Nutrition for a 6 month old baby. WHAT HOW MUCH and WHEN?

Food programming

Scientific research in recent decades has proven that there is a connection between the nature of a child’s nutrition in the first years of life and the risk of many diseases in the future, such as obesity, diabetes and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Food determines how our body will use the instructions hidden in our genes.

According to this program, using “building blocks” of nutrients, first the formation and growth of a small person inside his mother occurs, and then functional maturation and further development in childhood. A nutritious and balanced diet affects the ability to learn, as well as the chances of resisting infectious and environmental unfavorable environmental factors. Therefore, nutrition of the expectant mother during pregnancy and children during the period of intensive physical and mental development is an extremely important issue.

Mom's milk

Breast milk is the ideal food for babies in the first months of life. Nature itself regulates the composition and required amount of milk produced by the mother, adapting to the needs of the child. So, immediately after childbirth, when the baby is just adapting to the changed living conditions, learning to get food, and the mother is learning to feed, she produces colostrum. This is a highly nutritious product that, in small quantities, provides satiety and plays a protective role. As the baby grows, milk becomes more abundant and its quality composition changes, but throughout the first year of life it is the main food product for the child. Therefore, it is very important that the diet of a nursing mother is complete and satisfies not only the need for basic nutrients, but is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

IMPORTANT! It must be remembered that breast milk contains biologically active molecules that control the growth and development of the child, as well as protective proteins - immunoglobulins, which ensure the baby’s immunity to viral and bacterial infections. Modern scientific and production technologies make it possible to create adapted formulas that are as close as possible to human milk, but today it is impossible to artificially reproduce this unique product.

Every mother should strive to establish and maintain breastfeeding; by doing this, she determines the best path for her baby’s development, provides mental and emotional comfort, and also forms a health reserve for the future.

Complementary feeding at 7 months

Another option for both the second and first feeding is porridge. It must be remembered that cereals must be gluten-free. You should also not cook porridge with cow's or goat's milk, since the bodies of children under one year old are not able to digest this heavy product.

If your child refuses to eat dairy-free porridge, add a little of your milk or formula to it. This will help the baby quickly get used to the new product.

Gluten-free grains include rice, corn and buckwheat. Such an assortment will satisfy the needs of a little gourmet. Porridges containing gluten can cause severe pathological conditions of the intestines.

In pharmacy chains and specialized departments of supermarkets you can purchase the most suitable porridge for babies. Some mothers are afraid to purchase them, but their fears are unfounded.

Industrially produced porridges for complementary feeding are absolutely safe and enriched with all useful components.

Cereals should be given according to the scheme proposed in the table above. When feeding them, you need to monitor the child’s condition: does the stomach hurt, is bowel movement disrupted, or does a rash appear on the skin. You cannot combine different cereals!

Transitional power

The next most important period in a child’s life is the introduction of complementary foods as a stage of gradual preparation for completely independent nutrition. This is a very important moment in the life of a family. Many parents wonder whether there are any possible health consequences with earlier or, conversely, later introduction of certain foods into the diet, and at what months it would be most optimal to start complementary feeding. The next group of questions is related to the choice of food group to start with and the correct sequence of administration. These aspects not only concern parents, but are also the subject of numerous scientific studies, based on which recommendations are formed. Taking into account modern knowledge, it can be argued that the timing, quality and quantity of food introduced into a child’s diet cannot be arbitrary values, but they also do not have a uniform scheme for everyone. They are largely determined by the individual characteristics of the baby, and must correspond to the modern general nutritional strategy for a child in the first year of life.

What not to give to infants

Mothers who often “bombard” doctors with questions about when it is possible to give a child liver , when it is possible to give kefir and other products, should remember what food it is not advisable to introduce girls and boys in the first year of life:

juices - they are not recommended to be given even to children after 1 year, as they irritate the mucous membranes and do not benefit the child’s body;
semolina porridge , as well as other porridges with gluten ;
butter cookies , sweets ;
and cow's milk ;
Exotic fruits.

