When should babies eat pureed food

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.

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Baby's first foods: How to introduce solids to your baby

Babies are typically ready to start solids between 4 and 6 months, as long as they're showing signs of readiness, such as being able to sit upright with good head control. Talk to your baby's doctor about which foods to introduce first, particularly if you're concerned about a risk for an allergy. In general, infant cereal and pureed, one-ingredient veggies, fruits, and meats are great first foods. Try spoon-feeding or baby-led weaning, and keep up the breast milk or formula until your baby's first birthday.

When do babies start eating baby food?

It depends. As long as your baby shows signs of readiness, your pediatrician will probably give you the go-ahead to start baby food (also called solid food or solids) any time between 4 and 6 months.

Until then, breast milk or formula provides all the calories and nourishment your baby needs. Infants don't yet have the physical skills to swallow solid foods safely, and their digestive system isn't ready for solids until they're at least 4 months old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of your baby's life and introducing solids at 6 months old. The AAP advises breastfeeding until age 1 – and longer if you and your baby want to.

Signs your baby is ready for solids

Your baby will give you clear signs when they're ready. Look for:

Head control. Your baby needs to be able to keep their head in a steady, upright position.
Sitting well when supported. Your baby needs to be able to sit upright in a baby seat or highchair to swallow well.
Losing the "extrusion reflex." Your baby's mouth and tongue develop in sync with their digestive system. To start solids, they should be able to move food to the back of their mouth and swallow it, instead of using their tongue to push food out of their mouth.
Curiosity about food. Your baby may start showing interest in what you're eating, reaching for your food or even opening their mouth if you offer them a spoonful.

Starting solids by 6 months old is important for your baby's oral motor development (the use of their lips, tongue, jaw, teeth, and hard and soft palates). Also, solid foods can provide specific nutrients your baby needs, such as iron and zinc. (These are especially important if your baby has been exclusively breastfed.)

What are the best first baby foods?

Start your baby with any pureed, single-ingredient food. Although it used to be standard for parents to give rice cereal as a first food, that's not necessary. In fact, pediatricians often don't recommend baby rice cereal since it can contain inorganic arsenic, and it's not as nutritious as some other first foods.

Good first baby foods include

pureed squash
applesauce
mashed bananas
mashed avocado
pureed peaches
pureed pears
pureed meats
whole-grain, iron-enriched baby cereal such as oatmeal

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If your baby is breastfed, the AAP suggests meat as a first food because the iron in beef, chicken, and turkey helps to replace iron stores, which start to diminish at about 6 months of age.

How to introduce solids to your baby

The traditional way to start solids is by spoon-feeding your baby cereal or purees, but some parents use a different method called baby-led weaning. Using this method, you put chunks of soft, developmentally appropriate food on the highchair tray or table and let your baby grab the food and feed themself.

Here's how to start spoon-feeding your baby:

For your first few feedings, start with just 1 or 2 teaspoons of pureed solid food or baby cereal about an hour after nursing or bottle-feeding (so your baby isn't too hungry or full).

Use a soft-tipped plastic spoon to feed your baby to avoid injuring their gums. Put a small amount of food on the tip of the spoon and offer it to them. If your baby doesn't seem very interested, just let them smell the food for now and try again another time.

If you're feeding your baby ready-to-eat jars or pouches of baby food, put some into a small dish and feed them from that. (If you dip the feeding spoon into the jar, it's not a good idea to save the leftovers because bacteria from your baby's mouth will now be in the jar. ) Store leftovers in the fridge and throw away any opened baby food jars or pouches within a day or two of opening them.

If you decide to start with cereal, give your baby 1 to 2 teaspoons of diluted infant cereal. Add breast milk or formula to a tiny pinch of cereal. It will be very runny at first, but as your baby starts to eat more solid foods, you can gradually thicken the consistency by using less liquid.

Begin with one daily feeding in the morning whenever your baby isn't too tired, hungry, or cranky. Your baby may not eat much at first, but give them time to get used to the experience. Don't be surprised if your baby is confused or rejects solid food at first. Some babies need practice keeping food in their mouths and swallowing.

Eventually you can start giving your baby more solid food until they're having a few tablespoons a day, over two feedings. In general, your baby could start with pureed or semi-liquid food, then move on to strained or mashed food, and finally graduate to small pieces of finger foods.

Signs that your baby is full

Your baby's appetite will vary from one feeding to the next, so a strict accounting of how much they've eaten isn't a reliable way to tell when they've had enough. Look for these signs that your baby's probably done:

They lean back in their chair
They turn their head away from food
They start playing with the spoon
They refuse to open up for the next bite (Sometimes a baby will keep their mouth closed because they haven't finished the first mouthful, so give them time to swallow.)

Food allergies and introducing solids

Experts recommend that you introduce one food at a time to your baby, and wait 3 to 5 days before introducing another food, so you can watch for any allergic reactions. It's also a good idea to write down the foods your baby samples. If they have an adverse reaction, a food log will make it easier to pinpoint the cause.

You don't have to hold off on giving allergenic foods such as eggs, peanut butter, or soy. There's no evidence that waiting to introduce certain foods will help your baby avoid allergies. In fact, there's evidence that the opposite is true.

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), incorporating commonly allergenic foods into your baby's diet starting at around 4 to 6 months (and continuing through childhood) may actually help prevent the development of food allergies.

Start with traditional first foods, such as iron-fortified infant cereal, pureed veggies, fruits, and meats. Once you've tried a few of these foods and your baby seems to be tolerating them well, you can introduce more commonly allergenic foods, such as soy, eggs, wheat, fish, and peanut products.

Food manufacturers have products on the market designed to help you incorporate commonly allergenic foods into your child's diet. These stir-in powders and finger foods may contain one commonly allergenic protein or a blend of several.

Special precautions need to be taken with certain babies. If your child falls into any of the following categories, consult with your baby's doctor or an allergist to create a customized feeding plan before adding solids to your baby's diet:

Your baby has a sibling with a peanut allergy.
Your baby has moderate to severe eczema despite following a doctor's treatment plan.
Your baby previously had an immediate allergic reaction to a new food or has been diagnosed with a food allergy.

If your baby is allergic to a new food, you'll see signs of a reaction within a few minutes or hours. Most children with food allergies have mild reactions. If you notice a few hives, a new rash, or diarrhea, call your baby's doctor for advice.

