Who solid food chart for babies


Baby's first foods: The 10 best foods for babies

These 10 first foods are ideal for your baby because they're full of essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious. Avocados contain healthy fats, while bananas are loaded with potassium. Blueberries are bursting with antioxidants, whereas broccoli offers fiber and folate. Both lentils and meat are packed with protein. Prunes can help with constipation, and yogurt helps form healthy bones and teeth. Sweet potatoes and winter squash are great sources of beta-carotene and vitamin C. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it's important to offer your baby a variety of healthy foods. There are lots of healthy, baby-friendly foods out there, but these 10 recommended by doctors and dietitians alike stand out from the pack. From vitamin-rich fruits and veggies to meats and beans loaded with protein, these superfoods are full of essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious.

Many are also favorite first foods. Before introducing solids, talk to the doctor about your baby's readiness for solids, and which foods to introduce and when. Then introduce foods one at a time, waiting at least three days after each new food to watch for any allergic reaction.

Avocados

BabyCenter parents are all about avocado as a first food. This buttery fruit-vegetable is rich in healthy unsaturated fats that help boost brain development. In fact, the fat composition of avocados is somewhat similar to that of breast milk.

Serving ideas: Mash avocado with a fork, or make baby guacamole.

Bananas

Known as a good source of potassium, this grab-and-go fruit also contains vitamins B6 and C, fiber, and magnesium.

Serving ideas: Make banana and mango puree. Or, for your little one's first smoothie, puree banana and peach chunks with whole-milk yogurt.

Blueberries

Blueberries are bursting with antioxidants. The deep, brilliant blue of these berries comes from flavonoids that benefit your baby's eyes, brain, and even urinary tract.

Serving ideas: Blend or mash blueberries well and swirl a spoonful of the juicy purple puree into yogurt, or top silky coconut milk rice pudding with blueberry compote.

Broccoli

This cruciferous vegetable is a rich source of essential nutrients, including fiber, folate, and calcium. Introduce your baby to broccoli's bold flavor early, and you'll be expanding their tastes and encouraging a lifelong love of green vegetables.

Advertisement | page continues below

Serving idea: Steam until soft, cut into pieces small enough for your child to eat safely, and then chill. Steaming takes the bite out of broccoli, and some babies prefer the texture and taste when it's cold.

Lentils

Beans and other legumes pack lots of lean protein and fiber. But unlike larger beans, little lentils simmer into a pleasing mush just right for baby bites. They're also one of the cheapest healthy foods you can buy.

Serving ideas: Cook finely diced carrots along with the lentils. As your baby gets older, double up on nutrient-rich foods by making lentil and spinach stew.

Meat

Lack of iron can cause anemia. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends meat as a first food because it's such a great source of protein, zinc, and iron, especially red meat and dark poultry meat. Plus, babies absorb iron more easily from meat than from iron-fortified cereals, another common first food.

Serving ideas: If your baby is new to solids, try our easy turkey or chicken puree recipe. As they get older, introduce new flavors with chicken curry with green beans and zucchini or shepherd's pie.

Prunes

Whether you call them "prunes" or "dried plums," these humble fruits don't sound glamorous – but they're soft, sweet, and full of fiber. Your baby may suffer from constipation when switching to solids, as it's a big change for their system. Add pureed prunes to your baby's diet to aid digestion and keep things moving.

Serving ideas: Serve pureed prunes alone or mixed with other foods, such as oatmeal, cereal, or applesauce, for a naturally sweet treat.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of the more popular first foods for babies, who tend to like both their sweetness and texture. These colorful root vegetables are packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and minerals, including iron and copper.

Serving ideas: Serve sweet potato puree alone or swirled into pureed chicken or turkey.

Winter squash

Orange- or yellow-fleshed hard winter squashes such as butternut, acorn, and pumpkin boast many benefits, one of which is they're exceptionally rich in beta-carotene, recognized for being great for eyes. Squash is also an excellent source of vitamin C. Natural sweetness and a creamy texture add to the appeal of winter varieties.

