Home » Misc » How long to wait between new baby foods

How long to wait between new baby foods


When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods | Nutrition

For more information about how to know if your baby is ready to starting eating foods, what first foods to offer, and what to expect, watch these videos from 1,000 Days.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend children be introduced to foods other than breast milk or infant formula when they are about 6 months old.  Introducing foods before 4 months old is not recommended. Every child is different. How do you know if your child is ready for foods other than breast milk or infant formula? You can look for these signs that your child is developmentally ready.

Your child:

  • Sits up alone or with support.
  • Is able to control head and neck.
  • Opens the mouth when food is offered.
  • Swallows food rather than pushes it back out onto the chin.
  • Brings objects to the mouth.
  • Tries to grasp small objects, such as toys or food.
  • Transfers food from the front to the back of the tongue to swallow.

What Foods Should I Introduce to My Child First?

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that for most children, you do not need to give foods in a certain order. Your child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. These foods include infant cereals, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurts and cheeses, and more.

If your child is eating infant cereals, it is important to offer a variety of fortifiedalert icon infant cereals such as oat, barley, and multi-grain instead of only rice cereal. Only providing infant rice cereal is not recommended by the Food and Drug Administration because there is a risk for children to be exposed to arsenic. Visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administrationexternal icon to learn more.

How Should I Introduce My Child to Foods?

Your child needs certain vitamins and minerals to grow healthy and strong.

Now that your child is starting to eat food, be sure to choose foods that give your child all the vitamins and minerals they need.

Click here to learn more about some of these vitamins & minerals.

Let your child try one single-ingredient food at a time at first. This helps you see if your child has any problems with that food, such as food allergies. Wait 3 to 5 days between each new food. Before you know it, your child will be on his or her way to eating and enjoying lots of new foods.

Introduce potentially allergenic foods when other foods are introduced.

Potentially allergenic foods include cow’s milk products, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. Drinking cow’s milk or fortified soy beverages is not recommended until your child is older than 12 months, but other cow’s milk products, such as yogurt, can be introduced before 12 months. If your child has severe eczema and/or egg allergy, talk with your child’s doctor or nurse about when and how to safely introduce foods with peanuts.

How Should I Prepare Food for My Child to Eat?

At first, it’s easier for your child to eat foods that are mashed, pureed, or strained and very smooth in texture. It can take time for your child to adjust to new food textures. Your child might cough, gag, or spit up. As your baby’s oral skills develop, thicker and lumpier foods can be introduced.

Some foods are potential choking hazards, so it is important to feed your child foods that are the right texture for his or her development. To help prevent choking, prepare foods that can be easily dissolved with saliva and do not require chewing. Feed small portions and encourage your baby to eat slowly. Always watch your child while he or she is eating.

Here are some tips for preparing foods:

  • Mix cereals and mashed cooked grains with breast milk, formula, or water to make it smooth and easy for your baby to swallow.
  • Mash or puree vegetables, fruits and other foods until they are smooth.
  • Hard fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, usually need to be cooked so they can be easily mashed or pureed.
  • Cook food until it is soft enough to easily mash with a fork.
  • Remove all fat, skin, and bones from poultry, meat, and fish, before cooking.
  • Remove seeds and hard pits from fruit, and then cut the fruit into small pieces.
  • Cut soft food into small pieces or thin slices.
  • Cut cylindrical foods like hot dogs, sausage and string cheese into short thin strips instead of round pieces that could get stuck in the airway.
  • Cut small spherical foods like grapes, cherries, berries and tomatoes into small pieces.
  • Cook and finely grind or mash whole-grain kernels of wheat, barley, rice, and other grains.

Learn more about potential choking hazards and how to prevent your child from choking.

Top of Page

Waiting period between introducing new foods to babies may be outdated advice, study say

A one-year-old baby eats his lunch of chicken and fruits in Vancouver, B. C., in this file photo taken September 30, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

TORONTO -- Experts are questioning existing guidelines on how to best introduce new foods to infants graduating to solids, according to a new study, which suggests those recommendations may be outdated and even potentially harmful.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that parents introduce new single-ingredients foods one at a time and wait three to five days between each one before trying a new food to monitor for any kind of reaction.

