Starting from the age of six months, complementary foods can be introduced into the child's diet. Dr. Komarovsky says that this concept is fundamentally different from supplementary feeding. The latter is introduced if the mother's own milk is not enough. Complementary foods are given in addition to breast milk, which becomes insufficient at six months of age. One of the main foods in the crumbs' diet is porridge. They contain a large amount of vitamins, minerals and vegetable proteins, as well as carbohydrates in large quantities, which are the main source of energy. They contain fiber, which ensures the stability of the intestines.
The baby refuses complementary foods
Important! Porridges have the ability to remove toxins and toxins from the body.
But not all children enjoy this food. Why does this happen, and what to do if the baby refuses to use it?
Features of product introduction into complementary foods
Pediatricians recommend feeding the baby with complementary foods from the age of six months. This process can be problematic, since the baby is only accustomed to the taste of breast milk before, and any new products may scare him. There is no need to force the baby to eat porridge, as he may turn away from this useful product altogether.
The boy does not want to eat
If a child at 6 months does not eat porridge, there is still no cause for concern. The introduction of this product is smooth. It is recommended to add breast milk or a common formula so that the taste does not differ so much from the usual one. It is better to start complementary feeding with gluten-free cereals - gluten is very difficult for the baby's body to digest due to the lack of essential enzymes. This may be the reason why the child does not eat cereal.
Reasons why a child refuses porridge
No need to sound the alarm if the baby does not want to eat porridge. This does not always indicate an illness accompanied by an appetite disorder. There are a huge number of reasons why a baby refuses porridge.
Not hungry
Often the reason a child does not eat complementary foods (porridge) is banal satiety. A child, unlike adults, cannot eat if he is not hungry. In this case, it is enough just to wait, and then, perhaps, he will take up complementary foods with great pleasure.
Important! This can happen if parents are trying to feed the baby close to the night, for example. We should try to feed the baby in the morning.
Force-feeding
If you force a little person to eat, food will be associated with stress. Force-feeding is also harmful because in the future the baby will not be guided by his feeling of satiety, which will lead to overeating.
Unpleasant consistency of the dish
If the consistency is too liquid, or, on the contrary, it stretches too much, this can confuse the child. If the porridge is poorly mixed, and lumps are floating in it, this can kill the child's appetite for a long time.
The baby is crying
The problem is that the parent may not initially know which consistency the baby will like the most. Therefore, you need to experiment until the ideal consistency for the child is selected.
Late introduction to complementary foods
Some cereals can be administered only from 8-9 months (for example, millet). If the child's body is not yet tuned in to digest it, the child's reluctance is fully justified.
Didn't like a certain cereal
Even at a very young age, the baby is able to understand which food tastes good to him and which is not. Just like adults, babies over six months old can distinguish between which cereals they like more and which less.
Doesn't like porridge without milk
This only applies to older children. Porridge with milk is much tastier for an adult, what can we say about young children who have more sensitive taste buds? If the child does not eat dairy-free porridge, this may be the reason. To solve this problem, you can first add breast milk to complementary foods, after a few months - cow milk.
Unsuitable food temperature
If a baby is burnt once by porridge, he may stop wanting to eat it for a long time. Therefore, you need to make sure that it is not too hot or cold. The optimum temperature for food in a bottle for a child under one year old is 35-40 degrees. It is to this warmth that the taste buds of a baby or baby are accustomed to.
Adults usually eat food with a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees. If such breakfast is given to a child, it will cause a fair protest.
The kid turns away from the spoon
Advice. To control the heating of food, you can use a special spoon that changes color with temperature.
Lumps
Lumps appear if the parent did not mix the product well enough during its preparation. This is especially true of semolina porridge, which very easily forms bumps that are unpleasant for the child's eyes and taste. In fairness, it is not recommended to give semolina porridge to the crumbs, since it helps to wash out calcium from the body.
Too large portion
Everything is simple here: if the portion is too large, the child is full. Accordingly, he refuses to eat further. It is very important not to force the baby to finish eating, because such behavior of the parents in the future can lead to the appearance of excess weight in the child or even obesity.
What to do if the child does not eat porridge
If the baby refuses to eat porridge, it is not always necessary to sound the alarm. It is important in this matter to understand when the reason for the reluctance to eat porridge is poor appetite, and when - the desire to get other complementary foods or other cereals. Here are some ideas on how to convince your toddler to eat porridge.
Diversify the taste
Perhaps the baby needs to be given porridge with a different type of cereal or some fruit should be added. Children love complementary foods with pumpkin or some kind of fruit. You need to choose the ratio that suits your baby the most.
Give hungry
If the child does not want to eat, there is no need to force him. Hunger motivates people to act. If the baby wants to eat, he will cry, then he will start to eat anything with pleasure. It is absolutely impossible to force him.
Prepare porridge with a uniform consistency
To make the porridge attractive in appearance, sometimes it is enough to achieve a uniform consistency. To do this, stir it regularly during cooking. Many parents are lazy to do this and then wonder why the child refuses to eat.
Decorate the dish
It is enough to make the porridge more attractive in appearance to make the baby want to eat it. To do this, you can put fruits or berries on top.
Add breast milk to the porridge
If you add breast milk, the baby will not be so intimidated by cereals. It is recommended to dilute any new type of cereals with it.
Pick up another cereal
Perhaps the child does not like this particular cereal, and the problem can be solved simply by replacing it. If the crumbs' body is not tuned in to digest a particular type of porridge, you can easily replace it with another.
How to improve taste
It is not recommended to sweeten baby food with sugar. Use fruit instead. You should not use honey to improve the taste of porridge, as it can cause allergies and also contains easily digestible carbohydrates that increase blood sugar levels.
What can be replaced
If a child does not eat porridge for 6 months, do not worry. You can try adding other complementary foods to your diet, such as grated fruit. They are sweet and tasty, so they are more likely to appeal to a child. Only fruits need to be injected carefully because there may be allergies. You can give a small bite and watch the reaction, slowly increasing the amount of food.
