or lentils served with rice and veggies
  • Flaky fish served with steamed zucchini

There are endless variations on what you can serve your baby for dinner. As long as your baby is safe and happy, try to encourage lots of food exploration! 

You must not feed any child under the age of 1 year honey, cow’s milk, juice, hard foods like candy, raw vegetables, popcorn, or sticky foods like peanut butter, as these each present choking hazards. 

Learn more about feeding your baby:

  • The Happiest Baby Feeding Guide
  • The Benefits of Homemade Baby Food
  • The Best Store-Bought Baby Food

***

REFERENCES

  • Unlocking Opportunities in Food Design for Infants, Children, and the Elderly: Understanding Milestones in Chewing and Swallowing Across the Lifespan for New Innovations. Journal of Texture Studies, August 2017
  • Complementary Feeding: A Position Paper by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, January 2017
  • Infant Formula Feeding Practices Associated With Rapid Weight Gain: A Systematic Review, Maternal & Child Nutrition, July 2018
  • Solid Food Introduction and the Development of Food Allergies, Nutrients, November 2018 
  • US Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025

View more posts tagged, feeding

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

How much should my baby eat? A guide to baby food portions

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Wondering how much to feed your baby? This can be hard to figure out, especially when you're starting solids and most of your baby's food ends up on your little one or the floor. It's also difficult to determine how much an 8-month-old (or older baby) should eat – babies this age are more interested in solid foods but still get most of their nutrition from breast milk or formula. This visual guide to baby food portions can help you figure out how much your baby should eat at every stage.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much should my baby eat?

Do you worry that your baby is eating too little or too much? Your baby will self-regulate her food intake based on what their body needs, so let their appetite be your guide.

It's helpful to have a reference point, however. Here are photos of how much solid food a baby typically eats in a day. You can also ask your baby's doctor for feeding advice.

This visual guide shows:

  • Portions for infants who are new to solids (typically 4 to 6 months)
  • Two sample meals for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)
  • Three sample meals and two snacks for an older baby (8 to 12 months) from a menu developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Your little one may eat less or more than what's shown here. Your job is to provide a variety of healthy foods at regular intervals without pressure, and their job is to decide what and how much to eat.

Photo credit: iStock.com / UntitledImages

Watch for signs your baby is full

Lots of factors – including activity level, growth spurts or plateaus, illness, and teething – will affect your baby's appetite, which can vary daily.

End feeding when they signal that they're done. Signs of being full include:

  • Turning their head away
  • Refusing to open their mouth for another bite after they've swallowed (resist the urge to encourage your baby to have one last spoonful)
  • Leaning back in their chair
  • Playing with the spoon or food rather than eating

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much a 4- to 6-month-old should eat

When your baby is developmentally ready for solids, typically around 4 to 6 months, talk to their doctor about introducing solid foods. The first bites are mostly about them getting used to the idea of having something different in their mouth.

  • Start with a very small amount, 1 to 2 teaspoons, of a single-ingredient puree.
  • Gradually increase to 1 to 2 tablespoons of food once a day.
  • Follow your baby's fullness cues.

Popular first foods include pureed mango, banana, chicken, turkey, beef, peas, sweet potatoes, and infant cereal. It's up to you what food to start with, but wait 3 to 5 days between introducing each new food to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction or food intolerance. (And remember, no cow's milk or honey until age 1.)

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much a 6- to 8-month-old should eat

As your little one gets more comfortable with solids, you can increase the frequency of meals and variety of food.

  • Transition from one to two meals a day, typically by 8 months.
  • Over time, add a second food to each meal. The photo above is an example of a meal with two foods.
  • Once you've worked up to two meals with two foods each, aim for a balance of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and grains in their daily diet.
  • Whenever you introduce a new food, start with a very small amount, a teaspoon or two, to allow your baby to get used to its flavor and texture.
  • Start with a soupy consistency. Gradually add more texture as their eating skills improve.

Expect their intake of breast milk or formula to go down. They'll start drinking less of it as they eat more solid foods. Provide healthy options at mealtimes, and let them choose how much to eat.

Note: The jars in all photos are standard 4-ounce baby food jars.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Breakfast for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)

Cereal and fruit make an easy combination for a morning meal.

