Introducing whole foods to babies

How to Get Started with Baby Led Weaning: A Nutritionist's Guide

by Dana Simkins

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means I will receive a small commission (at no extra charge to you) should you choose to purchase a recommended product.

If you’re a parent, you may have heard of a style of infant feeding called Baby Led Weaning. I first learned of this approach in my Pediatric Nutrition course while working on my Master’s. I have since used the technique with my own three children! In this post I’ll talk you through all the basics and let you know how to get started with baby led weaning.

What is Baby Led Weaning?

The basic idea is that instead of feeding your baby pureed solids, you offer them whole foods. This allows baby to experience a variety of textures and flavors of food. Rather than being spoon-fed, your baby can regulate his own intake. And research suggests Baby Led Weaning babies are less prone to overeat later in childhood*. Babies have the ability to regulate their food intake based on physical hunger cues, something that becomes increasingly more difficult as we get older. Perhaps the longer we allow them to experience food in that way, the better.

What About Purees?

You might be wondering…if she’s a proponent of Baby Led Weaning (BLW), then why are there recipes for pureed baby foods on this site? I’m a strong believer that you should do what works for you in parenting. If you feel that you might better nurture your child by offering pureed foods, or if the BLW approach makes you nervous, trust your instincts. Neither method is the “right” way, they are simply different and may benefit your baby in different ways. Keep reading to find out how I incorporate purees into Baby Led Weaning.

Feeling Unsure?

If you’re feeling unsure because other people have told you it’s a bad idea, take a minute to check out my post on Dealing With Doubters. It’s sure to give you a confidence boost and set your mind at ease about how to get started with Baby Led Weaning the right way.

Many moms (including me!) choose to do Baby Led Weaning while still offering purees to their children. There are some foods, like yogurt, that offer great nutritional value for your infant (protein, probiotics) but can be messy to offer to a 6-month old without assistance. I go more in-depth on how to include purees in my Baby Led Weaning Myths post and my Starter Foods post.

How to Get Started With Baby Led Weaning

When can I start Baby Led Weaning with my child?
What do I need to get started?
What sort of foods should I be offering?
When should I feed my baby solids? Do I still offer breast milk/formula?
But, my baby has no teeth…how can she chew?
What about choking?

When can I start Baby Led Weaning with my child?

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend offering your baby any solids (pureed or not) before 6 months of age. The majority of infants are not ready to eat solids before then, and there is evidence that it could result in the development of allergies since their digestive systems are not fully developed yet.

6 months is a general recommendation, and of course there are some babies who are ready earlier, and some who might even take a bit longer. All of this should be determined by you and your pediatrician, but generally a baby is ready to go if he/she:

Shows interest in your food at meal times by leaning or reaching for it
Can sit up unaided
Has head and neck control
Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex, and does not push food out of his/her mouth but is willing & able to swallow

What do I need to get started?

Once you’ve read through this post about how to get started with baby led weaning make sure to prepare yourself with these fun and functional tools! They’ll help minimize the mealtime mess, and make meal prep a breeze.

What sort of foods should I be offering?

The Baby Led Weaning approach means you can offer your baby almost anything you’re eating with a few exceptions.

Be sure any food offered does not have too much salt or added sugar. Too much salt can overwhelm their tiny kidneys and added sugar offers no nutritional value, it just adds empty calories.

Do not offer:

Honey to children under 1 year of age. Honey can contain botulinum toxin which can cause botulism in infants.
Cow’s milk to children under 1 year of age. Babies can’t handle the proteins in cow’s milk before 1 year of age. However, yogurt and cheese made from cow’s milk are acceptable since the proteins in these food have been partially broken down.
Small, hard foods like whole nuts, popcorn and peanut butter (on its own) can all be serious choking hazards. These should not be offered to infants.

Limit the following:

Bread (limit to one slice a day since it tends to be high in salt/sugar and may cause constipation)
Fish high in mercury content such as tuna, mackerel, or swordfish (limit to two servings per week to be safe)
Processed foods like potato chips, canned soups/sauces, condiments and fried foods tend to be loaded with salt & sugar and offer little to no nutritional value.

Proceed with caution:

If there is history of food allergy in your family you may want to introduce foods one at a time to be sure there is no adverse reaction. Talk to your doctor about this before starting any solids.
The following foods can be a choking hazard and should be sliced up before offering to baby: whole grapes, bony fish, fruits with pits (cherries, olives, etc. )

Ideas for First Foods:

Fish fingers (tilapia works really well simply breaded)
Chicken (grilled or roasted, cut into strips)
Steamed Broccoli Florets
Steamed Carrots (larger pieces not baby carrots)
Cavatappi (or other “curly” pasta, like fusilli)
Sweet Potato “Fries” (cut sweet potatoes into strips and bake until soft enough to mash with your fingers)
Avocado cut into long pieces
Pears, apples, cucumber, peeled & cut into long pieces
Canned/jarred mandarin wedges in water (I recommend these over fresh because there are no seeds)
Toast strips with hummus spread
Cheese sticks
Banana with peel as a handle (see picture below)

When should I be feeding my baby solids? Do I still offer breast milk/formula?

