If you want your baby to grow well, you need to know these things about adding complementary foods

After the baby reaches 6 months of age, breast milk or formula milk powder alone cannot meet all the nutrients he needs. At this time, complementary foods will enter the stage of growth. Complementary food can not only make up for the nutrients needed by the growing body, but also promote oral development through chewing, which is also helpful for subsequent language learning. The function of complementary food is not only to obtain nutrients… Q1: What is complementary food and must it be added? A1: Complementary food, also known as weaning food, is a food added to children during the transition from pure breast milk or formula feeding to adult diet before weaning. This is a necessary stage. If children skip this stage and start eating adult food, they are likely to suffer from physical discomfort, psychological rejection, chewing and swallowing disorders and other problems. Complementary food can supplement the lack of calories and nutrients, and can also train children\’s chewing and swallowing abilities, learn adult dining habits, and prepare for adapting to adult eating habits. Q2: When is the most appropriate time to add it? A2: The World Health Organization recommends that babies should exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months after birth. The Chinese Nutrition Society clearly states in the \”Feeding Guidelines for Infants and Young Children Aged 7 to 24 Months\” that babies should be introduced to complementary foods as early as possible after they are 6 months old, that is, 7 months old. The specific decision will be based on the child\’s development. If the child has these symptoms, it means that he can start adding complementary foods. 1. The weight reaches twice that of birth. 2. The mother feeds frequently or takes in a large amount of milk. The mother feeds more than 10 times a day, or the amount of milk taken exceeds 1000ML. 3. The child can be helped to sit up, and the child can be helped to sit up when lying prone. Able to raise head and chest, and use elbows to support body weight when crawling. 4. Put toys in their mouths Children like to put various things into their mouths to explore the shapes and textures of objects. (Pay attention to the safety of toys) 5. Suck the spoon and open your mouth to welcome the feeder. Children like to suck the spoon. When the feeder\’s hand touches the child\’s mouth, the child will open his mouth and smile. Q3: What are the principles for adding complementary foods? A3: 1. There is no order of adding ingredients except honey and milk. You don’t need to pay too much attention to the order of adding foods. There is no need to delay the addition of allergy-prone foods such as eggs, shrimps, and seafood. You only need to add one kind at a time, just like when adding other complementary foods. If you are not allergic, continue eating. If you are allergic, find out in time and avoid it for 3-6 months. It should be noted that honey and milk are not suitable for babies under 1 year old. It is recommended to start trying after 1 year old. Honey carries a risk of botulism. Cow\’s milk cannot be easily and completely digested by babies under 1 year old. Milk contains high concentrations of protein and minerals, which can put pressure on your baby\’s immature kidneys. 2. When adding all the ingredients from one to many, from thin to thick for the first time, give the tip of a spoon to observe the reaction. If you are intolerant, you can try again after 3 months. Adding only one new ingredient at a time effectively records ingredient reactions. If there is an adverse reaction, the \”problem\” ingredient can be quickly identified. According to the development of baby\’s chewing ability, the properties of complementary food need to be from thin to thick, from soft to hard. Q4: What can I eat when I start to introduce complementary foods? A4: Iron-containing rice noodles are the first choice to supplement the body\’s inability to autonomouslySynthesized iron to prevent iron deficiency anemia. You can mix vegetable puree and meat puree into rice noodles for children to eat. The general process for making complementary foods is as follows: