When can you give juice to a baby and which one is best to include in the first feeding. At what month do you start giving juices to newborns? What juices should you give to an infant?

09.05.2024

Each type of food has its own optimal time for administration. When should you introduce your baby to juices and which one is best to start with?

In Soviet times, juices were introduced very early and very first - literally from 3 months. Now the time frame for introducing babies to this product has moved into the second half of the year. Nutritionists considered that juices are of low value and are often poorly tolerated by the digestive and immune systems of infants. But after 6 months, the child’s body is already quite ready to start taking juices and assimilate them without negative consequences.

It is better to start introducing store-bought juices into the baby’s diet when he has mastered one of the main types of complementary foods: cereals, fruit or vegetable purees. At the same time, artificial babies are offered this product earlier than babies on breastfeeding - after 4 months. It is better to give breastfed children juice after six months, since their body, which receives enzymes from mother's milk, is poorly adapted to the production of its breaking down elements.

A number of pediatricians are generally inclined to introduce juices only after a year, in order to avoid their negative impact on the gastrointestinal tract of infants. In addition, this product, in essence, is quite “empty” - it does not contain as much fiber, vitamins and elements as a baby needs, so early introduction of the baby to the drink, associated with indigestion and allergies, seems inappropriate.

The decision to start introducing a product into the baby’s menu will be made by your pediatrician, based on the baby’s health status, success in assimilation of fruit purees, and what kind of feeding the baby is on.

Benefits of juices

These are sources of natural vitamins, organic acids and microelements beneficial for the baby. Even though the drinks contain very little of all these substances to cover the daily requirement, they are still very useful for babies to drink.

Juices with pulp, in addition to all of the above, contain dietary fiber that is beneficial for the digestive system and pectins. The value of the drink also varies depending on what fruits or vegetables are used as its basis.

Apple juice contains a lot of vitamin C and is also rich in iron. It helps strengthen the immune system and improves the elasticity of blood vessel walls. As a rule, apple juice in our country is introduced into the diet of children under one year of age very first, from 4-6 months, since it is less allergenic.
Pomegranate juice is rich in iron, it is useful for anemia, as well as for improving metabolism.
Peach, carrot, pumpkin and apricot juices are rich in beta-carotene, which is good for your baby's eyes, bones, teeth and gums.
Pumpkin juice contains B vitamins that are useful for children’s metabolism. Also, these elements are important for the functioning of almost all systems of the baby’s body.
Apricot and banana juices will enrich cells with beneficial potassium and magnesium.

With the help of natural drinks, you can easily regulate your baby's stool: plum, peach and apricot have a laxative effect, while pear and pomegranate, on the contrary, strengthen it.

Store-bought or homemade?

Purchased juices intended for children under one year old undergo mandatory quality testing; in addition, they do not irritate the gastrointestinal tract of babies, as they have a balanced acid composition. But due to heat treatment, they lose half of their value, and during transportation or storage, the integrity of the packaging may well be compromised, causing the product to deteriorate ahead of schedule.

Homemade fresh juices retain all the value of the fruits and vegetables from which they are made, but are also very concentrated. In order not to make things worse and not cause a negative reaction from the gastrointestinal tract in children, it is recommended to dilute them twice with boiled water.

In what order should I enter?

The very first child is usually given apple juice - it is less allergenic. It is better to use ripe green fruits or purchase a clarified product for feeding children from 4 to 12 months.
When the baby tastes the apple drink, you can offer him clarified pear, carrot, pumpkin, apricot, peach or banana juice in any order.
Next, you can start combining the juices you have mastered by purchasing or creating mixed drinks. It would be good to make a fruit and vegetable mix by mixing apple and pumpkin, carrot and pear products.
When the baby gets used to mixed drinks, you can start giving the child red-pigmented foods: cherry, sweet cherry, plum, blackcurrant and cranberry. Among vegetable drinks for babies prone to constipation, beetroot will be useful.
Children are introduced to citrus, tomato, strawberry and grape drinks last: at 12-15 months, since some of them are highly allergenic, while others contain a large amount of fruit acids.

How to enter?

It is better to introduce juice into your child’s diet in the morning, this way you can monitor the negative reaction throughout the day;
on the first day, the baby should be given a few drops of the drink on a spoon after feeding;
in the first week the child should be given 0.5 tsp, in the second - a whole, in the third - 2 tsp, etc.;
a one-year-old child can be given no more than 60 ml of drink per day;
Each new type should be given to the child “like the first time” - a few drops, gradually increasing the volume of the unfamiliar drink in feeding.

How to properly introduce complementary foods to a breastfed baby? The introduction of complementary foods is carried out according to several schemes, and not all of them are correct. Complementary feeding according to the traditional and outdated scheme, still recommended by the older generation and some experts, is recognized as harmful for children under the age of one year. At the moment, complementary feeding of children is determined by pediatric norms and recommendations of the World Health Organization, which must be followed for the growth and development of the child. How to correctly introduce the first foods to a baby’s menu?