Breast milk/formula should still make up the majority of baby’s diet until 1 year of age. Babies’ tummies are very small, and breast milk/formula is much more nutrient rich than any food. It provides them with everything they need for the first year. You may have heard this saying before, “Food before one is just for fun!” It’s true, for most babies breast milk/formula offers all they need until their first birthday.

The introduction of solid foods before 1 year is a “bonus”, may help avoid the development of allergies and allows them exposure to various flavors and textures.

To be sure your baby is getting enough nutrition from milk, I recommend nursing/offering a bottle before each “meal” of solid foods. This will also assure that your baby is in a good mood and doesn’t get frustrated while trying to eat.

But, my baby has no teeth…how can she chew?

What about choking?

First of all, it is very important that you know the difference between gagging and choking (but also know infant CPR). It is totally normal for your little one to gag a bit as they are learning to eat. It takes a while for them to learn the proper way to move food around their mouth. Here is an example of my son gagging when we began Baby Led Weaning at 6 months. Note how he moves the food around and continues to chew…

Basically, if baby gags but keeps on happily eating and shows no signs of distress, everything is fine. You will know if she’s choking because her eyes will get wide, she won’t be getting any air and she will stop eating. This NEVER happened with with either of my children, and is highly unlikely with Baby Led Weaning.

Because baby is deciding how much food to take in and because BLW encourages chewing rather than sucking, you’ll find babies eat more slowly and very small bits at a time. Offering bigger pieces can help avoid choking, too.

In the unlikely event your baby is actually choking, call 911 immediately and be prepared with infant CPR techniques.

Still not sure what to feed baby?

If you still aren’t sure where to begin, I urge you to check out my 4-week Baby Led Weaning Family Meal Plan! It’s a whole month of original recipes for your BLW baby and everyone else under your roof. Cook once, feed everyone! Along with the recipes are super organized shopping lists and serving tips for various ages (6m+).

For everything you need to know about Baby Led Weaning, check out this book by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett, the “creators” of Baby Led Weaning. I write that in quotations because they write in their book that parents have been doing this for a very long time, they just gave it a name and came up with tips, tricks and guidelines.

For some Baby Led Weaning recipes, check out Baby Led Feeding . It’s chock full of healthy, tasty options for your little one starting at 6 months! A great tool to get you started with Baby Led Weaning.

Do you think Baby Led Weaning is something you might try? Any tips on how to get started with Baby Led Weaning? Post about your experience/opinion in the comments!

How I discovered and embraced Baby-Led Weaning/Feeding (BLW)

A few weeks ago I sat at the dinner table and watched Clara furrow her brow as she focused on a centimeter square piece of omelet that was sitting on her dinner tray. She reached a chubby arm and closed her dimpled hand over the egg, raking it closer, before clutching it in her tight grip and transferring it to her mouth. It took some effort, but she succeeded, and thoughtfully chewed and swallowed the omelet before looking around for more. I actually blinked back a few tears in awe and pride.

Clara is not quite six months old and is eating on her own like a little champion. She is slow, messy, and doesn’t actually ingest all that much, but gracious me, she is not picky! In fact, quite the contrary, she wants to eat everything. In solid form, too.

How did we get here? No drippy rice cereal? Brown-colored puree? Well, while I was still pregnant with Clara, my doula tipped me off to a method for introducing solids called Baby-Led Weaning

, or as I like to call it, Baby Led Feeding. I have no intention of weaning Clara yet, but have been supplementing her diet for a month or so now using BLW.

Baby-led feeding is the common-sense practice of giving your baby soft, palatable whole foods and letting her feed herself her first ‘bites’, while continuing to breastfeed. The theory is that babies will experiment and discover food at their own pace, as well as develop new abilities including chewing and keen hand-eye coordination.

I’ve certainly seen firsthand the benefits of skipping purees and moving straight to solids. Not only is it less work in the kitchen, but Clara is continually astounding us with her early ability to chew and participate around the dinner table. And of course I’m hoping in the long run that she’ll be open to a much wider range of food than my boys were.

What are the advantages of BLW?

Skipping purees and going straight to solid food sure sounded attractive to me, as I never enjoyed the spoon-feeding days with my boys, but I have to admit, I wondered if it would really be a success. It only took a few days for me to observe that a baby who is ready and eager to eat, as Clara was, is completely capable of handling, chewing, and eating solid foods.

In brief, here are some of the advantages of BLW versus jarred baby food/purees:

Baby eats what you eat. So, no extra meal prep, dishes, etc.
Babies are in control of what they are eating. They stop when they are full, or continue when they are hungry. There’s no (less?) power struggles.
Babies are more likely to be better eaters as toddlers and young children because they have been exposed to such variety of taste and texture, and been in control of their eating, from such an early age.
Babies feed themselves, leaving you free to use a knife and fork of your own – while supervising, of course.
Babies learn to chew first, and then swallow, as opposed to just letting the puree slide down, which, in my opinion, makes for a difficult transition to chunkier food and real solids.

Getting Started

Whether Clara is a budding ‘foodie’ or not, I have to credit BLW for giving me the confidence to set whole foods down in front of my tiny little girl – and allowing her to swipe an occasional slice of tomato off my plate.