If you notice wheezing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, facial swelling (including the tongue and lips), or more than two body systems affected (such as hives and vomiting), your baby may be having a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Baby food feeding tips

Offer fruits or vegetables in any order. Some parents may tell you to start with vegetables instead of fruits so your infant won't develop a taste for sweets. But babies are born with a preference for sweets, so you don't have to worry about introducing sweet or savory foods in any particular order.
Feed cereal with a spoon only. Unless your baby's doctor asks you to, don't add cereal to a bottle – your baby could choke or end up gaining too much weight.
Encourage adventurous eating. You don't have to stick with bland and boring. See how to make your own baby food and use spices and seasonings to create delicious baby food flavors.
Give new foods time. If your baby turns away from a particular food, don't push. Try again in a few days.
Check for added sugars and too much salt. Check the Nutrition Facts label on canned, frozen, or packaged foods for "Added Sugars. " If there's 1 gram or more listed, give your baby something else. Also look at sodium amounts. Babies shouldn't have no more than 1,200 mg of sodium per day.
Avoid unsafe foods. Don't give your baby foods that could cause choking, such as whole grapes or popcorn. Babies under 1 can't have honey, cow's milk, or soy milk. Also, unpasteurized juices and undercooked fish, meat, eggs, or poultry could be a source of bacteria.
Watch for constipation. Your baby's poop sometimes changes when their diet does. Although it's usually temporary, your baby may have constipation after you introduce solids. If you notice that your baby is having less frequent bowel movements, or that their stools have become hard or dry and seem difficult to pass, let their doctor know. Some doctors recommend adding high-fiber fruits such as pears, prunes, and peaches to a baby's diet, or giving a few ounces of prune, apple, or pear juice every day until bowel movements are back to normal.

Also, don't be surprised if your baby's poop changes color and odor when you add solids to their diet. If your baby has been exclusively breastfed up to this point, you'll probably notice a strong odor to their formerly mild-smelling stools as soon as they start eating even tiny amounts of solids. This is normal.

If your baby shies away from new foods, here are a few things you can try:

Test a range of textures. If your baby doesn't like pear puree, try giving them pieces of very ripe pear instead.
In a similar vein, try different cooking methods. If your baby doesn't like steamed veggies, try giving them roasted vegetables.
Serve food at different temperatures. Some babies prefer broccoli cold rather than warm, for example.
Combine the new food with a familiar favorite. If your baby rejects a new food on its own, mix it in with something you know they like.
Add a dipping sauce! Try shredded chicken with applesauce, yogurt with baked apple slices, or hummus with well-cooked pieces of carrot.
Above all, be patient. Sometimes it takes a while for a baby to get used to new flavors and textures, so keep trying and eventually they'll accept the new food.

How many times a day should my baby eat solids?

At first your baby will eat solid food just once a day. By around 6 to 7 months, two meals a day is the norm. Starting around 8 to 9 months, they may be eating solid food three times a day plus a snack. A typical day's diet at 8 months might include a combination of:

Breast milk or iron-fortified formula
Iron-fortified cereal
Vegetables
Fruit
Small amounts of protein, such as eggs, cheese, yogurt, poultry, lentils, tofu, and meat
High-allergy foods, if appropriate

See our age-by-age baby feeding guide for more detail on how much to feed your baby and when.

How much breast milk or formula does my baby need after we introduce solids?

Even after your baby starts solids, breast milk or formula will provide the majority of their calories and nutrition until they're 9 months to 1 year old. Breast milk and formula contain important vitamins, iron, and protein in a form that's easy to digest.

You may notice that as your baby starts to eat more solid foods (around 9 months old), they'll gradually decrease their intake of formula or breast milk. This is normal. Over time, your baby will take fewer bottles with more ounces in each.

Here's how much breast milk or formula babies need after starting solids:

4 to 6 months old: 4 to 6 feedings a day (breastfeeding, or bottles with 4 to 6 ounces)
6 to 8 months old: 3 to 5 feedings a day (breastfeeding, or bottles with 6 to 8 ounces)
8 to 12 months old: 3 to 4 feedings a day (breastfeeding, or bottles with 7 to 8 ounces)

What equipment do I need to introduce solids?

It's helpful to have:

A highchair
Baby bowls and plates
Baby spoons
Bibs
A splat mat on the floor

You may also want to introduce your baby to a sippy cup soon after you start solids.

If you're making your own baby food, you'll need:

A tool to puree the food, like a blender, food processor, or baby food maker

Storage containers for refrigerating and freezing extra portions (Some parents use ice cube trays – or similar devices made just for baby food – to store and freeze individual portions.)

When the baby starts to eat solid food. What to do if the moment is missed? Gradual transition from pureed food to "bits"

Usually parents have to make an effort so that their baby learns some new skill. The same is true with the introduction of crumbs of solid food into the diet. The baby refuses to chew and swallow pieces of food, preferring the usual mashed and grated foods. Modern pediatricians note that this trend is observed more and more often.

The reason for this phenomenon is that mothers do not want to bother preparing food for the baby and feed him ready-made baby formulas and purees, and these products have a liquid puree-like consistency, and the baby does not need to make an effort to eat them. How to teach a child to chew solid food? At what age should you sound the alarm, and when is there no reason to worry?

The child does not always agree to accept the new rules of the game. Sometimes parents have to deal with tantrums and the desire of the baby to eat food that is purely familiar to him - liquid and pureed

A much-needed chewing skill

Young parents are wondering if it is worth teaching their child to chew at all? It would seem that the moment will come, and the baby will independently master this skill. In fact, if the baby is not offered solid foods on time, this leads to problems and disastrous consequences. The formation of the chewing reflex is a necessary process, it affects:

dental health - the unwillingness and inability of the crumbs to chew can eventually lead to malocclusion and other dental problems;
the work of the digestive system - soft food, which can be simply swallowed, is not wetted by saliva, which leads to a disruption in the production of digestive enzymes, and the stomach becomes "lazy", as a result, numerous problems with the gastrointestinal tract await the baby in the future;
the process of speech development - the inability to chew leads to difficulties with speech and the pronunciation of individual sounds in the future, since the muscles involved in articulation do not train and lose their tone.

If a child does not develop a chewing skill in time, then the baby may simply start to be lazy and capricious. At the age of 2-3 years, the baby makes the first attempts to manipulate adults, he realizes that you can cry or purse your lips, as a result, the mother will give up and offer him pureed products.

Why should he try and make an effort to chew hard pieces of food? You should not go on about it, otherwise it will turn into much bigger problems in the future.

At what age should a child be taught to chew?

The chewing reflex is formed in babies at an early age - even before the first teeth begin to erupt. At the age of 6 months, the baby actively sends various objects into the mouth to scratch the gums. It is important not to miss this moment and periodically give the baby a special device - a rubber teether, with the help of which the chewing muscles will also develop. This technique will help to avoid problems with the transition to another type of food in the future.

In ancient times, children were offered a solid product (for example, a piece of apple) wrapped in gauze, which they could procrastinate in their mouths for a long time and try to chew. Today, mothers use a much more convenient device - a nibbler. It is also intended for the formation and development of chewing skills. You need to offer it to the baby at 7-9 months. You can replace the nibbler with ordinary drying. Of course, this product does not contain useful substances, but it will become an excellent simulator.

Aged 9-10 months crumbs can be given pieces of vegetables and fruits. If the baby refuses such food, after a while offer him this product again. As a result, the child will still take a piece in his mouth.