When to introduce complementary foods

Contrary to the traditions of complementary feeding, which was popular during the existence of the USSR, the timing of a child’s first acquaintance with new food has been significantly changed. The early introduction of juices, cereals, and vegetable purees several decades ago was somewhat justified only for children who were bottle-fed, due to the inferior composition of substitute mixtures. The need to return to work after maternity leave contributed to the transfer of children to breast milk substitutes, which were not saturated with essential vitamins and minerals, and the early introduction of complementary foods helped to somewhat compensate for the deficiency of microelements in children. It was popular to use fruit juices (drop by drop) at 2 months, vegetable purees and cereals from three months.

Modern experts categorically state: such complementary feeding at the age of physiological immaturity of the body only brings harm to the child. The composition of breast milk is so complete and rich that it provides a healthy baby with all the necessary substances for up to 6 months, and substitute formulas do not require additions. The concept of early introduction of complementary foods is recognized as erroneous and irrelevant.

Complementary feeding for a child no earlier than 6 months of age is recognized as corresponding to the physiological needs and capabilities of infants, while the food does not replace, but only supplements, breast milk (or milk formula) for the next six months. In some cases, the first complementary feeding at 4-5 months as prescribed by the pediatrician is justified. As a rule, such recommendations are based on the dynamics of height and weight gain and allergic reactions to substitute mixtures. In this case, an early start to complementary feeding is possible, but there must be medical indications for it, and not the desire of parents or other relatives.

The introduction of additional food into a child’s diet at the age of six months is due to the increasing need for protein, vitamins and minerals. Nature provides a unique marker of children’s readiness for food other than breast milk: the appearance of teeth. However, the living conditions of the mother and child, a changed general diet, environmental conditions and diseases can lead to both too early and too late teething in the baby, so experts advise not to focus on this factor, but to follow the general recommendations or prescriptions of the pediatrician.

What are the dangers of introducing new foods to a baby under 6 months of age?

Until six months after birth, the digestive system is just beginning to function. The baby’s gastrointestinal tract is capable of processing breast milk or liquids similar in composition to it; any other products require the production of enzymes for digestion, which the baby’s digestive organs are not yet capable of, and compounds unfamiliar to the body, at best, leave the intestines undigested. At worst, new foods can be harmful to the baby, especially infants and newborns.
Moreover, the composition of new food can irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, creating favorable conditions for the development of gastrointestinal diseases. New components entering the immature body are perceived as foreign agents and increase the susceptibility of the immune system, cause allergic reactions in the form of skin dermatitis, and disrupt the intestinal microflora. At the same time, even microdoses of new food can contribute to the development of negative reactions.

Porridges as early complementary foods, especially those made according to “grandmother’s” recipes - with milk, salt and sugar, also cause significant harm to infants. Cow's milk protein is a strong allergen, and milk is introduced into the diet no earlier than a year. An infant does not need salt and sugar, but porridge as a complementary food introduced before vegetable purees, even at the age of 6 months, is indicated only for children with a discrepancy between the weight index and age. An abundance of carbohydrates consumed without medical indications contributes to the development of a tendency to childhood obesity and the accumulation of excess body weight in adulthood.

First feeding for children under one year old: table

Schemes and schedules have been developed that allow you to properly organize complementary feeding for your child by month. Depending on the individual characteristics of children, climatic conditions, and traditions of countries, they may change somewhat: for example, in tropical countries, exotic fruits and vegetables can be seen in complementary feeding products for the first year: mangoes, oranges, sweet potatoes. In Russia, complementary foods for children include products that are common in the middle zone and familiar to the body. Children “get to know” the components of vegetables and fruits during prenatal development, thereby reducing the likelihood of allergic reactions. From six months onwards, complementary foods are introduced to all babies.

Complementary feeding table

It is recommended to select the first product from a list of similar ones (for example, cereal porridges) based on observations of the child or recommendations of a specialist. Thus, when introducing monocomponent porridges, it should be taken into account that rice porridge is the most low-allergenic, but it helps to consolidate feces and can complicate the process of bowel movement in a child prone to constipation. Prune puree, on the contrary, has the property of softening the contents of the intestines and facilitating the process of bowel movements, which is not recommended for children with a tendency to loose stools.

The presence of various products in the table does not mean that, for example, upon reaching 8 months of age, a child should begin to eat all types of pureed meats listed. Depending on the baby’s reaction, the pediatrician’s recommendations and the availability of food, 1-2 varieties from the recommended group are introduced.

How to properly introduce complementary foods to a child: what, when and how much?

General rules for introducing new products into the diet have been developed:

Complementary feeding begins upon reaching the required age and if there are signs of readiness: the fading of the tongue thrust reflex, the appearance of food interest in the child;
products are introduced one by one;
adaptation to the type of product is assessed within a week;
in the first months, only one food group is introduced for 30 days;
the first portion is 5 ml of puree (maximum);
increasing the amount of food to the age-appropriate norm is carried out gradually, increasing the volume over 7-10 days;
Complementary feeding does not replace, but complements breastfeeding;
Mashed potatoes or porridge are offered to the child at lunchtime.

In the vast majority of cases, the first group of products for six-month-old children are monocomponent vegetable purees. In some cases, if you are underweight, the first choice product on the recommendation of your pediatrician may be cereal porridges.

