What food to give for 7 months old baby
Giving Baby Finger Foods at 7-8 Months
Written by Rebecca Felsenthal Stewart
In this Article
- Month 7, Week 3
- Month 7 Week 3 Tips
Month 7, Week 3
Once your baby is a pro at eating soft mashed foods, they may be ready to move on to finger foods around 8 months. They have the dexterity to pick the food up and release it or mash it, and will become more efficient and independent as they master the pincer grip around 9 months. At that point they'll be able to use their thumb and forefinger to pick up the small chunks of food.
Your baby may grab at everything on your plate, but follow these guidelines for healthy and safe feedings.
- Start with menu items like pieces of soft cheese; small pieces of pasta or bread; finely chopped soft vegetables; and fruits like bananas, avocado, and ripe peaches or nectarines. These foods should require minimal chewing, as your baby may not yet have teeth. Do NOT let them have hot dogs, raw vegetables, nuts, meats, hard candy, or sticky textures such as nut butters that have increased choking risks at this stage.
- Introduce new foods one at a time in case there are any concers about allergies.
- Chop all foods into soft, bite-sized pieces, 1/2 inch or smaller.
- Watch out for choking hazards: Avoid round, firm foods like carrots, grapes, and hot dogs and skip anything like raw veggies and peanuts. Raisins and popcorn are dangerous for babies.
- Keep up your formula or breastfeeding schedule, but as your baby eats more solids, they’ll naturally start to take less milk. Your baby needs to start eating more solids and drinking less milk for the nutritional value at this stage.
Your Baby's Development This Week
Your baby is getting stronger and may even be moving around, whether they are sliding around on their belly in reverse, scooting on their behind, or actually crawling forward. If you haven’t childproofed your house already, don’t wait any longer!
You may notice these growing signs of motor development:
- Your baby is probably now able to sit on their own for several minutes, without using their hands for support and they may be able to get up into a sitting position all by themselves.
- While you offer them support, they should be able to bounce up and down, and possibly even pull up to a stand.
- Their little hands are increasingly agile -- they are getting better at passing a toy back and forth from one to the other.
You might wonder about:
- Their vision. Your baby should be able to see nearly as far as an adult by now and can track moving objects with their eyes.
- Stranger anxiety. You’re not imagining it: They may fear new people and situations. So give them time to warm up and reassure them if they are upset.
- What they can understand. Your baby might comprehend more than you realize, so it’s important to keep talking to them about everything you’re doing and try to be consistent about the words you use for familiar objects.
Month 7 Week 3 Tips
- If food allergies run in the family, talk to your pediatrician about introducing highly allergenic foods like peanuts and eggs.
- Fried foods are not good choices for babies. If you offer them at all, do so rarely.
- Avoid feeding your baby juice unless it is fresh-squeezed.
- By now, your baby’s diet should include grains, fruits, vegetables, and meats, and they should be eating two to three meals a day.
- In addition to rice, barley, or oat cereal, you can introduce grain products your baby can grab, such as toast, crackers, and dry cereal. Avoid any colorful, sugary cereals.
- Sit baby in their high-chair for feeding time. If they eat finger foods while crawling around, they are more likely to choke.
- You’re not done with breast feeding or bottle feeding. Your baby is starting the transition, but breast milk and formula are still key.
- Pureeing or mashing vegetables may make them easier for your baby to eat when they are first transitioning from a liquid diet to solids.
What To Feed Your Baby | 7 to 9 mths | Weaning
Baby's age
- Around 6 months
- 7 - 9 months
- 10 - 12 months
- 12 months+
7 - 9 months
By now, your baby will have had some good practice learning how to eat! Eat together as much as possible – they learn a lot from watching you.
Your baby will gradually move towards eating 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch and tea). Offering a wide variety of different foods is important to ensure they get enough energy and nutrients (such as iron). Babies don't need salt or sugar added to their food (or cooking water) – salty food isn't good for their kidneys and sugar can cause tooth decay.
Remember, it may take 10 tries or even more for your baby to get used to new foods, flavours and textures. There'll be days when they eat more, some when they eat less, and then days when they reject everything! Don't worry – this is perfectly normal. Just be patient, keep offering a variety of foods, even the ones they don't seem to like, and let them get used to it in their own time.