Some parents believe that solid foods are completely useless for a baby under 1 year of age. In fact, they help develop and tone the masticatory muscles. In the future, the baby will not have difficulties with chewing pieces of food, as well as the formation of speech skills.

Modern mothers have a handy helper, which is responsible for the formation of chewing skills - nibbler. The device helps to introduce solid fruits and vegetables into the child's diet

What to do when time is already lost?

The baby is already 2 years old, but he does not want to chew food in pieces and eats only puree - a large number of parents face a similar situation. What should they do in this case? The first thing to do is to make sure your little one doesn't have any physiological problems that could cause chewing difficulties. These include various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity or throat. In this regard, mothers need to bring the baby to the medical examination at the appointed time, since medical examinations usually reveal possible violations.

When the child's health is all right, the reason for refusing to chew food is simple laziness and unwillingness to cope with difficulties. In this case, parents do not need to indulge the baby, but you can’t put pressure on him either, you should show maximum patience.

Teaching Methods

Under no circumstances should your baby's usual food be changed abruptly. If a child is accustomed only to grated foods, then when he sees pieces of food for the first time, he will refuse to eat them. It happens that the baby is even afraid of unusual foods, considering them inedible. The process of transition to other food should be smooth. You should gradually change the consistency of the usual purees, making them thicker, but without pieces. If the baby initially refuses such food, you can dilute it a little with something liquid (broth, water or milk). Only in this way will the child begin to get used to the new food for him, which has a thick consistency.

A little later, pieces of vegetables or fruits should be added to the plate along with pureed products. At the same time, the baby needs to be explained that it is precisely such food that big children and adults eat. This technique will help to interest the child and push him to the desire to chew foods in the form of pieces, and not frayed.

Another way to teach your baby to chew is to sit him at a common table with adults during the meal. To do this, you will need a special high chair, or the knees of one of the parents. The baby will see that everyone is eating food in the form of pieces, and he will have a desire to do the same.

Being at the family table, the child will be able to see the food of the parents and taste it. Experts advise not to forbid the child to do this - this way the problem will be solved several times without effort beets). Over time, the pieces should become larger, and their number in a baby plate is greater. This technique will help to gradually move away from mashed products to soft ones. Then it is worth introducing solid food into the diet - apples, pears or cucumbers.

Another great way to teach your baby to solid foods is to play. Let's say you can try to play a squirrel or a bunny with a crumb and invite him to gnaw on a dryer, a cookie, a slice of a carrot or an apple. What child would refuse such entertainment?

The famous children's doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky in his video lessons gives parents a lot of useful advice on raising and maintaining the health of their babies. He also has recommendations that will help moms and dads teach their crumbs to chew food:

Parents will have to try themselves as an actor, explaining to the baby the reasons why there is no usual liquid puree for lunch today. For example, you can say that the blender has broken, so the food will now only be in the form of pieces, or come up with something else.
You can give your baby some kind of treat in a piece - for example, a slice of marmalade or marshmallow.
It is worth using for your own purposes the tendency of babies to imitate other children or adults. For example, you can invite guests with children of about the same age to your place, then the baby will see that his peers send food in the form of pieces to his mouth, become interested and try to do the same.

To force a baby to give up the usual grated food and teach him to chew solid foods is not an easy task for parents, requiring endurance and perseverance from them. It is important here not to waste time and start training the crumbs at the moment when his teeth erupt. However, even at a later age, results can be achieved. Parents should build the process of accustoming the baby to new food in such a way that the baby does not perceive it as a punishment. You should not shout and get angry at the child if something fails, a positive attitude and patience will be the best helpers. The experience of other mothers can also help.

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How to teach a child to chew solid food? This question worries all parents. In this case, hunger comes to the rescue. It is he who, being a powerful stimulus, helps the newborn to adapt to the breast. Learning to chew is much more difficult for a child. Yes, and the very process of switching to solid foods is sometimes complicated by the parents of the baby, using only pureed food in his diet.

How does the process of dietary change take place?

No need to force the baby to chew. Gradually, in the process of complementary feeding, thicker food should be added to the baby's diet, which is not enough just to swallow. Then the child will have to start working with his jaws, tongue, lips, forming a lump of food, then moving it to the neck, and then the triggered swallowing reflex will help him.

Many mothers worry that they cannot find the answer to the question of how to teach their child to chew solid food. This is a well-founded concern. Since it is harmful to keep the baby for a long time on mashed potatoes and cereals. Digestion should work in accordance with the development of the child, and should not become “lazy” due to the fact that only liquid and tender foods are present in the daily diet. Enzymes and gastric juice are poorly produced, because the food is practically not saturated with saliva. If you offer a grown-up baby a soft meal, the flow of blood to the organs of the digestive system gradually decreases, which leads to a weakening of the work of the stomach itself. Also, the lack of face training can adversely affect the formation of its shape and oval, but the worst thing is the development of bite.

How to teach a child to chew?

Each baby has its own character, individual preferences for certain foods. In addition, people's bodies work differently. Therefore, there are no specific instructions on how to teach a child to chew solid foods. This fact is connected with the absence of their practical necessity, the individual characteristics of the organism and character.

Most often, the baby is too lazy to chew only because the parents themselves deprive him of even the slightest opportunity to try. Cooking takes a long time, and warming up ready-made store-bought purees is a matter of minutes, especially since the child eats them with pleasure and gains the right weight. But in fact, there is nothing difficult in the question of how to teach a child to chew food on his own. This is a fairly simple process, it only takes time and the creation of the necessary conditions. Usually children cope with solid food without any problems. But for some, even after nine months, it’s hard to cope with compacted dishes. Such a temporary phenomenon is most often due to the fact that babies are interfered with, which injures the gums during chewing, creating pain.

When is the best time to introduce a new diet to a child?

From about eight months, you can periodically offer the baby slightly compacted porridge clots, small pieces of fruit or vegetables, bread, dryers or cookies. It is important to switch to a thicker diet in time so that the child learns to work with his lips, tongue and jaws. In general, the sooner dense meals are added to the diet, the better. As soon as the first teeth appear in the baby, even if the incisors are a signal that you can start adding solid food to his diet.

How can I get my child to chew solid food faster? Gradually, the baby can be seated at an adult table. This is one of the most effective ways. All babies love to try solid food, grabbing pieces of vegetables or meat from adult plates. If the child does this with pleasure, then from eight months you can give him vermicelli, potato soups or steamed cutlets. The main thing is to carefully monitor so that the baby does not accidentally choke.

If a child is not taught to chew at the right time, continuing to feed him grated soups and purees even at 2 years old, then the consequences for his health can be disappointing.