Shredded vegetables are chosen according to the least likelihood of causing an allergy; the following order is most often recommended: zucchini puree, then cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin and carrots.

Bright orange vegetables (carrots, pumpkin) are introduced at the last stage of introducing vegetables due to the increased likelihood of allergic reactions. Carrots, as a vegetable rich in carotene, are recommended to be included in the menu no more than 2-3 times a week, otherwise there may be excessive accumulation of carotene in the tissues, which is externally manifested by yellowing of the skin of the child’s palms and feet.

At least a week should pass between the introduction of new types of vegetables; in the first month of vegetable complementary feeding, different purees are not mixed. Complementary feeding does not require flavoring additives: there is no need to add salt, sugar, oil, the child does not need such products, and the body is not yet ready for them. Vegetable purees can be diluted slightly with breast milk, this helps combine new and familiar tastes and promotes the swallowing of thinner foods.

Vegetable puree, even for the first acquaintance with a new product, can be either purchased ready-made or made independently. When making puree for babies, the vegetable, peeled, peeled, and seeds, is boiled or steamed, then pureed using a blender or rubbed through a fine sieve. If necessary, vegetable broth or breast milk is added to the finished puree. Homemade puree cannot be stored; for small children it must be prepared immediately before each lunch.

Photo: BrunoWeltmann/Shutterstock.com

Complementary feeding for a 7 month old baby

Many grain porridges contain gluten, a protein that can cause allergic reactions and provoke the development of small intestinal pathology such as celiac disease. To avoid the possibility of allergies, children under 1 year of age are recommended to eat porridges made only from gluten-free cereals. For the same reason, bread and confectionery products (baked bread, bagels, cookies) made from wheat flour are not recommended for infants.

Gluten-free cereals include rice, buckwheat and corn; this is the diet of cereals offered to young children. You should not try to diversify your menu with other types of grains; at best it will not be beneficial, at worst it will harm your health.

Beloved by the older generation, semolina porridge, which pleased parents with its “fine” structure and the absence of the need to grind the product, is also gluten-free. Moreover, experts find absolutely no benefit in semolina for young children; semolina porridge contains almost exclusively carbohydrates and almost no vitamins and nutrients. It saturates, filling the stomach, and this limits the effect of semolina.

In addition to the absence of gluten, there are two more requirements for porridges for infants: the absence of milk (it is possible to add breast milk, but not animal milk) and monocomponent. For young children, the “one meal – one product” rule is the key to proper intestinal functioning. There is no need to mix cereals, try to add fruit or sugar to the porridge; the digestive system is stressed from single-component dishes; additional inclusions can provoke intestinal upset or trigger a response from the immune system.

When introducing cereals, just like any other type of food, it is necessary to monitor changes in the child’s condition: stool characteristics, characteristics of reactions that may be associated with pain or discomfort in the abdomen, the appearance of a rash, and signs of allergies. Negative reactions may occur not when first introduced to a new food, but when its volume increases. Therefore, first, a new product is introduced into the diet in full during a week and the baby’s condition is assessed, and then they move on to a new variety. Otherwise, there may be a mixture of allergic reactions and difficulty identifying the allergen.

Today on sale you can find a significant number of porridges for children: specially processed cereals are crushed and sublimated, in most cases there is no need to cook such porridge, you just need to add hot water and cool it before feeding. This is the best option for those mothers who do not see the need to prepare and grind small portions of porridge before each feeding.

In most cases, porridge is introduced into the diet secondarily, a month after the introduction of vegetable purees. The administration scheme is the same as with vegetables: start with a teaspoon of a new product per day, gradually increasing to the required volume. Porridge is given to children for breakfast, before breastfeeding. Replacing porridge with evening feeding before bedtime “for satiety” and lengthening the period of night sleep is contrary to the principles of healthy eating and is condemned by pediatricians for its ability to overload the digestive system.

Complementary feeding at 8 months: diversifying the diet

With the onset of the age of 8 months and the successful introduction of vegetables and cereals into complementary feeding, they move on to introducing the baby to new foods. During this period, egg yolk (separate from the protein) is introduced as a supplier of valuable nutrients, various types of meat containing protein and essential amino acids, and a new vegetable - potatoes.
When choosing a yolk, it is recommended to give preference to quail eggs; they are less likely to cause allergic reactions in children and are more healthy. They start with small pieces of boiled yolk, ground with breast milk, if the child is not yet able to eat them in their pure form. The frequency of including yolk in the diet is no more than twice a week for a child 8 months old.

After the first acquaintance with the yolk and the absence of allergies, the second time they give ½ part of quail or ¼ chicken yolk. Double the amount (a whole quail and ½ chicken yolk) is considered the maximum amount for eight-month-old children. If the introduction is successful, the yolk can be added to morning porridge and vegetable soups.
Meat puree is introduced in the same way as other products - with a volume of no more than 5 g, gradually increasing to the age norm (50 g / day). Turkey and rabbit are considered the first choice meats, as the least allergenic species. Next, veal, beef, chicken and lamb are introduced. Pork is not recommended for children under one and a half years old, lamb (due to the abundance of refractory fats) - up to 3-4 years. If the reaction to meat puree is positive, it can be mixed with vegetables.