Babies under 12 months don't need snacks, if you think your baby is hungry in between meals, offer extra milk feeds instead.
Smooth or lumpy?
Hopefully your baby will now be more confident exploring new textures. Offer more mashed, lumpier foods as well as a variety of finger foods.
Giving your baby finger foods helps them learn to feed themselves, develop hand-eye co-ordination and learn to bite off, chew and swallow small pieces of soft food.
Babies take different amounts of time to get used to lumps, but it's an important skill they need to learn. Just keep offering them lumpy textures and finger foods and stay with them so you can be sure they are swallowing it safely.
What is baby-led weaning?
Baby-led weaning means offering your baby only finger foods and letting them feed themselves from the start (rather than spoon feeding them puréed or mashed food). You can offer a range of small, finger-sized, pieces of food.
Some parents prefer baby-led weaning to spoon feeding, while others combine a bit of both. There's no right or wrong way – the most important thing is that your baby eats well and gets all the nutrients they need.
Should I still give my baby breast milk or first infant formula?
Yes. Breast milk or first infant formula is still important for energy and nutrients during the first year, and should be their main drink until 12 months.
You can continue breastfeeding for as long as you both want. As time goes on and your baby eats more solids, they may naturally want less breast milk or first infant formula.
If you're breastfeeding, your baby will adapt their feeds according to how much food they're having. Formula-fed babies may need around 600ml of milk a day, but just use this as a guide. Remember your baby's tummy is tiny and fills up quickly, so offer milk feeds after solids and don't force them to finish the bottle.
Drinks?
what can be given, what fruits and vegetables, how to feed a 7-month-old baby on breast or artificial feeding
Healthy nutrition allows the baby to grow and develop properly. Despite the fact that breast milk remains the basis of the diet, complementary foods also become important for the child. Acquaintance with new products should be carried out carefully, starting with a small amount, monitoring the reaction and getting used to changes in nutrition. What can you eat at 7 months? The list is replenished with fruits and vegetables, cereals and mashed meats, and you can drink children's tea or water.
Content: Hide
- Acquaintance with new products
- Features of the introduction of new products in the menu of new products
- Approximate diet in 7 months
- In what form to give products
- The diet of the baby at 7 months
- Important recommendation
Getting to know new products
You need to start feeding your baby gradually, moving from simple to complex. At first, it is better to use one-component products - vegetable purees or cereals. Fruits should be introduced after them, as a pleasant addition to the main course. Over time, you can add new ingredients, increase portions and make the consistency thicker, with pieces of fruit or vegetables. At the same time, the feeding scheme for each baby is individual.
Features of the introduction of new products in the menu
Pay close attention to the signals your child gives you. He is probably already full if:
- turns away from the spoon and closes his mouth;
- is easily distracted by extraneous factors;
- pushes and tries to throw food away;
- starts to eat much more slowly.
It is normal if the amount of food varies from feeding to feeding. However, if the child has become restless, an intestinal disorder or a rash has appeared, then complementary foods should be discontinued and wait until all symptoms disappear, and then offer another product. Bad experiences should also be reported to the pediatrician.
Approximate diet
The child should have a clear daily routine, this also applies to the organization of nutrition. As a rule, children eat five times a day. An example menu might look like this:
First meal. Occurs at 6 am and consists of mother's milk or special formula if the baby is formula-fed. Doctors usually recommend that you breastfeed your baby for as long as possible, if possible, and add supplemental foods gradually.
Second meal. At 10 am it's time for the children's breakfast. The basis for it is porridge. Also, a child at 7 months old can eat boiled chicken yolk - this is a source of vitamin B12, selenium and phosphorus.
During breakfast, you can offer your baby a new product. The child is already hungry enough to try it, and mom will have time to track the reaction throughout the day.
Third meal. Lunch usually starts at 2 p.m. - this is the most satisfying meal, followed by a walk. If in the morning you did not give the baby unfamiliar foods, then you can introduce something new into the diet. Vegetable and / or meat puree, porridge with a vegetable component are suitable for lunch, if the child did not receive porridge in the morning.
Fourth meal. At 6 pm, afternoon tea time. Unfamiliar products should not be present here. The main task of this meal is to replenish the energy spent in the morning and on a walk. Bebi milk porridges contain natural fruit additives and biscuits. The dish is balanced in terms of the composition of nutrients (fats, proteins, carbohydrates) and gives strength for an active evening.