But that practice is being called into question in a new study that surveyed 563 health practitioners -- the vast majority of whom were pediatricians -- who provide care to babies less than a year old. The survey, which focused on examining current practices by pediatric healthcare workers and was conducted in early 2019, found many of the respondents were not following AAP and CDC guidelines, and instead were recommending a shorter timeline based on clinical experience.

"There is now evidence that food diversity helps to decrease the development of allergic diseases in infants, and early peanut introduction is an important peanut allergy prevention strategy,” said lead author Waheeda Samady, a Chicago doctor and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, in a statement.

Almost two-thirds of those surveyed recommended waiting less than three days to parents. Among that group, 27 per cent recommended introducing one new food a day, while 20 per cent suggested waiting two days. Ten percent felt that introducing multiple foods in a single day was not an issue.

About 30 per cent told parents to wait three days, while just over eight per cent recommended waiting more than three days. Researchers did not find any major associations between food introduction practices and the demographics of the health practitioners.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed -- just over 69 per cent -- said they would adjust their recommendations, however, if the baby had a greater risk of developing food allergies due to a sibling or other family member with allergies, or if the infant had moderate to severe eczema.

Despite the caution around allergy risks, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases currently recommends that infants with atopic dermatitis, or eczema, be given foods that contain peanuts between four and six months. At the same time, peanuts should only be introduced after a number of other new foods have been given first.

“If infants are required to wait three to five days between the introduction of each new food, peanut introduction may be delayed past the recommended ages,” researchers wrote in the study.

Just over 55 per cent of practitioners believed the waiting period between new foods was helpful for families, researchers found.

Even so, more than 55 per cent of those surveyed reported having seen food-related allergic reactions in less than 5 per cent of infant patients, while nearly 20 per cent reported seeing it occur in five to 10 per cent of babies.

“In practice, this recommendation may have a deleterious effect of limiting early infant food diversity, which has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of pediatric asthma and allergies,” the paper said.

“Introducing a more diverse diet in the first year of life has been shown to be associated with a reduced risk of atopic dermatitis, asthma, and food allergies up to six years of age.”

Current guidelines mean that a baby is introduced to just five to seven new food items a month, which limits their food exposure. The study noted that previous research had found that introducing certain foods later, such as potatoes, oats, rye, wheat, meat, fish, and eggs, was directly related to sensitivity to food allergens, and that earlier introductions were tied to a lower risk of allergy-related reactions like asthma and eczema.

More than half of those surveyed also felt there was a need for more training on the issue.

Close to 47 per cent of said they recommended infant cereal as the first food, but 40 per cent did not have a specific recommendation for what type of food to introduce first.

Re-evaluating current recommendations to help increase a baby’s exposure to a greater variety of foods would also support CDC’s nutritional recommendations of more food exposure in an infant’s first year to minimize “picky eater syndrome,” the paper added.

"From the perspective of food allergy detection and prevention, there is no reason why a new food can't be tried every day," said co-author Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Director of the Center of Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR) and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern, in a statement.

"The guidelines need to be revisited and updated to reflect the latest research on food allergy prevention and to provide greater clarity for pediatricians and parents on safe solid food introduction to infants." 

More Health Stories

Top Videos

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Don't Miss

How to introduce new formula to a baby | Changing from one mixture to another: scheme

09/06/2017 Rassadina Zinaida Vladimirovna

Articles

How do I switch my baby to another formula?

The diet and diet of a formula-fed baby require special attention and constancy.

The diet and diet of a formula-fed baby require special attention and constancy. However, quite often there are situations when transferring a child to another mixture becomes a necessity. In this article, we will tell you how to make the transition to a new diet comfortable and safe for your crumbs. nine0003

Why shouldn't the mixture be changed frequently?

The reasons for the transfer of an artificial child from one mixture to another must be strictly argued. Usually, the pediatrician gives recommendations on changing the diet if the child's health condition requires it. Frequent and unreasonable transitions to a new mixture is a real stress for the child's body, such jumps can provoke digestive problems in the baby.


