How to add complementary foods to infants
As the baby grows, breast milk or formula milk can no longer fully meet the baby\’s nutritional needs, so complementary foods need to be added. Generally speaking, the time for babies to start adding complementary foods is 4-6 months, and the specific time varies depending on the baby\’s growth and development. The following introduces the methods and precautions for adding infant complementary foods from several aspects.
1. Choose appropriate ingredients
Before adding complementary food, you must first choose suitable complementary food ingredients according to your baby\’s age. For babies 4-6 months old, it is recommended to add single ingredients such as rice noodles and egg yolks. After 6 months, you can gradually introduce ingredients such as fruit puree and vegetable puree. In addition, you should choose fresh, clean and additive-free ingredients. You can make your own complementary foods or choose brand complementary foods on the market.
2. Add appropriate amount and gradually increase
When adding complementary foods, pay attention to adding them in an appropriate amount and do not add too much at one time. The baby\’s appetite is very small at first, so the amount added each time should only be a few spoons, and the amount should be gradually increased. At the same time, in order to prevent your baby from being allergic to certain foods, ingredients should be introduced step by step.
3. Correct way to add
There are many ways to add complementary foods, including spoon feeding and eating them yourself. Before adding complementary food, you must first let the baby adapt to the way of eating complementary food. You can first let the baby play with a spoon to become familiar with the shape and weight of the spoon. When adding, pay attention to bringing the spoon to the baby\’s mouth smoothly, and do not force the baby to eat the entire bowl of complementary food.
4. Precautions for dietary hygiene
Dietary hygiene is very important when adding complementary foods. Wash your hands first and prepare clean tableware and spoons. All ingredients should be washed and cooked before eating. Do not eat expired or stale ingredients. During the feeding process, care should be taken to avoid the occurrence of foreign bodies in the trachea, and do not allow the baby to eat and play at the same time.
Conclusion
When adding complementary foods to your baby, you should choose the appropriate ingredients and methods according to your baby\’s actual situation. At the same time, ensure food hygiene and fresh ingredients to avoid unnecessary food safety hazards to your baby. By adding appropriate amounts and gradually increasing the amount, the baby will gradually like all kinds of delicious complementary foods, laying a good foundation for healthy growth.
