Fruit puree for the first feeding: advice from pediatricians, permitted products. Top questions about fruit complementary foods

26.08.2019

The period of introduction of complementary foods baffles many parents. Sometimes it is difficult to figure out when and in what form you can give your baby certain foods. A few years ago, in the second month of life, it was recommended to introduce vegetable and fruit juices. Today, experts say that it is best to start with mashed potatoes. True, this option is only suitable for children who are not underweight. If the child is gaining weight more slowly than the optimal schedule, it is better to first introduce cereals and after them - vegetable or fruit puree. The meat dish is introduced last, and this happens only as you get used to all light foods, not earlier than 7 months of age. The introduction of any new ingredient should be carried out according to the rule: the first portion should not exceed one teaspoon in volume! Only in the absence of a negative reaction from the body can the one-time volume be increased.

Features of the introduction of applesauce into the diet of infants

Pediatricians are allowed to give a newborn apple juice as early as 2 months of age. When the child develops an addiction to it, you can gradually introduce apple puree into the diet. This usually happens at 3-4 months. It is with this fruit that it is recommended to start the introduction of complementary foods. This is due to the unique composition of the product and its properties.

The apple dish has excellent taste when fresh and processed. Sweet and sour juicy fruits are best suited for a child. It is better to refuse very sweet apples: after them it will be difficult to persuade the baby to eat neutral foods (for example vegetables).
The fruit contains pectins, tannins, vitamins, mineral salts, trace elements, organic acids, fructose and essential oils.
Applesauce is quickly and easily absorbed by the child's body, activating digestion.
The components of the fruit accelerate the growth of the child.
Special enzymes stimulate the baby's appetite, which makes it possible to gain weight in case of its deficiency.

Apple food can be prepared from fresh or baked fruits, and the second option is preferable in case of intense gas formation after eating fresh apples. The baked ingredients have a laxative effect, gently relieving constipation in children. Apples that are darkened in the air (oxidized) can relieve the symptoms of anemia. Experts recommend using green fruits, red ones more often cause intolerance in infants. Red sweet fruits are shown only with increased fragility of blood vessels.

The cooking process is very simple. Thoroughly washed, peeled and seedless fruits are rubbed on a fine grater and passed through a sieve several times. Even very small pieces should not remain.

Mashed potatoes and carrots in the diet of a newborn

About half a month after the child is used to apples, zucchini or cauliflower (but not earlier than 3.5 months), you can try to introduce mashed potatoes into the diet. The product will be slightly different from the usual adult food.

Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of the main ingredient.

Vegetables should be fresh, nitrate-free (best from the garden).
For cooking, do not use fruits with sprouts, signs of greenery or rotting under the skin.
For a children's meal, you must first remove a thick layer of peel from the vegetable and soak the peeled tuber for a day in cold water. You can not give children a freshly refined product, there is too much starch in it.

The best option for babies is mashed potatoes with herbs. The prepared root vegetable is cut into cubes, placed in a saucepan with boiling water and cooked for at least 10 minutes over low heat. When the product is almost ready, add three tablespoons of finely chopped cabbage or herbs to the pan. The vegetables are boiled to completely soften the ingredients. After that, the water must be drained, and the thick part must be passed through a sieve or chopped with a blender. For taste and a pleasant consistency, you can add a tablespoon of milk. Salting potato food is not recommended!

Over time, you can start adding carrot puree to the dish, this will not only have a good effect on the taste of the product, but also provide the child's body with useful vitamins and nutrients.

Rules for the introduction of vegetable puree

Pediatricians say that it is vegetable food that is the best option for complementary foods; children very rarely develop allergies or side reactions in the form of digestive upset to it. You can enter the first courses as early as 3.5-4 months. You need to start with one-component formulations, gradually combining them with each other and accustoming the newborn to complex dishes.

There are types of vegetable puree that can be offered to babies from 1-2 months without reducing the proportion of breastfeeding.

Carrot baby food... To prepare the dish, use carrots, milk, a little butter and saline solution. The root vegetable is first boiled until cooked and grated on a fine grater. Add butter on the tip of a knife and a little saline solution (a teaspoon of salt diluted in a glass of water) to the mass. Everything is passed through a sieve and given to the child.
Cauliflower slurry... Cauliflower inflorescences are first scalded with boiling water, then washed and placed in hot water. Vegetables are lightly salted and boiled until tender. Then the water is drained, the boiled inflorescences are poured with milk and crushed with a blender to a very liquid porridge. You can add a few drops of unrefined vegetable oil to ready-made vegetable meals.

When the child gets used to one ingredient, a new vegetable dish is introduced. A newborn should have a varied diet, so do not dwell on one component and give it all the time, even if his baby loves more than others.

Rules for making fruit puree for a newborn

One-component fruit puree is recommended to be introduced into the diet no earlier than three months, and breastfed babies with stable weight gain can be offered it even at six months. The main rule for fruit dishes is that they should not be given as a main course, only in the form of a vitamin dessert. An exception is carrot food with the addition of a small amount of fruit pulp.

Fruit baby food can be purchased ready-made, but natural products are always better absorbed.
Self-preparation of fruit puree is based on the following rules.

The fruits need not just be washed, it is recommended to pour over them with boiling water.
The rind is always peeled off, even from the softest fruits.
It is better to grind the pulp through a sieve, do not abuse the blender (the structure of the mass with two types of processing is noticeably different).
You need to start with apples of a light green (yellowish) color or pears. The taste of the fruit should be sweet and sour. You should not give your child sugar from the very first months of life. This can provoke the development of addiction, which in the future will negatively affect the state of health.

Prune puree: characteristics and features of the introduction of complementary foods

At six months, the baby's diet is recommended to be replenished with prune dishes. A huge amount of vitamins and nutritional components will have a beneficial effect on the child's body, and even the most capricious baby will appreciate the taste of dried fruit. No less important is the fact that prunes contain substances that have a mild laxative effect on the intestines.

Stages of preparation of mashed prunes

Rinse the berries, scald with boiling water, rinse again and pour boiled water. The product must be allowed to stand overnight.
The next day, the prune berries are taken out of the water (liquid is still needed) and rubbed through a sieve. If necessary, you can gently peel off the skin.
In the resulting thick mass, you can pour a little water drained from the berries and stir well. No salt or sugar is added.

When the child grows up a little, it is recommended to slightly modify the recipe. The berries of the prunes are not soaked, but boiled, whipped with a blender, added a little sugar and boiled again. A few minutes before turning off the stove, add a little starch, it will give the dish a pleasant consistency.

The correct and responsible approach to the introduction of new products will significantly reduce the risk of developing digestive upset in the newborn. The gradual addiction of the body will protect the child from allergic reactions, vitamin deficiencies and dyspeptic syndrome.

Caring parents are always concerned about child nutrition. Moreover, when it comes to the first feeding. Fruit puree? Vegetable puree? Porridge? Which of the following is best for your baby? And at what age can you introduce new foods into your baby's diet? These and other questions concern young mothers who care about the health of their children. Of course, only a pediatrician can answer them and dispel all doubts, based on the parameters of the child's development and his age. However, there are general guidelines for complementary foods. The article tells readers about when it needs to be introduced, the features of this process, and also about which fruit puree is better for the first feeding.

Moving on to exploring new tastes

The diet of a newborn baby consists of mother's milk or an adapted formula, matched to his needs. All pediatricians in a voice say that it is necessary to establish breastfeeding for the health of the baby. Indeed, breast milk contains all the complex of vitamins, microelements and other useful substances necessary for a growing body, which help to strengthen the immune system. Therefore, if you managed to establish this process, then you can not worry about the first complementary foods for up to seven months. Some moms do not introduce new foods into their diet until they are ten months old.

But crumbs on artificial feeding should be the first to introduce complementary foods much earlier, although even pediatricians themselves change their opinion on this issue from time to time. For example, in the Soviet period, doctors strongly recommended introducing the baby to new products at three months. This was due to some of the dietary habits of the mothers themselves. They lacked vitamins, fresh vegetables and fruits, and the diet itself was not varied. Therefore, one should not expect that the baby would only have enough breast milk.

Today, pediatricians are guided by the recommendations of the World Health Organization. According to her research, formula-fed or mixed-fed babies should be fed at five to six months of age. And babies who eat breast milk should be introduced to vegetables and fruits closer to seven months.

However, in any case, prior to the introduction of the first complementary foods, consultations with a pediatrician are necessary. After all, only he is able to determine whether the digestive system of the crumbs is ripe for the intake of adult food.

Factors indicating the possibility of introducing the first complementary foods

Once again, we note that only your pediatrician should make such an important decision. But nevertheless, there are a number of signs indicating that it is time to expand the diet of the crumbs.

This is evidenced by the child's ability to sit well. If he feels confident sitting, then it’s time to buy beautiful cutlery and children's dishes with bright pictures, which make it easier to teach the baby to a new way of eating.

It is important that your child takes an interest in adult food. By the time they are five or six months old, many children begin to try to look at their mother's or father's plate during lunch or dinner.

You should also pay attention to the chewing reflex. The kid, ready to change the diet, often watches the parents while they eat and tries to repeat all the movements, including chewing ones, after them.

In addition, the pediatrician must confirm the formation of the digestive system. This can be judged if the baby eats well, gains weight, does not get naughty because of colic and pain in the tummy.

Where to start complementary foods?

Today pediatricians do not recommend starting complementary foods with fruit puree. They believe that a variety of fruits cause allergic reactions, and are absorbed by the body much worse than vegetables. In addition, the child's first complementary feeding of fruit puree practically excludes vegetables from the baby's diet, since their taste will not seem pronounced to the baby, and he will refuse them, being capricious. As a result, the child will develop clear taste preferences that will last for a long time.

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, it is necessary to start introducing the baby to new food with vegetable purees, consisting of one vegetable. But it is better not to use one-component fruit puree for the first feeding. It can enter the diet only after vegetables, dairy-free cereals and meat purees.

Rules for dating new dishes: list of allowed foods

When to add fruit puree to baby food? Let's step by step analyze the scheme of acquaintance of the crumbs with food products that are new to him.

If the baby is gaining weight well, then his first puree should be vegetable. Young zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli work well for him. However, do not forget that the dish for the crumbs should consist of only one vegetable until you get used to the new menu.

Then you can expand the diet with corn and millet porridge without milk, as well as delicious pumpkin puree. Usually, the listed dishes become familiar to the crumbs in two to three months.

If all the products are absorbed by the child's digestive tract well, then by the age of seven to eight months he should be given the first meat puree from a rabbit or turkey. After about a month, you can switch to fruit purees. It is important to keep track of possible allergic reactions and not mix fruits with each other. Only after the crumb adapts to the new diet, you can not only give him puree from several fruits, but also mix them with vegetables. We will give some interesting recipes for fruit purees for the first feeding a little later.

By the time your baby is one year old, you should be familiar with the following foods:

bread;
dairy and dairy-free cereals;
fruits (apples, bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines, apricots);
vegetables (squash, pumpkin, broccoli, cucumber, beets, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower);
cottage cheese and dairy products;
light soups with vegetable and meat broths;
meat purees from turkey, chicken, rabbit and beef (some parents give their one-year-old kids homemade meatballs for steam, which is not prohibited by WHO);
fish (pollock or hake).

In the following months, the diet of the crumbs is constantly expanding, but pediatricians recommend not to get too carried away with the introduction of new food products. They advise moms to diversify their diets through cooking options. Let your child get used to the fact that vegetables, fruits and fish regularly appear on the table. Over time, the child will express his preferences and he will have his favorite dishes.

How to add fruit puree to complementary foods?

Not all mothers understand exactly how to expand their baby's diet correctly. As you can imagine, starting with fruit puree is not the best option for your baby. But if you have already mastered vegetables and cereals, then you may well move on to new gastronomic discoveries. However, this must be done so as not to harm the baby.

Fruit puree for the first feeding must be one-part. And it is necessary to take from seven to ten days to get used to it. Until this period has passed, new fruits should not appear on the table.

Fruit puree should be given to your baby once a day, preferably with breakfast. Moreover, at first, the portion cannot be more than half a teaspoon. You need to feed the baby with breast milk or a mixture. Gradually, the amount of puree increases, reaching the maximum amount. It is very easy to define it. Parents simply need to multiply the child's age by ten. The resulting number will denote the maximum amount of puree that the baby can eat per day.

While the child is getting used to the new product, the mother should carefully monitor his condition. If the crumb absorbs fruit puree well, then the consistency and color of his stool will not change, the skin will remain pink without rashes, and the tummy will be soft. Only taking into account all of the above factors can the child be transferred to a new product or another fruit or vegetable can be added to the already familiar puree. But getting used to it will also take from one week to ten days.

What fruit puree to choose for the first feeding: recommendations of pediatricians

Parents need to remember that all fruits available to customers in stores can be divided into several groups according to the degree of allergenicity:

Weakly allergenic. These include pears and green apples, as well as berries such as gooseberries.
Moderately allergenic. This group includes yellow apples, bananas and peaches.
Particularly allergenic. Red fruits, including pomegranates, and wild berries.

What fruit puree should you start with? Naturally, pediatricians recommend using apples or pears for the first feeding. Moreover, both those and others are better to choose green. This several times reduces the risk of developing an allergic reaction.

