Complementary foods are foods that are added in addition to breast milk or formula. There are several options for introducing it into the diet. Parents will be interested to know what pedagogical complementary foods are.
Pedagogical complementary foods
Types of complementary foods for newborns
There are 2 different types of complementary foods: pedagogical and pediatric.
Pediatric
Pediatric complementary feeding is the gradual introduction of new products into the menu according to a predetermined scheme. The products have a uniform consistency and do not contain hard pieces. The introduction of complementary foods according to this scheme is carried out, starting with small quantities of one teaspoon. Gradually, the amount of food increases.
Important! Canned products for baby food can be used as complementary foods.
The introduction of complementary foods is carried out if the child:
- holds the head;
- sits with little or no support;
- opens his mouth at a time if a spoonful of food is brought to him;
- closes his mouth with a spoon, holds the food in it, and then swallows it.
Pedagogical
Pedagogical complementary foods - when the child is interested in the food that the parents eat. This means that the baby is given the food he asks for. So he will gradually taste all the food and get used to the common table. But mother's milk remains the basis of nutrition.
What is pedagogical complementary foods
Unlike the traditional method of introducing products, there is no definite plan for the quantity and variety of food products with pedagogical complementary foods. Nothing is specially prepared for the child.
Important! The child is not forced to eat. It is important that he himself shows an interest in food.
Child's interest in food
The importance of this feeding method is that it teaches the baby to eat. He gets acquainted with solid food, makes the first attempts at chewing. The kid, observing the parents, learns to use dishes, cutlery. His body learns exactly to those products that are used in the family.
Benefits
The advantages of pedagogical complementary foods include:
- no problems with appetite;
- awakening an active interest in food;
- teaching the crumbs the correct use of cutlery;
- the baby learns family traditions during the family meal;
- no need to prepare food separately for the child and, therefore, significant time savings;
- even small amounts of solid food accustom the baby's digestive system to produce the necessary enzymes;
- the baby learns to chew;
- there is no need to buy expensive mashed potatoes and cereals in jars for the baby.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of pedagogical complementary foods include:
- there is no scientific data on the safety of pedagogical complementary foods;
- the need to revise the usual family menu, so that the baby receives all the necessary vitamins and minerals in a balanced diet;
- a young mother should spend a lot of time in the kitchen and during the wash, because the baby, due to such feeding, stains everything around;
- parents cannot find the source of the allergy;
- at the first try, the baby may gag.
Basic rules of pedagogical feeding
Important! Before starting pedagogical feeding, you need to consult a pediatrician. He must correlate the child's condition with the norms of weight, height, and development.
At what age to start
You can start feeding as early as three months. From this time on, the baby gradually learns that food is part of the daily life of family members. After about 2 months, the so-called push reflex disappears. It consists in the fact that the child tries to spit out everything that gets into his mouth.
First feeding
Complementary feeding is introduced if there are such signs:
- the kid holds objects in his hand;
- he doesn't spit out food;
- the child is interested in food;
- when a new meal is introduced, the baby does not vomit.
What products to start with
It is recommended to start feeding with vegetables, cereals. After a few months, fruits and berries should be introduced into the diet.
Product dosage
You can give your baby two or three small doses of a new product at a time. With age, the variety of introduced products expands. In parallel with complementary foods, you need to continue to breastfeed your baby (or artificially feed).
Feeding rules
During the first weeks, the baby is on mother's lap during feeding, trying the smallest quantities of food from the plate.
Child tries new food from the plate
Note! This can only be done by mothers who eat right and whose diet contains only natural products. Sausage or ketchup is clearly not suitable for a baby.
The child should be offered all types of food. If he doesn't like something, he doesn't need to insist. After introducing a new type of food, you need to wait a few days, then give the new food a try. Such a break is needed in order to determine if there is an allergic reaction to certain foods.
If a young mother practices feeding, its scheme is based on the gradual introduction of more and more new types of food into the diet in a short period of time.