Reasons for switching a baby to new formula

Situations that require replacement of infant formula with another one may be the following:

  • symptoms of allergy to the first mixture;
  • the need to introduce a therapeutic mixture, in connection with the detection of any disease in a child;
  • the need to replace the therapeutic mixture with an adapted one in the event that the baby has eliminated the disease or condition in which it was prescribed;
  • milk protein intolerance or lactase deficiency; nine0026
  • refusal of the child from the usual mixture, insufficient weight gain;
  • the need to transition to a new stage of nutrition in connection with reaching a certain age (6, 12 months).

Switching to a new diet: how long does it take?

Transferring a baby from one mixture to another takes up to two weeks. During this time, the following changes are possible in the child's condition:

  • change in stool - such a reaction is considered temporary and is not a reason for refusing to transfer; nine0026
  • change in the child's appetite;
  • changes in the mood of the crumbs.

In order to make sure that the new food suits your child, at least a month should pass. Carefully monitor the baby's reaction: appetite, activity, sleep, digestion, skin condition. If, after feeding with a new mixture, the child becomes restless, sleep worsens, rashes or other allergic reactions appear on the skin, immediately consult a pediatrician for advice. nine0003

What is the total daily amount of formula and the amount of one serving for a IV baby?

The first thing they are guided by when determining the sufficiency and quality of nutrition of an artificial baby is the monthly indicators of increased growth and weight gain. According to current standards, for the first 2 months of life, a child should consume a volume equal to 1/5 of his weight per day.

Example: baby weight 3 kg - 600 ml (3000/5=600) - the total amount of formula per day. nine0003

The norm of formula for children of the first year of life:

  • from 2 to 4 months is 1/6 of body weight,
  • 4 to 6 - 1/7,
  • after 6 months -1/8-1/9.

The size of 1 serving is determined according to the following principle: divide the total amount of food by the frequency of feeding. It is possible that in one of the feedings the child refuses to eat up the prescribed norm, and the next time he drinks a little more than usual. Such deviations in one direction or another are quite acceptable. nine0003

Healthy transition rules

Experts recommend a phased transition to a new diet within one week, the frequency of feeding is 7 times:
1 day: at the first feeding - only the old mixture, the second feeding - a new one, the rest of the feedings - the old mixture. Monitor the child's condition, there should be no anxiety and sleep disturbances;
Day 2: new formula - second and fourth feedings;
Day 3: new formula - second, fourth and sixth feedings; nine0012 Day 4: new formula - first, second, fourth and sixth feedings;
Day 5: new formula - first, second, third, fourth and sixth feedings;
Day 6: new formula - every feeding except the fifth;
Day 7: every feeding - new formula.

Such a smooth transition will help the child's body easily adapt to a new diet, which will prevent digestive problems or other negative consequences for the baby's health. nine0003

Author: Rassadina Zinaida Vladimirovna Pediatrician, experience - 14 years

First complementary foods - the rules: how and when to introduce complementary foods while breastfeeding

09/20/2018

≈ 11 min read time

Content

  • Choose the type of food that is best nine0026
  • When to introduce complementary foods
  • General rules for introducing complementary foods by timing
    • nine0025 Home cooking or industrial products?
  • We introduce vegetables (vegetable complementary foods)
  • Feeding a child with porridge nine0026
  • Fruit puree: start complementary foods
  • Introducing fruit juices
    • nine0025 Meat: first food
  • How to introduce meat supplements?
  • Chicken egg in baby food nine0026
  • How to solve the problem of refusal of complementary foods

When to start the first feeding? If the child has already had the first tooth and has awakened an interest in the food that he sees, and your pediatrician does not object to the introduction of complementary foods, then you can start. Let's learn the rules. nine0003

Let's see how the two main areas in complementary foods differ from each other: pedagogical and pediatric.