We started, unofficially, at 4 months, when she tucked into an ear of corn and proceeded to give it about 20 minutes of her time. From there we moved on to chicken bones, with shreds of meat attached. I had noticed the signs of early teething, so likely the corn and the bone felt good on those sore gums; still, she was obviously interested in food. I just wasn’t sure if her tummy was ready.

By 5 months she was holding a peach and sucking the juices from it. We moved on to vegetables, some braised meats, and pancakes and her chewing improved drastically. A favorite food was oven-roasted zucchini sticks.

Hand-eye coordination and dexterity already surprised us at (almost) 6 months. She now eats as if hungry, although food is still like a toy for her and she gets most of her ‘food’ from breast milk.

Tips for Baby-Led Weaning

Watch for signs that baby is ready.

We eat together as a family every evening as a way of creating a healthy family food culture. While sitting on my lap at the dinner table, Clara would take my hand and gently redirect my fork to her mouth. It doesn’t get more obvious than that.

Other signs we noticed were:

intently watching others eat
making little noises and sucking motions with her mouth
drooling

BLW and a Whole Foods Diet

Families that are striving for whole foods diets are already on the right track to Baby-Led Weaning. Most of the foods on your table are suitable for baby, too, meaning they feature organic ingredients, and are for the most part, unprocessed.

What a time-saver when the entire family can sit together and eat the same dinner!

Clara’s Diet:

I’m starting slowly with Clara, so although she’s been grazing for almost two months, her diet is still limited. I’m holding off on grains (difficult to digest) save for a triangle of French Toast here and there, as well as dairy, although I may try goat yogurt soon.

I’m also waiting on very sweet fruits such as banana, blueberries and pineapple. I’d prefer if she formed an attachment with vegetables and savory flavors before going ‘bananas’, as it were, on sweeter food.

chicken, usually braised until soft and tender
beef, some steak, some ground beef (easy to pick up and chew)
salmon
peaches, pears, whole or sliced, very ripe, peeled
strawberries
broccoli, whole steamed florets
sweet potato, zucchini ‘fries’, baked
avocado
corn on the cob
carrots, roasted
scrambled eggs & omelets
French Toast, pancakes

Right now we’re waiting for Clara to be a little stronger when sitting up, and then it will be time for a whole new menu! Squash, apples, beets – fall has so many lovely foods that I can’t wait for her to try.

Here’s what a few ‘real food’ mothers have to say about Baby-Led Weaning:

Nicole, The Art of Simple.

“BLW has been super fun. I’ve been amazed at the dexterity Hallee has acquired in less than two months. I like that with BLW I am teaching my baby to put food in her mouth and chew it (or suck/gum it to start), rather than teaching her to swallow first, which is actually a little backwards if you think about it. ”

Katie, Kitchen Stewardship.

“Baby-led weaning may mean that my 12-month-old eats like a carnivore who loves fruit but I’m okay with that. It feels really good and natural to trust his instincts (except when he throws food overboard onto the floor), and I haven’t missed the special cooking and reheating of “baby food cubes.” My little guy hardly ate anything until 10 months old and then had 4-5 foods he enjoyed, and I’m so glad I didn’t feel like I had to feed him so much food and so many choices. Those power struggles over the highchair tray aren’t worth it.”

Brittany, A Healthy Slice of Life.

“Hailey eats what we eat! I make sure it’s modified to fit her needs (soft, long pieces with no spices), and we can all eat together. And if we’re out? She can eat off our plate- no spooning her food! So far, I love baby led solids.”

Looking ahead

I’ve been told to expect a bit of a lull around 7-8 months as babies get over the novelty of handling and eating foods, but pick up with renewed interest around 9 months. We shall see. I think once Clara discovers how her mama can cook she won’t want to leave the table! *wink*

For me, there is no haste to make and freeze cubes and bags of frozen puree. Clara will eat what we eat and celebrate the seasons and the variety they bring. I’ll definitely be reaching for the The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook

along the way.

Now, if only we had a dog to take care of the mess under the high chair…

Resources:

The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook
Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods – and Helping Your Baby to Grow Up a Happy and Confident Eater
BabyLedWeaning.com
BLW Facebook group

Comments? Questions? Experienced BLW parents, I’d LOVE your input!

Mom's most important book. Pregnancy. Childbirth. Early years / ... / Medical guide

When to start complementary foods

Today there is a tendency to delay the introduction of complementary foods in the diet of infants. This is due to an increase in the allergenicity of products, with a decrease in the amount of minerals and mineral substances in their composition, and with many other factors.

Most domestic pediatricians advise mothers to follow the complementary feeding scheme approved by the State Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (the last time it was edited at 1999)

However, in recent years, thousands of clinical studies have been conducted, as a result of which changes have been made.

Starting complementary foods while breastfeeding

• According to experts, today the most favorable age for the introduction of complementary foods to a child who is breastfed is 6 months. Until this time, the baby does not need complementary foods, since he receives all the necessary vitamins and minerals for normal growth and development from mother's milk. True, provided that the baby is healthy, gains weight according to the norms and the function of the gastrointestinal tract is not impaired.

• By this period - the age of rapid growth, physiological maturation and development of the child, mother's milk is no longer able to provide the baby with the energy supply necessary for him, the trace elements and minerals he needs, as well as plant proteins and various groups of carbohydrates, not to mention general a variety of products to meet the growing needs of the baby.

