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Complementary feeding for months with artificial feeding. Complementary feeding of a baby on artificial feeding

How to combine complementary feeding and artificial feeding?

There are quite a few misconceptions about the introduction of complementary foods for bottle-fed babies. You can often hear advice to start giving porridge as early as two months or by three months already to introduce soups and solid food. These words are sometimes confirmed by "old school" pediatricians.

In fact, the rules for the first complementary feeding in artificial feeding are regularly reviewed and updated. What was advised 10-20 years ago may no longer be relevant. The last time the discussion was held in the early 2000s. Then the modern standards for the first feeding of babies were approved.

Differences in artificial feeding

Until the two thousandth, it was really believed in pediatrics that it was possible to introduce complementary foods to formula-fed children much earlier. The reason for this was the lack of quality infant formulas. In the last century, many parents decided to give up breastfeeding and switch to dry formula. But the manufacturers were not ready, and there were products on the market that were completely unsuitable for babies.


What you need to know about blends?

The main ingredient in those mixtures was powdered cow's milk. It is not absorbed by the child's body in any way and can even cause a negative reaction. In addition, the children were given semolina porridge and kefir. Such a diet did not contribute to the satiety of the baby in any way. Therefore, to fill the missing elements, pediatricians advised to start introducing complementary foods as early as possible.

The opinion has taken root in society that “artificial people” are ready to switch to adult food earlier. But the body of an artificial baby, on the contrary, does not receive the necessary enzymes from breast milk and learns to digest new foods much later.

Suitable dates

Modern blends are much better. Although they are still not able to completely replace breast milk, they are quite similar in composition. The essence of production is in the breakdown of protein, which helps the child to absorb it more easily. Plus, all the necessary trace elements and vitamins are added to the mixture. Such nutrition satisfies all the needs of a small organism, so there is no need to introduce complementary foods in the early months.


Complementary foods should not be introduced too early.

The approximate age of the introduction of the first complementary foods for a bottle-fed baby is six months. WHO experts believe that up to six months, a child receives everything he needs from artificial mixtures. This period can be slightly adjusted for a specific baby. For example, if a baby is already very active at five months old, he needs more calories to regain energy. If the baby is sick or has a hard time tolerating cutting teeth, it is better, on the contrary, to wait with complementary foods.

Fundamental rules

There are some basic tips for introducing your first complementary food.

  • Up to a year, a child needs a mixture. In the first year, the baby is especially in need of many useful trace elements and vitamins. All these substances are included in the mixture. At the same time, products for a newborn and for a child over six months already differ greatly in composition. The introduction of adult food in the diet does not guarantee that all the necessary vitamins are provided for proper growth and development. For example, a lot of iron is included in many adapted mixtures, much more is needed. Trace elements are added specially with a margin, since the baby's body is able to assimilate only 20-25% in the end. At the same time, only 5-10% is absorbed from meat and liver, which are the main source of iron during the introduction of complementary foods.
  • The mixture remains in the diet. New foods will undoubtedly reduce the amount of formula your baby needs. But it cannot be ruled out completely. The mixture is an important source of saturation for a small organism.
  • Meals five times a day. The feeding schedule must be adhered to. If up to six months you have already accustomed your child to such a regime, problems will not arise. If before that food was on a free schedule, then you need to gradually switch to five meals a day.
  • One product per week. The digestive tract of the baby is completely unprepared for new food. He's too vulnerable and takes time to get used to. The Golden Rule of Complementary Feeding: New Product - New Week. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the baby: a rash or an upset stomach may appear. If the child does not respond well to the product, it should be removed from the diet.


Pedagogical complementary foods are healthy and safe

The purpose of complementary foods is not only to transition from formula to adult food. Complementary foods introduce new flavors to the baby while still being an important part of the diet. You don't have to force your baby to eat all the foods. Watch his reaction and don't feed him against his will.

Introduction of complementary foods by month

  • lactic;
  • cereal;
  • vegetable.

When choosing, you should definitely consult with a pediatrician, as it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the crumbs. But we draw your attention to the fact that milk protein is not absorbed by the child's body until eight months. Therefore, fermented milk products need to be introduced later.

Complementary feeding table for artificial feeding

Products

Fruit, g

Curd, g

Vegetable oil, ml

Butter, g

1. Morning is the perfect time. To track your baby's reaction to a new product, feed it on the second morning feed. If something goes wrong, you will find out about it during the day, not at night.

2. Maximum restrictions. The numbers shown in the table represent the maximum normal limit for each age. Consider them so as not to overfeed the child. But if he ate less, there is no need to force.

3. The mixture remains in the diet. Your baby still needs the formula, so be sure to give it with every meal. Due to the appearance of complementary foods, the volume will gradually decrease from 200 to 50 ml.

4. All food is puree. Food for the first complementary food should be in the form of a very liquid puree. As the child grows, the consistency becomes thicker, and solid pieces of food appear. For a start, half a teaspoon is enough. Only in the case of a positive reaction, the dose is doubled every day.


How and when to give complementary foods?