Serving ideas: Roast a winter squash like butternut, scoop out the flesh, and puree it for an easy first food. As your baby gets older, introduce new flavors and textures with dishes like smashed chickpea and butternut chili.

Yogurt

Creamy yogurt is rich in calcium and vitamin D, necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Your baby can have it at 4 to 6 months, long before they'll be ready for cow's milk.

Opt for plain yogurt with no added sugar. Also look for a brand with the most live cultures, which help regulate the good bacteria in your baby's digestive tract. Make sure you pick up whole-milk yogurt – babies need the calories from fat.

Serving ideas: Yogurt is fine on its own, or swirl in pureed berries or other fresh fruit, applesauce, or mashed avocado.

Was this article helpful?

Yes

No

Baby formula feeding chart: How much formula by weight and age

Is your baby getting too much or too little formula? It's an important question that worries many new parents, especially those with newborns. When deciding how much formula to give your baby, it's important to watch their hunger cues as well as looking at guidelines based on age and weight. In general, before they're eating solids, babies need 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight each day.

These guidelines are for babies who are exclusively formula-fed for the first 4 to 6 months, and then fed a combination of formula and solids up to age 1. If your baby is getting a combination of breast milk and formula, talk to their doctor for separate advice.

Your pediatrician can tell you where your baby falls on the growth charts, make sure they're growing steadily on their own growth curve, and help you ensure that they're getting a healthy amount of formula. If you're ever worried about your baby's growth, behavior, or development, talk with their doctor.

How much formula for a newborn

For the first few days, offer your newborn 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 or 3 hours. (At first, newborns may only take a half ounce of formula at a time.)

After the first few days, give your newborn 2 to 3 ounces of formula every 3 to 4 hours.

Initially it's best to feed your formula-fed newborn on demand, whenever they show signs that they're hungry. Because your little one can't tell you when they want a bottle, you'll need to learn to read their hunger cues. Crying is often a late sign of hunger, so if you can, try to catch the earlier signs that it's time for a feeding.

Here are some hunger cues to watch for:

  • Smacking or licking their lips
  • Rooting (moving their jaw, mouth, or head in search of food)
  • Putting their hands to their mouth
  • Opening their mouth
  • Fussiness
  • Sucking on things
  • Becoming more alert
  • Crying

As time passes, your newborn will begin to develop a fairly regular feeding schedule. You'll become familiar with their cues and needs, and knowing when and how much to feed them will be much easier.

Formula feeding chart by weight

During the first 4 to 6 months, when your baby isn't eating solid foods, here's a simple rule of thumb: Offer 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight every 24 hours, with a maximum of about 32 ounces.

Advertisement | page continues below

WeightOunces of formula
6 pounds15 fl oz every 24 hours
7 pounds17.5 fl oz every 24 hours
8 pounds20 fl oz every 24 hours
9 pounds22. 5 fl oz every 24 hours
10 pounds25 fl oz every 24 hours
11 pounds27.5 fl oz every 24 hours
12 pounds30 fl oz every 24 hours

These numbers aren't rigid rules. They offer a rough estimate for what your baby may need. Some babies will grow well while taking less than the recommended amount, while others consistently need more. Your baby's daily feedings will also vary according to their individual needs – in other words, they may want a bit more on some days and a bit less on others.

Formula feeding chart by age

Here are typical amounts per day based on age:

AgeOunces of formula
Full-term newborn2 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
1 month old3 to 4 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
2 month old4 to 5 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
3 month old4 to 6 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
4 month old4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day
5 month old4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day
6 month old6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 4 to 5 times a day
7 month old6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 3 to 5 times a day

From 8 months old until their first birthday, you can expect your baby to have 7 to 8 ounces per bottle, 3 to 4 times a day.

As your baby gets older – and their tummy gets bigger – they'll drink fewer bottles a day with more formula in each. It's important not to overfeed your baby so they'll stay at a healthy weight. Your baby shouldn't have more than 32 ounces of formula in 24 hours.