Fifth meal. At 10 pm, the regimen is completed with mother's milk or IV formula.
Feeding something else is not worth it in order to exclude overeating, as well as the possible consequences of getting to know new products.
Read also: Complementary foods and dishes
How to give food
The list of what a child can eat at 7 months is already quite wide, compared with crumbs up to six months. Preparing a dish for a baby is not difficult at all. If you decide to feed your child mashed vegetables, then they need to be peeled, boiled and chopped in a blender. Fruit puree is even easier: they don't need to be boiled, although some can be baked beforehand. Particularly hard foods can first be passed through a meat grinder, and then use a blender. Soft fruits are easy enough to grate. If you are giving egg yolk, boil the eggs for at least 15 minutes.
Why is self-catering not always appropriate? Pediatricians recommend using cereals, mashed potatoes and other industrial products when organizing the nutrition of a child at 7 months. Such complementary foods are produced taking into account strict hygienic requirements, have the necessary degree of grinding and a verified composition, including vitamins, and, if necessary, are enriched with minerals, pre- and probiotics, omega-3 and other biologically active components.
Baby's diet at 7 months
Porridge. At the age of 7 months, porridge is already a familiar product in the baby's diet. During this period, the volume of complementary foods per day is 150 g. Dairy cereals or fruit and cereals, dessert (for an afternoon snack), vegetable and probiotic-enriched porridges of industrial production are selected.
Vegetable puree. First foods must have soft dietary fiber. Zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli or cauliflower will do. Later, you can add carrots, beets, potatoes. Legumes are recommended to be introduced after 8 months as they can contribute to gas and bloating. Puree for a child should not contain salt or spices. You need to feed the baby gradually, starting with one teaspoon and gradually increasing the portion. For 7 months, the average volume is about 150 g.
Meat puree. If the child is prone to allergic skin reactions to complementary foods, then a rabbit or turkey is a good place to start.
If you are allergic to milk proteins, beef and veal should be excluded. With iron deficiency, rabbit meat is recommended - it contains a lot of this substance. Meat puree should be combined with vegetable puree and given at lunchtime. In this combination, iron is well absorbed. In the first days, you can dilute the puree with vegetable broth or breast milk - a familiar taste will help speed up adaptation to new products.
Fruit puree. It is introduced after the child has become acquainted with cereals, vegetables and meat. For the first time, apple or pear puree is suitable - they are easier to digest. Apricots, bananas, plums and berries are medium allergenic foods, so the baby is introduced to them later. Melon, strawberries and citrus fruits can be given at the age of about one year. If you choose ready-made products, then pay attention to the composition: it is better if the puree does not contain sugar, starch and other additional components.
Baby biscuits.
It can be given as a treat. Ordinary sweets are not suitable for a child at this age, as well as bread or crackers, to which he can reach. You need to choose specialized products designed specifically for babies. They are introduced into the diet in the same way as other types of complementary foods, given in the morning and monitoring the reaction.
Drinks
A 7-month-old baby should only drink water and baby tea. As for regular tea, WHO does not recommend its consumption by infants and young children. This is due to the fact that such a drink contains tannins, as well as other compounds that bind iron and other minerals, which reduces their bioavailability.
Experts also recommend delaying juices. So, in the “Program for optimizing the feeding of children in the first year of life in the Russian Federation”, the following is said about the drink: “Given their insignificant nutritional value, it is advisable to prescribe only after the introduction of all the main types of complementary foods.
In addition, the use of juices, especially between meals, increases the risk of tooth decay. A large volume of juices (above the recommended amount) can serve as a risk factor for overweight in the future.
Important tip
A well-balanced diet can help ensure your child has a healthy diet and the nutrients they need to grow and develop. If your baby suffers from allergies or has other health problems, be sure to consult a pediatrician: he will tell you exactly which foods can be included in the diet and which are not worth it.
When a child refuses to eat
WHO notes the importance of repeated exposure of children to new foods during the period of complementary feeding in order to develop a healthy positive food system. There is an assumption that the baby should try a new food 8-10 times (at least), and for a clear positive perception of it - 12-15. In any case, parents are advised to offer a new product to the baby many times, since the food that the child initially refuses is often accepted by him later.
