The addition of baby food supplements gives mothers a headache. When should they be added and how much should they be added?

At a certain period of time, we need to start gradually adding complementary foods to the baby, but when should we start adding them? How to add? How much to add? Various issues such as whether to continue drinking milk make it difficult for the baby's mother. Today we will talk about the related matters of adding complementary foods.

As for the issue of drinking milk, I can tell you with certainty that before 1 year old, in addition to eating solid food, the baby needs to drink milk 1 to 2 times a day; after 1 year old, the baby still needs to drink milk every day. You need to drink milk because you need to meet your body's demand for calcium. If you are breastfeeding, you can feed your baby as long as you want as long as you are willing to persist.

The World Health Organization recommends that babies should start eating complementary foods after 24 weeks (around 6 months). Because at this time, the baby is already able to sit up, his chewing and swallowing abilities are ready, his digestive and absorption system has gradually matured, and the risk of allergies and infections is relatively small. Children who are exclusively breastfed should start chewing iron-rich solid foods before 6 months of age to avoid the risk of iron deficiency anemia. Babies who drink formula milk generally do not need to worry.

Actually, every baby is different. Please use your mother’s instinct and carefully observe whether the baby is ready to start adding complementary foods instead of blindly following it.

If you increase the amount of milk for the baby, but the baby still drinks it all in one gulp, and wants to drink more; and, as long as the baby can put it in his mouth, he will "eat" a few mouthfuls. , then this means that the baby is really hungry. In addition, the baby's body also needs to develop well, such as whether it can sit well, whether it has strong brain control, and whether it has the ability to chew and swallow food.

How to add complementary foods - the order and method of adding complementary foods. The traditional method is to feed the child liquid and paste food with a spoon, and then gradually transition to lumps and finger foods; there is another It is a modern feeding method of "baby eating independently", that is, starting directly with ordinary food and allowing the child to eat at his own pace.

Add complementary food to your baby in the traditional way. The initial preparation of complementary food is very simple: boil fruits or vegetables until they are soft (foods like bananas, avocados, and pears are very soft in themselves and mash them directly into puree). Yes), then use a hand mixer, food supplement machine, baby food grinder or sieve to puree.

Initially, the fruit and vegetable purees that can be added include: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, apples, pears, bananas, etc. Be sure to exclude foods that are prone to allergies to avoid unnecessary trouble. .

At the beginning, complementary foods should be gradually added according to the principle of from less to more, from thin to thick, from soft to hard, from fine to thick, from one to multiple types, especially for children older than 6 years old. Babies who start to introduce complementary foods before 3 months old should not go too fast.

If your baby is not interested in a certain food, wait a day or two before letting him try it. At first, your baby may only be able to eat a small amount of solid food. However, once the baby masters the correct method, he can gradually transition from the first stage of complementary feeding to one solid food a day.

Once your baby gets used to eating a single variety of pureed vegetables and fruits, mix the flavors together and start adding protein- and iron-rich foods like meat, fish, and beans. kind.

After a period of time, the baby needs to slowly transition from fine pureed food to coarser, lumpy food, and finger food, which is the second stage of adding complementary foods.

To put it simply, before 8 or 9 months of age, parents should allow their babies to be exposed to and adapt to various types of food. If it's later than this, your baby may refuse to try. Different types of complementary foods should be added to the baby one after another, and balanced foods should be selected from various major food types so that the baby can get used to a variety of different food tastes. After your baby finishes eating his main meal, add a healthy complementary food, such as rice cakes, boiled fruits, or yogurt, to supplement your baby with various important nutrients.

The "baby-led" complementary feeding method: Let the baby be exposed to solid food at his own speed. It is recommended to feed without a spoon and let the baby eat independently. The first bite of complementary food should start with lump food. Place large pieces of soft food directly on a dining chair or table and let your baby eat with his fingers and hands, choosing whether to eat more or less. The key is that your baby is already capable of eating solid food, which means that he can sit upright, hold small pieces of food with his hands, bring them to his mouth, chew and swallow. Generally speaking, 6-month-old babies have this ability. As long as your baby is ready and willing to try, almost any food will work: chunks, fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables; sticks of meat, or boneless fish and other alternatives, such as tofu, cheese cubes, eggs slices, cooked pasta, finger bread or toast. Like traditional feeding methods, potentially allergenic foods should be introduced reasonably and one by one. The baby may vomit food. This is a natural protective mechanism of the human body. It is normal for the baby to vomit out food that cannot be swallowed. Let your baby eat normal food without preparing special complementary foods. Integrate the baby into the family as much as possible and eat meals with the family. In theory, this is to create a pleasant dining atmosphere and prevent babies from being picky eaters. "Baby eating independently" is a very messy thing and wastes a lot of food. Parents must be mentally prepared.