Breast milk is essential for a baby to grow and develop. WHO recommends breastfeeding children under three years of age.
Baby in a high chair with a spoon
Does a five-month-old baby need complementary foods
At a certain period, milk alone becomes insufficient for a child. Usually, complementary foods are not required before 6 months. The baby has enough breast milk. Later, it does not cease to be valuable and continues to be the basis of the infant's nutrition for at least several months. Over time, only the qualitative composition of milk changes, but the minerals and vitamins remain in place, the calorie content even increases.
Reasons for early introduction of complementary foods
There are times when you need to start complementary foods earlier. This is determined by the pediatrician after examining the child. It is recommended to lure from 5 months to babies who gain weight poorly and suffer from stool disorder. WHO has developed a table on the weight and height of babies. The information in it is collected by month. Having studied it, one can understand whether the child's weight is normal, exceeds the standard indicator, or there is a shortage. Usually, underweight is observed in children who are bottle-fed.
For babies, breastfeeding or mixed feeding, it is advised to start complementary feeding earlier if there is a lack of mother's milk. When the child does not gorge himself, he often lays on the breast, becomes restless, capricious.
Additional Information. If the child does not eat enough, then he also gains little weight. In addition, you can determine if your mother's milk is enough by observing the baby's peeing. There should be more than 10 of them per day.
The introduction of new products should be closely monitored, paying attention to the baby's reaction. The digestive system is not yet perfect by 5 months, especially for children with guards. The mechanisms of absorption into the intestines are not fully established, therefore, signs of allergy may appear. Formula-fed babies (willows) are distinguished by the fact that by this age their digestive system is more mature, prepared for the appearance of new, more solid food. Therefore, it is possible for them to start complementary foods from 5 months.
Baby drinks from a bottle
Sequence of early introduction of complementary foods
There are signs by which you can determine the readiness of the baby to start complementary foods. These include:
- Doubling the baby's weight from birth;
- The child sits without the help of parents;
- There is a food interest, the baby looks at the plates of the parents, tries to grab a piece, looks after the food;
- The child is healthy, vaccination is not planned in the near future;
- He does not gorge himself on milk, mixture. Often applied to the breast or bottle;
- Teeth appeared;
- The child does not push out the food that is in his mouth with his tongue. This is a reflex from birth, it fades over time.
If the baby has more than half of the listed signs, he is ready for complementary foods. This is an important event, you need to prepare for it in advance. The main thing is that the baby is healthy, teeth are not cut.
Important! Avoid superimposing stressful situations in the infant's life. The introduction of complementary foods is a new stage in life, full of joy and excitement.
So that there are no questions about how to introduce complementary foods to a child at 5 months, the step-by-step description of the process must be carefully studied. There is no exact pattern. But familiarity with the next steps will allow you to create an action plan suitable for each family.
If the child appears to be ready for complementary foods, you can start. First you need to choose how the baby will begin to get acquainted with new food. Usually they start with vegetables. The use of cereals is possible. You need to introduce it gradually, before lunch, give the baby 5 grams of a new product, pay attention to the reaction. If skin rashes, anxiety appear, the introduction should be postponed for a while. Give a new product the next day. If the baby reacted normally, increase the amount to 100 grams. Do it gradually. Two different vegetables are not introduced per day, for example. This will put more strain on the digestive system. In addition, if an allergy occurs, it will be unclear what caused it.
The food should be crushed and mashed. You can buy ready-made cans of baby food or cook it yourself, provided that there is confidence in the quality of the products used. You need to feed the baby from a spoon, in small portions. If the child wants to eat on his own, there is no need to forbid him. It is better to start with products without bright colors, low-allergenic (this is cauliflower, zucchini). If you plan to start with cereals, it is best that they do not contain gluten, such as corn porridge. It can also provoke an allergic reaction.
Complementary foods at 5 months
If complementary foods are found with a small infant's weight gain, pediatricians recommend starting it with cereals. You can add buckwheat, then add rice and corn.
At the beginning of complementary foods from vegetables, zucchini, cabbage: cauliflower and broccoli are introduced, gradually, one vegetable at a time. After the child gets used to the new food, add carrots and pumpkin. They are more allergens, so you need to monitor your baby's skin and general condition. Potatoes are added last. It can be postponed for several months due to its high starch content. It is not necessary to give this vegetable to the baby in its pure form, mix it with other, already familiar products. The main thing is that the potatoes should be no more than half of the total mass of the dish.
If mom plans to cook on her own, then vegetables need to be stewed or steamed. Then grind in a blender, if necessary, dilute with vegetable broth or water. You do not need to use salt. It is advisable to introduce it into the diet after a year. Add vegetable oil to the finished dish, mix.
You can enter fruits, puree from them. It is recommended to start with an apple and a banana, add a pear a little later. If you cook it yourself, you can bake the fruit and then puree it.