• At the same time, based on the individual characteristics of the child, as well as regional opportunities to meet the needs of infants, as necessary, the doctor may advise you to introduce complementary foods as early as 4 months of your baby's life, despite the fact that your baby is breastfed.

IMPORTANT!

Talk to your pediatrician about when to introduce complementary foods to your baby.

You should know that when we talk about this or that period of introduction of complementary foods - 4 or 6 months, we mean not the beginning of these months of a baby's life, but their end.

What can lead to untimely introduction of complementary foods

• According to experts, the early introduction of complementary foods will rather "replace" breast milk, rather than "supplement" it, which is not physiological for infants. In addition, a decrease in the frequency of sucking can reduce the production of mother's milk, which is still very necessary for the nutrition of the baby.

• If you start introducing complementary foods after the established deadlines (6-7 months), it will be much more difficult for the child to adapt to food that is significantly different in texture from breast milk. He already has a certain “eating behavior” that will not be easy for you to change later, and often such children become very picky.

• Read the latest WHO recommendations on nutritional needs for infants:

“Starting complementary foods too early has its dangers because:

♦ breast milk can be replaced by complementary foods, and this will lead to a decrease in breast milk production, and therefore the risk of insufficient energy and nutrient intake by the baby;

♦ Infants are exposed to pathogenic microbes present in foods and fluids that can be contaminated and thereby increase the risk of dyspepsia and therefore malnutrition;

♦ the risk of dyspepsia and food allergies increases due to the immaturity of the intestines, and because of this, the risk of malnutrition increases;

♦ Fertility returns to mothers more quickly, as reduced breastfeeding reduces the period during which ovulation is suppressed.

Problems also arise when complementary foods are introduced too late because:

♦ insufficient energy and nutrients from breast milk alone can lead to stunted growth and malnutrition;

♦ Micronutrient deficiencies, especially iron and zinc, may develop due to the inability of breast milk to meet the baby's needs.

♦ Optimal development of motor skills, such as chewing, and the child's positive perception of the new taste and texture of food may not be ensured.

Therefore, it is necessary to introduce complementary foods at the right time, at the appropriate stages of development.

Timing of the introduction of individual products

Introduction of juices

• Formerly: Complementary foods should start with juices.

• Now: Juices are not introduced into the baby's diet until 6 months of age.

• Today, pediatricians prohibit the introduction of juices before six months. Breastfed babies do not need juices in the first months of life. As a result of research, it was revealed that a three-month-old baby does not receive any special vitamins that would not be part of human milk, even from freshly prepared juice. In addition, children who drink juice from the age of three months have a high risk of allergic reactions and disorders in the gastrointestinal tract.

Introduction of fermented milk products

Formerly: Fermented milk products can be introduced into complementary foods from 5 months.

Now: It is better to get acquainted with kefir and cottage cheese from 8 months.

• Kefir and cottage cheese contain gluten, and it can cause allergic reactions in many children. Nutritionists advise choosing curds without flavorings. To make it sweeter, you can add a spoonful of natural fruit puree (from a green apple or a ripe pear).

Meat Introduction

• Formerly: meat is introduced from 8 months.

• Now: You can start getting acquainted with meat from 7 months.

• Doctors believe that teaching a child to vegetarianism is a big mistake. Indeed, animal protein, unsaturated fatty acids found in meat, are necessary for the normal growth and development of babies. After six months, neither fruits nor vegetables can satisfy the need of a growing child's body for amino acids and proteins.

Introduction of fruit and vegetable puree

• Formerly: After juices, fruit purees are introduced at 4 months.

• Now: At 6 months weaning starts with vegetable puree.

• It is best to start complementary foods with a monocomponent vegetable puree. For him, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli are suitable. Mashed potatoes should be prepared with water, but can also be diluted with breast milk or milk formula that the baby eats. Potatoes are allowed to be added to multi-ingredient mashed potatoes (they must be included in the list of products allowed after 8 months).

• It happens that pediatricians advise starting complementary foods with cereals. An indication for a change in general patterns may be the nature of regurgitation, and the general dynamics of weight gain in the baby.

Introduction of milk porridge

• Formerly: milk porridge is introduced into the infant's diet at 5 months.

• Now: cereals prepared with milk should be given to a child from 6–7 months.

• It is better to start with gluten-free cereals: buckwheat, rice or corn. To exclude allergic reactions, it is recommended to cook porridge in water, without sugar and salt. And with oatmeal it’s worth a while, since it, like semolina and millet, contains gluten, a vegetable protein that is a strong allergen.

Russian traditions.

Folk wisdom says: the first complementary foods should be started no earlier than the first tooth appears in the crumbs.

Scheme for the introduction of complementary foods and dishes, approved by the State Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences

*numbers 3, 4, etc. mean that this product should be administered from 3, 4, etc. months;

**number 1 (column fruit puree) means that fruit puree is introduced 2 weeks after the introduction of juice;

***number 2 (column whole milk) means that milk must be used for preparing complementary foods (vegetable puree, cereals, etc.).

IMPORTANT!

Parents can use this scheme only when they live in areas and areas where it is difficult for them to get competent specialist advice in time. If you do not have such problems, use the advice of your pediatrician or pediatric nutritionist.