Usually, red fruits are introduced into complementary foods after a year, when the body of the crumbs is adapted to various products and dishes prepared from them.

Shop or homemade puree: make a choice

So, you decided to introduce fruit puree into the complementary foods. Which is better - in jars from the store or homemade? On the forums, moms argue about this almost to the point of hoarseness, giving a lot of pros and cons. Each mother should independently answer the question of which fruit puree is best for the first feeding. The article only sounded the arguments of each of the parties.

Those who support the option of complementary foods through store-bought cans of baby food say they are a godsend for busy moms. After all, this frees up time that would have to be spent on cleaning and preparing vegetables and fruits for puree.

The range of baby food is very wide and the manufacturer does not have a concept of fruit seasonality. And this is a huge plus.

It should also be borne in mind that mashed potatoes in production are prepared in compliance with all standards and all useful properties are preserved in the finished product. And besides this, the risk of microbes and pathogenic microorganisms getting into the baby's plate is practically reduced to zero.

However, the store-bought fruit puree also has its downsides. Mom, purchasing another colorful jar, cannot be absolutely sure that the fruits are grown in an ecologically clean area, and the manufacturer has not added something like that to them.

Mothers who prefer to make fruit puree for the first feeding with their own hands note that they always have complete information about the freshness of fruits, their ripeness and quality. In addition, they significantly save the family budget, since store-bought baby food is always quite expensive.

However, homemade puree also has its drawbacks. And they relate to raw materials for the preparation of baby food. It is usually purchased in the store, which means that moms cannot be completely sure that it was grown without adding chemicals.

How to choose a jar of baby fruit puree?

If you decide to feed your baby with store-bought puree, then do not neglect the advice on the choice of food.

Purees are usually sold in glass and tin cans. The first option is more environmentally friendly, however, without observing the storage rules, useful substances are lost in the product. It is better when the glass jar is wrapped in an opaque package.

Often in the composition of fruit puree, you can see components such as starch and vitamin C. The latter acts as a natural preservative, but the latter significantly reduces the absorption of puree by a child's stomach.

Among the wide range of fruit purees, parents distinguish several products that babies like and are great for the first feeding:

Williams pears. This puree, supplied to Russian counters by the Gerber company, is perfectly absorbed in crumbs from four months and does not contain any extraneous components other than vitamin C.
Apple puree with cottage cheese. This product from "Spelenok" can be given to babies from six months. It contains low-fat cottage cheese, which adds a special taste to the fruit puree.
Fruit puree with cream. The Tema company offers six-month-old babies a delicious product made from apples, peaches, cream and sugar.
Pear puree. This product from "Human" can be given to children from four months. Puree contains nothing in its composition, except for pears grown according to all EU standards.

Features of making homemade puree

It is very simple to prepare fruit puree for the first complementary feeding with your own hands. The fruit is always peeled and cut into small cubes. It is best to steam it, but as a last resort you can resort to boiling as well. There should be no more than two tablespoons of water in the saucepan, and the process itself lasts about ten minutes. In a double boiler, fruit should also not be overexposed - fifteen minutes will be enough.

The finished raw materials can be kneaded with a fork or placed in a blender. The child should be offered warm puree.

Keep in mind that it is important to use separate utensils and keep pets out of the kitchen when cooking.

The mashed potatoes do not need to be sweetened. For kids who have already appreciated the taste of fruits, you can make mashed potatoes in the form of a mix with vegetables. In such dishes, it is good to use pumpkin and, for example, zucchini.

Cooking for the baby at home

Children are very fond of pear puree. It is being prepared identically to the description from the previous section, but there are several secrets here. Not all babies react well to grains in mashed potatoes, and a pear has just a similar consistency, which persists even when grated. Therefore, do not be too lazy to punch the fruit in a blender two or three times. To make the dish easier to digest, add a little milk mixture or pear broth to the puree.

Try to make mashed zucchini and apples for your crumbs. This option is ideal even for allergy sufferers and is a treasure trove of vitamins. Zucchini contains potassium. This substance helps the heart muscle work. Apples contain substances such as iodine, phosphorus, iron and vitamin C. Together, they protect the baby from colds and viral diseases. The zucchini are steamed for ten minutes, and the apples are about fifteen. For normal cooking, add five minutes to the specified time.

