First solid foods: cook or buy?

First solid foods: cook or buy?
Introduction

first solid foods Before a child is four to six months, a staple in the diet it is breast milk - and milk formula Infant formula for your baby: an alternative food If the mother can not breastfeed. At the age of 4-6 months in the diet grudnichka you can start typing the first solid foods - solid foods. By this time the digestive system is usually ready for a meal.

How to understand that the time has come for the first feeding

The following signs indicate that the child is ready to lure:

A child can sit, leaning back in his chair. Perhaps it is not yet ready for the highchair, but the main thing that at mealtimes he could keep your back straight;
He does not push food tongue;
It performs chewing movements. Mouth, tongue and digestive system of the child develop synchronously. If it often makes chewing motion, this usually indicates that the digestive tract is ready to solid food. As a rule, in this case the child is markedly reduced salivating - even at a time when teething, it may be renewed;
Significant weight gain. Most children are ready for the first lure when their weight at birth has doubled. This is not before the age of four months;
The growing appetite. The child often wants to eat - even when it is fed eight to ten times a day, this is not always enough;
The child shows interest in what you eat. They can carefully observe as you send in your mouth food, and even try to grab food off your plate.

First solid foods: how to introduce the child to solid food

Typically, the first feeding parents prepare liquid dairy cereal. It is widely believed that the first child to be given a cereal porridge, but do not have any scientific evidence that the porridge of cereal for the first feeding is better than a number of different cereals. Cook porridge for feeding, mixing cereal with breast milk or infant formula; children under the age of 10-12 months cow's milk is better not to give. The child can also offer mashed fruit, such as banana, peach and pear.

Before the first lure The lure: a spoon first adult food you need to feed the baby breast milk or formula. Then ask him some solid food. Feed him with a small plastic spoon with rounded edges to prevent damage to the gums.

If the child does not want to eat with a spoon, let it sniff and examine the food, and then again try to offer it. Even if he eats only one spoon, praise him; if he did not eat - not terrible, try to feed him solid food in a couple of days. In no case do not press on the child, do not try to feed him against his will, and did not raise his voice - it will lead to the fact that the feeding of the child will be associated with stress and feed it in the future will be even harder. Also, do not hold the excitement around the first feeding - for example, to gather around the child's entire family, and it is constantly taking pictures (if you really want to take pictures, then at least do not use a flash). When a child will try a new food, it should feel comfortable and confident.

First, give your child solid foods once a day, and only if the child is in a good mood Good mood: Secrets positive and not too tired. At first, the child will have very little solid food, and perhaps it will often spit out - it's okay, he gradually gets used to the lure. After a few weeks, try to give the baby a thick milk porridge, and mashed a few fruits. As soon as the child's appetite will increase, add to his diet new products. If the history of the child, or a family history of food allergies, introduce one new product only once a week - this time to appear allergy symptoms, if at all. If you start at the same time to give the child some new products, and he will have allergy symptoms, identify the allergen will not be easy. If signs of an adverse reaction to a particular product should consult a doctor.

How long should I breastfeed after the first feeding

The answer to this question depends, first, on whether you have enough breast milk. If milk is produced normally, women tend to gradually reduce its stake in the diet of children. By the time the child turns a year, complementary foods may be more than 50% of its diet, and in the following six months, breastfeeding can be completely stopped. However, this can be done, and when the child is a year or even earlier - Today, many young mothers seeking to return to work as soon as possible after birth; if you are able to breastfeed for up to six months - it is excellent.

How to understand that the child is fed

Child's appetite can vary for different reasons, so the amount eaten says little about how hungry he is, or not. However, it is important to know the signs of satiety, so as not to feed the baby when he is no longer hungry - is, according to experts, one of the main causes of overeating adults (after all, many of us offered to eat a spoonful for Daddy, for my mother, and so Further, we do not want to eat). If the baby leans back in his chair, facing away from food, starts playing with a spoon, or refuses to open his mouth, it usually indicates that it is full (however, it can keep your mouth shut, because I have not swallowed the previous portion of food, so hurry the baby is not necessary).