Potatoes are among the foods to which allergic reactions occur with high frequency in children under 8 months. Due to the abundance of carbohydrates, its amount in the daily diet is 3 times less than other vegetables, and reaches a maximum of 50 g. Milk, spices and butter are not added to mashed potatoes for small children; potatoes are mashed with broth or breast milk.

Homemade meat puree

The optimal way to independently prepare meat puree for a child is considered to be the following: minced meat is used to form meatballs corresponding to the weight of 1 serving or less, then boil them and freeze them. Before preparing lunch, the meatball is added to the vegetables and steamed together or in a small amount of boiling water, then the resulting mixture is pureed and fed to the child.

Photo: Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com

9 months: complementary feeding with fermented milk products

Despite the abundance of fermented milk products on store shelves, at 9 months complementary feeding begins with cottage cheese and kefir. The introduction of fermented milk products is carried out slowly; if necessary, complementary feeding is suspended, starting after a few days with a minimum volume.
For complementary feeding of infants, it is preferable to choose cottage cheese for children, with a delicate structure and the absence of additives. Regular grain curd needs to be ground; when purchasing, you need to be sure of the correct manufacturing technology, storage conditions and product composition: trust only high-quality products from well-known manufacturers and first study the label.

It is also better to use special kefir for children, although in this case you can use regular kefir, the main thing is fresh and natural, with a short shelf life (up to 5 days), without any additives.

Some children are reluctant to drink kefir because of its specific sour taste. In this case, the introduction of kefir into complementary foods is postponed for some time until the next attempt. Adding sugar to kefir is strictly not recommended. After introducing fruits and berries into complementary foods, you can mix a small amount of fruit puree or juice with kefir.

Features of complementary feeding for infants at 10 months

Fruits are introduced quite late due to the presence of fruit acids, which irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa. The baby still receives the bulk of vitamins from breast milk or artificial formula, so introducing fruits, berries or juices into complementary foods before the specified period does not make sense, but can lead to diseases of the digestive system.

What fruits should you give your child? First of all, they give preference to low-allergenic fruits that grow in their region of residence. For central Russia, green apples and pears are chosen. If the baby already has enough teeth, then you can not limit yourself to pureed foods, but carefully and under supervision offer pieces of apples and pears. At the same age, after becoming familiar with fruits, you can offer compote of apples, pears, and prunes for drinking.

Problems with introducing complementary foods

When introducing any new product, it is necessary to monitor the child’s reaction to nutrition not only during the process (refusals, pushing food out with the tongue), but also after. If the baby is worried, signs in behavior indicate discomfort in the tummy, there are stool abnormalities (changed consistency, constipation, dilution of stool), allergic rash, spots, the new product should be abandoned for 1-2 months, waiting for the maturity of the enzyme system.

How to administer a product to which a negative reaction was detected on the first try? Against the background of general health, without background allergies and vaccination in a recent history or in the near future, they start with microdoses, even if, according to age standards, the child should have been receiving, for example, 50 g of cottage cheese per day for a couple of months, they start with a teaspoon in the second feeding. In the absence of unpleasant consequences, the dose is gradually increased. If consequences of introducing the product occur again, the timing of administration is postponed until the next time.

Many children react physiologically normally to foods, but refuse some of them. In this case, you should not insist; you can offer this food later, replacing it with a product from the same group.

Complementary food from a jar or homemade food?

Both types of nutrition have their advantages and disadvantages. Industrially prepared purees in jars contain virtually no large fiber fibers, which can become an allergenic factor. Removing them when making them at home is somewhat energy-intensive.
Ready-made food is convenient to take with you, it can be stored for a long time in a closed form, and does not spoil on the road. However, you should pay attention to the brand, shelf life and, of course, the child’s reaction.

Flavoring additives

A child is born with a “pure” taste, unfamiliar with sweeteners, salt, and spices. What seems tasteless to an adult is optimally suited in composition to a child’s body, without overloading it with additional glucose or salt, and promotes the development of taste buds. Therefore, there is no need to add salt, sweeten, oil or spices to baby food.

Table of contents

Juices are very useful for a child, as they contain vitamins and organic acids. They have a positive effect on digestion and the functioning of the body as a whole. Some pediatricians recommend introducing complementary foods with juices as early as 4-5 months, but modern experts advise not to rush to give drinks to infants until six months. In this article we will look in detail at how many months you can give juices to your baby. We will also find out what drinks are given to children and at what age.

When and how to give juice to a baby

The first complementary feeding for infants begins at six months with vegetable and fruit purees, and only then after the seventh month they give juices. Remember that newborns should not be given juice; in exceptional cases, they can be given drinking water! If the child is bottle-fed or mixed-fed, complementary feeding begins at 3-4 months. This means that drinks made from fruits, vegetables and berries can be given early, from 4-5 months.

Start drinking juices with 5 ml (¼-⅓ teaspoon), then the dosage is gradually increased to 30 ml, adding 5 ml each time. The norm for a one-year-old baby is 50-60 ml. Give your child food from a teaspoon; older babies can be taught to drink a cup.