#Nutrition for children up to a year #Complementary foods
Baby menu at seven months
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What should be the menu of a child at 7 months? What foods and in what quantity can be introduced into the diet at this age? When and at what intervals to give the baby to eat? We will help develop an approximate menu for a 7-month-old baby and answer the most exciting questions regarding the nutrition of a baby up to a year old.
7 min. for reading Feb. 17, 2022
Contents
- Diet: when and how much should a child eat at 7 months
- Baby menu at 7 months: introducing new products
- Consistency of dishes
- Meal schedule and approximate menu for each day
- Sample diet for a 7 month old baby allergic to cow's milk proteins: table
- FAQ
- Breastfeed your baby every 3-4 hours while breastfeeding.
- If you give your baby expressed breast milk, he needs approximately 710 grams per day. With 5-6 meals a day, this is about 120 to 200 grams of milk per meal.
- If the baby is bottle fed (FW), he needs 170 to 230 grams of formula up to 4 times a day, provided that 2 more feedings replace complementary foods. To find out how much mixture you need, be guided by the instructions on the package, the recommendations of the pediatrician.
- From the age of 6 months, only mother's milk or adapted infant formula is not enough for a baby - he needs a variety of complementary foods. Introduce no more than one new product per day into the child’s menu at 7 months and consult a pediatrician first. After getting acquainted with different foods, up to three complementary foods can be given daily: this can be one or two tablespoons or 115-170 grams (8-12 tablespoons), depending on the baby and the specific product.
Important
The calculation of portions and the number of feedings depends on the individual characteristics of the development and needs of the child.
Therefore, first of all, be guided by the recommendations of your pediatrician and the needs of the baby.
Baby menu at 7 months: introducing new products
The basis of the diet is still breast milk or infant formula. To diversify the menu, children's adapted food will help: fruit and vegetable purees, milk and dairy-free cereals, juices, as well as some products from the "adult table".
Cereals
At 7 months, dairy-free and milk porridges, along with breast milk, are the basis of a child's nutrition. To start complementary foods, choose gluten-free liquid one-component cereals with a high iron content: rice, buckwheat, oatmeal. A little later - corn and semolina. Start complementary foods with half or a whole teaspoon, gradually increasing the serving to 150 grams.
Important
Dairy-free porridge is diluted with breast milk or milk formula, milk porridge - with purified boiled water.
Find out more: Gerber® Baby Cereals: product range
Vegetable and fruit purees
Vegetable and fruit purees will diversify the diet and introduce new tastes to the baby.
According to WHO recommendations, the best product to start with is a one-component vegetable puree made from zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower or potatoes. These vegetables are less allergenic than other foods. If the child does not have allergies, pumpkin, carrot, pea and tomato puree can be given a little later.
Find out more: Gerber® Vegetable Purees
After introducing vegetable purees into your diet, it's time for your baby to get to know sweet and healthy fruit purees. Like vegetable, fruit complementary foods are also recommended to start with one-component low-allergenic foods. Apple, pear or banana puree is best for this. Start with half or a whole teaspoon and gradually increase the serving to 100-150 grams.
Find out more: Gerber® fruit purees
Meat
Meat is an essential product for development, rich in iron and protein, which is well absorbed in the body. Start with homogenized options.
The product must contain only one type of meat (diet turkey, rabbit, chicken, veal) and no additional components. If the crumbs have a tendency to food allergies, choose meat very carefully, it is better to consult a doctor in advance. Pay attention to the composition of baby food and its age-appropriate baby. First, let the baby try half a teaspoon. If no adverse reactions occur, gradually increase the meat rate to 60 grams.
Find out more: Gerber® Meat Purees
Juices
Fruit juice is great for snacking and menu variety. Young children tolerate clarified apple and pear juice better, so they should be introduced first. Give the baby adapted baby juices: they do not contain sugar or other additives undesirable for the child. Ordinary store-bought juices can only be drunk by children over three years old.
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Advice
Introduce your baby to juices after introducing cereals and vegetable purees.
Often the child gets used to sweet juices and then does not eat foods with a less bright taste.