Malocclusion will form, dental problems will appear.
Digestion will deteriorate. As a child grows, their gastrointestinal tract develops along with it. The lack of solid food in the baby's diet will lead to atrophy of the stomach - upon receipt, the food will no longer be processed with the proper amount of saliva, which, in turn, will cause a lack of enzymes produced and malfunctions of the digestive system.
The lack of chewing skills will invariably lead to problems in the development of speech, since the muscles responsible for the pronunciation of sounds will not receive the necessary load for development.

Moreover, a child who constantly receives ground food will lose the habit of making any effort on his part to chew and will consciously begin to refuse solid food. So, by the age of two or three, children are able to manipulate their parents, demanding their usual food.

For children who are preparing for kindergarten by this time, this will become a real problem, however, as well as for their parents.

At what age does a child develop chewing skills?

By teaching babies to use sieve or blender food and using easy-to-prepare infant formula, many inexperienced mothers get so caught up in the process that they often miss the point of introducing solid foods into their baby's diet.

At the same time, many of them are sure that the baby can live peacefully and be happy without solid food for up to 1 year, not suspecting that chewing skills need to be formed not from the moment the first teeth appear, but much earlier.

How not to miss the right moment?

Pay attention to the baby's behavior. As soon as you notice that he began to actively pull everything that comes to hand into his mouth, start acting!

If your baby's gums itch, and this is the first signal that it's time to start teaching him chewing skills. In some children, this period occurs at 4-5 months, while in others by 7 months or later.

How to lay the right foundation for chewing?

How to teach a child to chew at such an early age? Use a simple device - a teether, biting which the baby will begin to train the chewing muscles himself!

Gingival ring, timely transition to age-appropriate ready-made formulas and the introduction of complementary foods will allow the baby to learn to chew on its own as early as 1 year old.

How to teach your baby to chew: effective methods

Introduction to the diet of solid foods

To begin with, the transition to solid foods should be gradual. If you use ready-made formulas and purees, then choose only those products that are appropriate for the age of the child. The older the baby, the thicker the mixture will be, and fruit, meat and vegetable purees will contain solid pieces of food.

If you are used to feeding your baby with homemade products, then you can start the transition to solid food by gradually reducing the degree of grinding and giving up the blender. Some food can be crushed with a fork, and some grated on a coarse grater.

But what to do if the right moment is missed, the child is already too accustomed to grated food and categorically refuses to chew and swallow even small pieces?

Tongue Massage

Start by activating the tongue muscles to prevent your baby from gagging when solid food is ingested. To do this, gently massage the child's tongue daily with gauze and a wooden spatula, trying to get closer to the root of the tongue every day.

Alternatively, you can also offer the baby to push out a napkin from the gauze placed behind the cheek with the tongue. It will be great if, along the way, you introduce articulatory gymnastics into the life of a child.

Using a nibbler

To help your baby cope with the fear of solid food in his mouth, you can start with fruit wrapped in cheesecloth or use a more modern device - a nibbler - a feeding sieve.

A nibbler is a small, pacifier-shaped sieve with a handle that holds a piece of fruit or vegetable. The child will be able to train chewing reflexes by simply chewing fruit in a nibbler without the risk of choking on a large piece.

Involving the baby in the process of cooking

You can try to play a child after a year, convincing that the blender is broken, so you have to crush the food with a fork. An excellent effect can be achieved if you involve the baby in the cooking process - let him crush the potatoes with a fork or grate the carrots.

Perhaps in this case he will have a greater desire to taste the fruits of his labor.

Positive example

It is very important to demonstrate to the whole family that it is interesting to eat pieces of food with a fork. Start by setting the table, invite all family members to it, deliberately ignoring the child.

During meals, focus on how tasty and convenient it is to eat solid food, thereby arousing interest in the baby. Let him sit at the table only after he is very hungry.

Invite guests more often, go to visit with your child yourself and be sure to focus on eating "adult" food. It is important to let your baby know that eating such food is exciting, even if it takes a long time.

How can I get a toddler to eat solid food without appetite?

A special case is the lack of appetite in a child. Parents are happy to feed such children with grated food, so long as they do not remain hungry. As a result, there is a lack of progress in the formation of chewing skills and the capriciousness of a baby who is used to being indulged.

In this case, the answer to the question: “How to teach a child to chew?” will not consist in developing his chewing skills, but in stimulating interest in food. A healthy appetite for the crumbs will speed up the process of his transition to eating solid foods, and therefore chewing.

So, if your child is one of those who cannot be persuaded to sit down at the table on their own, then before moving on to the process of teaching him chewing skills, it is worth trying to work on awakening his appetite:

Dilute your baby’s drink instead of sugar with rosehip syrup or give rosehip juice diluted in water.
Replace store-bought juices with homemade compotes with prunes and fennel seeds.
Spend more time outdoors, actively playing with your baby.
Do not let your child snack or drink milk or juice between meals.

Be consistent and persistent in achieving the goal, do not let your child manipulate you and, most importantly, support his interest in food in all available ways, including by creatively decorating dishes.

Do not leave the baby unattended with food and in no case oppress him with strict control, provoking a sense of danger while eating hard food. This will lead to the fact that the child will begin to choke and stop enjoying food.

Timely formation of the chewing reflex in a child is an important condition for the normal development of the child's body. But it often happens that parents introduce solid food to their child too early or, conversely, too late. In the first case, the attempt will most likely end in failure, and training will have to be postponed for some time. And in the second, adults will have to decide how to teach a child to chew if this was not done on time.

Need for chewing

Formation of the chewing reflex and the use of solid food contribute to:

Healthy teeth . Solid food improves the blood supply to the gums and gives the right load to the teeth. If the baby eats exclusively soft food that does not require chewing, there is a risk of dental problems. Teeth may not grow strong enough, which will lead to the formation of a malocclusion.
Normal activity of the gastrointestinal tract . Food saturated with saliva should enter the stomach of a grown baby, which contributes to the production of gastric juice and necessary digestive enzymes. This is impossible if the child does not chew food, but simply swallows it.
Speech development . The muscles of the tongue develop, which contributes to the formation of the correct pronunciation of speech sounds.

When to teach your baby to solid foods

The age at which the chewing reflex develops depends primarily on the growth of the child's teeth. Around the age of 6 months, the baby begins to drag into his mouth everything that he can reach. He diligently grinds objects with gums, through which the first teeth begin to break through.

Depending on individual characteristics, some children by the age of one are already able to gnaw on fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears or carrots. For others, the number of teeth does not yet allow them to eat solid food, at this age and even later they continue to eat any food in the form of puree.

The eruption of the first teeth is an indicator that the child is ready to switch to a new diet. But parents need to objectively assess their child's ability to chew food. You should not give your baby solid food (such as bagels or apples) when he has only grown his first two teeth. With their help, the baby is able to bite off, but in order to chew this piece, two teeth are definitely not enough, and the child may choke.

Reasons for avoiding solid foods

Some mothers and fathers, instead of encouraging chewing, continue to feed their child pureed soups and purees in the hope that the process will improve by itself. If the child is given too long food that is no longer suitable for his age, he may refuse to chew hard pieces in the future. And only parents will be to blame.

