Fruit puree has irreplaceable benefits for the baby. The main thing is to follow the recommendations for its introduction and take into account the wishes and needs of the baby. When to give fruit to a baby depends not only on the desire of the mother, but also on the recommendations of the doctors who monitor his health.
Fruit puree
Benefits of fruit puree for a child
Fruit puree is a source of vitamins and minerals. The first to be introduced into the diet are apple and pear. They are leading in the ranking of products that infants immediately enjoy. The value of the fruit is undeniable. Pear is a source of folate and beta-carotene, which are important for heart function and help eliminate toxins. An apple is rich in iron and vitamin C, which are essential for a growing body.
Apricots and prunes that appear later provide the body with calcium and phosphorus. Due to the content of B vitamins, they have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Banana enriches with potassium, is useful for anemia.
Fruits are famous for their high carbohydrate content. Banana is the leader in this indicator. The puree contains a minimum amount of protein and fat. Plus, it's rich in fiber and antioxidants, further highlighting its benefits. Fruits are indispensable in a child's diet, but they must be introduced correctly, in accordance with age and gradually.
Fruit selection
The choice of products for cooking must be approached responsibly:
- Do not use spoiled, rotten fruits;
- Wash ingredients thoroughly;
- Choose fruits, the quality of which is beyond doubt. It may be better to offer your child a store-bought puree than to cook it from foods that almost certainly contain nitrates. For example, it is difficult to find fresh fruit in winter.
Suitable
When fruits are introduced into complementary foods, crumbs are offered low-allergenic fruits.
What fruits can be given to a child at 7 months:
- apples;
- pears.
They should be ripe and juicy. When cooking, sugar and honey are not added, they are contraindicated for children under one year old.
When the baby gets used to new products, suggest:
- banana;
- apricot;
- prunes;
- peach.
Apricot puree
These fruits can be safely given to a child at 9 months. Which ones to enter first depends on the preferences of the already grown baby.
Note! First, puree is made from one ingredient. Later, multicomponent dishes are introduced, experimenting with flavors.
Which is better to refuse
Up to a year, it is better to give up exotic fruits, to which the child's body can react with indigestion or the appearance of a skin rash. Their introduction is advised to be postponed until 1.5-2 years.
It is worth refraining from using:
- citrus fruits;
- grapes.
Important! Green fruits, like berries, are less allergenic, so they are given first, then yellow and orange, and closer to the year - red.
When to introduce into complementary foods
Up to six months, children need breastfeeding, which provides the growing body with the necessary elements and vitamins. You do not need to feed your baby up to 6 months of age. The respected pediatrician Komarovsky is of the same opinion. Artists get nutrients and useful substances from adapted mixtures.
Fruit purees are recommended to be introduced into complementary foods when the baby gets acquainted with vegetables and cereals. They are more nutritious and easier to digest. After sweet fruits, the cunning little one can refuse cereals and healthy vegetables. Therefore, it is better to start acquaintance with a new dish at 7-8 months. This sequence of product introduction is recommended by WHO. For children who are bottle-fed, earlier introduction of complementary foods is allowed, and hence fruit puree.
Use for the first feeding
Sometimes pediatricians recommend including fruit in the diet ahead of schedule, for example, to normalize digestion or cope with anemia. Without the need, you do not need to use them as the first complementary food, but wait until the baby adapts to adult food, vegetables and cereals will help him with this.
When the child gets acquainted with mashed potatoes, you can give fresh fruits, up to one year old babies usually taste apples, pears, bananas, apricots, peaches and even melons. Usually in this form, the fruits are offered at eight to nine months, grinding them on a grater or using a nibbler. Through special nets, the baby himself extracts juice from ripe fruits and squeezes out the puree. Gradually, the child gets used to solid foods and learns to cope with small pieces.
The child eats with a nibbler
The correct preparation of fruit puree
Making fruit puree for the first feeding with your own hands is not difficult. The main thing is to choose a ripe, fresh fruit, it is better if there is an opportunity to pick it from your garden. The fruits are washed, cut into pieces and boiled in a little water. Apples and pears are pre-peeled, the skins from apricots and peaches are easy to remove after heat treatment.
Better to steam:
- useful substances and vitamins will be preserved;
- the taste will be brighter and more intense.
After the fruits are soft, chop them to a puree state, you can add water to make it easier for the baby to eat. When a dish prepared according to a simple recipe cools down to a temperature of 40 degrees, you can give the crumbs a sample.
Fruit puree rates up to a year
Fruit puree is usually offered to babies at seven to eight months. At the same time, give half a teaspoon of the new product before lunch. It is not recommended to introduce more than one fruit per week.
Note! The task is not to feed the child, but to show him different tastes and consistencies. This is an acquaintance, not a replacement for guards, so you should not force the baby to eat without his desire.
How often to give
Fruit purees can be given to the child every day if there are no negative reactions. Gradually the portion is increased, the ingredients are added.
Number
Depending on the age of the child, the amount of fruit puree recommended for consumption per day
| Age, months | Fruit puree, milligrams |
|---|---|
| 7 | 5-50 |
| 8 | 60-70 |
| 9 | 70-80 |
| 10-12 | 90-100 |
What can be combined with
Until one year old, sugar and other ingredients that change taste are unacceptable for a child. Fruit puree is usually given to the baby for an afternoon snack along with cottage cheese, when the product has already been introduced into the diet. The sweet dish is offered separately as a snack or added to porridge to give it a natural sweetness.
Problems with eating fruit
If you start feeding fruit late, the child may react to food with an allergy. It also happens if parents feed the baby at once in large portions or add several unfamiliar ingredients at the same time.
Portion for the first feeding
For example, the use of highly allergenic foods leads to negative consequences:
- red apples;
- strawberries and other berries, often replacing sugar.
This does not mean that the child will always react this way, perhaps during this period he is not yet ready for such food, and it is worth postponing the introduction of such foods. The baby may react to sugar or ascorbic acid. If fed with mashed potatoes, the allergy is due to the presence of starch or thickeners.
Signs of allergies
Signs from the following list indicate the presence of allergies:
- A rash on the body, red spots on the cheeks as manifestations of atopic dermatitis. They often bother the baby, itch and itch;
- Constant regurgitation, colic, upset stools, increased gas production;
- Nasal congestion, coughing, wheezing well discernible even at a distance, the voice seems hoarse.
An allergic reaction manifests itself quickly, how long it takes depends on the condition of the child. It usually takes from half an hour to six hours.
Such manifestations require contacting a pediatrician. If necessary, he will refer you to a narrow specialist - an allergist, who will establish the cause of the condition and prescribe medications that relieve symptoms and improve well-being.
You should not start complementary foods with pureed fruit. It is better to let the baby's digestive system get stronger by offering him vegetables and cereals in the seventh month of life. Then you can pamper your baby with sweet fruit. The main thing is to choose quality foods and introduce them into the diet slowly, observing the reaction. Fruits will be beneficial only when the baby is ready for them, and his body will cope with new food.