More about products

Based on the table, it is possible to distinguish a certain order of introducing new products into the diet of a bottle-fed baby. The scheme recommended by pediatricians consists of six consecutive points:

1. Vegetable puree;

3. Fermented milk products;

4. Juices and fruits;

5. Meat and fish;

6. Egg yolk.

This order can be slightly adjusted depending on the state of the crumb. For example, if your baby is underweight, you can start complementary foods with cereals.

Vegetable puree

The first feeding starts with vegetables. It should be a one-part puree first. Vegetables should be selected as the least allergenic. Cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, pumpkin, green peas are ideal. Over time, you can add the second component to the puree, and after another week - the third. Thus, in a month the baby will switch to multicomponent puree. Plus, you can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the composition. But it is also an unknown product for the body, and its introduction should take place starting with a smaller amount.

Cereals

Porridge is a favorite food element for all babies. At first, one-component porridge on the water appears in the child's diet. You can cook them yourself or use purchased ones. If you decide to cook the porridge yourself, you need to grind the cereal to the state of flour and boil it in water in a ratio of 1: 4. As the child grows, the amount of water can be reduced to 1: 2.

For the first feeding, it is advised to use rice, buckwheat and corn grits. From eight months, you can begin to introduce oatmeal and semolina. Milk should also be added to cereals only after eight months.


It's easier to start complementary foods with vegetable purees.

Dairy products

Starting from eight months, cottage cheese and milk can appear in the baby's diet, and from ten - kefir. It is best to use specialty products for toddlers, and then gradually switch to regular store-bought products.

Fruits and juices

For the first time, the fruit in the baby's diet should appear in the form of puree. This form retains more nutrients and is also not diluted with sugar. Juices, on the contrary, are rich in rather aggressive acids and can be used for feeding children from one year old.

The choice of fruit depends on the region of your residence. They must be fresh, characteristic of the season. In winter, you can use bananas as a hypoallergenic product. Fruits are well absorbed by the child, so they can serve as a separate meal or as a supplement after porridge.

Meat and fish

These important foods appear in the diet of crumbs from eight months. Previously, you simply cannot get to them, as mashed potatoes and cereals gradually appear. Children are rather capricious about this new product, so there is no need to rush with it.

The meat must be very carefully chopped, and then boiled and added to the vegetable puree. For the first week, a turkey or rabbit will do. Gradually, you can switch to beef, pork and chicken. For fish, you should opt for cod, hake or sea bass.

When the child gets used to it and learns to chew, the meat can be left unmixed with vegetables and offered as a separate product. And it is better to forget about meat broth for up to a year.


Meat can be added to complementary foods from 8 months

Yolk

This product is difficult for the child's body to absorb and is quite allergic. It is better to start with quail yolk and then move on to chicken. It should be added in the form of small crumbs to vegetable puree. Do not mix with meat or fish meals.

Rusks

From seven months, children can be given dryers, cookies or bread crusts. These products stimulate the chewing reflex, but do not serve as an independent food element.

Conclusion

The process of introducing complementary foods for a bottle-fed baby does not differ from infants. Modern medicine does not make serious differences in the development of organisms of both. The main thing is not to rush to give new products and monitor the reaction of the crumbs to each complementary food.

Hello, dear Evgeny Olegovich! With great pleasure I read your book "Child's Health" ... In addition to the mass of useful information, I would like to note the ease of "storytelling" and an excellent sense of humor. To be honest, we are all tired of dry "academic" must-don’t, must-don’t. For the 101st time I want to ask a question about complementary foods. Your book says in sufficient detail and convincingly that complementary foods (mashed potatoes and cereals) should be started as late as possible, in my opinion, when the first teeth appear. With natural scientists, everything is clear - there are breasts to the bitter end, i.e. to the teeth, but as for the artificial, to which we also belong ... After all, artificial is artificial, even if it is highly adapted, NAN, as we have. Yes, there are all the necessary vitamins and microelements, but if an adult is fed with vitamins in capsules alone, then if he lives, then it will not be long, and it’s not for me to tell you that there is, for example, iron and iron - in apples it is one, in beef it is different. What I mean by all this: not at all doubting your competence and trusting you as a doctor, I still read articles on other sites in which the uncles-academics advise early complementary foods for artificial people, while noting the general tendency now to give complementary foods as late as possible , at 4 months :)))). Yes, and our doctor aunt also says that it is high time (we are 4 months old), they say, not only is milk in the child, and the stomach must be taught to produce enzymes for digesting "adult" food. I very much ask you to undertake the thankless, but noble work to explain to me (and not only me - our name is legion, that's for sure) the following: why, after all, it is recommended for artificial people to start giving complementary foods earlier, what is the difference if a good mixture is as close as possible to breast milk? what about "live" vitamins, or all vitamins are the same and this is another fairy tale for adults? I really hope for a detailed answer, because the topic is already very burning, and there are too many opinions, often diametrically opposite. I would like to be convincing so that, after analyzing, I would like to choose something right for myself. It is clear that there are parents who are unconditional adherents of early feeding and, accordingly, there are those who are ready to feed only with milk in a year, but the overwhelming majority of people like me, who do not have a definite opinion on this matter, and from the abundance of opinions, their brains simply boil ... Thanks in advance for your answer, regards, Ira