When eating only pureed food, the gastrointestinal tract of the crumbs does not get the opportunity to learn how to digest solid food. A child who does not know how to chew normally will try to swallow whole pieces. This can cause the baby to choke. In addition, such a diet can provoke vomiting, which will cause an aversion to solid food.

Chewing reflex aids

Special aids can help parents develop their chewing reflex in time.

Using teethers . From three months, parents need to provide the baby with safe teethers. Such devices promote a rush of blood to the gums, which facilitates the passage of the tooth through soft tissues.
Teethers are required by the child not only to massage the gums, but also to form the chewing reflex. With their help, the baby will acquire the initial chewing skills long before the appearance of the first teeth.
Nibbler application . Starting from the moment of the introduction of complementary foods, you can use a nibbler - a mesh container in which pieces of solid food are placed. With it, you can offer your baby vegetables, fruits, bread products. The mesh prevents crumbs from getting into the baby's mouth, and he will not be able to choke. Nibbler chewing is a great gum workout that promotes a healthy dentition.

Creating conditions for fixing the reflex

For the correct development and consolidation of the chewing reflex in a child, it is necessary to create certain conditions.

Choosing the right time . In order to offer the baby food of a new consistency for him, you need to choose the right time. If the baby is hungry and requires a mixture or porridge from a bottle, you do not need to insist on feeding from a spoon. It is better to choose another moment for this, otherwise the process of getting used to solid food will be postponed indefinitely.
Do not try to spoon-feed your baby at the end of a meal when he is full. The best solution would be to offer him porridge from a spoon a few minutes after the baby has satisfied his strong hunger, for example, with milk. Then you can give the child to wash down the meal with the remaining milk.
Using a baby spoon . At the first feedings, an ordinary teaspoon will be too large for the crumbs. It is best to use a special plastic baby spoon. Food should be taken little by little so that the baby can send food into the mouth with habitual sucking movements. Do not try to put a spoon deep into the child's mouth, this can cause him to choke and cough.
Keeping the correct consistency . When feeding a child with instant cereals, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the dosage set by the manufacturer, since a certain consistency is suitable for each age. You can continue to feed your baby your favorite ready-made porridge for a while, but over time it should become thicker.
Adding pieces . In order for the child to get used to chewing solid food, you need to gradually add dishes with large pieces to the diet. For example, you can add a crumb of bread to the soup, so the baby can feel the pieces of food on the tongue. Feed the baby should be in small portions, carefully making sure that he does not choke.
Gradual transition to solid foods . It is important to act gradually, without forcing the child to abruptly switch to a new food for him. This can cause stress, and the development of the reflex will slow down.
It is convenient to make up a baby's diet, focusing on the consistency of food, which is offered by manufacturers of ready-made baby food. Gradually, the homogeneous puree is replaced by puree with small pieces, then homogeneous thick food is offered, the final stage is thick food with hard pieces.

Little tricks for little stubborn people

When a child categorically refuses to eat food, the consistency of which differs from his usual puree, parents can apply small tricks. This will help encourage the baby to master the process of chewing.

When a mother uses a blender to grind food and the child knows it very well, at some point you can say that the device is broken, so today the soup will be with small pieces. If this is not followed by too loud protest and the baby agrees, you can give him a safe plastic fork and offer to independently knead his own food in a plate. It will be easier for the baby to put a piece in his mouth than to try to crush it with a fork.
Children love to imitate, and this can be used to teach a child to chew. You can invite a family with children to your place, or you can take the baby to a children's cafe. Watching how other children actively eat, the baby will probably also want to try “adult” food from a spoon.
At a family lunch or dinner, you can show your child that eating hard pieces with a spoon or fork is very exciting. The whole family sits at the table, but the baby is not called to the table. Adults begin to eat with appetite, admiring aloud very tasty food. This will surely arouse the child's interest in the process of eating. If he comes to the table, do not immediately put him next to him and offer food. On the contrary, we can say that he went to play, since adults have a very important and interesting business. Parents should behave in such a way that the baby understands that he is missing something, which turns out to be very interesting.
You can offer your child baby cookies that he will surely like. Even if at first he will suck it out of habit, then the baby will probably try to nibble.

The transition from pureed foods to solid foods that need to be chewed is a natural physiological process. The baby's digestive system gradually adapts to such food and learns to digest it. With normal development, a two-year-old child can chew well and swallow solid food normally. With some new dishes, the baby may have minor difficulties, but in general, he should cope with the chewing process perfectly.

Many young parents don't even think about the problem of teaching their child to chew. We are so used to the fact that the chewing reflex is inherent in nature that we don’t even think about it. However, doctors and speech therapists say that there are a considerable number of children who are not able to chew food even after reaching the age of 3-4 years!

Sometimes one has to observe such a picture. A young mother brings her beloved child to kindergarten at the age of 2-4 years, while supplying him with numerous jars filled with grated puree. But it is normal to eat, like other peers, the child simply cannot.

In this article you will learn:

To understand the seriousness of the problem, we invite you to familiarize yourself with what awaits the baby if you do not teach him to chew solid food as soon as he starts teething.

Loose teeth. They can stagger and even fall out much earlier than the due date.
Gastric juice and enzymes are not produced, since food is not saturated with saliva. It is chewing movements that contribute to the production of saliva.
The muscles of the tongue do not develop, which leads to problems with diction.

Interestingly, some physicians are indirectly contributing to this problem by encouraging new mothers to continue breastfeeding as long as possible. Accordingly, the child eats only breast milk and puree for too long, which is harmful not only for normal development, but also for his teeth, tongue muscles.

Experts say that a baby at the age of 7-12 months should already have sufficiently formed chewing skills, and at 3-4 months the center of the gag reflex moves from the middle of the tongue to the back of it - just like in adults.

Therefore, do not delay, and at this time it is necessary to teach the baby to chew. Remember that if a precious moment is missed, then it will be much more difficult to teach a child to chew later.

First of all, specialists (speech pathologists-defectologists) advise to check the child with a neurologist to exclude the possibility of pathology. If neurological problems are excluded, then you can contact specialists to solve this problem. They use several methods that will be useful to the young parents themselves for their work with the crumbs at home.

