Expanding the diet is a challenge for both toddler and parents. It is a new skill around which many questions and doubts arise. What mistakes can be avoided? We suggest in consultation with the paediatrician.
The baby's diet for the first months of life consists exclusively of breast milk or modified milk. However, there comes a point when the baby is ready to discover new flavours. This is another challenge for the parents. When expanding the baby's diet it is worth noting a few mistakes to avoid:
1. Expanding the baby's diet too early
According to the WHO, the baby should be exclusively fed with milk for the first six months of life. It is worth noting that this also means there is no need to give the baby water (in case of breastfed babies). It is recommended that the expanding of the baby's diet begin at six months of age for babies fed on modified milk or after six , if breastfed. Of course, this is an individual matter and also depends on the baby's readiness and development. First of all, we should start expanding the baby's diet when the baby can sit up stably and hold its head. Secondly, the baby should show interest in eating. It is also important that the neonatal reflex of pushing foreign matter out of the mouth has already disappeared
2. Too early withdrawal of milk in the baby's diet
Although it is possible to expand the baby's diet from the sixth month, this does not mean giving up milk. Milk should be the baby's staple food during the first year. At the beginning, the purpose of expanding the baby's diet is not to feed it on new products. The nutritional function is still performed by milk. During the first weeks the baby should primarily try, discover new tastes and textures and learn to chew and swallow solid foods. Give the new food to the baby in very small portions of 3-4 teaspoons. Increase the amount of new solid food every day to 80-10 mg, after a few days you can introduce a new product, also increasing slowly.
3. Forcing your baby to eat during expanding the diet
When expanding the baby's diet, you have to realise that there are few people who like to eat everything. It is the same with babies, who are, after all, little people. Milk has a sweet taste and new flavours are not immediately accepted by the baby, so if the baby protests a lot when eating a certain product - don't force it. This does not mean that you have to give up the product straight away! On the
contrary, try giving it to the baby a second or third time after a while, because the baby might need to get used to the taste.
Also, do not feed your baby when it does not want to. Perhaps, the baby is already full or simply tired. If you force your child to eat by, for example, putting a spoon in its mouth, the baby will associate food with compulsion and later will not want to try anything, which may result in its becoming anorexic. Expanding the baby's diet really requires a lot of patience on the part of parents.
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4. Adding sugar and salt to foods in the baby’s diet
Remember that your baby does not need extra sugar and salt when expanding its diet. All the nutritional values are provided by the baby's milk, so the additional presence of salt, for example, is not necessary. Also pay attention to the composition of ready-made baby jars - despite the presence of fruit and vegetables, they often contain additional sugar, which is not necessary in the baby's diet, and its excess is harmful.
5. Feeding products that are not age-appropriate when expanding the baby’s diet
Whether you initially expand your baby's diet by giving food in mush form or use the BLW method, there are certain foods that children under one year of age should not eat. These include, for example: mushrooms, cold meats, sausages, juices, honey and cow's milk. Of course, the form of serving is also important - you will not give a child who does not yet have teeth very hard food. Deep-fried food should also not be served - steaming is the best option. Give the food in small pieces and initially blended to a pulp.
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6. Feeding your baby only pulpy foods when expanding its diet
You don't have to start your baby's diet with the BLW method; you can initially give food in the form of a mash. It is important, however, not to stay with this for too long, as pap does not allow the baby to learn even the texture of the food. But even more importantly, pap does not teach the baby to chew, bite off pieces and swallow the solid product. Expanding the diet using only pulp does not develop the speech system either.
Consultation: doctor med. Barbara Leszczyńska, pediatrician.