Complementary foods and meals recommended by US pediatrician William Sears

Indicators that the child is ready to introduce solid foods into his diet:

• The child can sit without support - this is the position in which it is supposed to receive solid food

• The child controls the movements of his head (to show you that he has already eaten).

• The child knows how to eat food from a spoon.

Introduction of complementary foods to a formula-fed child

• Complementary foods are introduced to a child on artificial feeding earlier than on natural feeding, starting from 4.5–5 months of life.

• The sequence of introducing foods and complementary foods with this type of infant feeding is almost the same as the sequence of introducing them with natural feeding. However, given that the artificial child is already adapted to "foreign nutrition", certain types of complementary foods can be introduced to him at an earlier date. Especially if the need arises.

• In any case, juices and fruit purees can be introduced to him already from 1.5–2 months, and not from 3–3.5 as with natural feeding. As needed the first food can be porridge, instead of vegetable puree. But kefir and other whole non-adapted fermented milk products are best introduced from 6–7 months. Instead of cow's milk, it is desirable to give preference to "subsequent" mixtures, as, indeed, with breastfeeding.

The scheme for the introduction of products and dishes of complementary foods during artificial feeding of children of the first year of life, approved by the State Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences

*numbers 1, 2, 3, etc. mean that this product should be administered from 1, 2, etc. months.

**1 - puree is introduced 2 weeks after the introduction of juice.

***2 - depending on the amount of adapted or follow-up formula received by the child.

****3 - for preparing complementary foods (vegetable puree, porridge, etc.).

The diet of an infant who is bottle-fed and receiving complementary foods

• Already after the introduction of the first complementary foods, you can transfer your baby to 5 meals a day. In cases where your baby has been artificially fed not from the first days of life, his transfer to this type of feeding should be gradual, and the younger the child, the more strictly this rule must be followed. The fact is that such a baby is still simply physiologically immature and hardly adapts to nutrition that differs from the human milk intended for him by nature.

• Feeding your baby 5 times after the introduction of complementary foods does not mean that "free" feeding is cancelled. You must take into account the desires of your baby in this type of baby food, varying the number of feedings depending on his appetite. And if it is easier for your child to eat the food he needs in smaller portions than you offer him, reduce the amount of portions and increase the number of feedings, based on the individual characteristics of your baby. Be flexible about nutrition and change the established "clichés" in favor of your child.

IMPORTANT!

Artificial milk formulas made from cow's milk stay in the baby's stomach for about 3 hours, cereals for 3-4 hours, and vegetables for 4-5 hours.

Complementary feeding rules

IMPORTANT!

Talk to your pediatrician before you start complementary foods!

• Start complementary foods only if the baby is currently healthy and has stable stools.

• Do not start complementary foods at least one week before, during, and after your booster shot. Do not introduce complementary foods in hot weather.

• The consistency of the first complementary foods should be at least semi-liquid so that the baby does not have difficulty swallowing new food (homogeneous and well-mashed). After getting used to such food, you can begin to give the child a thicker one.

• Teach your child to take complementary foods from a spoon, not from a pacifier.

• Give complementary foods before breastfeeding, not after (before breastfeeding, the baby has a strong nutritional arousal that “forces” him to try new food, and after feeding an unfamiliar dish that is inferior in taste to milk, the baby may not only not like it, but cause his constant protest in the future). Many pediatricians advise breastfeeding about 2 hours after feeding.

• Introduce each new complementary food gradually, starting with very small amounts (juice from a few drops, puree and porridge from half or one teaspoon). Wait a week, watch the reaction. If all is well, gradually increase the dose and introduce the next product.

• If an infant develops allergic reactions or bowel dysfunction, stop giving him this food dish and try to introduce it again, if this dish is really necessary for the child, after a while. In case of repeated intolerance to this type of complementary foods, replace it with a similar one (for example, one type of porridge for another, oatmeal for buckwheat, etc.).

• Start introducing a new type of food with one particular product, and only after making sure that this product does not cause an allergic reaction in the baby and is well tolerated by him. Move, as necessary, first to a mixture of two, and then to a mixture of more products of this group (apple juice, pear, etc. ).

• Introduce complementary foods such as cereals and mashed vegetables gradually, starting with one or more scoops, and try to completely replace one breastfeed with this new food over the course of a week.

• Complementary foods for healthy babies start with applesauce from green apples. If the baby has problems, for example, he is not gaining weight well, complementary foods can be started with gluten-free cereals (buckwheat, rice, corn).

• Let's try a new product at a time of the day when the baby is in a good mood and not too hungry. For the first attempts, the middle of the morning or afternoon is perfect.

• Introduce new food in small portions, gradually moving to larger ones. Update the diet no more than once every 5-6 days.

• Do not be guided by other children: if a neighbor's peer is already eating potatoes with meat with might and main, this does not mean that it is time for your child too.

• If your baby is an "artificial", then be careful when calculating the dose of complementary foods so as not to overfeed the baby from the first days. Normally, newborns should lose 5-7% of their weight within a few days. In fact, "artificial" lose much less than infants or children who are breastfed with supplements. Keep in mind that excessive nutrition from the first days of life can disrupt the metabolic process and affect later weight.

Baby feeding safety

• When preparing meat puree, cut the meat and poultry across the grain into small, thin pieces.

