Adding complementary foods to your baby is probably a top priority for every mother. When to add it, how to add it, what to eat at the beginning, and when to eat what complementary food, many mothers are worried. But there are also some parents who uphold the traditional concept

Adding complementary foods to babies is probably a top priority for every mother. When to add it, how to add it, what to eat at the beginning, and when to eat what complementary food, many mothers are worried. But there are also some parents who adhere to the traditional concept of raising babies, thinking that it is enough to give the baby porridge, and there is no need to add complementary foods if the milk is sufficient...

The neighbor's little boy is 3 years old, but he has always been slurred because he has been drinking porridge and breast milk. Because the refrigerator was full of breast milk, grandpa didn't know how to add complementary food, so he kept giving him porridge and milk. The little boy's oral muscles have not been exercised and he has been unable to pronounce words clearly.

In fact, it is okay to give your baby porridge, but as your baby grows up, the nutrition of the food cannot meet their growth and development needs, so you need to add a variety of foods to your baby. Before the baby is 1 year old, milk is their staple food. But after the baby is 4-6 months old, he or she needs to add complementary foods. On the one hand, the trace elements such as iron and zinc in breast milk are exhausted, and on the other hand, it is to exercise their oral muscles and chewing ability and prepare them for speaking.

So, when to add complementary foods to the baby, how to add them, and what to eat at the beginning... As a mother of a second child, I will share my complementary food strategy with you to help parents avoid detours.

When should we start adding complementary foods?

Giving complementary foods to babies is not only to fill their stomachs, but also to supplement nutrients such as iron and zinc that have been exhausted in breast milk. More importantly, it is to exercise their oral muscles and develop their sense of taste.

Should babies add complementary foods at 4 months or 6 months? Many parents will have their own opinions. For this reason, I specifically consulted the doctor who did Erbao's physical examination. The doctor told me that there is no standard time for babies to add complementary foods, and it is best to add them according to the baby's development.

The medical examiner told me that if the baby meets the following four conditions, you can add complementary foods to them:

(1) It can support itself to sit firmly.

(2) can control the head very well, such as turning the head or keeping the head steadily in the center.

(3) The tongue pushing reaction disappears, which means that when feeding the baby, they will not push the food out with their tongue.

(4) is interested in adults’ food. When he sees us eating, he will grab the food.

Of course, it is best not to introduce complementary foods to your baby earlier than 4 months, nor later than 8 months. Because the gastrointestinal tract of 4-month-old babies is immature and the intestinal mucosal barrier is not fully developed, they are prone to allergies. Wait until 4 months later, when their intestinal defense barrier is established, before trying to add complementary foods. Adding complementary foods too late will prevent their oral muscles from being exercised, affecting the baby's pronunciation and opening.

What is the baby’s first complementary food? How to eat?

In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics proposed for the first time that there are no strict requirements for the type of complementary food for babies. Iron-fortified rice noodles, egg yolk puree, meat puree, and vegetable puree can all be used as the first complementary food. The Canadian Pediatric Association also issued a statement in 2013 stating that babies should start adding various complementary foods as soon as possible after six months of age to meet their growth and development needs.

As for our Chinese families, we are generally used to starting with rice noodles. But what should be noted here is that it is best not to feed your baby homemade rice noodles.

Perhaps in many people’s minds, homemade rice noodles are safer and do not contain pesticides and additives, but they cannot meet the baby’s need for iron. Long-term consumption will cause iron deficiency anemia. A friend's child didn't like to drink milk because he thought homemade rice cereal was safe, so he only ate homemade rice cereal every day, and eventually became malnourished.

Egg yolk puree is also a good iron-supplementing food, but it is rich in ferric iron, which is not easily absorbed by babies and can easily cause allergies in children. Iron-fortified nutritional rice noodles, like formula milk powder, are specially designed for infants and young children, and the divalent iron in them is easily absorbed and digested by babies.

For example, I gave Erbao Grandpa’s farm rice noodles. Their raw material is organic rice , which reassures parents. Wet and dry mixing processes are also used to ensure that nutrients are not lost to the greatest extent. Enzymatic hydrolysis process has small molecules that are easy for babies to absorb. Canned storage is not susceptible to moisture.

When your baby is introduced to complementary food for the first time, it is recommended to choose the organic iron-fortified infant rice flour from Grandpa’s farm. The iron content is as high as 5.8mg. The divalent iron is combined with vitamin C to help the baby absorb it. The single grain is free of allergens and , and is suitable as the baby's first complementary food. After confirms that the baby does not have allergic reactions such as vomiting/diarrhea/rash, etc., we can introduce new foods to them, preferably only one kind of food at a time.

If the mother is worried that her baby will get tired of eating a single flavor of rice noodles for a long time, she can add minced meat, shrimp, mashed potatoes, carrots, green vegetables, etc. to the baby's rice noodles.

For office workers or lazy mothers, you can also choose pork liver powder from Grandpa’s farm, which meets the standards for infants and young children. It is packaged in independent small bags to reduce waste and is easy to carry when going out. The most important thing is that the iron content of pork liver powder is as high as 325mg/100g. It tastes good and has no fishy smell. It is easier for babies to accept

Principles to be followed when adding complementary foods

. Adding complementary foods should be done step by step, from one type to multiple types. Every time you add a new food, observe it for three days and try the new food if there is no allergic reaction. Vegetables, grains, potatoes, fish, shrimp, meat, etc. must be added appropriately after ensuring that they are not allergic.

, baby food supplement is best to add oil, it can be flaxseed oil , walnut oil, avocado oil, etc.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents 2022 Edition" points out that infants and young children are in a period of rapid growth and have higher energy needs than adults, and oils and fats have the highest energy density. The energy source of babies under 6 months of age is breast milk fat. Complementary foods above 6 months of age require an appropriate amount of fat, especially those that are mainly based on plant foods such as cereals. No more than 10g/d for 7-12 months old, 5-15g/d for 13-24 months old.

For example, this grandpa's farm walnut oil is produced using a low-temperature cold pressing process. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content is as high as 75.4%, ensuring the growth and development of the brain and visual function. The raw material walnuts come from the Dordogne Valley. The brown light-proof glass bottle is equipped with a telescopic oil nozzle for easy oil control.

, complementary foods should be from thin to thick, from fine to thick. The rice cereal given to the baby in the early stage can be liquid, then semi-liquid, and then thick rice cereal. When the baby is eight or nine months old, you can introduce minced food from pureed food. After ten months, granular food can be introduced. After 1 year old, block food and thin strip food can be introduced to exercise the baby's chewing ability.

It is important to add complementary foods, but parents cannot ignore the baby's staple food because of complementary foods. Before the baby is 1 year old, milk is still the staple food. On the basis of ensuring a daily milk volume of 600-800mL, we gradually add complementary foods.

html For 14-6 months, complementary food can be given once a day; for 8-9 months, complementary food can be given twice a day; for 10-12 months, complementary food can be given 2-3 times a day. After 1 year old, the baby's complementary food basically follows the adult's diet, which can be three meals and two o'clock, but it should be noted that the baby's food should be light, with less oil and less salt.

What is the first complementary food you give your baby? Welcome to leave a message and communicate.

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