When they reach their first birthday, they can stop drinking formula and transition to cow's milk in a bottle, sippy cup, straw cup, or open cup. Limit your toddler to 16 to 24 ounces (2 to 2.5 cups) a day of whole milk, so they have room for other healthy foods.

Here are signs that your baby's getting all the formula they need:

  • Steady weight gain. They continue to gain weight after their first 10 days and follow a healthy growth curve during their first year. (Most babies lose up to 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight in the first few days and then regain it by the time they're about 2 weeks old.)
  • Happy baby. They seem relaxed and satisfied after a feeding.
  • Wet diapers. They wet two to three diapers a day in the first few days after birth. Over the next few days, the amount should increase to at least five to six wet diapers a day.

Babies are usually good at eating the amount they need, but bottle-fed babies can drink too much at times. Here are the signs that they're getting too much formula:

  • Vomiting after a feeding may be a sign that your baby had too much. (Spitting up is normal, vomiting isn't.)
  • Tummy pain after a feeding can also be a sign of overfeeding. If your baby draws up their legs or their tummy seems tense, they may be in pain. (See other possible reasons for stomach pain in babies.)

If your baby seems to want to eat all the time, even after finishing a bottle, talk to your pediatrician. Using a pacifier may help soothe their need to suck.

Formula-feeding tips

  • In general, babies eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full, so resist the temptation to encourage your baby to finish each bottle. Overfeeding during infancy can contribute to obesity later in life.
  • Don't respond to your baby's every cry with a bottle. They may be crying because their diaper is wet, they're cold or hot, they need to be burped, or they want to be close to you. (Learn more about why babies cry, and how to soothe them.)
  • Your baby may be hungrier than usual during growth spurts. These typically occur 10 to 14 days after birth and around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.

Read more:

  • Formula Feeding Problem Solver
  • How to safely store and use formula

Was this article helpful?

Yes

No

WHO recommendations for the introduction of complementary foods

08.08.2019

Readiness of the child to complementary foods According to the WHO recommendation, existing for 2018, it is optimal to introduce complementary foods to an infant at 6-8 months. Until six months, the baby's gastrointestinal tract is still not sufficiently formed, all the necessary enzymes are not produced for the assimilation of food other than mother's milk or formula. And by 9-10 months, the child can already form stable stereotypes of eating only liquid food, and overcoming them will be painful and difficult for the baby.

Thus, WHO defines the following signs of a child's readiness for the introduction of complementary foods: the maturity of the digestive system; extinction of the solid food ejection reflex; the appearance of the first teeth, making it possible to chew; the readiness of the baby to be stable in an upright position; emotional readiness for new tastes and sensations.

Complementary feeding system WHO has developed recommendations for three complementary feeding options: cereals, vegetables, and meat.

Fruit complementary foods are not recommended for cereals and vegetables. This is due to the fact that up to 8-9 months the gastrointestinal tract of the baby is not ready for the absorption of raw fruits and fruit juices. It is vegetables and cereals that will populate the intestines with the necessary bacteria for the absorption of fruits.

Kefir, according to the WHO, is not considered complementary foods because it is not a solid food. The WHO complementary feeding scheme includes kefir only as an additional food from 8 months. The introduction of cow's milk is recommended by WHO only from 12 months.

Any complementary feeding scheme assumes that portions of complementary foods will systematically increase from half a teaspoon to 100-200 g. The first dishes for complementary foods are prepared exclusively with one-component. Each next component is introduced only after complete addiction to the previous one (6-7 days).

Product sequence

The following sequence of introduction of complementary foods is proposed.

  • Vegetables at 6 months.
  • Porridges on the water (oatmeal, buckwheat, corn) at 6.5 - 7 months.
  • Fruit puree, yolk at 8 months.
  • Milk porridge at 8-9 months.
  • Meat puree at 9 months.
  • Meat by-products at 9-10 months.
  • Kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt at 9-10 months.
  • Fish at 10 months.
  • Juice at 10-12 months.
  • Berry puree at 12 months.
  • Meat broths at 12 months.