The step-by-step introduction of pedagogical complementary foods is as follows:
- mom puts food safe for the baby on a plate;
- the child sits on his mother's lap and holds a spoon in his hands;
- as soon as the baby is drawn to food, the mother gives the baby a small amount of one of the products;
- the baby eats the dish (or spits it out);
- if the baby liked it, then you can give 2 more of the same dose of the dish;
- it is necessary to continue giving the baby micro-doses of the same dish for several days;
- further, the child is offered new delicious food in the same way.
Other
Some parents are afraid to give their baby "adult" food, as, in their opinion, he may choke on it. This can be avoided by pinching off the smallest pieces. If the baby is trying to swallow a large piece, then the mother needs to pull it out with her finger.
From about 9 months of age, the amount of complementary foods can be slightly increased. By the age of one year old, you can give a child up to 2 tablespoons at a time. complementary foods.
When introducing pedagogical complementary foods for breastfeeding, you need to pay attention to the following:
- Monitor the baby's health. If he has an allergy, has stomach problems, then you need to be especially careful about introducing new food into the diet.
- It is important that the family member whose plate the baby is eating from is healthy. He should not have tooth decay, peptic ulcer disease, certain chronic diseases, or an acute respiratory viral disease.
- It is necessary to make sure that any unhealthy food does not come across the child's eyes. To do this, make sure that all family members consume healthy foods.
- It is forbidden to entertain the baby while eating. Feeding is not worth making a circus performance. It is necessary to encourage the baby's interest in the food that aroused his interest. This forms the correct behavior of the baby at the table.
The child is sitting at the table
Scheme for introducing products into complementary foods
Many young mothers give their baby juice as the first complementary food. This is wrong: modern pediatricians believe that, provided that the mother consumes a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals entering breast milk, the child does not need to be given juice until they reach nine months of age. European pediatricians believe that the early introduction of juice into the diet is harmful to children's health. Therefore, the schemes for the introduction of complementary foods existing in pediatrics recommend starting it either with cereals or with fruits.
Monthly table
WHO recommends giving children foods in complementary foods according to this scheme
| Complementary product name | Time of introduction | Initial portion volume |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable puree | 5 months | Half teaspoon |
| Vegetable oil (corn, sunflower, or olive) | 6 months | 3-5 drops gradually increasing to a teaspoon |
| Porridge without milk | 6 ½ months | Half teaspoon |
| Butter | 7 months | One eighth teaspoon |
| Fruit puree | 7 months | Half teaspoon |
| Porridge with milk | 8 months | The same amount |
| Meat puree | 8 months | ¼ teaspoon |
| Chicken yolk | 8 months | One eighth |
| Baby cookies | 9 months | Eighth part |
| Kefir, yogurt | 9 months | Half teaspoon |
| Offal | 10 months | Half teaspoon, 2 times a week |
| A fish | 10-11 months | Also |
| Juice diluted with water | 10 months | A few drops |
| Semolina, barley, pearl barley porridge | 12 months | 2 tsp |
| Berry puree | 12 months | Half teaspoon |
Signs of incorrect introduction of complementary foods
One of the signs of incorrect introduction of complementary foods is that the baby, after a series of successful tests and having a great appetite, refuses the proposed food. This is a sign of overeating.
The kid refuses to eat
To solve this problem, you do not need to take the baby to the table for several days. If during this time he again showed an interest in food, the pedagogical method must be resumed again.
Komarovsky's opinion about pedagogical complementary foods
According to Dr. Komarovsky, pedagogical complementary foods have no harm or benefit. The introduction of the baby to cereals, meat and other products should be carried out according to the traditional, "pediatric" scheme. It is supported by pediatricians.
According to Komarovsky, the traditional scheme of introducing complementary foods is safer and more convenient for parents. Pedagogical reception, according to the doctor, is nothing more than entertainment. In some cases, it can be dangerous.
The introduction of complementary foods into the infant's diet according to the "pedagogical" principle has its advantages and disadvantages. One of its strengths is the ability to teach your baby to a variety of foods from a very young age. One of the drawbacks is the lack of scientifically substantiated facts about the safety of pedal feeding for children, especially those suffering from allergic reactions. Before using it, you should consult your pediatrician.