Egg yolk
In addition to cereals and mashed potatoes, boiled egg yolk is introduced at 7 months of age, as it is an excellent source of omega-fats, selenium, phosphorus and vitamins. Please note that you need to give the egg not the whole, but only the yolk. But, like any other product that you give to try for the first time, it should be introduced carefully and little by little to make sure that the baby does not have an allergy. Do not combine with other food! Only when you "test" the yolk, it is allowed to add it to cereals and vegetable purees.
Important
It is believed that children with allergies can be fed quail eggs. But it is important to remember that quail eggs can also be allergic, as they also contain egg white - an allergen that is found in chicken eggs. Therefore, do not experiment, but seek the advice of a pediatrician.
See also: Introduction of complementary foods to children with food allergies
Baby cookies and croutons0176
At seven months, some babies begin to erupt their first teeth. Therefore, you can add crackers and children's cookies to food. But do not forget that they should not be too hard so that the child does not get hurt and choke. It is also better to choose special products without added salt, sugar, synthetic leavening agents and preservatives.
Important
The child should eat solid food in a sitting position and strictly under adult supervision.
Consistency of dishes
The main component of the diet remains liquid and homogeneous (no lumps) - breast milk or milk formula, milk and dairy-free cereals. As the baby grows, the baby's food should change from liquid and homogeneous to thicker and puree, mashed. When the body adapts and is able to digest solid food, they begin to carefully introduce small, medium and coarsely ground foods, give children's cookies and crackers.
At 7 months, some babies already have teeth, but the child cannot yet chew thoroughly and safely swallow vegetables, fruits and meat. Therefore, solid food should be given only in a grated form. It is important that the puree is not too thick, otherwise the child may accidentally choke.
Advice
If you are making puree yourself, carefully remove everything that is not rubbed and can get into the crumbs' respiratory tract: bones, fat, veins, skin, films. To make the puree easier to swallow, add some boiled water, unsalted vegetable broth, vegetable puree already familiar to the baby, or breast milk (milk mixture).
By around 7 months of age, your baby has mastered the “palm grip” skill and is able to hold solid food in his hand on his own. From now on, you can give your child special baby cookies or snacks. At the same time, make sure that the baby eats slowly, in a sitting position and does not choke.
Important
Your baby should be ready for more sticky or solid foods.
Therefore, before changing the consistency of food for a child, consult a pediatrician.
What can be given to children at 7 months and at what time to feed? Parents can begin to form a classic division of food consumption per day. But at 7 months, the baby needs to be fed not three or four, but five times a day at intervals of four hours. The first and final feeding is mother's milk or formula. Complementary foods are not given at this time in order to prevent overeating.
*Dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or infant formula given to the baby. Milk porridge is diluted with water.
Tip
Do not salt or sweeten food. It is better to introduce the baby to sugar and salt after a year.
| Feeding time | Products | Serving Size |
|---|---|---|
| I feeding 6 hours | Breast milk or medicated formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance | 200 ml |
| II feeding 10 hours | Nestle® Dairy-Free Rice Porridge* | 130 g |
| Vegetable oil (add to food) | about 1 tsp | |
| Gerber® Apple or Williams Pears Fruit Puree | 70 g | |
| III feeding 14 hours | Gerber® Vegetable Puree Broccoli, Cauliflower | 170 g |
| Vegetable oil (add to food) | about 1 tsp | |
| Gerber® Meat Puree Tender Vegetables with Rabbit | 30 g | |
| IV feeding 18 hours | Vegetable puree or dairy-free porridge** | 170 g |
| Vegetable oil (add to food) | about 1 tsp | |
| Gerber® Tender Turkey Meat Puree | 20 g | |
| V feeding 22 hours | Breast milk or formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance | 200 ml |
*Dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or formula for infants with intolerance to cow's milk proteins.
**you can either alternate porridge or vegetables, or offer a mixed dish - porridge with vegetables.
Now you know what products and in what form can be introduced into the child's menu at 7 months. It is preferable if it is certified baby food that meets all age requirements and high safety standards.
See also: Do we cook ourselves or use baby food?
1. At what age should complementary foods start?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends introducing complementary foods to your baby's menu at 6 months of age.
2. Where to start complementary foods?
Experts advise starting complementary foods with one-component homogenized vegetable purees.
3. How much should a 7-month-old baby eat?
At 7 months, a baby needs a portion of food per day, which is equal to about ⅛ of body weight. This is 1000-1200 ml of food, excluding water, juices, children's tea.