Carefully monitor the baby's condition; it is important that the drink does not cause a negative reaction. Some fruits and vegetables can cause rashes and itchy skin, disrupt digestion and cause stomach upsets, and worsen stools. If you notice symptoms of a food allergy, temporarily remove the product from your baby’s diet and contact your pediatrician. You can repeat the injection attempt no earlier than after 4-5 weeks.

Proper complementary feeding will protect the child from a negative reaction and will only bring benefits. Fruit, vegetable and berry juices perform the following beneficial functions:

Strengthen immunity; Saturate the body with vitamins, minerals and beneficial acids; They lift your spirits, give you vigor and strength; Improves digestion; Cleanse the body, remove excess salts, toxins and other harmful substances; Improves metabolism; Simplify the digestion and absorption of food; Increase appetite; Positively affect the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

It is imperative to give such drinks to infants up to one year old. They speed up the adaptation to adult food and make the baby’s diet more varied and rich. However, it is important to choose the right ingredients and not exceed the dosage. Read more about your baby's first complementary feeding at the link http://vskormi.ru/breast-feeding/prikorm-pri-grudnom-vskarmlivanii/.

What juices can a baby eat?

At first, juices are given from only one component. Two-component drinks are given only after each ingredient has been introduced separately. You can buy ready-made baby juice. Before purchasing, check the expiration date, composition, and integrity of the packaging. The product must be appropriate for the child’s age!

However, experts recommend preparing freshly squeezed juices for infants, since fresh juice is healthier and more natural. Store-bought drinks do not need to be diluted, but those prepared at home are first diluted by half with water. Gradually the volume of water is reduced, replacing it with natural juice. Now let's look at the procedure for introducing juices.

Apple juice is given first, starting at seven months. For cooking, take green varieties, as they are less likely than others to cause allergies; A week after the apple, pear juice is introduced. Pears are very healthy and also the least allergenic among fruits; Apricot or peach is given after pear and apple. These fruits have a beneficial effect on vision, strengthen bones, teeth and gums; Among vegetable juices, they primarily include carrots and fresh carrots for babies. But be careful, as carrots can cause allergies due to their beta-carotene and orange color;

Then they give fresh pumpkin, cabbage, cherry and plum, currant and pomegranate, banana juice with an interval of 3-7 days, depending on the developmental characteristics and the baby’s adaptation to new food; Do not rush to give beet juice, as beets are a good laxative. Beetroot drink is not recommended for children under eight months and babies who suffer from diarrhea. But for constipation, such a drink will be an excellent remedy; After nine months, two-component juices are given. A great option would be to combine an apple with pumpkin, apricot or peach, or banana.

Children under one year old should not be given citrus juices, including those from oranges, lemons, pineapples, grapes and other similar fruits. In addition, you should not drink drinks made from brightly colored berries, including strawberries and raspberries. Such products increase gas formation, negatively affect digestion and the condition of the stomach, and often cause an allergic reaction.

Juicing is pretty much the same. The vegetable or fruit is peeled, cut into slices or pieces and passed through a juicer. After which the drink is filtered and diluted with boiled drinking water. Giving juices with pulp and adding sugar to the drink for children under one year of age is not recommended.

Compotes should be given along with juices. Such drinks are digested and perceived more easily than rich fresh drinks. Dried fruit compote is especially useful. This drink can be introduced from 6-7 months, then drinks made from fresh berries and fruits are given. How to properly prepare compote for babies, see here.

For most parents with infants, one of the exciting questions is the question of the correct introduction of the first complementary foods - and the first of them is when you can start giving juices to an infant, how correctly, how much and what juices to give the baby.

When can you give your baby the first juice?

Baby juices are traditionally the first product given to a baby other than breast milk or formula. They contain vitamins and organic acids that have a positive effect on digestion.

When should juices be introduced into baby food?

Back in Soviet times, when asked by young mothers when and how much juice a child can be given juice, pediatricians answered unequivocally that Juices can be included in a child’s diet as early as five weeks of a baby’s life, starting with a few drops. According to modern recommendations of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and SanPinov on the organization of nutrition for children in the first year of life, the date for introducing juices into baby food has shifted significantly. It is recommended to include the first juices in the diet no earlier than 4-5 months from birth, starting with 5 ml. Some domestic and foreign doctors, and modern parents argue that you need to be very careful when using juices in baby food. They note that it is best to give juices to a child after the introduction of all the main complementary foods, such as cereals, vegetables, meat, fish, etc. Early introduction of juices is fraught with gastrointestinal diseases, frequent allergic conditions, and metabolic disorders in the body.

Rules for introducing juices into children's menus - what is the correct way, how much and what kind of juices to give to a child?

It is better to give juice after feeding. In this case, it is an additional source of nutrition, as it should be at this age; Drinking juices before or between feedings can reduce the baby’s appetite and provoke “breast refusal” due to the fact that the baby will find the juice “tastier”; You can give juice from a teaspoon or a bottle with a nipple; for older babies you can use special sippy cups; Juices from the store can be given undiluted. Juices prepared at home are best diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1. To calculate how many ml of juice to give to a child of a particular age per day, use the formula: n*10ml. (n is the baby’s age (month)); What juices to give to a child are also defined in the recommendations of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and SanPinakh. The first juices you should introduce your baby to are apple or pear without adding other fruits; It is better if the first juice is clarified, and after a while you can offer it with pulp; Vegetable juices are recommended: carrot, cabbage. Their fruit varieties: currant, cherry, apricot, pomegranate; It is not recommended to give orange, lemon, grapefruit, or pineapple juice to children under one year of age. You should also be careful with grape, it causes increased gas formation in the baby.