Ira, hello! Well, let's dot the i's for the 101st time (although, in my mail, for the 1001st ...). What is the philosophical essence of nutrition - to provide the body with everything necessary for mental and physical activity, and in relation to children - also growth and development. Micro- and macroelements, vitamins, of course, are very necessary, although the basis of nutrition is, nevertheless, not they, but the notorious proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Scientists, professors-academicians for many years have tried to determine how much protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals a person should receive at certain stages of his life, so that this amount meets the needs of the body. Answers to the main questions in this direction have been received. The data are quite reliable, for each element that makes up the diet, norms have been established that are defined by the term "physiological need". That is, it is quite clearly established how much carbohydrates, calcium or, for example, folic acid, the human body of a given age should receive, so that this does not lead to the development of diseases associated with a lack of a particular element. For a child of the first year of life, physiological needs change every month, and only breast milk can adequately change in accordance with these needs - this is an axiom and the most important argument in favor of natural feeding. But ... We have no milk. We are trying to find a reasonable alternative. We find: an adapted mixture. Moreover, it turns out that scientists working in the field of baby food and formula manufacturers are aware that it is impossible to satisfy changing physiological needs without correcting the composition of mixtures during the first year of life - there will certainly be an oversupply of an element. ... The development of serious diseases is unlikely, but why risk it ... With this in mind, mixtures are created that successively replace each other. Foreign manufacturers basically followed the path that divides food into 2 stages - before and after 6 months. The standard mixture, the same "Nan", and the subsequent formula "Nan-2" - for those over 6. It is obvious that in the second "Nan" the corresponding correction of the composition was carried out. Domestic producers took a slightly different path, for me, - so quite rational: "Baby" - up to 2 months, "Baby" - after 2 months. So we are 4 months old. And the child is very, very sorry, because it is eating one "thin mixture". It doesn't matter that the child grows and develops normally, that he does not have any special problems. I just really want to be like everyone else ... What can we offer better than a mixture? Shall we give kefir, or vegetable soup, or oatmeal in milk? But any of the listed products will not contain everything that is in the adapted mixture - this is absolutely unambiguous. Consequently, we will replace several feedings, plus we will start feeding the child with vitamins in order to eliminate the deficiency - which vitamin, how pronounced the deficiency - we will not know, but we will give. It is not surprising in this regard that in my daily practice hypervitaminosis occurs much more often than hypovitaminosis. Why, after all, the thought constantly occurs to us that something must be added to the mixture (!). Firstly, because, as you write, "yes, there are all the necessary vitamins and microelements, but if an adult is fed with vitamins alone in capsules, then if he does not live long ...". But we have already noted that the MAIN THING is still not vitamins, but proteins, fats, carbohydrates. Secondly, the belief that a varied diet is a wholesome and healthy diet is firmly rooted in our minds. And, according to this logic, one cannot be healthy by consuming one mixture. This is an enormous delusion. The whale, which weighs 100 tons, eats one plankton, the diet of most species is very narrow, and humans are no exception. Thirdly, all these numerous beautiful, beautiful jars-bags-boxes allow us to materially realize our love, because we do not feel sorry for anything for the child. And finally, fourthly, we constantly hear about the need for juices, mashed potatoes, a variety of food and cannot understand that all the above-mentioned jars-boxes are a multi-billion dollar business. What is there to comment on? I have observed more than a hundred children to whom their parents could not give anything for up to a year except an adapted mixture - everything else caused allergies. It was mainly the parents who suffered, since this did not completely affect the growth and development of the child, and it could not, because if parents can afford to purchase a high-quality adapted mixture for their child, then they (the parents) should be aware of the fact that that this mixture is certainly better, healthier, safer than any soup, any porridge, any puree. And to answer the question "why is it still recommended for artificial people to start giving complementary foods earlier, what is the difference if a good mixture is as close as possible to mother's milk? "I cannot, because I completely disagree with this point of view. It would be better if we reasoned like this: the child does not see normal food - mother's milk. He receives a kind of surrogate, supposedly replacing milk, but this is the BEST that we can offer him. let's give him only one good mixture for a longer time, so as not to aggravate the "abnormality" of the diet with experiments. And "living vitamins" are not a fairy tale, because fairy tales are kind. on my own conscience, buying in boxes first "live vitamins", then lineks-bactisubtiles, a little later tavegils-suprastins, etc. All the best. I really hope that my argument will seem convincing to you. Komarovsky Evgeny Olegovich.

Breastfeeding is widely promoted, has many benefits, is beneficial for the baby, helps to solve digestive problems and postpone acquaintance with solid foods for a long time. With artificial feeding, complementary foods are introduced earlier, but the baby's digestive system is not always ready to accept adult food, so you should act carefully, in accordance with the rules of complementary feeding.

