Guide for babies to eat solids properly and scientifically
From the 6th month onwards, mothers often give their children complementary foods, but how to get a scientific and nutritious weaning menu, not everyone knows. Let's find out how to properly feed your baby!
How many months baby should weaning?
When is the first thing parents need to know about feeding their children weaning (eating sam)? Eating too early or too late also affects the physical and motor development of children.
The appropriate time for children to eat complementary foods is when the child reaches 6 months of age. (Or it can be as early as 4 months if the mother does not have enough milk, the baby is hungry, does not gain weight, weight gain is very slow). At 6 months of age, the neuromuscular system has developed enough for the baby to chew and bite simple foods.
Children are growing, nutritional needs increase, breast milk may not provide enough nutrients, so baby foods should be added to supplement.
If feeding the child after 6 months, the child may have nutritional deficiencies, slow growth, leading to the risk of malnutrition.
But don't give your baby solid foods too early. The immune factors children receive from their mothers are reduced, which means that the risk of infection is higher. According to the habit, children also gradually drink less breast milk, mothers produce less milk, sometimes not meeting the needs of children. In addition, early weaning also increases the risk of rickets in children. It sounds absurd, but science has proven, in the powder there is a substance called phytinic acid, it combines with calcium, creating an insoluble salt, the body cannot absorb the calcium in that salt, so children lack Calcium for bones and blood.
4 squares of essential nutritional groups for children
The International Organization for Research on Nutrition has provided 4 food squares corresponding to 4 groups of essential nutrients for children, but the center of these 4 food groups is still breast milk. 4 food groups for children include: basic food group, protein-rich food group, energy-rich food group and group providing vitamins and minerals.
Basic food group: Simply put, this is a group with cereals and sweet potatoes represented. In our country, foods belonging to this group are easy to find such as rice, potatoes, cassava, corn, ... (processed into powder for babies). Find nutritious baby cereal powder here.
Protein-rich food group: Protein can be provided by both animals and plants. Animal foods rich in protein such as: meat (both lean and fat), shrimp, eggs, fish, milk, eel, etc., should give children a variety of meat to avoid boredom and enough essential amino acids. Proteins of typical plant origin are beans, pea milk, bean powder, green beans, soybeans, etc.
Energy-rich food group: Products representing this food group commonly found in life are animal fats, sugars, oils (sesame oil, peanut oil, soybean oil). Vegetable oils containing unsaturated fatty acids are easier for children to digest than animal fats. Unsaturated fatty acids are also essential for vitamin absorption and neurological development in young children.
Food groups that provide mineral salts and vitamins for babies: Children should be given additional vegetables and fruits. Especially spinach, broccoli, carrots, papaya, mango, etc. or iron-rich vegetables like water spinach to prevent anemia.
In summary, when giving solid foods to children, it is necessary to use fresh, clean, easy-to-eat foods and ensure adequate nutritional components (vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, zinc, calcium), energy, and protein:
Foods rich in iron: Meat, animal liver, crimson organs
Foods rich in zinc: shrimp, crab, fish, egg yolks
Foods rich in vitamin C: green vegetables, cauliflower, oranges, papaya, tomatoes, mangoes, etc.
Foods rich in vitamin A: Orange-colored fruits, dark green vegetables, breast milk, egg yolks, animal livers.
Weaning in 6-month-old children: Continue to breastfeed, eat one meal of diluted powder (5%), then gradually thicken, the quantity also increases slowly to 200ml/meal. Give 20ml of crushed fruit juice.
Children 7-8 months: still breastfed, eat 2 meals of diluted powder (10%)/day, 200ml/meal. 40ml of crushed fruit.
Children 9-12 months: Breastfeed children, eat 3 more powdered meals (10%)/day, 200ml/meal. Add 60ml of crushed fruit.
Baby food formula for 1-2 years old
Continue to breastfeed the baby, do not wean early if the mother has enough milk.
Baby food is processed in many forms to suit the taste, but it is necessary to ensure that it is easy to digest: porridge, vermicelli, noodles, pho, soft rice, etc.
Hopefully the information that we share can help mothers and families take better care of their children's health. Don't forget to visit our Health section to update more useful experiences for you!