If your child has low hemoglobin, then juices will help increase it a little.

On the topic of first feeding:

The child does not want to eat complementary foods: what to do? Tea for a child

Video: What juices to give to a child

Are fruit juices really good for young children?

Freshly squeezed juices are certainly beneficial for the body. Including them in your daily diet:

normalizes metabolism; strengthens the immune system; will restore water balance; saturates the body with essential vitamins and electrolytes. Timely introduction of complementary foods will eliminate the deficiency of nutrients, teach the baby to chew and develop the correct sense of taste for food.

From birth, the baby receives all the necessary nutrients from the mother’s milk, and in cases where breastfeeding is impossible, from nutritional formulas. This is exactly the product that contains absolutely everything for the development and growth of the baby.

But over time, the child’s needs for incoming nutrients increase and breast milk is no longer enough for adequate nutrition.

From this period, the children's diet should be gradually expanded with complementary foods. And a fresh clarified fruit drink is the very product with which you can start your first complementary feeding. The only question that remains is, when does this period begin? When will it be safe and beneficial for the baby’s body to introduce juices during breastfeeding?

Time to introduce the product without harm to the body

There is still debate about when it is possible to give juice to a baby. Soviet pediatricians recommended administering it dropwise from 3 weeks of age. Later it turned out that in newborns the pancreas is not yet fully functioning and the enzymes that break down the substances contained in nectar are not produced. Whether to give water to newborns during breastfeeding, read here.

In addition, fruit acids that are part of natural drinks have a detrimental effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, their introduction before the final formation of the functions of all gastrointestinal organs leads to the early development of various diseases of the pancreas, stomach and other organs.

Currently, various scientists indicate the age range of administration from 4 to 6 months. But it is better to listen to practicing pediatricians who give an exact answer on how to individually determine the time to start introducing fresh juices for each child.

Rules for feeding freshly squeezed fruits

When artificially feeding, just like when breastfeeding, you need to start complementary feeding with the smallest doses and with the safest and most hypoallergenic product. Typically, green or light yellow varieties of apples are used. Fruits should be selected that are fully ripe, juicy, and have a sweet and sour taste.

To prepare apple nectar for a baby, cut off the peel in a thin layer from the fruit and immediately grate it on a plastic grater.

Metal utensils are absolutely not suitable for preparing food for infants, because... When in contact with metal, fruits oxidize, forming compounds harmful to the body.

Then the juice is squeezed through cheesecloth into a cup. Instead of gauze, you can use a bandage folded several times.

Sokolova N.V., pediatrician, ABC Medicine at Chistye Prudy, Moscow

Infants should only be given drinks prepared immediately before feeding the baby.

But the so-called reconstituted juices contain many preservatives that are harmful to the baby’s health.

The following rules must be followed on how to introduce juice into complementary foods:

1 You need to start with one type of fruit. This will help the baby quickly adapt to a new product and, in case of an allergy, will make it possible to know which food has an undesirable reaction.

2 The baby’s menu should be expanded gradually, adding one type of complementary food no earlier than a week after the previous one. This will also help identify the allergen in case of an allergic reaction.

3 It is undesirable to give drinks in their pure form - the baby’s enzymatic system may not be able to handle it yet. Therefore, to prevent the development of diseases, nectars should be diluted 2–3 times.

4 The drink can be given to the baby with a teaspoon or through a bottle. Don't forget that the bottle should be comfortable and sterilized.

5 For the first time, nectar should be given in an amount of no more than 5 drops per dose in the first half of the day. This will make it easier to track an undesirable reaction of the baby’s body to a new product. You should pay attention to changes in stool, the appearance of flatulence, increased regurgitation, and sounds of intestinal peristalsis. If any of these signs appear, you should temporarily stop drinking fruit and consult your doctor.

6 You should not introduce new nectar during the baby’s illness, after vaccination, or during the change of season. You should also avoid new products when changing climate or time zone. In such cases, it is better to introduce complementary foods no earlier than a week after the baby’s condition has normalized.

7 Drinks should be given only after the main meal. Drinking fresh juices on an empty stomach will lead to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Allowed fruits and berries for cooking

To prepare such complementary foods, local vegetables, berries and fruits are suitable, preferably those that the mother ate during pregnancy. You need to start, as mentioned above, with apple juice. Read this article about what fruits a nursing mother can eat.

Apple juice is administered to infants according to the following scheme:

A month after the introduction of apple nectar, you can add the following to your baby’s diet:

pear, pumpkin; carrot juice for babies can be added from 8-9 months of age; at the same time you can also introduce banana; then plum; cabbage; beetroot

Komarovsky E.O., pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences, TV presenter, Kharkov

All children are born very different. And the functions of their digestive system are also different.