Basic methods:

Child getting used to solid food in the mouth. Some babies are really very afraid to feel hard pieces in their mouths, instinctively fearing to choke, suffocate. If the baby is afraid, then you can simply wrap a piece of solid food in gauze and let the baby chew it. Even if one small part falls off, it will not penetrate the child's esophagus and scare him. And while chewing the contents of the gauze, the child will gradually get used to being in the mouth of a solid object. You can wrap small slices of bread, apples, pears, vegetables. By the way, many manufacturers greatly simplify the work of parents and offer to purchase special nipples, which are a mesh connected to a ring. The rings remain outside and look like the end of the nipple, and the food mesh itself will be in the baby's mouth.
Overcoming the gag reflex. The gag reflex may occur very early in a child's chewing habits. It is relatively easy to overcome it, but you will have to pay attention to this process. It is advisable to massage the tongue with a special brush or through a napkin. You can play with your child - let him take a napkin in his mouth, hide it behind his cheek, then try to push it out with his tongue.
Articulation gymnastics. This helps not only to develop diction, but also strengthens the muscles of the oral cavity. The baby begins to feel better the muscles of the oral cavity and will no longer be afraid of solid foods in the mouth.
Help your child make a smooth transition to solid foods. If the baby eats mashed potatoes, then gradually add very small pieces to it. Even if the baby swallows them along with the gruel, this will not cause him pain, but he will feel that he was able to cope and swallow a piece. It should be done gradually. Then discard the chopper and blender, and use a regular fork to soften food.
Set an example for your child. Children are very fond of imitating adults. This is another "chip" that is laid down by nature. You need to eat with your baby. Enjoy food, praise it, give yourself a supplement and show that the process of eating food is absolutely safe and very pleasant. Do not force the baby to eat, but just at least tame him to the contemplation of how you eat with pleasure.

If the tameness to chewing solid foods has already begun at a fairly late age, that is, after 1.5-2 years, then you will have to make much more effort using each of the above methods. Most likely, in such cases, the help of a specialist will be required.

To make things easier, it's a good idea to invite other kids the same age as your baby. If they are already happy to absorb solid food, then this will be the best example for your fidget.

How to teach your baby to chew. Let's summarize

So, the advice of experts comes down to the fact that, starting from 7-8 months, you need to gradually increase the density of food, adding a little more pieces. It is also worth paying attention to what kind of food the baby likes the most.

It is important to interest the baby - try everything for yourself, invite friends with whom you can share a meal. Use additional assistive products, such as a special chewing nipple.

An excellent option if you prepare soft boiled meatballs or steam cutlets according to a special children's recipe. They are very soft, slightly crumbly, warm and at the same time will help the child to switch to solid food.

If you are unable to teach your child to do this, you should contact a specialist. This is done not only by pediatricians, but also by speech pathologists with relevant work experience.

Experiences of other mothers

Of course, there are many more ways that often make themselves felt just by chance.

Some parents are surprised to find that the baby begins to chew when he sees foods that are new to him. Habitual pasta, meatballs, apple slices, he can throw out or just hold his cheek. And if you offer something new, and the baby likes the taste, then the likelihood that he will start chewing and swallow food increases significantly.

Some parents have to go to tricks. Many children love marshmallows or marshmallows, and modern manufacturers produce children's marmalade or marshmallows with a minimum sugar content. It is very pleasant and sweet in taste. Many children do not refuse such delicacies and willingly chew and swallow them.

If the child is older, say 2 years old, you can explain to him that the store has run out of puree and your blender is broken, so if he wants to eat, then you need to try and chew food. Of course, you can’t blackmail a child with this - you need to carefully monitor his reaction.

Introduction of solid food into the child's diet. Our child.

Contents:

There is no time limit for introducing solid foods into a child's diet
Before or after milk?
What should a spoon look like
Porridge
Give him time to fall in love with porridge
What kind of porridge?
If your baby doesn't like porridge
Fruit

This chapter explains how it was considered right to introduce complementary foods 30-40 years ago, but today's recommendations for feeding children under one year old are somewhat different. This also applies to the timing of the introduction of new food, and the methods of its preparation - today it would not occur to anyone to scrape a fried piece of meat for a 6-month-old baby or boil fruit.

There is no fixed time frame for introducing solid food into a child's diet.

Fifty years ago it was only introduced after a year. Then doctors began to try to introduce it earlier and earlier and found that children willingly accept such food and it has a beneficial effect on them. For two reasons, it makes sense to start solid foods in the first half of the first year. At this age, children do not care what they eat, and as they get older, they become more picky. Solid foods contain substances, especially iron, that are rare or non-existent in milk.

Nowadays, doctors usually recommend the introduction of solid foods between the first and fourth month. Introducing solid foods too early does not provide much benefit. In the first 2-3 months, the child gets everything he needs from milk. His digestive system is still imperfect and almost does not absorb starch.

When deciding at what age to introduce solid foods to a child's diet, the doctor takes into account both the child's appetite and his digestive system.

For example, if a baby is not getting enough breastmilk at 6 weeks and is starving, solid foods can be introduced into his diet, thereby avoiding other types of supplemental artificial nutrition. If a formula-fed baby has a slightly loose stool all the time, your doctor will advise you to wait with the introduction of solid foods so as not to irritate the baby's digestive organs. Often mothers are afraid to be even one day behind neighbors and acquaintances who have already introduced solid food, and persuade the doctor to allow them to do the same.

Before or after milk?

Most children who have never tried solid food refuse it, expecting milk as usual. So start with milk at first, and after a month or two try solid food at the beginning or in the middle of feeding, when the baby realizes that solid food satisfies hunger just as well as milk.

How big should a spoon be?

A regular teaspoon is too big for a small child's mouth. And many types of spoons are too deep, making it difficult for a child to remove food from them. It is better to feed your baby with a coffee spoon with a flatter bottom. Some mothers use wooden sticks (the same ones that doctors use when examining a baby's throat).

Porridge

The order in which the different types of solid food are introduced does not matter. Usually, porridge is given first. The only drawback of cereals is their taste, which many children do not like. Different children prefer different cereals. It is better if you teach your child to all kinds of cereals.

Give him time to fall in love with porridge

Usually, doctors recommend starting with 1 teaspoon of porridge, gradually increasing the amount to 2-3 tablespoons if the child likes porridge and does not cause stomach upset. Let him only taste the porridge for a few days. Increase the portion if the child likes the porridge. Take your time!

It is a hilarious sight when a child tastes solid food for the first time. His face is filled with bewilderment and disgust. He wrinkles his nose and forehead. Don't blame him for it. In the end, this is really a completely new taste and texture for him. Besides, he's not used to the spoon yet. When a baby suckles at the breast, the milk automatically goes to the right place. But at first he does not know what to do with solid food when it enters his mouth. He will not immediately learn to grab food with the front of the tongue and move it down the throat. At first, the child makes a sucking movement with his tongue and most of the porridge ends up on his chin. You will have to make more and more attempts, but do not despair - a little porridge still ends up in his stomach. And over time, he will learn to eat solid food. Just be patient.

It doesn't matter which feeding you give him porridge. But do not give it during those hours when the child is not very hungry. Usually porridge is offered at 10 o'clock in the morning feeding or at 6 o'clock in the evening. At first, cook the porridge very thin, not much thicker than milk, then it will be easier for the child to swallow it and it will not seem too strange to him. In addition, children usually do not like sticky foods. If you are formula feeding your baby, you can use part of his daily milk to make porridge. But, as a rule, children prefer to drink their usual portion of milk, in addition to porridge. So, you may have to use regular pasteurized or powdered milk to make porridge. Of course, you can cook porridge with water. But it is unlikely that the child will like it.