The introduction of vegetable oil (olive, sunflower) in puree and porridge is allowed from 6 months: a scheme with 1 drop with a gradual increase to a volume of 1 teaspoon. The introduction of butter begins at 7 months: the scheme is from 1 g to 10 g in porridge.

For formula-fed babies, the first feeding schedule is similar, with a few exceptions. For these babies, it is better to introduce complementary foods from 5 months, because the milk mixture does not give the small body all the “building material”. The introduction of complementary foods differs only in terms: vegetable purees and cereals are introduced a month earlier.

First cereals

If the child's weight is significantly less than normal, WHO recommends starting complementary foods with non-dairy cereals. For babies, cereals are prepared only with non-dairy, unsalted, semi-liquid, absolutely homogeneous in consistency. The first cereals are prepared from cereal flour (the sorted and washed cereals are carefully ground and crushed).

The following sequence of introduction of cereals is proposed: buckwheat, rice, corn, oatmeal, semolina. It is recommended to cook semolina porridge only once a week, because it contains practically no nutrients, but it is rich in gluten, which can cause problems in the intestines. Proportion for the preparation of the first porridge: 5 g of cereal flour per 100 ml of water. After slightly cooling the finished porridge, chop again. In the finished porridge, you can add 1-2 drops of vegetable oil or a little expressed breast milk.

From 9 months, the baby's nutrition system involves multicomponent cereals, from products already well known to the child. You can already add vegetables and fruits familiar to the baby to cereals. At 9 months, it is allowed to cook barley and millet porridge for babies. And by 10-11 months, cereals on the water will be a great addition to meat and fish meatballs and steam cutlets.

Vegetable food

The first purees are made from one vegetable.

The sequence of introducing vegetables into complementary foods for babies suggests the following order: zucchini, cauliflower, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, green peas, beets. These vegetables are introduced within 6-9baby months. After 1 year, you can give your child cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, sweet peppers, white cabbage. After preparing the puree, make sure that the mass is completely homogeneous, there are no fibers and small particles, the consistency is semi-liquid. Don't salt. Add 1-2 drops of vegetable oil or expressed milk.

If the child refuses vegetable complementary foods, cancel this product for 1-2 weeks. Try to temporarily replace it with another and return to it after a while.

Meat supplements

From 9 months old, the first meat purees are recommended for babies. The first courses are recommended to be prepared from lean meats: rabbit; quail; turkey; chicken.

Complementary foods for a 6-month-old baby are recommended to be introduced in the morning. This will allow you to track the child's reaction to an unfamiliar product before a night's sleep: is there a rash, intestinal disorders, anxiety in the baby, profuse regurgitation. It is better to give vegetables or porridge first, and then saturate with breast milk or formula. Gradually, porridge and a vegetable dish will replace one full meal. The dish must be warm and freshly cooked. Gradually, by the age of 1, your baby will develop taste preferences. You will know what dishes he eats with pleasure. In the meantime, try to fully expand the child's diet with products necessary for growth and development.

Be healthy!!!


WHO recommendations + list of complementary foods

Proper nutrition of the baby in the first year depends on its further health. Surely, every mother has read many articles on the introduction of complementary foods. We have put together a small reference book, divided into months (on which month of life which product to introduce).

CONTENTS

1. How and when to start breastfeeding breastfeeding
2. Complementary feeding chart for breast-fed babies
3. Complementary feeding chart for formula-fed babies
4. Basic rules for complementary feeding
5. Introducing fruit puree
6. Introducing complementary foods: juices
7. WHO complementary feeding schedule for 90 days

The best food for a newborn baby is, without a doubt, breast milk, because the baby receives everything it needs in the right amount.

However, the child grows, and milk becomes unable to fully provide the small body with all the necessary substances, so if the child is healthy, then starting from the sixth month, complementary foods can be introduced. Of course, not all families adhere to this criterion in terms of age, but it is better to listen to the recommendations of pediatricians. The baby food table will help the mother understand which foods to introduce before others.

