The age of eight months for a child is interesting and educational. The period of the first feeding has already passed, the baby has felt the taste of "adult" food, his body is gradually adapting to changes in nutrition. At this time, it is very important to maintain the correct regimen and competently replenish the child's diet with new products.
Baby feeding process
Principles of feeding an eight month old baby
An eight-month-old baby is rapidly growing and developing. During this period, most babies are sitting, starting to crawl, actively moving. A child needs a full and varied diet, which will provide a small body with the necessary nutrients, trace elements, vitamins. New products are introduced, the baby's menu at 8 months becomes more varied, more nutritious.
At this age, it is important to accustom your baby to a certain schedule and try to stick to it. The optimal regimen for a baby at eight months is five meals a day with an interval of four hours. The total volume of food reaches one liter (about 200 g at one time).
For a convenient feeding process, it is better to put the child in a special chair in which he is well fixed. In addition, the baby is much calmer and more comfortable on its territory. Bright children's dishes, playful way of serving food turn feeding into an exciting and interesting activity.
Council. In order to involve the child in the process, it is recommended to give him the opportunity to eat on his own. No need to worry that he gets dirty, scatters food. The pleasure with which the kid will learn a new activity is worth it. Thus, you can feed the baby well, he will master the skills of using the devices.
The child tries to eat on his own
Features of nutrition at 8 months
The nutrition of the child at 8 months is quite varied. The basis of the diet is:
- Porridge. At this age, it is not yet recommended to use cow or goat milk for feeding children - it is poorly absorbed, often causes allergies, and negatively affects the functioning of the digestive system. You can cook porridge in water or with the addition of a special milk mixture. The lightest and most nutritious cereals for a child's body are buckwheat and rice. Gradually, you can introduce corn and oatmeal, but it must be borne in mind that oatmeal, like semolina, is characterized by a high gluten content. You can cook porridge in two ways: grind the cereal and then boil it, or first boil it and grind it through a sieve. It is allowed to add a few grams of butter to the dish.
Dairy-free porridge with berries
- Vegetables. Vegetable puree is the basis of the children's diet. It is well absorbed, saturates the body with the necessary substances. To familiar vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes) are added pumpkin, carrots, beets. Vegetables can be boiled or steamed, mashed or a light, nutritious soup.
- Fermented milk products. In the menu of an 8 month old child, in addition to kefir, it is necessary to include cottage cheese and yogurt. It is advisable to cook them yourself, rather than use purchased products. For these purposes, you should purchase a special starter culture at the pharmacy. Combine cottage cheese or yogurt and fruit for a great dessert. It is also recommended to gradually introduce sour cream into the diet: add to cottage cheese, mashed potatoes or fruit, but on condition that this product has a low fat content.
- Fruits and berries. Blackberries, currants, pears, peaches are added to an apple, a banana, a plum, but do not overdo it. When introducing new fruits or berries as complementary foods, you need to be very careful - these products are rich in active substances, acids. The child may develop an allergic reaction (especially to bright berries - strawberries, wild strawberries, red currants). In addition to fruit puree, at the age of 8 months. the baby can be pleased with natural juice - freshly prepared. Often fruit juices are too concentrated for the children's gastrointestinal tract, they can be diluted with boiled water. It is advisable to drink this drink once a day.
- Meat. An important part of the diet. Meat products are rich in iron and proteins, which are so necessary for a growing body. The first to add to the menu is low-fat dietary rabbit or turkey meat - it does not cause allergies, it is well digested. A little later - chicken or veal. The meat can be boiled, chopped and served in soup or vegetable puree with the addition of broth. Another option is to make minced meat, form small patties and steam them.
Vegetable puree with meat
- A fish. Saturates the body with potassium and phosphorus, B vitamins. It is introduced with caution - many types of fish cause an allergic reaction, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the child. The preference should be given to white oceanic species - pollock or hake. You can gradually add salmon, trout, carp. If it is not clear what to cook with the fish, where to put it so that the child does not refuse and eat, you can make steamed fish cakes and serve with your favorite vegetable puree.
Council. When preparing food for the baby, it is recommended to add a few drops of vegetable, preferably olive, oil to soups, mashed potatoes, juices. This promotes better absorption and digestion of food.
Foods should be introduced into the diet gradually, no more than once a week - the child must get used to each new element. During this period, it is necessary to monitor the body's reaction (rash, unusual stools) - this is the best way to determine the presence of allergies or poor digestibility of the product.
Nutrition based on the type of feeding
There are some differences in how to breastfeed or bottle-fed a baby at 8 months. There are some nuances in the diet.
Breastfeeding menu
Breastfed babies usually need smaller amounts of complementary foods than their formula-fed peers. This is normal, because during the day, the child makes several snacks with his mother's milk: after eating or falling asleep. This process is natural and makes it easier for the baby to adapt to changes. But there are circumstances when a mother plans to stop breastfeeding before the age of one. In this case, it is recommended to gradually eliminate daytime snacks and leave only morning and evening feeding, which can also be removed over time. In order for weaning to be painless for both the baby and the mother, you need to make this process gradual, smooth, and be patient.
Food for a baby 8 months old - 5 times a day. It is very important at this age to develop a certain regime - it is so convenient for the mother and useful for the child.
Approximate Diet and Serving Rates:
- 6-7 am or on request - light breakfast (breastfeeding);
- 10 hours - breakfast: dairy-free porridge (rice, buckwheat or oatmeal) 150 g with the addition of fruits or berries (30 g), a piece of boiled yolk;
- 2 pm - lunch: soup or vegetable puree (180 g) with meat or fish (10 g) and fruit and berry puree (30-40 g) for dessert;
- 18 hours - supper: cottage cheese (40 g), whipped with sour cream or yogurt (you can add a banana) and biscuit biscuits.
- 22 hours - snack before bedtime (breast milk).
Council. If the child refuses certain foods, you should not insist and try to feed. It is better to exclude them for a while, then try again to include them in the diet.
Artificial feeding menu
An artificial man is a child whose main food is milk formulas. It is difficult for such children to get the proper nutrients for harmonious development. Therefore, the first complementary foods are introduced to them earlier, and the menu of an 8-month-old bottle-fed baby is slightly wider. You can enter different types of meat (beef), fish (mackerel, cod), new vegetables, fruits. An infant has enough mother's milk, an artificial person should use milk formulas (add to cereals or just drink).
There is no fundamental difference in the diet of breastfed and artificially fed children - the usual 5 meals a day. The only thing is that during the first and last feeding, instead of breast milk, the baby receives an artificial formula.
Interesting recipes for cooking meals for an 8 month old baby:
- Vegetable and meat soup. Potatoes and carrots are placed in a container with boiling water. The washed rice is added a few minutes before cooking. You can add a sprig of herbs and a drop of vegetable oil to the finished dish and boil for a few more minutes. The resulting soup is ground through a sieve to the consistency of liquid sour cream.
Vegetable cream soup
- Curd dessert. Cottage cheese is ground with yogurt, your favorite berries or fruits are added, everything is knocked down with a blender.
- Mashed potatoes with meat. The potatoes are boiled until cooked, a little butter is added, and mashed (semi-liquid consistency). The meat is separately ground, small cutlets are formed and steamed.
Portions should be small and fresh each time. Knowing how much the baby eats at one time and his preferences, the mother will be able to properly plan the preparation of dishes.
Proper and nutritious nutrition of a child under one year old is the guarantee of his future health and development. It is very important to adhere to a certain regimen and sequence of introducing new products into the diet.