What cereals?

Mothers usually give powdered cereals to their children. There are several varieties of these cereals.

If there is a hereditary allergy in the family, the doctor will advise you to wait to give porridge, and later start with rice, oatmeal or barley. Semolina porridge should be introduced only after a few months, since wheat more often than other cereals causes diathesis.

You can give your child those cereals that the whole family eats. Start with semolina porridge - it has the least fiber. By 5-6 months, you can give him pearl barley, oatmeal, rice porridge and hominy. In very young children, the fiber in pearl barley and oatmeal can cause loose stools. According to the content of vitamins and protein, semolina, oatmeal and barley porridge are the most useful. Add salt to taste.

If the child does not like porridge

Two days after you start giving porridge, it will become clear to you how your child feels about it. Some children seem to decide to themselves like this: "This is something strange in taste, but nutritious and I will eat it." After a few more days, they get completely used to the porridge and stretch their mouths to each spoon, like chicks in a nest. And other children the very next day firmly decide that they will not eat it. On the third day, they like porridge even less. Dont be upset! If you try to force a child to eat porridge against his will, he will resist even more desperately. This struggle will lead to despair and you. And after a week or two, the child may become so suspicious that he will not even want to drink milk. Porridge should be given only once a day. First, give him quite a bit of porridge, just for testing. Add sugar - maybe he will like sweet porridge more. If after 2-3 days, despite all the precautions, he still does not want to eat porridge, then wait two weeks, and then try to offer him porridge again. If he does not like it again, then consult a doctor.

It would be a huge mistake to force a child to eat his first cereal. Sometimes this is how the problem of poor appetite in a child arises. Even if this does not lead to a deterioration in appetite, unnecessary strife between mother and child should still be avoided.

If you do not have the opportunity to consult a doctor, and your child categorically refuses to eat porridge, then offer him mashed fruit. At first, the taste of fruits will also seem strange to him, but after 2-3 days, almost all children like fruits. And in another two weeks, the child will probably consider that everything that comes across on a spoon is very tasty. That's when you give him porridge.

Fruit

Fruit is usually introduced into the menu a few weeks after cereals. But some doctors recommend introducing them first, as children tend to like fruits.

In the first 6-8 months, all fruits, except bananas, are given boiled to children (fruits should be boiled in a small amount of water). Usually, children are given apples, peaches, pears, apricots, prunes, pineapples, etc. You can buy canned pureed fruits from baby food stores or give your child the same fruits as the rest of the family. Separate a portion of the fruit for the child, strain it through a sieve, and add just enough sugar to offset the sour taste. If you are giving canned fruit to your child, discard the syrup as it is too sweet for small children.

You can give fruit at any of the feedings or even twice a day, depending on your child's appetite and how they absorb fruit. Usually fruits are given in the 14-hour or 18-hour feeding.

Give your child time to get used to each type of fruit. Most children have enough 50-60 g of fruit at a time. Cooked fruit (or canned food) can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator. Bananas that you give to your child must be completely ripe, i.e. with black spots on the skin and light brown inside. Mash the banana well with a fork and add a little milk if the mixture is too thick.

Fruit is said to soften stools. But for most children, including newborns, the mentioned fruits, except for prunes, do not have such an effect. Prunes are a mild laxative and therefore doubly valuable for children suffering from chronic constipation. Such children can be given mashed prunes every day in one feeding and any other fruit in another.

If your child, on the contrary, easily upsets the stomach, then it is better to give him fruits once a day, and exclude prunes from the menu altogether.

In the second half of the first year, you can give your child raw fruits: apples and pears, peeled (pitted berries and grapes are usually given no earlier than 2 years).

Vegetables

Pureed boiled vegetables are introduced into the child's menu 2-4 weeks after cereals or fruits, or after both.

The most popular vegetables are beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, beets, potatoes, celery, zucchini, pumpkin. You can give other vegetables (cauliflower and white cabbage, onions, turnips). Most children do not like the taste of these vegetables. But if your family loves any of these vegetables, then offer them to your child too (the too sharp taste of these vegetables can be softened by boiling them in two waters). Corn is not given to small children because of the tough husk.

You can give your child both fresh and frozen vegetables, boiled and pureed. You can give special canned vegetable purees.

Children are often very picky about vegetables. You may soon discover that your child does not like one or two types of vegetables. Don't push, but offer them every month. It makes no sense to force a child to eat those vegetables that he does not like when there are many other equally valuable vegetables. Many children like vegetables to be lightly salted. There is no harm in this.

At first, there will be many undigested pieces of vegetables in the baby's stool. This is normal if the stool is not liquid and there is no mucus in it. But do not rush to increase the serving of vegetables until the child's stomach adapts to them. If vegetables cause loose stools, stop giving them, and after a month start again in small portions.

Beets will turn a child's feces and urine red. We must remember that you gave the child beets, so as not to worry in vain and not to think that it was blood.

Spinach in children sometimes cracks the lips, and in some cases the mucous membrane of the anus. In this case, eliminate spinach from the child's diet for several months and then try again.

Vegetables are usually given at the 14-hour meal or at lunchtime for an older child. Gradually increase the serving of vegetables to a few tablespoons. Cooked vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days. If you don't have a refrigerator, then don't leave cooked vegetables for the next day, as they spoil quickly.

Eggs

Egg yolk is a very valuable product because it contains iron. Approximately in the middle of the year, the red blood cells of the child require more and more iron due to the rapid growth of the child, who no longer has enough iron present in his blood at birth (there is practically no iron in milk, there is very little in other products).

Eggs are the most common cause of allergies, especially if everyone in the family suffers from it. The most common form of allergy is eczema (diathesis), when the skin, most commonly on the face and behind the ears, turns red, flaky, and feels hard and rough to the touch. The skin may then begin to become wet and crusty. Eczema causes itching.

To prevent allergies, try the following: only give the yolk until the age of one, because the iron is contained in the yolk, and diathesis is usually caused by protein. Give a hard-boiled yolk (boil an egg for 20 minutes), as the longer any product is boiled, the less likely it is to be allergic.

Some children do not like the taste of egg yolk. You can salt it a little or mix it with porridge or vegetable puree. But, if because of this the child will not eat vegetables or porridge, do not insist.

Egg yolk is usually given between the 4th and 6th month, but some doctors advise waiting up to 7-8 months, especially if there is a family history of allergies.

Soft-boiled eggs and scrambled eggs are given no earlier than 9 months (mainly due to protein) and little by little, like every new kind of food.

Eggs can be given at any feeding. When you enter meat into the child’s menu, eggs can be given for breakfast or dinner, and meat for lunch.