How and when to start breastfeeding breastfeeding?

By the age of six months, the intestines of the baby are ready for new food. But if the weight of the baby is small and does not reach the norm, then complementary foods are possible from the age of four months. In the event of an allergy, it is better to postpone a change in the diet of food for up to 7 months.

There are the following features of the introduction of complementary foods:

  • New food should be given to the baby with a small spoon. The child's body is not ready to receive an unfamiliar product in large dosages. A coffee shop is best suited for this purpose, or you can purchase a special measuring one.
  • By the way, retail chains offer a wide selection of table souvenirs, which makes it possible to purchase a special personalized spoon. But the kid from an early age will know his own cutlery.
  • No need to force a child to eat everything that his mother cooks for him for a separate meal. It happens that the baby is naughty or has no appetite. In this case, it is better to distract the baby with some activity, and after a while try to offer him food again.
  • At the very beginning of complementary foods, the food introduced should be in very small quantities, just a few grams. This rule must be observed so that the baby’s body has time to get used to the new diet. After some time, the portion size can be increased.
  • A good help for a young mother will be a notebook where she will write down everything related to her baby. That is, what product does she feed the child, in what quantity and when. This is necessary in order to understand the cause of the allergy, if any. Be sure to record the baby's reactions to the introduced complementary foods in order to know what will need to be excluded if a rash appears.
  • It is good if the baby will eat on a high chair.
  • You should not accustom your child to a palette of tastes right away - a new product should be introduced only when the baby gets used to the new sensations.

After feeding, it is necessary to give the baby a breast so that he does not get excited. Still, mother's milk is still his main food.

There is no consensus on what foods to start complementary foods with - the pediatrician who observes the child will tell you the best option. But it is best to start with a fruit and berry menu, which must be prepared correctly.

A new taste can be introduced into the diet a week after the previous one.

Breastfeeding baby food chart

Baby food chart helps mothers visually remember which dish to give to their baby first and at what age. Any graphic information is perceived much better. So, complementary foods for babies by months in the table:

As can be seen from the table of complementary foods for babies by months, breastfed, you should start with fruit puree from one teaspoon (5 ml), gradually increasing the amount to 30 ml by the end first month. Next, vegetable purees, juices and cereals are introduced. We have already written about introducing cereals and juices into the baby's diet.

However, your pediatrician may make an exception specifically for your baby, depending on allergies, diseases, or the condition of the digestive system. Perhaps the first product of your baby will be porridge or vegetable puree.

6 months

You can start feeding your baby with one-component puree or porridge (it all depends on the recommendations of the pediatrician). Cauliflower, potatoes, zucchini are suitable for mashed potatoes. To prepare mashed potatoes at home, you must be sure that the vegetable is ecologically clean. Grind the prepared vegetables in a blender or rub through a sieve. Start with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the dose, reaching a volume of 100-150g.
In winter and early spring (when fresh vegetables are still scarce), buy frozen vegetables or ready-made jars of mashed potatoes from well-known manufacturers. If your doctor recommends that you start complementary foods with porridge, choose rice, buckwheat or corn. To prepare porridge at home, grind the cereal in a coffee grinder and boil in water. The consistency should be liquid. You can use ready-made similar cereals without additives.

7 months

You can introduce dishes from several vegetables already familiar to the baby. For example, a potato and cauliflower soup, add egg yolk (if there is no allergy) and vegetable oil to it. Give your baby 1/4 teaspoon no more than twice a week. After six or seven months, the baby is no longer enough mother's milk. Grains and vegetables contain elements such as iron and zinc.

8 months

It's time to introduce your baby to a delicious dessert - fruit puree. For starters, an apple in baked or boiled form is suitable: high temperature will reduce the allergenic properties of the fruit. Add fruit to porridge and offer as a standalone product.