Content:

Age to start complementary feeding

Modern adapted formulas are ideal for a baby, but cannot fully meet the needs of a growing, developing body, as breast milk does. Its composition changes as the baby develops; it is individual for each nursing woman. It is for this reason that, with artificial feeding, complementary foods are introduced a little earlier.

In fact, even the opinions of pediatricians differ. According to the modern World Health Organization, early complementary foods from 3 months are dangerous for a child's health. The necessary enzymes for the digestion of solid food begin to be produced at 4 months. Consequently, acquaintance with a new food is postponed until the age of 4.5-5 months.

Attention! Solid food is not tough, dry, and chewy. This term refers to all baby products, except for breast milk and adapted formula. The transition to normal food (cereals, mashed potatoes, even kefir) is the introduction of solid food.

Signs of a child's readiness

Despite the set deadlines, each child needs an individual approach. One baby already at 4 months will be ready to take solid food, the second at 5-6 may not understand what they want from him. This does not mean developmental lag, there is no negative key, no need to concentrate on this moment. It is better to carefully observe the baby so as not to miss the right moment to start complementary feeding with artificial feeding.

Signs of readiness:

  1. The child is sitting with the help of the parents. At 5 months, you can put a pillow so that the baby is in a reclining state. You cannot give food in a horizontal position. It is not necessary to grind and dilute complementary foods in order to give them from a bottle, this is wrong. Food should only be offered from a spoon.
  2. Food interest has appeared. The kid reaches for the food of his parents, tries to grab it, bring it to his mouth. He actively responds to cutlery, drooling.
  3. The pushing reflex, which protects the newborn child from foreign objects in the first months of life, has disappeared.
  4. The daily amount of the adapted mixture reached 800-1000 ml.
  5. The baby's weight has doubled since birth. If the baby was born prematurely, then 2.5 times.

When breastfeeding, an indirect sign of a child's readiness is the eruption of the first teeth. But for children on artificial feeding, it is irrelevant, since for most babies this happens closer to 6 months.

Video: Dr. Komarovsky about complementary foods

General principles for the introduction of new products

The first complementary feeding with artificial feeding should not coincide with other changes in the child's life: teething, diseases, vaccinations. Otherwise, getting to know a new product can turn into a lot of troubles. You need to choose the most comfortable time.

Fundamental rules:

  1. Complementary foods are given in the morning before one of the main meals.
  2. Regardless of the type of product, the first portion should not exceed 0.5 tsp. If no negative reactions have appeared during the day, then the amount can be doubled.
  3. Each type of product should be given at least 7-10 days. Only after that they begin to get acquainted with other food.
  4. Do not mix several unfamiliar products at the same time. But you can add a new ingredient to a dish that has already been suitable for a child, he uses it with pleasure.
  5. Until 8 months, all products should have a homogeneous consistency, since the swallowing and chewing reflexes are not yet sufficiently developed.

It is important to pay special attention to the cleanliness of the dishes. It is advisable to use a separate pan, get a children's plate, a spoon. If the dish is prepared on its own, they choose high-quality vegetables, fruits, and meat. After cooking, the food must be cooled. The optimum temperature is 36-37 ° C, that is, it corresponds to body temperature.

Advice! It is not necessary to purchase a food thermometer to measure the temperature of a dish. It is enough to drop a small amount of mashed potatoes on the inner side of the wrist, everything will immediately become clear.

Possible problems and solutions

There is a lot of information about artificial feeding, the transition to adult food, but it does not always help to avoid problems that arise not only among young, but also among experienced parents. Some things cannot be influenced. The main thing is not to panic. If there is a trouble, you need to pull yourself together, calm down, help the child.

Common problems:

  1. The child refuses the product. New taste and unusual consistency are not always accepted with delight. After 1-2 days, complementary foods are offered again. Sometimes it comes up to 10 attempts.
  2. The child pushes the spoon out with his tongue. Most likely, he is not yet ready for the first feeding. It is worth waiting a few days or weeks until the reflex disappears.
  3. Allergy. It can manifest itself in different ways: rash, itching, redness of the cheeks, buttocks, groin areas, abdominal pain. It is necessary to stop the introduction of complementary foods, use an antihistamine, consult a doctor.
  4. Stool disorder. This problem may indicate the unpreparedness of the digestive system, as well as indicate an intolerance to the product. Postpone the first complementary food for another 1-2 weeks, then look at the situation and the child's well-being.

You can not increase the portions of complementary foods, even if the child is not averse to eating more. After the prescribed norm, the baby is fed with a mixture. If you offer a lot of new food at once, the body will not be able to process the product, the risk of developing allergies will increase several times.

How to introduce basic products

All complementary foods can be roughly divided into basic and additional. The first group includes mashed potatoes, which will completely replace food intake, that is, they will be served in full portions. Complementary foods include eggs, butter, spices, herbs, baked goods, and rusks. They are offered to the child to improve the taste of the dish, diversify the menu, enrich the dish with valuable substances, but only after the introduction of the main food.