Mango is an exotic fruit and is not sold in every store. But if you have the opportunity to purchase ripe mango fruits, then be sure to make mashed potatoes from them for your crumbs. This fruit contains twelve amino acids, one of the pleasant side effects of which is the normalization of sleep. Puree is made from fresh fruits. They are cut into cubes and mixed in a blender with two tablespoons of boiled water. Then the resulting puree is heated on the stove, but not brought to a boil. The baby needs to be offered it warm.

Every mother of a little miracle knows that one day she becomes low on breast milk or formula. Inevitably, there comes a time when the baby needs extra nutrition. More recently, pediatricians recommended introducing the first complementary foods from 4 months in “artificial children” and from 6 months in “naturalists”. Today this principle is no longer relevant. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the beginning of complementary feeding should be organized no earlier than 6 months of age, regardless of the artificial or natural type of the main food. Too early its introduction is undesirable, since it can cause discomfort during digestion and activate the development of intestinal dysbiosis.

Due to its rich and healthy composition, fruits must be present in the diet of baby food. They dominate in terms of the content of nutrients over other types of products. However, fruits cannot be used as the main type of food, rather serving as a tasty vitamin supplement to the main table of an infant.

The growing body of the baby needs a lot of vitamins and minerals every day. All of these can be found in most fruits. Many of them are rich in carotene, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, various minerals, antioxidants, pectin and some dietary fiber.

A variety of fruit purees are used to feed infants. Their delicate texture does not irritate the sensitive intestines of children. In addition, such desserts protect it from the destructive effects of aggressive acids.

The importance of first feeding

The first feeding experience gained is extremely important. It allows the child to expand the boundaries of perception, learn the world of tastes and get acquainted with the variety of food. The first successful complementary feeding is the beginning of preparing the baby for its subsequent good nutrition.

Today, there are several pediatricians' opinions on how to introduce fruit puree into complementary foods. Most of them suggest introducing such pastes after an already formed habit of vegetable dishes, and not vice versa. Babies are usually finicky and, after the sweet, pleasant taste, often refuse to eat vegetables.

The first feeding compositions must necessarily be one-component (i.e. have one fruit in their composition). The fruits included in them should belong exclusively to the category of low-allergenic. The best options are treats made from green apples, pears, plums, apricots, bananas, or prunes.

Acquaintance with new products

Fruit puree - acquaintance with new products

It is necessary to include new items in the baby's menu gradually, carefully studying the response of his body. Parents need to be patient and educated on how to incorporate fruit puree into their diet. In no case should the baby be forced to eat. In response, he may later completely abandon the new delicacy. The baby must taste it and independently evaluate the unfamiliar taste. He will want to eat the product he likes and, possibly, will ask for supplements. It is important to provide the baby with a comfortable environment and a good mood while feeding with new foods. During this period, he should not have problems with well-being and should be absolutely healthy.

It is undesirable to give a little man several unfamiliar products at the same time. After each new dish, it is important to carefully monitor the baby's condition during the day for possible allergic reactions. Fruit, even the most harmless, in the most sensitive children can provoke disruptions in the functioning of the digestive system and, as a result, restless behavior. In this case, it is necessary to find out what type of food caused the discomfort, and in the future, do not use it for some time. You can re-offer the baby a new dessert no earlier than a month later.

If the baby refuses to get acquainted with the proposed delicacies, do not despair. You can try again a few days later. In most cases, after 2-3 attempts, the baby eats it with appetite. It is imperative that you purchase a special children's spoon so that you do not irritate or scratch the palate while eating.

Pediatricians recommend how to introduce complementary foods with the least health risk. It is important to start gradually, with small portions. This can be 0.5-1 teaspoon per meal. If the baby likes the treat, the second time its amount can reach at least 30 grams.

The interval between getting used to new fruits is on average about two weeks. During this period of time, previously unknown goodies have time to get used to the body. A small amount of new items can be added to already proven dishes. Such a mix will help you to perceive food more calmly and to digest it easier.

For a comfortable adaptation to new nutritional products, one can proceed from the following recommendations of the leading Russian pediatricians, presented in the form of a complementary feeding scheme with fruit puree:

Age in months	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Fruit puree in grams	60	70	80	90	100	100	120

What fruit purees to start complementary foods with

How to add fruit puree to complementary foods

It is advisable to introduce fruit puree at the beginning of feeding. It is given freshly prepared, and breast milk can be added to the dish. Storage is allowed only in a very frozen form. When choosing baby food, it is imperative to take into account the level of allergenicity of the fruit. The most neutral in this regard are pears and green apples. It is with them that you should start feeding. A little later, you can diversify the menu with other delicious fruits - plums, apricots, bananas.