Therefore, leave the right to decide at what age and with what juice to start complementary feeding to the treating pediatrician.

When fresh juice is harmful

Complementary feeding juices can also lead to undesirable consequences. This happens when cooking rules are violated and in a number of other cases:

Undiluted drink. The increased acidity of all fruit drinks disrupts the baby's gastrointestinal tract and can lead to the development of inflammatory diseases.

The juice bottle needs to be changed once every 6 months, because... a coating forms on the walls, which cannot be washed off. Using a metal fruit grater. The resulting oxides will lead to irritation of the gastric mucosa. In some children, they can lead to fermentation processes in the intestines. In cases of flatulence, you should stop drinking and consult a doctor. Too early introduction of nectars can cause the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in early childhood.

In addition, the baby may experience an allergic reaction. The cause of allergies may be the increased content of beta-carotene in the vegetables and fruits used. Therefore, at an early age it is better to exclude fresh fruits and vegetables of rich orange and red colors.

A hypersensitive reaction can also be caused by various chemicals used to grow plants: fertilizers, pesticides and other toxic agents.

If fruits and vegetables are not properly processed before use, mold spores may remain on the fruits, which will also lead to allergic reactions.

Zaikova E.B., pediatrician, “MedioMed” clinic, Novosibirsk

Any product should be started with very small doses. Carefully, when increasing the portion, monitor the baby’s condition.

It is necessary to switch to a new type no earlier than a week after reaching the age-appropriate dose of the previous complementary food.

In an infant, allergies can have a variety of manifestations: from mild malaise to the development of Quincke's edema. The most common symptoms of individual idiosyncrasy are:

loose stools; increased regurgitation; the appearance of colic in the abdomen; redness, peeling and rash on the skin.

Read about the causes of foamy stools in children here.

If such symptoms appear, the baby should be immediately shown to a doctor.

Natural fruit and vegetable juices should be introduced into a baby’s diet no earlier than 4-5 months. Some pediatricians recommend delaying introduction to this product to six months. You should carefully follow your doctor’s advice and introduce new products to the menu according to a special scheme. You should start with juices that are developed under specialized children's nutrition brands.

You will find a wide range of such products in the Daughters-Sons online store.

When can you give juice to a baby?

Several decades ago, fruit and vegetable juices rich in vitamins were recommended to be introduced into a child’s diet after the fifth week of life. Currently, the approach to the question of which month can be given to infants has undergone significant changes. The Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences conducted a lot of research and decided that babies should be given their first juices no earlier than 4-5 months from birth.

Juices contribute a small part to saturating the body with vitamins and minerals, but they can cause allergies and disrupt the digestion process, so it is better to give them to older children. You need to start getting acquainted with juices with a minimum dose of 5 ml.

The first complementary food for a breastfed or bottle-fed baby should not be juices, but cereals, vegetables and meat.

How to properly introduce juice into a child’s diet? There are many nuances that must be taken into account in order for all changes in the baby’s diet to be successful. Experienced mothers claim that the type of juice, the timing of complementary feeding, and even the dishes affect the child’s body.

give juices after feeding so as not to reduce appetite before eating the main meal;
use a bottle with a nipple, a teaspoon or a special sippy cup;
homemade juices should be diluted 1:1;
Apple juice is usually given to the baby first.

Here you can find apple juices from Russian and foreign manufacturers: “Babushkino Lukoshko”, “Agusha”, “Sady Pridonya”, “Spelenok” (Russia), Hipp (Germany), Gerber (Poland), Bebivita (Switzerland), Fleur Alpine (Netherlands), Marmaluzi (Lithuania), Semper (Sweden). Juices from green apples are characterized by low allergenic properties and good tolerance.

The daily volume of juice for a certain age is calculated using a simple formula - N * 10 ml. (N is a number indicating the child’s age in months). So, a baby who is already 7 months old can drink 70 ml of juice per day.

First, fruit juices are introduced into the diet, then vegetable juices. Do not give juices with pulp right away. They should be offered after the child’s body has coped with various types of clarified drinks. Combined juices (apple-pear, apple-peach, apple-raspberry and others) are introduced into the menu after the body gets used to apple juice.

Important!

Among vegetable juices, it is better to give children carrot and cabbage juices. Beetroot juice is offered to a baby when he has problems with bowel movements. Pomegranate, cherry, apricot and currant juices are good choices. It is undesirable to give grape juice; it causes increased gas formation in babies. Children under one year of age should not include citrus juice in their diet.

Scheme for entering juice into the menu

How and when you give juice to your baby is up to you to decide after consultation with your pediatrician. The choice of drink should also be made taking into account the doctor’s recommendations. It is better to start complementary feeding with juices, which are specialized baby food. These jars indicate the age at which the baby can be given this juice.

Here you will find a large selection of special children's juices made from various fruits. The employees of the Daughters-Sons online store will tell you about the features of these products and explain how and how long they can be stored.

Natural homemade drinks can be introduced after 1.5 years. Ordinary juices bought in a store are given only from the age of three.

Important!