Introduction dates

International experts recommend starting complementary feeding for breastfed children at 6 months. Domestic experts in the field of baby nutrition are of the opinion that earlier introduction is possible - within 4-6 months, based on the individual characteristics of the family. Russian recommendations are based on the fact that starting the introduction of complementary feeding in the second half of the year is possible only if the baby was born full-term, the mother and baby are completely healthy, and the woman receives a nutritious, varied diet enriched with vitamins and minerals. Another difficulty is that when starting complementary feeding from 6 months, it is necessary to introduce a large number of foods quite quickly. For children, from 4 to 9 months is the most favorable period for getting to know food. If a child tries foods for the first time at this age, his immune system does not subsequently perceive these foods as foreign, and the person then eats them without problems throughout his life.

Baby's first products

The first complementary foods should include foods that have a neutral taste. This must be done so that the bright taste does not make the baby reject the new food or, on the contrary, eliminate the preference for one dish over all others.

This is why, for example, experts do not recommend introducing sweet and aromatic juices or fruit purees into the first complementary foods. Of course, they are much more attractive than zucchini or meat products, which is why it is necessary to prevent the formation of incorrect taste preferences at an early age.

It is not so important at what age you start introducing new products - complementary feeding at 5 months with artificial feeding follows the same principles as complementary feeding from six months with breastfeeding.

Is it possible earlier?

Early introduction of complementary foods has many adverse consequences. The digestive tract is not yet ready to digest foreign food. In breast milk, all nutrients are presented in an easily digestible form, so stomach hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes do not play a big role in the absorption of these substances. The functional activity of the digestive organs increases only by the 4th month of life, and by the same age the skill of swallowing semi-liquid food begins to develop. Early introduction of complementary foods leads to stimulation of enzyme production, and often a failure occurs, which leads to dysregulation and in adulthood can cause the development of obesity, inflammation of the pancreas and diabetes. The introduction of foreign food in the first months of life has an adverse effect on the kidneys and is also associated with a high risk of developing allergic diseases.

Another significant problem is the premature replacement of breast milk with other food groups. The baby is put to the breast less often, which affects the decrease in lactation and the amount of milk consumed. At this age, natural feeding plays a decisive role in the baby’s nutrition. Only the supply of milk in sufficient quantities can ensure all ongoing processes of growth and development of the child, maintain the required level of metabolism and have effects aimed at protecting health.

Signs of readiness to start complementary feeding

Of course, every baby is different. Therefore, the processes of growth, acquisition of motor skills and functional maturation of the main organs are purely individual. The pediatrician who has been monitoring the child since birth will, together with the parents, determine the best timing for starting complementary feeding. However, there are universal signs of readiness that most experts focus on:

the baby holds his head confidently, sits independently or with support;
the baby's weight has doubled since birth;
The baby remains hungry even after feeding.

All of these signs indicate that it is time to consider supplementing with nutrients. As a rule, simultaneously with these signs, food eating skills are formed in the form of recognizing a spoon and opening the mouth when food is brought to it, the extinction of the reflex of pushing food out of the mouth, an additional sign is the beginning of teething. But with any type of feeding, the start date cannot be earlier than 4 months.

Late feeding

By the age of 6 months, mother's milk only satisfies the need for protein by 60%, carbohydrates by 70% and fats by 80%. And the supply of vitamins and minerals does not satisfy even a third of what is needed. Therefore, delayed introduction of complementary foods can lead not only to delayed growth and development, but also to the appearance of deficiency conditions such as anemia and rickets. Another common problem with late initiation of complementary feeding is a delay in the development of swallowing skills for denser foods and poor stimulation of the development of taste and olfactory sensations. Such children subsequently prefer liquid and pureed foods, and also show selectivity in food preferences.

Where to start complementary feeding

Recently, experts recommend introducing porridge as a first complementary food product. Why porridge? This is, first of all, the high nutritional and energy value of the dish - one serving provides 20-30% of the child’s daily needs for energy and nutrients. The high energy density of cereals due to the carbohydrate component is very important in the initial period of introducing complementary foods. It is also a source of protein - a building material for a growing organism.

Porridges contain an ideal set of dietary fibers that improve digestion processes, provide vitamins D, E, group B and minerals (Fe, Zn, I, Mg, Ca). Their delicate taste makes it easy to introduce this type of complementary food into the diet of babies. At the age of up to 6 months, gluten-free (buckwheat, rice, corn) porridges prepared on the basis of expressed milk/adapted formula or baby water are used in the diet. In the second half of life, you can introduce wheat, oatmeal, and then multi-grain porridges.