Pear, peach, banana can be added after apple. Also crumbs can try kefir and cottage cheese. A full serving of kefir is 100 ml, cottage cheese is 50 g per day. It is better if you cook them yourself or take them in specialized stores (or in a dairy kitchen). Do not forget also that beneficial bacteria live up to 14 days. If the baby is allergic to cow protein, then it is better to wait with the introduction of this complementary food until 18 months.

Children under one year old can be given fermented milk products up to three times a week. Cottage cheese is a valuable source of B vitamins and calcium. And in kefir there are a lot of lactic acid bacteria, which strengthen the immune system and have a beneficial effect on the digestive system.

9 months

It's time to get acquainted with the meat (if the baby is artificial, then the meat is introduced a month earlier). You need to start with lean meats - chicken breast, rabbit meat. You can add meat puree to the soup. But be sure to cook it separately, because a small stomach cannot digest meat broth. The meat is rich in protein, vitamins A and group B, minerals (iron and zinc). A little secret: so that vitamins are not destroyed during cooking, it is better to salt it 5 minutes before cooking.

10 months old

The baby can already be offered borscht, pumpkin, berry puree. Meat should be present in the children's diet every day. One day a week you can replace it with fish. You need to start acquaintance with fish with low-fat varieties of fish: pollock, cod, hake. Fish and meat are steamed or baked in the oven - this way the maximum of vitamins is preserved. You need to start acquaintance with the fish (as well as with another new product) in the morning with half a teaspoon.

11 months

You can add sour cream, fresh herbs to the soup. From cereals, you can add semolina, wheat and oatmeal. From baking, it is best to offer wheat buns and white bread. Bakery products for a child play a significant role: they are rich in fiber, minerals and B vitamins. However, when buying, pay attention to the expiration date: if it is long in baking, it probably contains preservatives. 12 months At this age, the baby may already have favorite foods. The kid can start to be picky, refusing healthy soup in favor of dessert. If you don’t want to stand at the stove in the future, trying to please your little one, don’t give in!

An approximate diet for a breastfed baby:

  • meat and fish cutlets;
  • porridge cooked with milk or mixture;
  • fruit and vegetable purees;
  • cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt;
  • bread - 1-2 times a day;
  • half yolk.

A little advice. If you are inclined to introduce "pedagogical" complementary foods, the essence of which is not to feed, but to accustom the baby to adult food, then you will have to make sure that all the food is as useful as possible. Refuse fatty, spicy, preservatives, salty foods. Bake, boil, steam more often. And make sure your food is fresh.

Complementary feeding chart for formula-fed babies

How should complementary foods be introduced to a formula-fed baby? The table for months will help mothers:

Of course, the timing of the introduction of complementary foods, reflected in this table, differs from the timing for breast-fed babies. Complementary foods should start as early as 3 months. This is explained by the fact that even the best adapted mixtures cannot provide babies with all the necessary elements and vitamins for growth and development.

The first thing that is introduced to formula-fed babies is fruit juice or puree. In this case, it is not recommended to start complementary foods with cereals, since the mixtures themselves are more nutritious and prepare the digestive system of babies for the introduction of complementary foods.

Statistically, artificial people do not lack weight. But iron deficiency anemia develops more often than in breastfed babies. That is why an apple is recommended for the first feeding - in juice or in mashed potatoes.

Then add porridge, vegetable puree, cottage cheese. Then bread, crackers, yolk, kefir, meat and fish. Well, only your pediatrician, who knows the pace of development and the state of health of the baby, can still tell you a detailed feeding scheme.

Basic rules for complementary foods

  • Firstly, at first puree should be from one product. From fruits - this is an apple, and from vegetables - zucchini. This choice is explained by their hypoallergenicity.
  • Secondly, when preparing mashed potatoes, the raw materials must first be placed in the oven, and only then chopped in a blender. This will get rid of unnecessary lumps.
  • Thirdly, up to a year, food for a baby should not be sweetened or salted.
  • Fourthly, after the introduction of fruit purees, you can begin to accustom the baby to fish and meat.
  • And finally, don't forget about the chest.

