No matter how good and useful breast milk is, it is completely devoid of vegetable protein, fiber, which is very necessary for the normal development of the digestive system of the baby. That is why with the growth of the baby there is a need to introduce complementary foods.
When to introduce complementary foods?
The first lure for breastfeeding is introduced at 6 months. However, many pediatricians usually call vague terms - 4-6 months. But if you adhere to the recommendations of the WHO, in order to avoid the development of atopic dermatitis, starting to give anything other than breast milk is better with half a year.
What to feed?
Many mothers, waiting for their child to turn 6 months old, do not know where to start and how to drive the first lure in the baby's diet.
Until recently, the classic version of the first complementary foods were fruit purees. Today, many pediatricians criticize this, since the juice can provoke irritation of the tender mucous stomach and intestines, and the mashed potatoes in turn will forever repel the baby's interest in unsweetened dishes.
Now it is recommended to use the sour-milk products (bifit) as the first supplement and start from 6 months. But there is also a weighty argument against this scheme, as cow's milk contains a variety of proteins, with which the stomach crumbs may not cope.
The third variant of the first complementary meal for a child of 6 months, which was especially popular in Soviet times, is semolina porridge . Because of its low cost, it helped many mothers solve the problem with the underweight of her baby. However, today it is practically not used because of the presence of gluten in the composition, which can often be a catalyst for the development of allergic reactions. An alternative to semolina can be buckwheat and oatmeal, which are great for the first meal of a 6-month-old baby.
Begin to give with one teaspoon, with each day increasing the volume. At the same time, the mother must control the skin of the child for the absence of allergic reactions.
The most optimal for the first food is vegetables. Usually start with a pumpkin or zucchini, which are non-allergenic.
The frequency of complementary feeding directly depends on the age of the baby and in 6-8 months is 2-3 times a day. So the lure completely replaces the appropriate number of breastfeedings.
Thus, the menu for the first feeding of a child from 6 months may include: porridge, vegetable puree or juice.