• Carefully remove all bones before mashing the fish.

• Avoid fibrous foods such as celery and long string beans as they can choke. In addition, "dangerous" foods include: nuts, seeds, raw carrots, fresh apples, grapes, unripe pears, hard beans.

Do you cook yourself or prefer industrial products?

Benefits

• Cooking for your baby is your way of expressing your love to him.

• You don't just cook mashed potatoes or porridge for him, you communicate with him, talking about potatoes, carrots, green peas. .. You introduce him to flowers - carrots are orange, and peas are green... In addition to the names and properties of products, your baby understands the main thing - you are with him and take care of him now. After all, he will eat the puree.

• You don't just use any baby foods, you use the very best of those foods you can find.

Drawbacks

Our food has become unsafe. In products - nitrates, pesticides and other "chemistry". And you cannot be sure that the ruddy apple that you have chosen for your baby in the store for puree or juice is completely safe for him. But only a guarantee of food safety allows you to prepare complementary foods yourself.

IMPORTANT!

If there is no such guarantee, then it is better to use various commercially produced complementary foods that guarantee the chemical safety of their products.

Helpful Hints

• To prepare complementary foods, choose vegetables and fruits from your summer cottage. So you will be sure that there is no excessive amount of mineral fertilizers.

• Vegetables must be whole and healthy in appearance.

• If vegetables are purchased from a store or market, they can be soaked to reduce their fertilizer content.

• Potatoes grown with mineral fertilizers often show signs of damage (brown and black spots) that are visible when cut.

• Following WHO recommendations, it is desirable that the basis for the introduction of complementary foods is the food that your whole family eats, but processed differently, taking into account the age characteristics of the child.

• If you are preparing mashed potatoes for all family members, then before salting and adding spices, set aside the portion he needs separately for your baby, soften the mashed potatoes as required for the baby's age, add a small amount of breast milk to it. Instead of milk, you can add boiled water, after cooling it.

• Remember that baby food should not contain a lot of salt or sugar, it should be well softened, kneaded, making it accessible to the child in terms of consistency.

Industrial baby food products

What applies to industrial baby food products for children in the first year of life

• Canned fruit, vegetable and fruit and vegetable juices and purees.

• Dry instant cereal and cereal-milk mixtures (cereals).

• Meat and meat-vegetable, fish and fish-vegetable purees.

Benefits of industrial baby food

• According to their chemical composition, they strictly correspond to the needs of a child of a particular age in proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as in vitamins and microelements.

• When preparing baby food products industrially, strict quality control of the initial products is carried out, which guarantees the safety of such food for the baby.

• The set of products in different types of complementary foods is strictly balanced.

• Simplicity and ease of use. Saving mom's time and energy.

• On the road, in the country, at a party, canned vegetables, fruits or meat are very convenient.

What to look for when buying

• For age, from which this product is useful for the baby (is it appropriate for the age of your baby).

• At , the composition of the ingredients included in this complementary food dish is the amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins, as well as the energy value of the product.

• For , the release date and expiration date is (you cannot buy expired canned food).

• At storage conditions of this product.

• For country and manufacturer. Modern technology for the production of baby food is quite high in all countries, and domestic products are not worse than foreign ones.

Helpful Hints

• Do not feed your baby directly from a can.

• Lay a tablecloth, transfer the puree from the jar to a beautiful plate, heat to a comfortable temperature. Put a beautiful bib on your child, give a children's plastic spoon in your hands and encourage the baby to eat on his own.

• You can turn on calm music.

Child learns to eat from a spoon

• The first attempts to eat with a spoon are not easy. At first, the child may not be able to remove food from the spoon. If you transfer the contents of the spoon to the tongue, it will soon be back on his chin. And if you put a spoon in your mouth, the baby may choke.

• It is best to touch the spoon to the baby's mouth and wait until he, making sucking movements, eats its contents. Even a small amount of food eaten in this way will be enough to interest the child.

• Yes, do not force feed your baby. Eating is a pleasant activity, and children who are allowed to choose the amount and type of food themselves always have a good appetite. The baby knows how much he needs to eat, and will let you know by turning away from the spoon or pursing his lips.

Useful acquisitions.

High chair

• From the age of 6 months, when the child learns to sit on his own, he will need a high chair.

• Sitting in a highchair at a common table, the baby becomes a full member of the family breakfast, lunch or dinner. And he enjoys it immensely!

• Well, if the high chair can be used as a place for creativity. There are models that transform into a workplace where you can sculpt, draw, do applique and play.

IMPORTANT!

Always fasten your baby in a high chair.

Types of high chairs

Chair and table set, similar to adult furniture, but smaller version

• It can be wooden and plastic, plain or painted "under Khokhloma". This option is only suitable for a child older than 1.5 years.

• There are also more modern models - a plastic armchair placed on tubular metal legs. A baby up to a year old can sit in it, but it will be hard for him. In addition, usually such chairs need to be additionally equipped with safety belt systems.

high chair

• A folding chair takes up little space. It is easy to assemble and disassemble. As a rule, such a chair weighs a little more than 5 kg.

Hanging chair

• Hanging chair - one of the folding options. He will help you out if there is not enough space in the kitchen and in the room. In addition, it will come in handy when traveling.