  • Pediatric complementary foods are the most common and recommended by pediatricians. According to this technique, the baby is offered special baby food, the first complementary foods are introduced according to the scheme, the order in which the products are introduced is important. At the same time, it is not recommended to abruptly replace breast milk with complementary foods. It is advised to introduce complementary foods from 4 to 6 months, the child is not entertained with food and is not forced to eat. nine0026
  • Pedagogical (or natural) complementary foods for babies are called so because this approach is based on the desire to arouse the child's interest in food, form healthy eating behavior, and teach him to behave at the table. Within the framework of this technique, there are no longer special feeding schemes.

Many nutrition consultants recommend a combination of these two approaches. We will talk about pediatric complementary foods.

According to the recommendations of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia, it is recommended to introduce complementary foods in the range of 4-6 months. At this time, the growing body needs more and more vitamins and minerals every week, and the later introduction of complementary foods can cause a pronounced deficiency of some micronutrients. In addition, the enzyme system of the gastrointestinal tract of the child is already ready to accept new food, and he himself begins to show interest in food. nine0003

Our grandmothers said that a child is ready for solid food when you can knock loudly on a tooth with a spoon.

But it's important to remember the following:

  • during teething, the baby is busy with his feelings and his interest in food is reduced;
  • Complementary foods cannot be introduced before 4 months, because the baby's body is not capable of assimilating food other than breast milk or formula;
  • do not introduce complementary foods after 6 months to prevent nutritional deficiencies in the child's diet; nine0026
  • Complementary foods should be introduced after consultation with a pediatrician.

  • Vegetable puree is introduced from 4-6 months. If the child has insufficient weight gain, frequent stools, then it is better to start introducing complementary foods with gluten-free dairy-free porridge.
  • No need to start the first complementary foods with fruits and juices: having become acquainted with sweet tastes, the baby may lose interest in vegetables and any other.
  • The second complementary food should be offered to the child 3 to 4 weeks after the first. nine0026
  • The same amount of time must elapse before you offer your baby a third solid food.
  • Here's how to introduce basic foods into the diet: porridge, then vegetables and meat; porridge, then meat and vegetables; vegetables, then porridge and meat; vegetables, then meat and porridge.
  • Of course, during the introduction of complementary foods to a newborn, breastfeeding should continue, it is still in the first place.
  • The baby can try fruits and juices after the first or second complementary foods - but only as a treat, not the main meal. nine0026
  • It is advisable to offer the yolk of the egg to the baby when he is almost a year old.
  • Adapted fermented milk mixtures are a "baby" version of kefir, they can be given to a baby at 9 months.
  • How many times a day can a child be given complementary foods at 8-9 months? At this age, you can give him 3 servings of complementary foods per day, and the total weight of "adult food" at this age is 400 - 600 g per day.

Industrially produced cereals and purees give a 100% guarantee that the products have passed all stages of testing and are safe for the child. You can be sure that they do not contain heavy metal salts or pesticides, not to mention nitrates or GMOs. Therefore, cereals are great for the first complementary foods. But mashed potatoes that are prepared at home may contain harmful impurities, even if the original vegetables and fruits were grown on their own. nine0003

Trust only trusted manufacturers such as Agusha. From the First Spoon range of products, you can choose delicious and healthy dishes - in accordance with the age of the baby and his preferences.

What and in what order to introduce for complementary foods will be advised by your pediatrician, who knows everything about the development and health of your child and has enough experience to make recommendations.

Most often, as the very first feeding, children's nutritionists and pediatricians recommend vegetable purees or cereals. At the age of about 4 - 6 months, the baby's body is already ready to take the first puree food and get acquainted with new tastes. Therefore, vegetables, the puree of which is the least likely to cause allergies in infants, are traditionally considered the first "adult food" of babies. What are these vegetables? nine0003

The very first “test” products for breastfed babies in our latitudes are traditionally considered hypoallergenic zucchini and cauliflower, and then broccoli and pumpkin. The baby should be allowed to try complementary foods from zucchini no earlier than 4 months, exclusively in the form of a completely homogenized, that is, without pieces, mashed potatoes.

Safety is above all!