By the way, it is necessary to watch the child's stool. If it has changed dramatically, the product being introduced will need to be excluded from the menu for a while.

Feeding should be introduced very carefully, only then it will be both safe and beneficial for the baby. Not without reason, WHO has developed a table of complementary foods for children by months.

It is also worth remembering that these data are relevant when complementary foods are introduced into the diet of breastfed infants. The timing of the introduction of different types of complementary foods for artificial babies will be different.

As for bread, bakery products can be offered to a child in the third year of life. And in small quantities: such products contain fats and sugars, so they are high in calories, but at the same time they have a low biological value.

But white bread and a little dried bread can be offered to the baby after 8 months. The initial dose is 3 g. But be sure to make sure that the baby does not have an allergic reaction. If everything is in order, enrich the child's diet with bread. A baby can eat 15g of bread per year. Up to three years, increase the dose to 60-80g per day. And after three years, you can offer your baby freshly baked white bread, bread with bran and rye.

Introducing fruit puree

If you can boast of the good development of your baby, then do not rush to introduce fruit puree until six months. But there are cases when it is necessary to introduce fruits into the diet earlier: for example, if the child suffers from regular constipation or anemia. Fruit puree enriches the baby's diet with the same nutrients as juices, only in large quantities.

The first fruit puree should be one-component (from one fruit) - let it be apple or pear puree. As with other products, it is necessary to wait for the reaction of the body to a new product (usually up to 4 days). A few days later, it will be possible to add a second, third fruit to the familiar puree. After apple, you can try plum, apricot, banana. You should not get too carried away with exotic fruits: they are almost always allergenic, and they are digested worse.

In summer and autumn you can make fresh fruit puree at home, in winter and spring you can use commercially produced puree. Some manufacturers fortify their product with vitamin C, iron, etc. If, after reading the label, you find starch or flour, pectins or carageenan in the composition - do not be surprised - these are shaping agents that give a thicker consistency to mashed potatoes.


In addition to fruit purees, manufacturers also produce combined ones: fruit and vegetable (with the addition of carrots or pumpkin), fruit and grains (in addition to fruits, oatmeal, rice flour or cereal are also added), fruit and milk (with the addition of cream, yogurt , cottage cheese).

Since combined purees contain two types of complementary foods, they have a greater nutritional and energy value. Combined purees are recommended to be introduced later than single-component ones.

You need to start with about 1 teaspoon of puree, observing the reaction of the baby's body, and gradually increase the dose. By the age of one, a baby can eat about 100g of puree per day.

Tip: usually the baby does not eat all the contents of the jar at a time and mothers leave the jar in the refrigerator until the next time. But even through a closed lid and in the refrigerator, microbes can enter the jar - then an intestinal infection cannot be avoided. It is better to eat the rest yourself - you will better know the taste of the dishes that feed the baby.

Introduction of complementary foods: juices

Fruit juices are an essential component of infant nutrition at an early age. It is from fruits and vegetables that the baby receives all the important and necessary vitamins and minerals for further development. In addition, juices improve digestion and help to cope with anemia in a baby. When should you start giving your baby juices? What juice to choose for dating? How much juice should be offered to the baby?

Fruit juices should not be given to a child until the fifth month (according to WHO recommendations, they should be delayed even until the sixth month). Contrary to popular belief, juices do not contain that sky-high amount of useful nutrients, but they often cause allergic reactions and intestinal disorders (diarrhea), interrupt appetite and increase the load on the baby's kidneys.

However, at 6-7 months it will be useful for the child's digestive system to get acquainted with the juice, which will provide the growing body with potassium, iron, sugars and organic acids.

A pediatrician may advise a child who is bottle-fed to start complementary foods with juices. But for a breastfed child, juices are introduced into the diet after porridge.

Which juice to choose

It will be better if the baby first tastes clarified apple juice without sugar, which has a low acidity and does not often cause allergies. Then, pear, plum, apricot, and even later - cherry, blackcurrant can be introduced into the child's diet.