Product introduction table

Vegetables

For the first complementary foods, hypoallergenic, light types of vegetables with a low starch content are selected: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin. Later, carrots, soaked potatoes are added. All products go well together in a vegetable puree. But it is necessary to propose a duet or trio only after an individual acquaintance with each type.

Fruits

From 5 months, apples, pears, and prunes are introduced. Next, add apricots, peaches, bananas, kiwi. By 7-8 months, you can add berries with a low degree of allergenicity. Children like fruit purees, as they have a pleasant taste and sweetness. They will solve the problem with the chair. For example, a pear will help relieve diarrhea, and prunes will relieve constipation.

Meat, poultry

Low-fat meats are used for complementary foods: beef, rabbit, turkey, horse meat. Chicken should be introduced with caution, as it belongs to allergenic products. Meat can be combined with vegetables familiar to the child. Do not inject egg yolk at the same time, so as not to complicate the work of the stomach.

A fish

Low-fat varieties of river and sea fish are used for feeding: pollock, hake, cod, perch. Closer to the year, you can add seafood to the diet. Mashed potatoes are prepared from them, which are combined with familiar vegetables. Any fish has a high degree of allergenicity; when a problem is identified, the product is postponed for up to a year, sometimes up to 2 years.

Cottage cheese, kefir

Fermented milk products will help normalize and improve bowel function, but it is important to consider the expiration dates. Cottage cheese is easy to poison. There is also a chance to buy a low-quality product. It is for this reason that you need to choose a manufacturer of baby food. Many parents choose to cook cottage cheese on their own.

Porridge

Complementary foods should be started with cereals that do not contain gluten: buckwheat, rice, corn. Other cereals can be added later. Porridge for a child is prepared in milk or diluted with a suitable mixture. With overweight, the introduction of cereals is postponed for 1-2 months.

Purchased and homemade food: pros and cons

You can argue about purchased and homemade food endlessly. In fact, everything is very simple: both ready-made and self-cooked baby food has a place in the child's diet. It all depends on the time of the year, the availability of quality products, the taste of the baby. For example, you don't need to deprive your child of healthy cauliflower or rabbit meat if you can't cook them, but it's easy to buy mashed potatoes at the store. But if the first complementary foods came at the end of summer and autumn, when high-quality vegetables are available, then it is better to prepare meals yourself.

Pros of purchased baby food:

  1. Convenience. Especially at the very beginning of the transition from artificial feeding to solid foods. At this time, the baby eats only a few spoons, sometimes refuses, and time is spent on cooking and food.
  2. Diversity. Regardless of the time of the year, you can buy absolutely any baby food, including rare meats, non-seasonal vegetables.
  3. Consistency. Mashed potatoes are prepared taking into account age characteristics. For the first feeding from 4 months, these are tender masses, gradually producers increase the density, lumps and small grains are added.
  4. Quality. Not so long ago, natural products were appreciated more. Now the situation has changed. Much attention is paid to the production of baby food, strict control is carried out.
  5. Taste. In ready meals, it is the same or similar to each other. In homemade dishes, it is different, depending on the initial raw materials, the amount of spices, and the cooking time.

The disadvantages include cost. The price of one jar is often equal to a whole kilogram of vegetables or 0.3-0.5 kg of meat, there is also a big difference between cereals and ready-made cereals. In order to save money, you can gradually switch to normal food. The only thing that doesn't need to be changed is baby dairy products. It is really difficult to find high-quality cottage cheese or mass-produced kefir in a store, children's brands win in this.

General principles of making baby puree

Since with artificial feeding the child does not receive vital substances, it is necessary to make his diet as diverse as possible. At home, you can prepare any first complementary food, if there are quality products. Puree is made from vegetables, meat, fish, fruits. A blender or strainer is used for chopping.

General principles of mashed potatoes:

  1. The product needs to be washed, cleaned, meat and fish should be soaked. Cut into slices, fold into a saucepan.
  2. Pour water so that it barely covers the product, place on the stove.
  3. After boiling, the broth from the fish, meat is drained, replaced with pure boiling water. Vegetables are cooked in the same water without replacement.
  4. As soon as the product is cooked, it becomes soft, drain the excess liquid into a bowl, chop the pieces.
  5. For children on artificial nutrition, an adapted mixture and milk are added to vegetable purees. Fruit, meat dishes are diluted with the previously removed broth, bringing to the desired consistency.

It is advisable to consume homemade food immediately after preparation. You can put part of the dish in a sterile container, close it, store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Advice! For storing mashed potatoes, it is convenient to use glass jars from baby food. They are perfectly washed, sterilized, tightly closed, and have a small volume.

General principles for the selection of ready-made food for complementary feeding

Not only product characteristics, but also the age range are indicated on baby food packages. For complementary foods, you need to choose the appropriate mashed potatoes and cereals. It is important to study the composition, which should be from one main product. The addition of salt, oil is allowed, milk is added to ready-made cereals.