• Hanging chair consists of a metal frame, removable soft cover, hard back and seat. There is no footrest, and this, of course, is inconvenient.

• Hanging chair is installed on the parent dining table or on a table in a railway compartment using clips.

• The hanging chair is fixed on the tabletop using the lever method, that is, due to the weight of the child. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the weight of the baby does not exceed that recommended by the manufacturers of this seat, otherwise the child may roll over. There is another method of fastening (quite reliable) - using a system of screws.

• The hanging chair takes up little space, weighs less than 5 kg, is compact enough to be attached to almost any table in a few minutes. As a rule, the price of such chairs is low.

• Such chairs are designed for children from 6 months. The maximum weight that they can withstand is 15 kg.

Travel chair

• A travel chair is a structure that is attached to any chair with a back using straps. In this case, the child is securely held by the seat belt.

• There are many different models of such chairs.

• The seat of the support chair where the travel chair is attached must be flat and firm.

• You can not install a high chair on a stool, folding chair, high bar stool.

Transformer

• The simplest models of domestic production are a structure with an area of approximately 1 sq. m. The seats are usually made of oilcloth, which is easy to clean. The tabletop can be removed after a while.

• If the countertop does not have sides, it becomes useless, since it is unlikely that it will be possible to fix a plate on it (if it is not equipped with a special suction cup).

In addition, it is necessary to buy additional belts for such a chair in order to ensure safe feeding for the baby in the chair.

• When the baby grows up, the structure is dismantled into "spare parts", and the baby gets a workplace from a table and a stand-alone chair.

• In different transformers - a different number of levels to which they can be lowered (from 1 to 7). Thanks to this, you will adjust the height at which the child sits to the level of the dining table or to the level of the chair on which the mother sits.

• Multifunctional center for the baby - a version of the transformer. It can perform the functions of a chair, rocking chair, swing, fold and unfold. At the same time, it takes up little space.

• In such models, the tables are made of reliable and safe plastic, have sides and recesses in which you can put dishes or,

such as drawing supplies. In expensive models of chairs, you can change the angle of the backrest and the height of the footrest, and the table can be mounted at different distances from the child. In any case, the highchair should have a footrest and a comfortable tabletop.

• Such a chair can serve a child up to 3-5 years.

• The disadvantage of the same design is that it is not very compact and very heavy. It is not suitable for the kitchen, since for such a stationary chair you will have to allocate a permanent place.

Things to consider when buying a highchair

• Most modern chairs are made of plastic. But there are also models with a metal frame or individual parts made of various alloys. There are also chairs made of wood. As a rule, they are cheaper. However, they are not always comfortable and are difficult to keep clean.

• Check the chair for stability. This is important, as the baby will spin in the chair and hang from it.

• If you are going to move the high chair inside the apartment, it is better to purchase a high chair on wheels. There are models with 2 wheels. However, a highchair with 4 wheels is easier to move.

• The wheels must have comfortable and reliable brake locks. A restraining strap is also required, otherwise the baby will slide between the seat and the table.

• Check how secure the fasteners with which you will fasten the child to the high chair are. They must be five-point. It is good if the chair has an anatomical protrusion between the legs, as it additionally holds the baby, preventing him from slipping under the table.

• The frames must be firmly fixed so that the child does not pinch his fingers.

• Make sure the table is smooth. The seat must be washable.

• Choose models with a streamlined shape, without sharp corners. It is convenient when there are various handles in order to move, tilt and carry the chair.

• There are high chairs that can simply be moved to the dining table, and there are those that have a separate tabletop. In the first case, you should choose a model so that the height of the chair matches the height of the table. Then the baby will be comfortable and sit and eat.

• Find out if the seat height can be changed. Comfortable models have several levels of its fastening.

• If the high chair has a tabletop, make sure it is large enough and has rims around the edges. The tabletop is also convenient when the design involves a removable tray. In this case, you can remove the top tabletop after the baby has eaten, and he can immediately do something else.

• Pay attention to the footrest, the angle of which can be easily changed. Of course, it is more convenient for the baby to sit when his legs rest on this step.

• Please note that chairs with a hard, non-adjustable back are suitable for well-seated children. For those babies who are not yet too confident in sitting, models have been created in which you can change the position of the back, easing the load on the fragile spine.

• Practice folding and unfolding the chair of your choice. It is better not to take a chair with a complex or weak mechanism.

The introduction of complementary foods "Persona Childhood"

The most difficult and controversial issue for young parents is the introduction of complementary foods. Special journals keep returning to this topic, Internet conferences are full of questions: when, what, how and why?

Domestic and foreign pediatricians are no less actively discussing the topic of complementary foods. Unresolved questions remain about the timing of the start of complementary foods, and the order of introduction of certain foods. Recently, doctors in most developed countries have abandoned the practice of early introduction of complementary foods. From these positions, the timing of the introduction of complementary foods in Russia was also revised (see table). The proposed scheme is only suitable for healthy children who are breastfed.

After 4-6 months of breastfeeding, the nutritional value of milk gradually decreases, and the baby's appetite increases, and his need for basic nutrients is unmet. Sometimes mothers note that a 4-6-month-old baby, even after sucking out enough milk before, begins to act up, show anxiety, wake up at night shortly after feeding. At the age of six months, the baby shows interest in the "adult table": the child's body needs additional sources of nutrition. By this time, the teeth usually begin to cut, and the baby's gastrointestinal tract is fully prepared for the perception of new types of food.