Fruit puree for the first feeding must be free of sugar and sugar substitutes. Industrial baby food, as a rule, is completely harmless in this respect and undergoes thorough heat treatment. These delicacies, specially created for babies, are well tolerated by them from the very beginning of use.

Green apple puree is often the first fruit meal for children. The high content of iron, vitamins A, C, PP, organic acids, pectins makes this product indispensable for the comfortable functioning of the intestines and all systems of the child's body.
Pear puree is rich in iodine, folic acid and beta-carotene. Pear delicacy has pronounced fixing properties. The pear will be of particular benefit to children prone to frequent diarrhea.
Plum puree actively stimulates the intestines. Plum has a mild laxative and diuretic effect. It contains enough vitamins of group B. However, in excessive doses, it can provoke diarrhea.
Apricot puree is beneficial for constipation and anemia. Apricot has a bright, rich taste and contains many substances necessary for a growing body (potassium, pectin, carotene and vitamin C).
Banana puree is extraordinarily loved by many toddlers. Thanks to its high calorie content, this dish is incredibly filling and nutritious. In addition, bananas are rich in magnesium and potassium.
Prune puree helps fight vitamin deficiency, normalizes metabolism and has bactericidal properties. Vitamins B1, B2 and C included in its composition have a positive effect on the normal growth and development of children.

In addition to all of the above useful qualities, such desserts are unusually tasty. Most babies tolerate them very well and eat them with great pleasure.

If the toddler has already learned how to eat porridge well, then such dishes will be better assimilated for an afternoon snack. If the porridge does not evoke appetite, you can mix it with fruit paste and offer it for breakfast and dinner.

Types of fruit allergens

All parents should be familiar with allergen information. As mentioned above, green apples and pears are neutral components for the first feeding. All types of fruits have varying degrees of allergenicity. Moderate allergens do not always cause severe reactions, usually only in hypersensitive children. Fruits from the category of active allergens can provoke a negative effect in most babies. When organizing a new feeding, it is important to take into account the level of allergenicity of the components used:

Moderate allergens:

peach;
plum;
apricot;
Cherry;
prunes

Active allergens:

red apples;
grenades;
raspberries;
Strawberry

The first feeding with fruit puree should not consist of the most active allergens. Introduced early, it is capable of harming the body that has not yet matured. The use of these fruits and berries will become possible when the baby reaches the age of at least one year.

Baby food from the store

Fruit puree from the store

Food in jars and boxes contains thermally processed fruit fruits. This is a good option to start feeding. After eating such food, negative reactions from the digestive system in most cases do not occur. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing fruit pastes in a store:

Does the composition of the product correspond to the age of the baby;
whether the product contains detailed information about its composition and manufacturer;
whether the natural composition is guaranteed with a minimum content of additional ingredients;
the packaging must clearly indicate the expiration date

After opening the package (or jar), the rest of the contents are stored in the refrigerator. Safe storage times must be specified by the manufacturer. Typically, this period is no more than 24 hours. Sterile baby food sold in stores does not contain as many useful substances as natural. In some cases, it contains sugar, fructose, or glucose. They are added to sweeten the contents. Such components are not completely harmless. They can cause further development of caries or obesity. Another negative aspect is the likelihood of developing overly sweet tastes in children. Subsequently, they can refuse to use natural healthy products (vegetables, cottage cheese, etc.).

DIY fruit purees

Making a natural dessert for the first complementary feeding with your own hands does not require a lot of time and effort. When selecting fruits for baby food, the level of maturity must be taken into account. It should be optimal. This will add a natural sweetness to the dish without the need for added sugar. The composition of the pasta should include fruits of local origin. Their exotic counterparts are capable of causing the most unpredictable reactions in the body.

The fruits must be thoroughly washed, peeled and chopped. To prepare a dish of an especially delicate consistency, it is best to use a blender or grate on a fine plastic grater. It is more convenient to crush soft specimens with a pestle or mash with a fork.

Boiled fruit can be passed through a fine sieve. Apple dessert is the safest and most affordable option for preparing an additive to the basic diet of a baby. To do this, you need to cut the apple in half and scrape off the pulp from it. The second option is to treat your baby to an oven baked apple.

Every kid's menu must be complete and varied. Having mastered new dishes from fruits and berries, he will be able to receive from them not only great benefits, but also joy.