What to look for:

  1. Shelf life. Canned meat and fish should be as fresh as possible, like dairy products.
  2. Production date. Don't go for applesauce released in March or January. It is better to give preference to summer, autumn products, when the fruits are fresh, full of vitamins.
  3. Integrity of the packaging. If the lid on the can is swollen, the box is torn, the dry mixture for porridge wakes up, this product for complementary foods and for baby food in general cannot be used.

When it comes to cost, the quality of the product is not always associated with it. The price is formed from many factors: transportation, packaging, storage, brand awareness, advertising. Often, baby food from local producers is in no way inferior to expensive counterparts.

Video: Dr. Komarovsky on food from jars



The first complementary feeding with artificial feeding is an important moment in a child's life. Timely introduction of various products into the diet helps to strengthen the health of the baby and creates all the conditions for his further harmonious development. How to introduce the first complementary food correctly?

The timing of the introduction of complementary foods

According to the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization), the first complementary foods can be introduced to artificial people in 4.5-6 months. In contrast to this, breastfed babies are advised by the pediatrician to start introducing new food no earlier than 6 months. What is the reason for this scheme?

Fully bottle-fed children are fed an adapted formula. Some babies receive formula from birth, while others switch to it in the first months of life. No matter how high-quality and balanced the artificial formula is, it cannot completely replace breast milk. And if babies under the age of 6 months receive all the nutrients and vitamins with milk, then artificial people are deprived of this opportunity. In order to provide the child with everything necessary, pediatricians advise to introduce the first complementary foods a little earlier, before the baby reaches the age of 6 months.

Another important detail that young parents should not forget: bottle-fed babies are more likely to have digestive problems. This is due to the fact that artificial people are forced from birth to use a mixture that is different in composition and properties from mother's milk. Their digestive tract is not ready for such a load, as a result of which there is a malfunction in its work. On the other hand, bottle-fed babies adapt faster to new food, therefore, according to WHO recommendations, they can begin to be introduced as early as 4.5 months of age.

Why do you need complementary foods?

Complementary feeding is the preparation of a child's digestive tract to accept new food. As the baby grows, his needs for nutrients and energy naturally increase. At some point, the artificial mixture can no longer cope with the growing demands of the child's body. At this time, you need to start introducing new food in order to create optimal conditions for the harmonious development of the baby.

The gradual introduction of various foods into the diet enables the stomach, intestines and liver to learn how to digest unfamiliar food. When parents introduce complementary foods, they prepare the baby for the transition to an adult table. After a year, the child can eat safe food with adults.

According to WHO recommendations, the first complementary foods for formula-fed children begin with vegetables. Vegetables contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals that ensure the normal growth and development of a child. As the first vegetables, WHO recommends introducing zucchini or cauliflower.

Vegetable introduction scheme

  1. All vegetables are offered to the child in the form of a homogeneous puree.
  2. Vegetables are introduced one at a time.
  3. Vegetables are offered to the baby during the daytime.
  4. New food should be introduced at the very beginning of the feed. It makes no sense to offer your baby vegetables after he has eaten the mixture.
  5. After the child has eaten the vegetables, you can feed him with formula.
  6. Simultaneously with the introduction of vegetables, water must be added to the diet.

You can give the water in a bottle or drink it from a spoon.

Approximate table of the first vegetable complementary foods:

How to introduce the first complementary food correctly? First of all, you don't have to force feed. There is nothing wrong with the fact that the baby does not fit into the WHO standards. The body of each baby is individual, and there is no point in forcing him to eat against his will. The child will definitely taste new food over time, the main thing is not to force events. As a protest, the baby may cry, or even refuse to try unfamiliar foods for a long time.

When can you include other vegetables in your diet? The WHO recommends cauliflower or broccoli as an alternative to squash. Potatoes and other vegetables can be offered to a child no earlier than 12 months. Parents should be especially careful with tomatoes and cucumbers. Even grown in their own dacha, they can lead to indigestion, not to mention store-bought vegetables.

When can you offer your baby porridge? According to WHO recommendations, cereals are included in the second stage of complementary feeding. They can be used as a first course with small children. At the age of 4-6 months, you can begin to introduce only gluten-free cereals (buckwheat, rice). Wheat and other types of cereals are allowed to be offered to a child after a year.

Porridge introduction scheme (table):

Age 4-6 months 7 months 8 months 9-12 months
Porridge volume 10-150 g 150-180 g 180-200 g 200 g

In the first 1.5 months, porridge is introduced in the same way as vegetables. Starting from ½ teaspoon on the first day, you should gradually increase the volume of porridge to 150 ml. If the product is well tolerated, it takes 10-14 days to reach the desired volume.


When the baby has mastered vegetable purees and cereals, you can begin to introduce other foods into his diet. According to the WHO recommendations, meat (lean beef, rabbit, chicken) can be given at the age of 6 months. Pork, lamb, duck and other fatty meats should be avoided in the first year of life. Before 3 years, you should not introduce meat broths into the diet.

When can fruit purees be added? Fruit puree should not be offered earlier than 8 months. Having got used to sweet foods, the baby may refuse to eat vegetables and cereals. This is why pediatricians have given up on fruit as their first food in recent years. Fruit juices can be administered no earlier than 12 months.