Meat

Studies have shown that meat is very useful for children even in the first year of life. Many doctors now recommend giving meat starting at 2-6 months of age. Meat for a small child is either turned in a meat grinder several times, or rubbed through a sieve, or rubbed on a grater. Therefore, it is easy for a child to eat it, even while he has no teeth. Here is the easiest way to cook meat for a baby: scrape up the right amount of raw meat with the blunt edge of a knife or spoon and put it in a cup, which should be placed in a pot of boiling water. The meat is ready when the red color completely disappears. Milk or water can be added to the pulp, then the mass will turn out to be more juicy. Another method is to quickly fry a piece of meat to kill the bacteria on its surface, and then, holding it firmly in your hand, scrape it with a spoon. The red soft meat will be scraped off, but the veins will remain. The liver can be boiled until its color changes, and then rubbed through a sieve. Salt the meat to taste.

When the child is accustomed to pureed or scraped meat, he can be given meat fried and passed through a meat grinder. It is better not to use ready-made minced meat, as it contains pieces of meat that were in contact with the meat grinder and with the hands of the butchers. In addition, there is usually a lot of fat and sinew in the finished minced meat.

After the child gets used to beef, give him other types of meat: chicken, lamb, veal, liver, pork.

Pork should be cooked very carefully.

Six-month-old baby's meals

By 6 months, your baby's diet may include cereals, egg yolk, fruits, vegetables, and meats. Usually these products are distributed as follows: porridge and an egg for breakfast, meat and vegetables for lunch, porridge and fruits for dinner. However, there are no strict rules in this regard. Feed your baby in a way that is comfortable for both you and him. For example, if he is not hungry in the morning, you can give fruit and an egg for breakfast, vegetables and meat for lunch, and one porridge for dinner. If he has a strong stool, then you can give him prunes with porridge at every dinner, and additionally other fruits for breakfast.

Plain puddings

Puddings are less valuable food for a child than other meals. They add nothing new to the diet and take a long time to prepare. Fruit is in many ways a more valuable dessert. But, if you make puddings for the whole family, then you can give them to a small child after 6 months.

Sometimes puddings can do a good job. For example, a one-year-old child may suddenly completely refuse to drink milk. And with pudding, he can get about 200-250 g of milk. It happens that a child eats very little of each dish at dinner, then in addition to fruit, you can give him pudding. Puddings are also good substitutes for cereals if the child has fallen out of love with them (then for dinner you give him fruit and pudding or vegetables and pudding). Desserts that include gelatin are beneficial because of the fruits they contain. Gelatin itself is of no value for the nutrition of the child.

If your child loves fruit, digests it well, and drinks enough milk, you don't need to make regular puddings for him. The child must eat raw and boiled fruits at least every other day.

Potatoes and starch

Potatoes are good for lunch for a child with a good appetite or for dinner instead of porridge. In addition to starch, potatoes contain a significant amount of iron, mineral salts and vitamin C.

Boiled or baked potatoes are introduced into the child's diet in the second half of the first year. When you transfer the child to three meals a day, the potatoes will make his lunch more satisfying.

But often children choke on potatoes. Therefore, first dilute the boiled potatoes with plenty of milk to make a semi-liquid mass, and give it in small quantities until the child gets used to it. Salt to taste. If the child does choke, forget about potatoes for at least a month, and then try again.

If your child is rather fat and full of a meal of vegetables, meat, milk and fruit, do not give him potatoes, which will not add anything new to his diet.

Pasta and noodles can be substituted for potatoes from time to time. At first, they must be wiped through a sieve or thoroughly kneaded with a fork.

Fish

At 10-12 months, you can introduce white lean fish, such as perch, cod, flounder, into your baby's menu. If the child does not like fish, do not insist. Fish can be simmered or put into a bowl, pour milk over it and put in a pot of boiling water. Cook until done. You can give your child baked, boiled or fried fish prepared for the rest of the family. In any case, crumble the fish with your fingers and take out all the bones.

Sometimes you can have fish for lunch instead of meat. Unfortunately, many children do not like fish. Don't try to force feed them. Fatty varieties of fish are more difficult to digest and are less popular with children.

Food that can be eaten in the hand

By 6-7 months the baby is able to hold food in the hand. At this age, he wants to chew. In addition, it is a good preparation for independent eating later, for about a year. If a child has never been allowed to eat with his hands, then he is unlikely to have a desire to eat with a spoon.

Children are usually given a crust of dry bread, cracker or biscuits first. The child chews with his gums and sucks (perhaps his gums itch because of the growth of his teeth, then biting will give him more pleasure). Gradually, the bread dissolves in his saliva and some goes into his mouth, so that the child feels that he is achieving something. Of course, most of the bread ends up on the face, hair, furniture and clothes.

After 9 months, your baby's food will be mashed with a fork instead of mashed. Leave a few pieces whole (for example, carrots, beans). The child will take these pieces with his hands and chew them. He may also chew raw apple or pear slices.

Usually the first teeth appear at about 7 months, and by the age of 1 year a child may have 4 to 6 sharp front teeth. But until he has molars, don't expect him to chew effectively.

Between 9 and 12 months, start feeding your baby in chunks.

If you continue to feed your baby only pureed food in the second year of life, it will become more and more difficult for you to make this change. Many people think that a child is not able to cope with bits of food until he has enough teeth. This is wrong. In fact, he can chew pieces of boiled vegetables, fruits, or cookies with his gums and tongue.

It happens occasionally that a child chokes on pieces of food, because that is how his larynx is arranged. But more often than not, it's because either he was moved from puree to chunks too abruptly and too late, or his mother forced him to eat when he didn't feel like it.

There are two important things to remember when moving from pureed food to chunks: First, the change must be gradual. First, knead the food thoroughly with a fork and put it in the child's mouth in very small portions. As the child gets used to the new texture of the food, make the pieces bigger and bigger. Another way to teach a child to eat in pieces is as follows: have him take a piece of food with his fingers, such as a cube of carrots, and put it in his mouth. If you try to put a full spoonful of pieces in his mouth, then this may instill in him an aversion to such a consistency of food.

It is not necessary to give all food in the form of pieces. To get the child used to this innovation, it is enough to give him only part of the food in the form of pieces every day.

Keep turning the meat carefully as it is difficult for a child to chew a whole piece. Often children chew the same piece of meat for a long time and nothing happens. But they are afraid to swallow unchewed meat. This can lead either to the fact that the child begins to choke on a piece, or he does not like the meat.

Child nutrition by the end of the year

Perhaps you are completely confused about the different types of food. So here is a list of foods your child is likely to eat by the end of the year.

Breakfast: porridge, whole soft-boiled egg, bread, milk.

Lunch: vegetables (green or yellow pieces), potatoes (or pasta, etc.), meat or fish, fruits, milk.

Dinner: porridge, fruit, milk. Fruit juices are given daily, either between feedings or at breakfast.