Keep in mind that acidic and tart juices (cranberry, cherry, blackcurrant, lemon, etc.) can irritate the immature mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, that is, provoke or intensify regurgitation and stool disorders. Therefore, it is better to dilute acidic juices with boiled water

But juices with pulp (plum, apricot, carrot) increase intestinal motility, that is, they are useful for babies with a tendency to constipation and are undesirable for children with unstable stools.By the year, it is useful for a child to drink up to 100 ml of juice.0003

Juices can be divided into freshly squeezed (usually at home) and canned (industrial production). The first, of course, healthy juices are tastier and more aromatic, contain more vitamins. However, taking into account the unfavorable ecology, the mother cannot be sure that the fruit or vegetable from which she prepared the juice for the crumbs does not contain heavy metals, pesticides, nitrates, radionuclides, etc. In addition, at home we prepare juices in far from sterile conditions, so contamination is not excluded. For these reasons, it is better to give commercially produced juices to children under one year old, since before they reach the counter, juices undergo up to two hundred checks, starting with the soil on which the trees grew and ending with dishes.

Industrial juices can be made from one type of fruit or vegetable - mono juice, two or more types (blended). They can be natural or supplemented with sugar, citric acid, vitamins, and iron. The use of synthetic colors, flavors, stabilizers, etc. in the production of children's juices is strictly prohibited here and abroad.

How much you can at the beginning of complementary foods

Just like when introducing porridge into the diet, you should start with 1 teaspoon of juice. The ideal time is morning. If the baby is already receiving porridge and tolerates it remarkably, then the juice can be offered immediately after the porridge, and then supplement the baby with breast milk. During the day, carefully observe the reaction of the child, his stool and skin. If the first spoon did not cause any undesirable consequences, then the next day you can already offer 2 spoons.

So, gradually increasing the number of spoons, in a month the baby already receives up to 30 ml of juice. Each new product can be introduced no earlier than a couple of weeks after the previous one.

WHO complementary feeding schedule for 90 days

Introduction of zucchini (for breakfast). We finish breakfast with the usual food (breastfeeding or formula) until full.

Entering cauliflower. For breakfast, we prepare 2 types of mashed potatoes. We offer cauliflower puree first, zucchini second. For lunch, we give the child the usual food (breastfeeding or formula).

Entering broccoli. For breakfast, we prepare 2 types of mashed potatoes. We offer broccoli puree first, zucchini or cauliflower second, depending on the day of feeding. For lunch, we give the child the usual food (breastfeeding or formula).

Entering buckwheat for breakfast. We finish breakfast with the usual food (breastfeeding or formula) until full. We eat the previously introduced vegetables for lunch in the volume that the baby requires (standard portion 166 gr).

Entering rice porridge. For breakfast we cook 2 types of porridge. First we offer rice, the second - buckwheat. We eat the previously introduced vegetables for lunch in the volume that the baby requires (standard portion 166 gr).


Entering corn porridge. For breakfast we cook 2 types of porridge. We offer the first corn, the second - buckwheat or rice. We eat the previously introduced vegetables for lunch in the volume that the baby requires (standard portion 166 gr).

Entering pumpkin (for lunch) + continue to eat previously introduced cereals for breakfast at 166 gr!

Entering an apple (for breakfast) + continue to eat previously introduced vegetables at 166 grams for lunch!

We continue to eat millet porridge (for breakfast) + previously introduced vegetables at 166 grams for lunch!

We introduce rabbit meat (for breakfast in addition to porridge), for lunch we continue to eat previously introduced vegetables at 166 g + 60 g of applesauce

We introduce prunes (for breakfast in addition to porridge), for lunch we continue to eat the previously introduced vegetables at 166 g + 50 g of meat

We introduce turkey meat (for breakfast in addition to porridge), for lunch we continue to eat the previously introduced vegetables 166 g each + 60 g apple or prunes puree


We introduce a pear (for breakfast in addition to porridge), for lunch we continue to eat the previously introduced vegetables at 166 g + 50 g of meat.


Learn more