Among people of the older generation, there is a strong belief that if you start giving apple juice from three months, the child’s hemoglobin will increase. These are misconceptions. Iron from plant foods is poorly absorbed even by adults. For a three-month-old baby, juice will only upset digestion.

conclusions

Juices should be introduced into a child’s diet no earlier than 4-5 months. If the first feeding caused problems (gastrointestinal upset or allergies), exclude juices from the menu for now. Come back to them later.

They begin their acquaintance with apple juice, which is produced by companies involved in baby food. The juice should be given according to the schedule, gradually increasing the dose.

Homemade juices are given to children 1.5 years old, but they need to be diluted with water. You should not rush to give juices that are sold in grocery stores. It is not recommended to introduce such drinks into the diet before the age of three.

The truth is that babies don't need juices. Juices should not be given to a child under 6 months old. And it should be limited to 120 ml per day in children over 6 months.

Side effects from drinking too much juice include skin rashes, decreased appetite and even...

How to administer juice?

Small amounts of juices can be offered to children from 6 months of age, if the volume of liquid is limited to 120 ml per day. The maximum amount of juice for children 12 months and older is up to 200 ml per day.
It is better to add water to reduce the sugar content.
Do not pour juice into the bottle. The sugar contained in the juice can settle on the child’s teeth and lead to their destruction. This is because children tend to drink from a bottle slowly. Offer juice only in a sippy cup or glass. Offer only water in bottles.
Give juice only at the end of meals. Have your child eat most of the main meal and then offer juice. This will help increase the proportion of nutrients without loading the body with “empty” calories.
Giving your child juice before meals reduces appetite.
Use only 100% fruit juices for infants. Check the labels on baby juice to make sure it is sugar-free and fructose-free. Many of them contain additives and extra sugar, which will increase the number of calories, reduce your baby's appetite and negatively affect your health.
It is preferable to give your child fruit puree instead of juices.
Increase your water intake in hot weather.
If your child is thirsty, give him more water.Water contains no calories. You can also use it to dilute fruit juice.

What do parents need to remember when introducing juice?

Juice can give your baby unnecessary calories. In this case, babies do not receive important vitamins, minerals and proteins during the main meal. If your child is not gaining weight normally, one solution is to see how much juice he drinks;
juice can cause early tooth decay. If you've heard the term bottle tooth decay, it's caused by drinking sugary liquids from a bottle during the day or while you sleep. Sugar damages the delicate enamel on a child’s teeth.
Always give juice in a mug only;
Giving your child a lot of juice throughout the day can lead to intestinal problems and diarrhea. Too much of it can increase intestinal motility. Although this may be helpful if your child is constipated;
Be careful with juices containing high fructose corn syrup. They are known to cause stomach upset, gas, and abdominal pain in infants. This is due to an immature digestive system that cannot digest these types of sugars;
nNever give juice that has not been pasteurized. These include freshly squeezed juices not prepared with your own hands. Unpasteurized juices can contain very dangerous bacteria - salmonella or E. coli. Infection of an infant with these bacteria can be fatal.

To help your child develop a taste for certain types of fruits and vegetables, you can offer apple and carrot juices.

Many parents are interested in how many months old can they give apple juice to an infant. Although apple juice contains vitamin C, it does not provide any nutritional benefit for children under 6 months of age.

You should not start your first complementary feeding with apple juice. You can offer it for babies older than 6 months, but its quantity should be limited.

Drinking apple juice has no nutritional benefits over eating fruit.

Before giving apple juice to a baby, the baby's nutritional needs and development should be assessed.

Apple juice can relieve constipation in infants because its sugars, liquids and pectin have a mild laxative effect. 30 to 60 ml of apple juice is allowed up to two times a day to facilitate the passage of stool through the child's intestines.

While apple juice works great as a mild baby laxative, don't make the mistake of offering pureed apples instead of juice. The higher the level of pectin fiber in applesauce, the higher the volume, so this apple product may worsen a child's gut health.

Everyone knows that carrots are healthy. Is there anything good in carrot juice for a baby?

Carrot juice for children is filled with many vitamins and nutrients, it is low in fat and, unlike fruit juices, it is not sour, which makes it comfortable for a child's immature stomach.

Although juice should never be given in place of an actual vegetable or fruit, it can help provide vitamins and minerals to your baby.

If a child is picky about food and refuses to eat vegetables, carrot juice will help get both vitamins and nutrients.

Although carrot juice is not very acidic, sometimes it is better to dilute it with water so that it is not too concentrated for your baby.

Carrot juice is an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients and does not contain as much sugar as many fruit juices.

When can you give carrot juice?

Carrot juice can be offered to a 6-month-old baby. Give 60 to 120 ml per day.

It should be noted that carrot juice has a sweet taste, and too much juice may tempt a child to prefer sweet foods. The baby may refuse other drinks that do not have a sweet taste, such as mixture or.

While carrot juice is beneficial for a baby, it should never replace formula or breast milk in a baby's diet, as babies get their essential nutrients from their mother's breasts or formula until their first birthday.

Always consult your pediatrician about introducing new foods to your baby. Specifically discuss any foods that may pose a risk for your baby's allergies.

Offer your baby nutritious, vitamin-rich fruit and vegetable juices to promote healthy growth. This will also help him develop his taste for various foods.