The ingredients used in the preparation of commercially produced baby purees are grown on the territory of specialized farms in environmentally safe places and undergo multi-stage testing, so such purees are the safest for the child. nine0003

The introduction of complementary foods is an important step in the development of the child, a serious stage of growing up. Children's vegetable purees "Agusha" have been carefully tested and are prepared in compliance with all safety rules - they introduce the baby to new tastes and help to smoothly switch to new food.

How much puree to give the baby:

First of all, it is worth determining whether the baby has an allergy to the selected product. Therefore, the first purees are given in the afternoon, after the morning breastfeeding. nine0003

  • The baby is offered very small portions at first - from 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per day.
  • For a week, the amount of puree is brought to approximately 7 teaspoons per day. Of course, only if the little gourmet liked this dish and the crumbs were not allergic to it!
  • Again, to avoid allergies, the little taster should try no more than one vegetable puree per week. At the same time, no matter how much a young mother wants to experiment with tastes, the first purees should be monocomponent, that is, consist of one ingredient. nine0026
  • In no case should mashed potatoes contain salt and sugar - such products should not be introduced into the diet for at least a year.

Only after the baby has approved all the main types of "safe" vegetables, you can start mixing them. In the event that one of the products is unequivocally rejected by the child, it is worth remembering about it in about a month: perhaps the grown-up baby will reconsider his attitude to the previously “rejected” vegetable. Plus, your little one just might not like the serving form or the amount of puree, so try again! nine0003

After the first vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin), at the age of 7-8 months, potatoes, white cabbage, and carrots are introduced (with caution, with colic and bloating in a child).

The next after the main vegetables for baby food are potatoes and white cabbage (be careful with the introduction of these products into the diet for colic and bloating!), As well as carrots.

Vegetables that can cause allergies in babies (sometimes severe) traditionally include tomatoes, vegetables of bright colors, including bright orange pumpkin, carrots, celery, beets, and green peppers. Their children should be given carefully, completely excluded from the list for the first feeding, if there were cases of allergy to this product in the family. nine0003

Porridge is traditionally introduced as complementary foods after your baby has already become familiar with vegetables. This usually happens within a period of about six months and not earlier than 4 months. Complementary foods for a formula-fed or mixed-fed baby may consist of porridge a little earlier than “babies”.

With what porridge to start complementary foods? The fact is that the main protein of cereals, gluten, in babies can cause severe allergies and such unpleasant phenomena as pain and bloating. nine0003

So you need to start with gluten-free cereals: rice and corn grits. Buckwheat porridge is also very good for feeding.

  • Start with one type of cereal and then gradually, a week after the introduction of the first cereal, offer the baby a new one, even later you can switch to a mixture of cereals.
  • Preference should be given to cereals of industrial production - as they meet high safety standards, are made on the basis of proven raw materials and have the right consistency, ideal for a small body. nine0026
  • Try a dairy-free porridge made with water or breast milk (or, for formula-fed babies, the formula you normally feed them) to start with.
  • Complementary foods and constipation. If the child is prone to constipation, it is better to give up rice porridge, preferring buckwheat or corn. Dairy-free cereals are suitable for children with lactose intolerance or those prone to allergies.

It is worth starting to give porridge with small amounts - literally from half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the volume to 100 g per week. Moreover, first introduce one type of porridge and after about a week or two, move on to another. nine0003

To the question "What time can a child have semolina", we answer - because of the gluten content, it can be introduced not earlier than one of the recommended first cereals (buckwheat, rice), and not earlier than 10-12 months.

First, offer the baby monokashi and only then - cereals from several components or with additives. It should be borne in mind that millet, oats, barley groats and semolina contain gluten, which means that they can be given as complementary foods later than other cereals.

nine0197

After the child has tried vegetables and cereals, he can get acquainted with fruit purees. The baby may like this taste so much that he will begin to refuse those dishes that he ate before. To avoid this, you can start by adding just a little fruit puree to your cereal or vegetables.

  • First they give apple and pear puree because they are rarely allergic. Then you can offer the child a peach, apricot and plum.
  • Do not mix different flavors, let the baby try them one by one. nine0026
  • If mum cooks mashed potatoes at home, then there is no need to add sugar: baked fruits are already quite sweet.