  • a fish;
  • eggs;
  • whole milk;
  • fruit juices.

All of these products are highly allergenic and can lead to adverse reactions.

According to the WHO, these products can be introduced into the diet of a baby at the age of 9-12 months:

  • dairy products;
  • cottage cheese.

Introduction table of various products for bottle-fed babies:

Possible reactions

The introduction of complementary foods with artificial feeding is not always successful. Many children develop allergic reactions in response to a new product. The rash is most often localized on the face, but it can spread throughout the body and cause a lot of anxiety to the baby. An allergic reaction can occur to absolutely any product, both industrial and homemade.

If signs of allergy appear, stop complementary foods until you recover.

Another common problem when introducing new dishes is stool change. Some children react to unfamiliar foods with diarrhea, while others cannot empty their bowels for several days. Both constipation and loose stools are a reason to stop complementary feeding and replace a product that does not fit the baby.

When can I start introducing complementary foods again? Not earlier than 3 days after the allergy symptoms subside. In case of a pronounced reaction, it is worth postponing the allergenic dish for a month. After 4-6 weeks, you can try again to introduce this product into the baby's diet in small doses.

General feeding rules

  1. All new food is offered to the child on condition of good health.
  2. New meals are not introduced if the toddler is sick, teething, or has recently been vaccinated.
  3. The first complementary food is introduced in one of the daily feedings (from 10 to 14 hours).
  4. Food is given to the baby before formula feeding.
  5. All meals are offered from a spoon.
  6. All products are introduced one at a time. You cannot offer your baby to try two new dishes at once.
  7. The introduction of new dishes starts with small portions and is gradually brought up to the age norm.
  8. Baby food is not offered by force.
  9. When introducing solid food, it is necessary to offer the child water.
  10. If an undesirable reaction develops, complementary foods are stopped until recovery.

Complementary feeding is an important event in the life of every baby, and its introduction always raises a lot of questions among young parents. In this article, we will consider the introduction of complementary foods by months for a special category of children, the so-called "artificial", who, for some reason, for example, in view of the forced separation of a child from his mother, do not eat breast milk, but infant formula.

When it is worth introducing the first complementary foods with artificial feeding, where to start and how to properly give the child specific foods for months - we will pay attention to all of this in this article.


There is an opinion that the introduction of complementary foods with artificial feeding can be started much earlier than. This is due to the fact that thanks to the mixture, which has many different impurities, the digestive system of the artificial child "ripens" much faster for foreign food. To date, there are no unequivocal recommendations as to exactly what age it is worth starting to feed a child who is bottle-fed. The optimal age for this is considered to be a period of 4-6 months. Complementary feeding earlier than this time is unacceptable, since the baby's digestive system is simply not ready to digest anything other than breast milk and a substitute mixture, and a later start of feeding, on the contrary, is to some extent fraught with developmental delays.

In any case, there are several signs by which you can understand whether the baby who is bottle-fed is ready for complementary foods or not:

  • he sits more or less confidently, does not fall to one side and does not fall forward;
  • is actively interested in the food that dad and mom eat, tries to grab it, pull it into his mouth.
  • during the course of the disease and for several days after complete recovery;
  • within a week after staging any vaccination;
  • in the midst of a sultry summer.

Experts also recommend paying attention to the weight gain of the crumbs: if a child is artificially fed well and is gaining weight in moderation, then you can start feeding from 5-6 months, and if the crumbs are a little behind in weight or, conversely, are gaining too much, then start as soon as possible.

Where to begin? Here, as with the time of the beginning of complementary feeding, everything is individual. Often, complementary foods for children who are bottle-fed are recommended to start with vegetable purees, since they, as a rule, have no problems with weight gain, and very often there is even an excess of it. Vegetables, however, are quite easy to digest and have many vitamins and nutrients that are so necessary for a baby on artificial feeding. But if, for some reason, the child eats a mixture and still gains weight poorly, then, as with breastfeeding, it is worth starting with cereals.
Returning to the topic of vegetables, we also want to note that if you do not know which vegetable puree to give preference to: industrial or homemade, then it all depends on where you get the vegetables for making homemade puree. If you are confident in the quality of the vegetables from which you are going to make mashed potatoes, then nothing should stop you (read also about that). If you are going to take vegetables of dubious origin from the supermarket, then it is better to immediately purchase an industrial jar of puree, since vegetables sold in stores are often treated with various chemicals, and specially grown vegetables of higher quality are used to make industrial purees.

You should also avoid starting with generous portions right away. At the first introduction, this or that product must be given to the crumbs in a very small amount - 0.5-1 teaspoon, doubling the portion every next day until it comes to a portion of 100-150 g, which can fully replace one feeding with a mixture. Also, do not rush to salt and sweeten food for the baby, until the 1st year it is generally not recommended to do this. When you get to a full serving of vegetables, you can add 0.5-1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to it (in porridge - 0.5-1 teaspoon of butter).

Complementary feeding of the child by months with artificial feeding

We suggest that you consider in more detail what products are correctly introduced for bottle-fed babies for specific months of life.