The nutrition of the crumbs from early childhood should be balanced and correct. Caring parents carefully choose products for the baby, strictly follow the permissible norms for a particular product, and also try to choose the optimal balance of nutrients in the child's diet. When the baby is just starting to feed, many parents face the question: when to give fruit puree to babies? After all, there are a lot of conflicting theories related to the rules of accustoming to adult food for infants. Not making a mistake and choosing the right recommendations is not so difficult. Let's try to figure it out.

When to give fruit puree to babies: optimal age

Fruit puree can be introduced into the diet of crumbs already at the age of 3-4 months.

However, choosing sweet fruit purees for the very first meal is not recommended.

Long ago, in 80-90 years, pediatricians advised to start the first feeding of crumbs with fruit purees. An apple and pear puree is ideal for starting complementary foods. However, today the approach to the beginning of complementary feeding has changed somewhat. And it is not recommended to start accustoming the baby to adult food with fruit purees. It is believed that after getting used to a sweet product, the baby will not appreciate the taste of unleavened zucchini or cauliflower puree. It is also quite likely that the crumb will not want to eat savory porridge if he has already tasted and fell in love with mashed apples and pears. But if parents do not see a rational meaning in such a warning, then purely theoretically, you can start complementary foods with fruits. Puree from apples or pears is considered the least allergenic. The product perfectly regulates bowel function. And, most importantly, the fruit puree has an excellent taste. It is not uncommon for even adults to enjoy the contents of baby fruit food jars.

Answering the question of when to give fruit puree to babies, you can form the following recommendation sequence:

Green apple puree - from 3 months;
Pear puree - from 3-4 months;
Banana puree - from 6 months;
Apricot puree - from 6-7 months;
Peach puree - from 7 months;
Plum puree - from 8 months.

When to give fruit puree to babies: morning, afternoon or evening?

Reflecting on the question of when to give fruit puree to babies, it is also important to decide on the time of day when such food is most comfortably absorbed by the baby's body. It turns out that there is no fundamental difference between receiving a crumb of fruit puree for breakfast or lunch. But the closer the feeding is towards the evening, the more careful you need to approach the choice of the product. Fruit puree can cause intestinal upset or an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is best to give this version of the product in the morning or afternoon. Mom will have time to evaluate the baby's reaction to the new product and sleep will not be disturbed by tummy upset. And, when fruit puree becomes a familiar product in the baby's menu, you can give it after lunch and towards evening. It is believed that fruit puree can be offered to crumbs even several times a day. Such food can be offered to the baby after the main meal or as a small snack. When the baby is older, fruit puree can freely replace one of the main feedings. But this period will come only when the child will easily eat half, or even a whole jar of fruit baby food.

When is fruit puree not worth giving to babies?

Any product may have contraindications. This is especially important to consider when it comes to feeding the smallest. You should not start introducing fruit puree into the baby's diet in the following cases:

The baby is not yet 3 months old;
The baby has a food allergy or diathesis of unknown origin;
The baby has an intestinal disorder (diarrhea, constipation);
The child reacts psychologically sharply to the introduction of a new product (flatly refuses to eat);
The baby is not feeling well or sick;
Doctors do not recommend introducing new complementary foods 3 days before and 3 days after vaccination.

When to start feeding fruit? Usually they are introduced into the baby's diet two to three weeks after vegetables or cereals, starting at six months, and sometimes at four. For the first two months, all fruits, excluding bananas, are boiled, making mashed potatoes from them. It is best to start feeding with a green apple.

Applesauce is an ideal starting point for complementary fruit foods.

Why an apple?

Least often causes allergies.
Contains a lot of various vitamins and minerals, especially the valuable iron contained in it.
Improves digestion and promotes better bowel movement thanks to the pectin it contains. It also helps to remove various harmful substances from the body.
Increases appetite.
Strengthens the immune system.
Contributes to the normalization of blood sugar.

Apples increase immunity and remove toxins from the child's body.

That's how it is, the green apple!

When is it better to give mashed potatoes?

Fruit puree can be given before any infant feeding, or even twice a day, depending on how your baby's appetite is and how the new food is absorbed.

If your baby's stomach is easily upset, it is better to limit yourself to one meal a day.

Lack of vitamin D is observed in children who were born in the autumn-winter period. This deficiency can lead to the development of rickets in the newborn. has several stages of development. It is necessary to treat the disease immediately after the diagnosis is made, otherwise irreversible processes begin.

After completing the fruit, you can start adding vegetables. is one of the best options for vegetable complementary foods. This bright dish is quickly prepared and is simply adored by babies.

How to introduce complementary foods?