Juices are offered to a baby at the age of 6 - 12 months. As the very first new taste, it is recommended to give babies one-component green apple juice without pulp. Such juice, as a rule, is the least allergenic. Children's nutritionists advise starting with commercially produced juices, since both the ingredients themselves and the production process of these products are very rigorously tested. The above applies to juices and compotes "Agusha", created from selected natural ingredients. They contain useful minerals (such as potassium), dietary fiber (in mashed potatoes and juices with pulp), which will be a valuable addition to the daily diet of the baby and mother. nine0003


Correct quantity.

Giving a try to apple juice to the baby should be after morning feeding, one teaspoonful. If the little gourmet reacted well to his first "adult" drink, the next day the crumbs can be given one more spoonful of juice. During the second week, the volume of juice can be increased to 30 g per day, and the number of doses - up to 2 - 3 per day. By 12 months, a child's daily diet may contain about 100 g of a drink. nine0003

It is safest to start introducing juices into a child's diet with apple juice. Agusha clarified apple juice has been clinically proven to be a hypoallergenic drink. The entire product line of Agusha. The first spoon" was created specifically for the first complementary foods. They are made from natural ingredients and undergo strict quality control, so you can be sure that you will choose the right first food for your baby.

  • 2-3 weeks after apple juice, the child can be given other one-component juices without pulp: pear, banana, peach, apricot, plum, pumpkin. These products should not contain sugar, which is not recommended for infants. If the baby perceives the new product well, then his menu can be varied with juices from cherries, black currants. nine0026
  • After another 2-3 weeks, juices from several ingredients can be introduced: apple - pear, apple - pumpkin, apple - apricot, etc. Juices with pulp - apple, apricot, peach, plum - contain dietary fiber and are able to participate in maintaining bowel function. Kids love their thick and rich taste!
  • Be careful with juices from fruits, vegetables, and berries that are allergens: strawberries, citrus fruits, raspberries, tomatoes - they are introduced into the diet of children not earlier than a year. If, after drinking any juice, the baby has an allergic reaction (diathesis, rash, urticaria), then it should be immediately excluded from the diet. nine0026

Meat complementary foods can be introduced into the baby's diet no earlier than 6 months. Meat complementary foods are, first of all, the main source of protein in the diet of a child. From 100 g of meat, he receives 14 - 16 g of protein containing a complete set of essential amino acids. Plus iron, zinc, some B vitamins.


The first meat foods are rabbit, turkey, chicken. After them, you can enter veal, beef, horse meat. Today it is believed that it is better to use industrial-made meat purees, as these canned foods undergo strict quality control and, accordingly, are safe for the baby. Refrain from buying meat in unfamiliar places. nine0003

  • Beef is rich in protein and iron, contains minerals including phosphorus and potassium, as well as some B vitamins. Babies allergic to cow's milk can sometimes develop an allergy to beef protein, in which case it can be replaced with other types of meat for the first feeding - rabbit or turkey.
  • Compared to other types of meat, rabbit meat contains the maximum amount of protein - about 20%, and the proportion of fat, on the contrary, is minimal - about 15%. In addition, rabbit meat is very juicy and tender - and kids adore it. nine0026
  • Turkey is low in calories and low in fat, but its meat is very nutritious.
  • Chicken, according to the standards of modern pediatrics, should not be given to children before a year. An exception may be industrial-made baby puree or home-breeding poultry meat purchased from a trusted place.
  • As for pork, this meat has a very high fat content, so it is not suitable for children's diet. It is better to wait with the introduction of pork into the children's diet until 2.5 - 3 years. nine0026

Rules for introducing meat complementary foods:

When introducing meat into complementary foods, you must adhere to the following rules:

  • You need to introduce meat from half a teaspoon, gradually bringing the weekly weight up to 30 g. It is worth leaving the amount unchanged for several days, checking the child's reaction to a new product. After all, we need not only to feed the baby, but also to avoid allergies!
  • Since the mother already knows which vegetable purees the child eats with a bang, they can be mixed with the first meat puree. So the baby will be “clearer” to the new food. nine0026
  • At 8 - 8.5 months, the baby's diet can contain up to 50 g of meat, and by 1.5 years, the amount of meat in the daily diet can already reach 80 - 90 g, that is, 560 - 630 g per week.
  • Rabbit meat is considered ideal for children prone to allergies, as well as those experiencing digestive problems.
  • Toddlers love a homogeneous consistency - after all, pieces of food are still quite unusual for them. Homemade puree has a coarser "structure" and is often rejected by small gourmets. nine0026

Proper nutrition for children who refuse meat

For a child under 1 - 2 years old, meat is not a mandatory component of the diet. If the baby is gaining weight poorly, you do not need to look for reasons solely in an insufficient amount of meat: this can be influenced by heredity, the functions of the endocrine system, a lack of trace elements in the body, and a number of other reasons. It happens that children under one year categorically refuse meat and do not want to eat it in any form. It's not a disaster. nine0003

  • If your baby refuses meat, you should wait one to two weeks before introducing this food and then try again.
  • If it is not possible to introduce meat into the baby's diet in any way, it is necessary to include cottage cheese, milk porridges in the menu, and after 9 months - kefir and cheese, which are also a rich source of protein.

Whatever choice your little one makes, whether or not he "sets" for meat in his diet, listen to his desires, don't persist with new foods and don't insist on trying them. Remember that all children are different and each develops at its own pace. nine0003

Let's get acquainted with one of the most controversial products in the children's menu. Often, mothers are afraid to introduce eggs into the baby's diet because of the risk of allergies. At the same time, many believe that this is the most important complementary food of the first year of life.


Useful properties of eggs

Without eggs, breakfasts would not be as cozy, birthday cakes would not be as delicious, and children's diets would not be as interesting. Eggs are very nutritious and have a high energy value. nine0003

  • The proteins and fats they contain are well absorbed by the body.
  • Eggs are a source of trace elements necessary for children.
  • The yolk contains an impressive amount of vitamin D, which is so necessary for the growth of the baby. It helps to absorb calcium, thus participating in the formation of teeth and bones.
  • A valuable component of the protein is lysozyme, which has a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory effect.
    • nine0037

    For the first time, your baby can try the pureed yolk with Agusha porridge. Take a few grains of hard-boiled yolk, add 0.5 - 1 teaspoon of your favorite Agusha porridge and serve from a spoon.

    How to introduce eggs into complementary foods

    If at 7 months your baby has already become acquainted with some vegetables and cereals, you can offer him just a few grains of hard-boiled yolk, mixing it with already familiar complementary foods. By 8 months, you can increase this amount to ¼ of the yolk at a time, and by his first birthday, the child can already eat half the yolk. nine0003

    If you notice even the slightest hint of an allergic reaction in a child, then the yolk should be completely excluded from the diet. Unfortunately, allergy-prone children sometimes have to wait over 2 years to try their first egg.

    Egg white begins to be introduced into the diet after 1.5 years. However, if you have any doubts that the baby will respond well to a new product, it is better to wait until the age of 2 years with the introduction of protein.

    Rules for selecting and preparing eggs:

    • The main rule is only fresh eggs.
    • Before you start cooking for your baby, the egg should be washed well with a sponge or brush under running water, removing all dirt from the shell.
    • Wipe with a cloth or paper towel and leave for a while at room temperature before cooking.
    • Babies up to a year should boil eggs in boiling water for up to 10 minutes, and then put them under running cold water. nine0026
    • If you cook an egg over high heat, the protein will become denser than the yolk, and when you cook over low heat, the opposite is true.
    • Do not offer your baby boiled eggs that have been stored in the refrigerator.
    • Purchase eggs only from a trusted manufacturer.
    • Raw eggs are absolutely contraindicated for baby food! They may contain salmonella bacteria.
    • It is necessary to completely exclude the eggs of waterfowl (ducks, geese) from the child's diet, as they can be infected with pathogens of dangerous infections. nine0026

    Allergic children often take quail egg yolk well - it can be introduced into the diet at the age of about a year. Therefore, quail eggs can be an excellent alternative to chicken eggs, and they can also be included in the usual children's meals. Quail eggs are richer in vitamins and nutrients than chicken eggs, however, during heat treatment, their beneficial properties become almost identical.