Vegetables. Vegetable complementary foods are also introduced at 4-6 months. Since the nutritional and energy value of vegetables is inferior to cereals, this group of products is the second in order of introduction. However, despite the small quantitative content of proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates, vegetables are rich in valuable substances that are low in breast milk - organic acids, minerals and dietary fiber. This type of complementary food may be introduced first in some situations. It is especially preferable to start with vegetables for children who are prone to constipation and have large weight gains while exclusively breastfed. Vegetable complementary feeding can begin with zucchini puree - this is a low-allergenic product, rich in fiber, but does not increase gas formation. After your baby has tried zucchini, you can expand the diet with other vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, potatoes. After 6 months, pumpkin, beets and white cabbage can be introduced. Vegetable puree gradually replaces almost the entire feeding in volume, can consist of several vegetables and is seasoned with vegetable oil.

Meat feeding. One of the fundamental changes in modern children's dietetics is the earlier use of meat in the baby's diet. This is a very valuable product, a source of essential amino acids, easily digestible iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B12. Modern industrial technologies for the production of baby food make it possible to make complementary meat easily digestible. Therefore, starting from 6 months, you can include puree from beef, veal, rabbit, chicken and turkey in your baby’s diet, and from 7 months - from pork and lamb. It is advisable to introduce it not as an independent dish, but to combine it with other types of complementary foods. The combination with dairy-free cereals and vegetable purees increases the nutritional value. This is already a complete complementary food, which replaces one of the feedings with mother's milk. At the same time, meat makes up no more than a fifth of the feeding volume, which does not increase the load on the baby’s digestive tract and kidneys.

Fruit juice and puree. Traditionally, for many years, the introduction of complementary foods began with the inclusion of fruit juice and puree in the baby’s diet. However, the high content of organic acids and sugars in fruits is a serious burden on the infant’s immature digestive tract and increases the risk of allergies. In addition, the low nutritional value of fruits casts doubt on the advisability of starting complementary foods with this food group. Therefore, experts recommend expanding the diet with monocomponent fruit purees for children older than 6 months, and for babies at risk of allergic reactions - after 8 months. Most babies eat fruit complementary foods with pleasure, and, in addition to the pleasant taste and aroma, the child receives important minerals, primarily potassium, as well as plant fibers. Complementary feeding begins with the introduction of purees based on apples and pears, then expands the menu with plums, bananas, peaches, cherries and berries. Along with purely fruit and vegetable dishes, you can offer combined products with a combination of fruits and cereals, and after 8 months - with yoghurts.

Dairy products. Cottage cheese is characterized by high nutritional value and is an important source of protein and calcium. If the child does not have any symptoms of food allergies, you can start introducing this product after 6 months. As a rule, cottage cheese is combined with cereals and fruits/vegetables, achieving the effect of mutually complementing nutrients, enriching the taste and ensuring longer saturation. Specialized fermented milk drinks (biolact, yogurt, fermented baked milk) are introduced to children over 8 months, gradually replacing one of the feedings with breast milk or formula.

Feeding a baby at 9 months

During this age period, children are introduced to fermented milk products, and they are introduced extremely carefully.
Of course, you should not feed your kids cottage cheese, which is sold in packs, especially with various additives. A special baby cottage cheese is suitable for a child - for example, “Agusha”, “Tyoma”. The purchased dish should not contain sugar or fruit pieces.

First, a teaspoon is given, then gradually increased to 30 grams per day. For children of this age - the optimal dose.

Kefir is given in a volume of 1-2 teaspoons. Of course, this drink must also be for the baby, for which the mother should choose a product without fruits, sugars and flavoring additives. Then the volume is increased to 150 milliliters. It is best to offer kefir and cottage cheese in the evening.

Important! Not every child has a positive attitude towards kefir and cottage cheese, but the dish should not be sweetened. Wait 2-3 weeks and offer the product again. Some kids don’t like “sour milk” at all, but they develop and grow up quite normally.