Grain: Iron-fortified, whole-grain infant cereal is a popular first grain. At 6 months, a typical daily portion of infant cereal mixed with breast milk or formula might be 2 to 3 tablespoons, increasing to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) by 8 months. (It's best to avoid rice cereal, though.)

Fruit: Babies love the natural sweetness of fruits like pears, apples, berries, prunes, and stone fruits. Between 6 and 8 months, a baby will typically transition from about 2 to 3 tablespoons of fruit puree a day to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of mashed or minced fruit.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Dinner for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)

If you serve a grain and fruit in the morning, consider offering a protein-rich food and vegetable later in the day. Your child may eat more or less than the amounts shown.

Protein: A baby might transition from eating 1 to 2 tablespoons of meat puree at 6 months to 2 to 4 tablespoons at 8 months, for example. Other good protein sources include cheese, unsweetened plain whole-milk yogurt, tofu, beans, and lentils.

Vegetables: Between 6 and 8 months, a baby will typically transition from about 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable puree a day to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup). Try classic favorites like carrots, spinach, or butternut squash, as well as less traditional first foods such as parsnips, beets, or asparagus.

As your child's eating skills improve, gradually add more texture by dicing or mincing foods.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much an 8- to 12-month-old should eat

By 8 months or so, your baby is likely getting the hang of eating and needs to eat more calories to support their growing body. But since their little belly can't hold a lot of food, they'll need to eat more often. Every baby is different, but this may be a good time to try offering a third solid food meal.

During this period:

  • Continue to give your baby breast milk or formula.
  • Add morning and afternoon snacks. (Some babies this age are happy with breast milk or formula as their snack, while others gravitate toward solid foods.) Once you've added a third meal and snacks, your baby will be eating or drinking something about every two to three hours.
  • Continue to aim for a mix of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and grains.
  • Introduce coarser and chunkier textures, for example, by dicing or mincing food instead of pureeing it, and graduate to soft finger foods as your baby's eating skills improve.
  • Avoid foods with added sugars. Check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods, and try to steer clear of foods that list 1 gram or more of "Added Sugars."
  • Provide healthy options, and let your baby choose how much to eat.

To visualize daily portions for an 8- to 12-month-old, check out the following photos of a typical day's menu for a baby this age, developed by the AAP.

Your child may eat more or less than these amounts. If you're concerned about how much your baby is eating, talk to their doctor for advice.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Breakfast for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a breakfast consisting of:

  • 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) whole-grain infant cereal mixed with formula or breast milk
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) diced fruit

Note: This is an example. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Morning snack for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a morning snack consisting of:

  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) diced cheese or cooked vegetables

Note: This is an example of a morning snack, which babies typically add sometime between 8 and 12 months. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Lunch for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a lunch consisting of:

  • 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) unsweetened plain whole-milk yogurt or cottage cheese, or minced meat
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) diced or mashed yellow or orange vegetable

Note: This is an example. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Afternoon snack for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features an afternoon snack consisting of:

  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) diced fruit or unsweetened plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 whole-grain teething biscuit or cracker

Note: This is an example of an afternoon snack, which babies typically add sometime between 8 and 12 months. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Dinner for older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a dinner consisting of:

  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) minced or ground poultry or meat, or diced tofu
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2) cup diced, cooked green vegetable
  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) noodles, pasta, rice, or potato
  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) diced fruit

Note: This is an example. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much should my baby drink once they start eating solids?

Breast milk or formula will fully meet your child's hydration needs until they're about 6 months old. They may start drinking less as solid foods become a bigger part of their diet. Here are typical daily amounts by age – your baby's intake may be different, however.

6 to 8 months: 24 to 32 ounces of formula, or continued breastfeeding on demand

8 to 12 months: 24 ounces of formula, or continued breastfeeding on demand

Water: You can offer your baby water once they start eating solids, but let them self-regulate how much they drink. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends giving babies who are 6 to 12 months old 4 to 6 ounces of water a day, but what your baby decides to drink may vary. They may drink more on a hot day, for example.

Avoid juice: Juice isn't recommended for babies younger than 12 months.

Photo credit: iStock.com / SDI Productions

Your baby has the final say

Keep in mind that these portions are an estimate. The truth is, every baby is different, and there's no set amount of food that's appropriate for every baby at every stage.