The child needs to get used to the new food. Start with a half teaspoon, gradually increasing the serving to fifty grams per serving. Look at the reaction of your baby's body. The kid is calm, eats with appetite - everything is fine, we continue feeding. If the baby's stool changes color and smell, becomes thinner, the cheeks turn red, the tummy swells, a rash appears, stop giving complementary foods. And enter it again only after consulting a pediatric pediatrician.

Yummy!

Which is better?

There is still no full agreement on the question - what kind of food is better, store or homemade? Let's talk a little about both.

Puree from the store

The easiest way is to go to the store and buy ready-made apple puree. It can be sold in glass jars or cardboard packaging. Which packaging should you choose?

Environmentally friendly. tasty and fast.

Glass is considered more environmentally friendly, there are no harmful impurities in it. But look at the date of manufacture.

The longer a transparent jar of puree is exposed to the light, the faster the amount of vitamin C in it decreases, even the taste and color of the product may change slightly.

Do not take food that is near the end of its shelf life.

If the fruit puree is packed in a cardboard container, it retains its useful properties until the end of the term.

Carefully read the composition of the product, it should not contain any preservatives, except ascorbic acid (vitamin C), as well as food additives. At the beginning of complementary foods, do not take jars, where their contents include sugar and starch. Starch is poorly absorbed by the baby's body, and sugar can cause an allergic reaction.

The result of a low-quality product is obvious.

Pay attention to the label - at what age it is recommended to give this product, how long can you keep the jar of baby food open.

And homemade is better!

Of course, buying ready-made puree in the store, you save your time. And yet the most useful and tasty is what you cook yourself. The pros are obvious:

Natural, non-GMO, from their own garden.

You know for sure that you used good quality ripe apples.
A homemade product, unlike a store product, contains small lumps, which teaches the baby to chew.
Always freshly prepared.
No preservatives or food additives.

We make mashed apples ourselves

Probably every mom knows how to make applesauce.

But still I will repeat the technology in more detail.

Green apples do not cause food allergies.

So, first pick the bull's-eye. Better to take green, it has the least amount of allergens. Taste - is it sweet? If the apple is sour, you will have to add sugar, and this is undesirable. Look for rot, dents on the fruit. When using such fruits, poisoning or an allergic reaction can occur.

Before making the puree, you need to wash the apples thoroughly.

Now wash it thoroughly with warm boiled water. Cut off the skin, remove the core. Now we proceed directly to the cooking process.

Make mashed potatoes in a variety of ways.

Give your child dessert, using a different recipe each time. See which of the three dishes he will eat better.

As always, a word to mommies

Isolde from Germany wrote:

“We're breastfed. Therefore, I was in no hurry to introduce complementary foods. I started at six months with a green apple. She gave it on a spoon completely at first. And soon we already ate a teaspoon. "

Evgeniya from Moscow:

“Introducing other complementary foods helps prepare babies for gradual weaning. And the best place to start is with applesauce. Give complementary foods before applying to the breast. The initial serving is half a teaspoon, gradually increase the dose over the course of a week. To determine the serving size, multiply the number of months by ten (for example, 6 months - 60 g). "

Young mom Anya warns:

“If you use commercial food, be sure to try it before giving it to your baby. Several times I have come across sour ”.

Another valuable piece of advice is given by Irina from St. Petersburg:

“When I started introducing complementary foods, I started a food diary. There I wrote down the name of the product, doses by day, how my son reacted to this or that product. If something went wrong, when he went to the doctor, this diary helped him a lot to find the cause of the problem and its solution. "

Bon Appetit!

Regular bathing is a must for newborn babies. Otherwise, they may appear. Prickly heat causes discomfort to babies, if during the time it is not started to treat it, it can reach inflammation. At the first signs of skin irritation, consult a doctor.

Many babies experience digestive problems such as constipation. If the baby cannot go to the toilet for a long time, colic begins to torment him, bloating appears, the child constantly cries. deal with the problem?

He will tell you about the factors that determine the timing of the start of the coup in babies, as well as what to do if the child is behind them.

So, let's summarize everything written:

It is advisable to start feeding fruit with a green apple.
Increase the portion gradually.
We closely monitor the state of health of the child.
At the first sign of stomach upset or allergy, we stop complementary foods and consult a doctor.
For better control, we keep a diary of the baby's nutrition.
We gradually introduce other fruits, be sure to boil them for the first time (except for bananas).
And yet - having got used to eating delicious fruit puree from a spoon, your baby will better accept the vegetable puree, which you will begin to give him soon.