The period of transitional nutrition, that is, the introduction of complementary foods, is the time of a gradual transition from mother's milk to the type of complex nutrition that will support the body of a child, and then an adult, for all subsequent years. This is a very important stage in the life of a baby, because in order to develop mature feeding skills, he must move from breast sucking to more and more complex work: learn to roll food with his tongue, swallow thick food, chew, bite off a large piece. If the child is not taught this in time, then he may have problems in the assimilation of "adult" food, against which even functional disorders in the gastrointestinal tract are possible. We can say that the period of introduction of complementary foods is the first step towards growing up a baby.

Basic rules for the introduction of complementary foods

1. The timing and sequence of introduction of complementary foods depends on the characteristics of the child's development, so it is better to discuss them with a nutritionist or pediatrician.

2. Any new product should be introduced little by little (starting with 5-10 g). With good swallowing and assimilation of complementary foods, the absence of an allergic reaction to the product, it can be offered regularly, gradually increasing the volume to the recommended dose in 1-2 weeks.

3. Complementary foods should be given before breastfeeding (with the exception of fruit juices).

4. It is better to use commercially produced baby food, as it is prepared from clean, environmentally friendly products and enriched with vitamin and mineral complexes.

5. You should not enter puree or cereals from several components at once. To begin with, it is better to adhere to the principle of monocomponent, so that, if necessary, it is easier to identify the cause of an allergic reaction. Gradually, the child's diet can be expanded by adding each new component within 4-5 days.

If the child does not have food allergies and intestinal problems, then the first food supplement may be fruit juice . At first they offer, as a rule, apple juice, starting with a few drops. If you prefer homemade juices, use only green apples. Dilute natural juice with boiled water in a ratio of 1:1. Any juice is best given during or after feeding.

When choosing juices, consider their specific properties. Cherry, pomegranate, blackcurrant, blueberry juices contain tannins and have a fixing effect. They can be used if the baby has an unstable stool. For crumbs with a tendency to constipation, carrot, beetroot, apricot, plum juices are useful. It is better not to give grape juice at all, because it contains a lot of sugar, which enhances the fermentation processes in the intestines. You should also be careful with strawberry and citrus juices: they often cause an allergic reaction.

Approximate scheme for the introduction of products and dishes of complementary foods during breastfeeding of children of the first year of life

Name of products and dishes	Age, months
Name of products and dishes	0-3	3	4	5	6	7	8-9	9-12
Fruit juice, ml	-	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100
Fruit puree, g	-	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100
Vegetable puree, g	-	-	10-100	150	150	170	180	200
Milk porridge, g	-	-	-	50-100	150	150	180	200
Curd, g	-	-	-	10-30	40	40	40	50
Yolk, pcs.	-	-	-	-	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.5
Meat puree, g	-	-	-	-	-	5-30	50	60
Fish puree, g	-	-	-	-	-	-	5-30	30-60
Kefir, other fermented milk products, "follow-up mixtures", ml	-	-	-	-	-	200	200	400-500
Whole milk, ml	-	-	100	200	200	200	200	200
Crackers, cookies, g	-	-	-	-	3-5	5	5	10-15
Wheat bread, premium, g	-	-	-	-	-	5	5	10
Vegetable oil, g	-	-	1-3	3	3	5	5	6
Butter, g	-	-	-	1-4	4	4	5	6

Fruit puree is offered two weeks after the introduction of fruit juice.

Of the vegetables , it is better to prefer zucchini or cauliflower for a start. If you are making your own puree, you need to be sure that the products are safe. When the child gets used to the first products, the assortment of vegetables should be expanded, gradually introducing carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, turnips, and beets. In vegetable puree, depending on age, it is good to add yolk, vegetable oil, milk, meat puree. For a week, the amount of vegetable puree can be increased to 100-150 g per day, replacing one of the breastfeedings with it. At the age when vegetable complementary foods begin (4.5-5.5 months), the child usually switches to a five-time diet.

Another breastfeeding is gradually replaced with the start of porridge . Cereals from various cereals contain a large amount of a substance called gluten (gluten). The intestinal microflora in an infant is not yet fully formed, it may lack an enzyme that breaks down gluten. Products of incomplete breakdown of gluten have a toxic effect on the intestinal walls, so preference should be given to cereals that do not contain gluten - rice, buckwheat, corn. Later, you can introduce both wheat (semolina) and oatmeal porridge. In the finished dish you need to add butter. If you are allergic to cow's milk, cook cereals in vegetable broth or dilute them with a special mixture (soy or based on milk protein hydrolyzate).

The introduction of meat puree is also better to start with one type of meat. It is advisable to buy meat puree of industrial production without vegetable additives in order to know exactly the amount of meat eaten by the child. If mashed potatoes are prepared at home, the meat should be subjected to double digestion: boil for 20 minutes, then drain the broth, pour hot water over the meat again and cook until tender. Meat Broth is not recommended for children under two years of age.

Approximately one month after the introduction of mashed meat into the child's diet, you can start giving him fish (mashed potatoes).