    Salmonella is rare in quail eggs, as their thick shell membrane prevents the penetration of this pathogenic bacterium. Also, due to the high body temperature, quails are resistant to infectious diseases, so they are kept without vaccination. nine0003

    The time to get acquainted with the "adult table" has already come, but the kid still refuses to take this issue seriously? He throws himself and spits, screams and turns away from the dishes lovingly prepared by his mother? Let's try to figure out what's going on.

    First, do not worry: almost everyone faces this problem. Some babies from the very first spoonful of complementary foods "go into protest." For others, the initial interest in food is replaced by the search for "new forms" of its use. Still others may even be truly scared of an unfamiliar product. Try to listen to what the baby is telling you with his actions, and make a decision based on this. nine0003

    • If the baby refuses the bottle and spoon from the very beginning. Maybe he's just not ready yet. Be patient and in no case do not force the child to eat when he does not want to. Place him in a high chair or in your arms when the whole family is at the dinner table - let the baby show interest in the spoon and the contents of the plates before you give him his own dinner set. It also happens that, flatly rejecting the bottle, the baby happily tries to drink from a straw or from a children's drinking cup. Or refusing vegetable puree, the baby reaches for pieces of the same vegetables. Try different options, for sure you will find something that you can interest your baby. Well, if he continues to resist, postpone attempts for a week or two, the right moment will definitely come. nine0026
    • If a child tries some foods but violently refuses others. Treat the little rebel with understanding, because for the first time he had the opportunity to study his tastes and declare them to others. Follow a feeding schedule, but don't be too rigid. Some foods not loved by the baby can be “skipped” and introduced a little later (most importantly, not earlier!) Of the recommended age. Every month, the baby’s diet expands, you can try new recipes: make cocktails from your favorite and unloved purees, add vegetables and fruits to cereals and even fermented milk shakes. In any case, try to follow the same eating rituals every time and introduce the baby to a new dish only when he is in a calm atmosphere and good mood. And do not abuse sweet foods, fruit purees and children's cookies, it is better to start with neutral flavors (vegetables, cereals, dairy products). By the way, do not forget about the current WHO recommendations regarding the timing of the introduction of complementary foods: now the recommended age is 4-6 months, regardless of the type of feeding the baby (subject to sufficient weight gain). nine0026
    • If the child uses food for entertainment. For a small child, food is the main way of knowing the world, and also an important channel of communication. Scattering food all over the kitchen, smearing it on the face and table, splashing from the drinker, the baby not only explores new substances, but also observes the reactions of others. If his actions turn into an active reaction on the part of adults, it is highly likely that next time he will want to try this “method of influence” again. Therefore, try to keep a reasonable middle ground in this matter and follow the same pattern of actions: do not scold the child and in no case punish, but calmly and confidently take away food from him if he indulges, and eliminate (perhaps together with the child) mess. nine0026
    • If the baby has tried a new food well, but suddenly reacts by screaming and crying to the new food. In the world of children, there are many inexplicable things for adults. The baby may be frightened by something that seems familiar to us. A large raspberry may seem like a caterpillar, a bunch of mashed potatoes may reveal the smile of an unknown creature, and the smell of a new dish may remind you of some kind of negative experience. Or maybe he just has a stomach ache. Tiny is still too small to explain his feelings. Be calm about his reaction and do not insist on continuing the meal if the child cries and screams. nine0026

    Parents, like kids, should take the process of nutrition a little less seriously at first. Let your child tinker with curds, purees and pieces of fruit to get to know and “make friends” with unknown foods; the main thing is that this happens in a different environment and with other rituals than eating. The child should know that although the process of tasting new foods is terribly interesting, play and food are still different things. And of course, be patient - your young gourmet will definitely learn good table manners and, perhaps, even invent gourmet dishes himself. How to get your child interested in food nine0003