Vegetables


As already mentioned, vegetables are ideal for the first feeding of a bottle-fed baby, and they can be introduced from 4-6 months. The baby's first vegetables may well be: zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, beets, etc. the last place is to offer the baby red vegetables. The serving of vegetables offered to the baby should start at 5 g and gradually increase to 100-150 g.

Fruits


Fruits can also be introduced to a baby within a period of 4-6 months, however, it is not recommended to start artificial feeding with them, since after sweet fruits the baby will negatively perceive less tasty vegetables and porridge. Apple, pear, banana, peach and apricot are allowed as the first fruits. Exotic fruits and citrus fruits, such as kiwi, oranges and mangoes, are not recommended for babies under one year old. It is also necessary to start the introduction with a minimum portion (5 g) and gradually bring to a portion of 60-100 g.

Porridge


Porridge can also be chosen as the first complementary food (at 4-6 months), but, as already mentioned, only if the baby has problems with weight gain. In any case, it is necessary to start strictly with gluten-free cereals: buckwheat, rice and corn. Porridge such as pearl barley, oatmeal and semolina can be introduced into the baby's diet no earlier than 1 year. Up to 8 months, porridge must be cooked strictly in water in a ratio of 1: 4. So that the crumb can eat the porridge and not choke, it is necessary to grind the cereal in a coffee grinder, or ready-made porridge with a blender. Gradually, the porridge can be made thicker. Porridge is introduced in the same way: gradually and alternately. Having reached a portion of 100-200 g, you can add a little butter to the porridge.

Meat


Meat is an extremely necessary product that saturates the body of the crumbs with many useful substances and prevents the appearance of anemia. Meat is introduced into the baby's diet after six months (preferably from 7 months). For a start, it is recommended to give preference to rabbit and turkey meat, and then introduce chicken, beef, veal and lean pork. Pre-chopped meat or industrial meat puree should be given to the child. To begin with, the best solution would be to add chopped meat to vegetable puree or non-dairy porridge, from 8 months you can make meatballs for your baby, and from the 1st year you can give steam cutlets. Meat portions should not be large: from 10 g to 60-70 g.

Yolk


Egg yolk is a healthy and nutritious product, but it is difficult to digest and often causes allergies. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce it to the crumbs gradually and very carefully: from 8 months, give 1 time in 3 days, starting with 1/8 of the yolk, and each time doubling the portion to 1/2 of the yolk. Protein is allowed to be given to children only upon reaching the 1st year. You can also replace chicken eggs with quail eggs.

Cottage cheese

The question remains quite controversial when it is possible to introduce fermented milk products to artificial babies. Some experts assure that no earlier than 8 months, others - starting from six months. Some even advise starting complementary foods with kefir if the baby has digestive problems. In any case, the baby needs cottage cheese, as it is a valuable source of calcium and useful amino acids. Remember that cottage cheese for a baby must be chosen very scrupulously, since bacteria multiply very quickly in this product. It is necessary to give preference to curd in special packaging, or prepare it yourself using special starter cultures or kefir. Remember also that the daily portion of cottage cheese up to 1 year should not exceed 50 g, otherwise the child's liver will be too stressed.

A fish


The fish must be introduced into the diet after the full introduction of meat, not earlier than 8 months. To begin with, you should give preference to low-fat fish, in which there are few bones: hake, pollock, sea bass, cod, etc. The fish should be introduced in the same way as meat: chop and add to vegetable puree or porridge. It is recommended to give fish to the baby 2 times a week, replacing the "meat" feeding.


In order for the beginning of complementary feeding to be as painless as possible for you and the crumbs, you need to follow these recommendations:

  • it is impossible to completely abandon infant formula, even if the child is happy to eat "adult" food, before he turns 1 year (with complementary foods, the baby may not get all the nutrients and nutrients he needs);
  • products must be introduced alternately, one after the other (you cannot give 2 new products in 1 day);
  • do not force the child to eat;
  • new food must be given to the baby in the morning and afternoon in order to fully assess his reaction to the "novelty";
  • complementary foods should be offered to the baby at the beginning of feeding, and then supplemented with a mixture;
  • the consistency of food should gradually change (becoming thicker over time), but it is necessary to start giving food with the consistency of sour cream;
  • whole cow's milk should not be given to children under one year old;
  • soups for babies up to a year should be cooked in vegetable, and not in meat broth;
  • you cannot use sugar, salt and other spices for baby dishes under one year old.

Video about the first complementary feeding with artificial feeding

This video tells about the correct introduction of complementary foods to children who are bottle-fed by months, whether it is possible for them to introduce — pedagogical complementary foods — until what point there is a need to feed the child with a mixture, and what nuances exist when feeding artificial children.

I hope that in this article you have found useful information for yourself and have understood the basic rules for introducing complementary foods by month for bottle-fed babies.

I would also like to ask a question to those mothers whose babies were or are still being artificially fed: how and at what time did you start feeding your baby, what products were introduced by months, what rules did you follow? Leave your comments on this matter.