Breastfed baby menu
Milk continues to form the basis of the diet of a five-month-old breastfed baby. The first and second feeds should consist only of him, usually at 6 and 10 am. For lunch, the baby can taste mashed vegetables. Which one depends on what has already been introduced into his diet. Next is breast milk.
Complementary food option
Important! If the child refuses to eat, turns away, there is no need to force him.
In the evening, for dinner, at about 6 o'clock, a 5-month-old baby can eat fruit puree. If cereals are introduced, you can offer them. Before going to bed, after about 4 hours, - breast milk. Gradually, the menu expands, and the amount of food consumed increases, respectively, the need for milk decreases. You can swap breakfast and lunch so that the child receives new foods in the morning. This is necessary to track his reaction.
Baby food at 5 months
In order not to forget anything and to simplify complementary feeding, the table from 5 months will become irreplaceable. It is compiled on the basis of WHO recommendations, will help plan the appearance of new foods in the diet and track possible changes in the event of allergic reactions.
Complementary feeding table
| Day | New Product | Gram | Introduced product | Gram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cauliflower for breakfast | ||||
| 1 | Cauliflower puree | 3 | ||
| 2 | Cauliflower puree | 8 | ||
| 3 | Cauliflower puree | 20 | ||
| 4 | Cauliflower puree | 40 | ||
| 5 | Cauliflower puree | 70 | ||
| 6 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 120 | ||
| 7 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 166 | ||
| The emergence of a new product - zucchini. First, the child is offered zucchini, then cauliflower, to choose from. | ||||
| 8 | Zucchini puree | 3 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 166 |
| 9 | Zucchini puree | 8 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 162 |
| 10 | Zucchini puree | 20 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 150 |
| 11 | Zucchini puree | 40 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 130 |
| 12 | Zucchini puree | 70 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 100 |
| 13 | Zucchini puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 120 | Cauliflower puree | 50 |
| 14 | Zucchini puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 166 | ||
| The emergence of a new product - broccoli. First, the child is offered broccoli, then cauliflower or zucchini, to choose from. | ||||
| 15 | Broccoli puree | 3 | Zucchini puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 166 |
| 16 | Broccoli puree | 8 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 162 |
| 17 | Broccoli puree | 20 | Zucchini puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 150 |
| 18 | Broccoli puree | 40 | Cauliflower puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 130 |
| 19 | Broccoli puree | 70 | Zucchini puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 100 |
| 20 | Broccoli puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 120 | Cauliflower puree | 50 |
| 21 | Broccoli puree (add oil - 5 ml.) | 166 | ||
Vegetable oil is added to the dish when its volume exceeds 100 grams. After eating, the baby can drink formula or milk.
Porridge in the diet of a five-month-old child
By analogy, a table is compiled when cereals are added to the daily menu. They start with buckwheat, then give corn and rice. You need to let the baby choose how much to eat, you cannot force feed. The norm given in the table is conditional. All of the above does not have to be followed exactly. After porridge, pumpkin and carrots are added.
Buckwheat porridge is the most useful, due to its composition, rich in vitamins and microelements, easy digestibility. You can cook yourself, chopping ordinary cereals, or buy industrial cereals. It is enough to fill them with water and mix. When buying, you need to carefully study the composition, many manufacturers add sugar, maltodextrin, which are contraindicated in children under one year old. Porridge should be dairy-free. Oatmeal is introduced closer to the year. Semolina can be cooked for up to a year.
Kid eating porridge
The need to enter juices
In the past, infants began feeding with juices.
Note! Currently, their value is questionable due to their low content of nutrients and a large amount of sugar. May adversely affect baby's taste and dental health. Many children at this age are already growing their first teeth. The only thing is that juices are famous for their high content of vitamin C. If you replace it with other products, then the introduction of juices at 5 months is not needed. For now, the WHO recommends that they be administered starting at 5 milliliters. The maximum daily volume is 60 milliliters. If you can prepare juices yourself without adding sugar, you need to use it. The benefits of fruits are undeniable.
Canned puree in nutrition
When buying puree in jars, you need to monitor the quality of the product. The container must not be damaged. If you don't hear a pop of cotton when you open it, it's best to throw it away - most likely, the mashed potatoes are not edible. Usually, the rules for using and preparing the dish are written on them. The contents must be transferred to a clean dish and heated to 40 degrees in a water bath. It is not recommended to warm up in the jar itself. The use of the microwave is not prohibited, but the dish must be thoroughly mixed so that it is at the same temperature. An open can can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. The same goes for self-prepared food. It is better for the kid to eat fresh food. The longer they are stored, the less useful properties they retain.
Puree in jars
Young mothers are often concerned about the question of how to introduce complementary foods to a child at 5 months. First you need to make sure if you need to start it so early. To do this, you need to consult a pediatrician. It is imperative to remember that breast milk contains everything that is necessary for the harmonious development of a child. The correct, timely approach to the introduction of complementary foods is the basis of a healthy child's nutrition.
