Obesity, stomach ulcers, caries ... Parents who introduce complementary foods incorrectly expose their children to such dangers.
How to introduce your baby to food as safely as possible? Here are the 5 most common mistakes when starting complementary foods.
And ours is already eating borscht!
How to spoil the child's gastrointestinal system? That's right - early, inconsistently and in large quantities to introduce complementary foods.
Studies have shown that one of the main causes of gastrointestinal diseases in children and adults is the too early introduction of new foods.
Until 4 months of age, the newborn's gastrointestinal tract is simply not ready for adult nutrition. The child has very thin intestinal walls, the enzymatic and immune systems are not sufficiently developed, and the borscht loved by the whole family for the baby can be simply life-threatening. And also harmless orange juice or any other complementary food with which you are in too much of a hurry.
When to start? The optimal timing for starting complementary foods is from 4 to 6 months. They can fluctuate for each child within 1-2 months.
When is it time to introduce new food?
- When a child begins to chew when a spoon, nipple, or toy is put in the mouth;
- He stops pushing out thick food with his tongue;
- The kid is already starting to sit on his own;
- His first teeth appear;
- And he also shows an interest in adult food.
You need to start complementary foods with 1-component puree. Give it at the beginning of the feed when the baby is hungry. The first serving is 1 teaspoon in the morning, when the baby is feeling good, cheerful and happy.
Gradually bring the volume up to the age norm. Pay attention to the baby's reaction. If everything is in order, then after 3-4 days you can try a new product.
To maintain breastfeeding, it is recommended to breastfeed your baby after each meal.
When is complementary feeding at the wrong time?
When a child is sick or has just recovered, a new product cannot be introduced into the menu. During such a period, the baby's body is at the limit of its capabilities, all forces are thrown into the fight. Therefore, they practically will not remain for digestion of food.
If dysbiosis still joins, then food can even cause disgust.
How to help the child's body to cope and not harm it?
- Don't force the child to eat
In a sick child, the need for food is sufficiently reduced, and if you force feed him, you can add problems with the intestines, liver, kidneys, heart and other organs to the underlying disease.
- Give your child as much water as he wants.
Yes, there are no nutrients in the water, but it does an excellent job of restoring the water balance.
- Don't wake your child up for food
He can eat when he wakes up.
Food is best served in small portions, but often.
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From complementary foods to obesity?
Moms often don't notice that they are doing something wrong. To the doctor's questions "Why do you give cookies to a baby at 4-5 months?" or "Why are you sprinkling sugar on apples that are so sweet?" they answer: “The kid wants it so much! Well, should he be happy about something? He's an adult! " Or even "He sleeps better this way!"
As a result, the baby's risk of not only overweight, but also diabetes mellitus increases significantly. Overeating, as well as sweets in the diet of a child in the first year of life, can lead to obesity in childhood, and then in adulthood.
And few people know that already at the age of 12 months, many babies have an initial degree of caries. And this is due to unhealthy, overly sweet food, constant juices and sweetened yoghurts, which the child sometimes drinks every night.
As a result, the diagnosis of circular caries is very common, that is, the enamel is affected from all sides.
Allergy
Food allergies are often inherited. If any of the relatives have such a feature, you need to be careful with complementary foods. Allergies can manifest themselves on the skin, as well as in the form of a runny nose, edema, and upset stools.
Children under one year old should definitely not be given:
- Sausages;
- Shop confectionery sweets;
- Pickles, fatty meats;
- Red berries and vegetables, citrus and exotic fruits; mushrooms; nuts; honey;
- Seafood; various seasonings and sauces;
- Chips and carbonated drinks;
It is also better not to add whole cow's milk and egg yolk to food.
To prevent allergies, it is important to keep breastfeeding. If the food is mixed or completely artificial, then the pediatrician should help to choose the right mixture.
Overfeeding and erratic feeding patterns can sometimes be the cause of allergies.
Better late?
“And my baby at 8 months didn’t taste anything except breast milk!” - this is how some mothers brag on the Internet. But too late introduction of complementary foods is also a mistake.
The nutritional value of breast milk is enough for a child up to 6 months, sometimes even later. But it is not enough for a child of the second year of life.
Late introduction of complementary foods can cause these problems, as:
- Delay in the physical development of the child due to lack of nutrients;
- Threat of anemia;
- The child learns to chew late and with difficulty - which means that there are problems with digestion;
- It is more difficult for him to perceive new tastes and smells.
Don't make mistakes that will be difficult to fix later!
Hope these simple tips help you avoid them!
- 10 rules for complementary foods according to Dr. Komarovsky
- 5 harmful tips for mothers of babies about complementary foods
- TOP 5 adult products: food from a common table that should not be given to children
- When and where to start the first complementary foods, how to properly introduce new products: basics, tips and rules
- 8 signs it's time to introduce complementary foods
- Complementary feeding according to the rules - a few simple theses
- How to teach a child to eat independently and accurately - complete instructions for parents
- How to teach a child to eat with a spoon - 10 simple tips