If you're worried about whether your baby is eating enough – or too much – the best advice is to look for and respond to signs that your baby is full.

Your baby's doctor will chart their weight gain at regular intervals. If the doctor sees a consistent growth curve and doesn't have other concerns, your baby is most likely eating the right amount of food.

Hungry for more?

Age-by-age guide to feeding your baby

The 10 best foods for babies

The worst foods for babies

Using spices and seasoning in baby food

Elizabeth Dougherty

Elizabeth Dougherty is a veteran parenting writer and editor who's been contributing to BabyCenter since 2015. She's an intrepid traveler, devoted yogi, and longtime resident of Silicon Valley, where she lives with her husband and son.

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diet for a 6-month-old baby with breast and artificial feeding, an approximate menu for a week in the table, a diet for a day

Published: 02/10/2021

Reading time: 4 min.

Number of reads: 194867

Author of the article: Ponomareva Yuliya Vladimirovna

Pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, allergist-immunologist

Changes in a child in the first year of life are very rapid, and each month is not like another. The 6-month milestone is very important, it is largely evaluative and transitional. By this age, most babies have doubled their birth weight, are about 15 cm tall, and some babies have already erupted their teeth. The age of 6 months is also transitional in terms of nutrition. Breast milk or an adapted formula is still the basis of the diet, but with the beginning of the second half of life, all children, without exception, should begin to receive complementary foods. Despite the general graph of growth and weight gain and indicators of psychomotor development, the status and diet of children at 6 months can be very different. nine0003

Content: Hide

  1. The first feeding of 6 months
  2. The start of complementary foods at 4-5 months
  3. The second half of the life
  4. for a week for a child at 6 months

The first feeding of

If the baby is healthy and breastfed, and his mother eats a full and varied diet, exclusive breastfeeding is possible until this age. Cereal complementary foods in this case are preferable to start. This is due to the high energy and nutritional value of cereals, the ability to significantly enrich the baby's diet with a delayed start of the introduction of complementary foods. nine0003


However, the rate of expansion of the child's diet in this situation will be accelerated. Before the 8th month of life, it is necessary to introduce all basic food groups into the baby’s menu, since in the second half of the year the need for additional intake of nutrients and micronutrients is very high. Another reason explaining the importance of the rapid introduction of complementary foods is the formation of immunity of the immune cells of the intestine to ordinary food. If a child is introduced to these foods at the age of 4-8 months, the risk of developing food allergies has been proven to be reduced. nine0003

Complementary feeding starts at 4-5 months

In today's life, the nutrition of a nursing mother, unfortunately, is not always complete. Therefore, for most breastfed babies, complementary foods already need to be introduced from 5 months in order to prevent deficient conditions.

If a child is bottle-fed, then by the 4th month of life, the baby will not have enough adapted formula alone, and in this group of children, the timing of the introduction of complementary foods usually shifts a month earlier than in breast-fed babies. Accordingly, by 6 months, children will have vegetable puree and gluten-free porridge (buckwheat, corn and rice) in their diet. In the first half of life, monocomponent meals are used (that is, from one type of grain and vegetables), prepared on the basis of water, breast milk or an adapted mixture. nine0003

Fruit puree and juice can be another possible complementary food for children under 6 months of age without allergy symptoms. In a child with a risk of developing or manifesting allergies, the timing of the introduction of fruit complementary foods is shifted to the 8th month.


Second six months of life

Children over 6 months of age can supplement their diet with cereals containing gluten. First of all, these are oatmeal and wheat porridge, and then multi-cereal dishes with the addition of other cereals (millet, barley, rye). If the child does not have any manifestations of allergies, milk porridge can be included in the menu at this age. Bebi Premium industrial baby food products include specially prepared milk that is safe to use in healthy babies in the first year of life. nine0003

From the age of 6 months, the baby's diet is expanded with such important products as meat and cottage cheese. These products are a source of high-quality protein, fats, and are also rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Pediatricians and nutritionists recommend introducing meat and cottage cheese as part of combined dishes based on a fruit and vegetable and / or grain component in a ratio of 1 (cottage cheese / meat): 4–5 (fruits / vegetables / cereals).

To enrich the diet with polyunsaturated fatty acids in the second half of the year, the menu includes vegetable oil in the amount of 3–5 grams per day, which can be added to the complementary food dish. The volume of each feeding is approximately 150-170 ml, and the child can already stand up to 3.5 hours between meals. nine0003

In the table below, we offer a menu of 6 months for a week for a child who started receiving complementary foods at the age of 4-5 months, and by the time the second half of life begins, dairy-free gluten-free cereals, vegetable and fruit purees have already been introduced into his diet.

1st day

0065 50
Seeing
Lunch (12.30) Vegetable soup with beef, olive oil 100/30/3
compot of drocked 900
Afternoon snack (16.00) Plum puree with cottage cheese 60/40
Breast milk/formula 60 062
food reception menu ml/g
Early morning breast milk/mixture 150
Milki ’breakfast (09 cherry Bebi Premium» 100
0065 Breast milk/mixture 150
children's soluble cookies "BEBIKI" Classic
GRUSHERS with rice and Claus GRUSHIOUS WITH RISE and CRETURE 30
Bebi Premium Kids Instant Herbal Tea 50
Bedtime 065 Breast milk/formula 150

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Proper nutrition of the child from birth to one year

Nutrition of the child, Diet

Mother's milk is an ideal food that allows you to ensure the full development of the baby during the first six months. This is the main food of a monthly baby, and the next 6 months too. At this age, babies do not need to introduce additional fluid in the form of water, herbal teas, teas or juices. All needs will be met by breast milk. With it, the crumbs receive all the necessary, biologically active and nutrients. Mother's milk is ideally adapted to the peculiarities of digestion and metabolism of each child. It contains in the right amount not only carbohydrates, fats, protein, but also such important substances as carnitine, taurine, inositol, polyamines, which are needed for the formation and development of the baby's nervous system and retinal photoreceptors. nine0003

Author: Assistant of the Department of Pediatrics №1 Andrey Pyshnik

Sometimes there is a need for artificial feeding of a child. This happens if a woman, for one reason or another, cannot breastfeed (a complete lack of milk, a serious illness of the baby or the mother herself) or simply does not want to do this. Artificial - this is feeding, in which the baby completely eats the milk formula or the proportion of breast milk is less than 1/5 of the daily volume of food. In this case, you need to choose the most useful formula for the baby. nine0003

Diet

The main food of a child from 1 to 3 months is only breast milk. No other products should be given until 5-6 months. The baby quickly grows up, his first teeth begin to erupt. So the body signals that a new food needs to be introduced into the child's diet - complementary foods. In addition, after 6 months, the baby becomes more mobile, so its energy needs increase. Mother's milk can no longer provide them, so the child must receive additional nutrition. nine0003

When introducing complementary foods, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

  • New foods should be given when the baby is active, during breakfast or lunch with other family members.
  • The baby should be in an upright position on a special highchair or on the mother's lap during feeding.
  • Give food from a spoon.
  • Each new product should be introduced from a small portion (1 teaspoon), gradually brought to the desired age volume over 5-7 days. nine0020
  • Give complementary foods after a short period of breast milk (or formula if artificial baby).
  • To keep the mother lactating, the baby should be breastfed after complementary feeding.
  • When introducing a new weaning meal, make sure it has only one ingredient to avoid unpleasant side effects. Give it a few days in a row.
  • If your baby refuses solid foods, do not force feed him. It is better to try to give another product that differs from the previous one in texture and taste. nine0020
  • The food should be homogeneous, freshly prepared, at a temperature of 36-37 °C.
  • Do not add salt and spices to complementary foods.
  • If there are signs of intolerance to the product (eating disorders, allergies), its administration must be discontinued.

Complementary foods, if artificial feeding of the child is introduced, should be given from 5 months of age, natural - from 6 months.

Menu

Most of the diet of infants consists of mother's milk. But after 5-6 months, you need to expand the menu of the crumbs, gradually accustoming him to other foods. In the second half of life, breast milk can no longer meet all the needs of a growing body in the micro and macro elements it needs. nine0003

Monthly nutrition of a child looks like this:

  • 6 months. Iron-enriched cereals (buckwheat, rice, corn) are given for signs of anemia, fruit and vegetable purees. They should be given 1-2 times a day, the volume gradually increases. Porridges from several cereals can be introduced when the baby has already met each of them separately. You can add fruits and vegetables to them. It is forbidden to use cereals for adults for complementary foods.
  • 6-9 months. Meat is introduced: chicken, beef, rabbit, lean pork, turkey. First, it should be given in crushed form, starting with 5 grams, and over time it can be in pieces. Children under one year should not be given sausages and other sausages, as they contain a lot of salt. At this age, cottage cheese is also introduced. It is important to remember that you should not give two new products at the same time, it is important that the baby first gets used to one well. nine0020
  • Egg yolk is introduced at 7 months of age. At first it is given in the amount of 1/8, with a gradual increase to half by 10-12 months.
  • At 8-10 months, breastfeeding complementary foods include the introduction of fish puree (from 10 grams).
  • 9-12 months. The child may actively try larger pieces of food.
  • After 12 months, the baby can be given egg white, but it is important to remember that it often provokes allergies. Therefore, if you make up the optimal nutrition for children, the menu should not contain it until a year old. nine0020

When complementary foods are introduced, fruit is best given after vegetables, because often, after tasting the sweet taste, children refuse vegetables. You can mix several ingredients if the baby is well accustomed to each separately. You can not enter spicy, spicy vegetables and fruits.

How often should I give complementary foods? A child at 8 months should be given 3 times a day, at 9-11 months - 4 times. From 12 months you can use a drinking cup.

Diet

The duration of breastfeeding is approximately 15-20 minutes. More often in the first 5 minutes, the baby sucks out the maximum part of the required volume of milk. Then he sucks more slowly, maybe dozing a little. Therefore, you should ensure that the baby is actively sucking, if he falls asleep, wake him up and continue feeding. nine0003

The World Health Organization recommends that proper nutrition for children under 1 year of age should be provided on demand. But this also needs to be approached wisely. Babies have a natural sucking reflex, so you don't need to breastfeed every time he cries. After all, the baby will take it reflexively. Try to analyze the behavior of your baby in order to gradually develop the optimal diet for an infant that is convenient for you. Approximately you will have to feed the baby every 2.5-3 hours. If after eating he is active and energetic, then this is quite enough. The approximate frequency of feeding children 1-3 months - 7 times a day, 3-5 months - 6 times, and after 5 months the child eats five times. nine0003

The amount of milk consumed per day depends on age. The first 3 days from birth is 40-200 grams, after 7 days - about 400 grams per day, at the end of 2 weeks - 500 grams, at the end of 1 month - about 600 grams, at 2 months - 800 grams. Then, up to a year, the total daily volume of food should not exceed 1 liter.

Peculiarities of a 1-year-old child's nutrition

To get all the nutrients necessary for the body, a 1-year-old child's diet should be continued with breast milk or an adapted formula, gradually expanding the diet. An obligatory component of food should always be fruits and vegetables. nine0003

Feeding should be done at a frequency of 5 times a day. Please note, when developing a child's nutrition per year, the menu must necessarily contain eggs, fish and meat dishes, cottage cheese and sour-milk products, fats, grains, vegetables and fruits. It is advisable to introduce vegetable and butter into the diet as a dressing for cereals, mashed potatoes, salads. Spreads and margarines are strictly prohibited!

A small amount of sugar should be included in the diet (about 35 grams). Consider the content of the products to select the appropriate "sweets". For example, you can try to enter: marmalade, dried fruits, natural honey, various cookies. Fast foods are strictly prohibited, as they contain many different flavors, dyes, preservatives and other harmful substances that contribute to the allergization of the body. As a result, there is a problem of excess weight and all kinds of endocrine disorders. nine0003

A child's nutrition per year should contribute to the formation of the correct behavior of the baby during meals. He should eat regularly, 4-5 times a day, without all sorts of snacks. At this age, strong tea should be avoided, as such drinks tend to flush out iron from the body. The amount of food should be appropriate for the weight and age of the child.

Sources:

  1. Baby food. Complete guide. Author: Natalia Pavlova, Galina Lazareva, Elvira Mullayarova, Vera Podkolzina, S. Sizikumova, O. Anashkina, G. Trofimova. Publisher: Eksmo. Series of books: A complete medical guide for the whole family. Language: Russian, Year of publication 2008. Number of pages: 768 p. 9[O.G. .:TOV “People in white”, 2014-24p.
  2. Features of diagnostics and approach to judicious and preventive eating of children of early age with allergy to cow's milk protein: method.

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