Children eat complementary foods according to each age: From 0-6 months

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi My Linh - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Complementary feeding plays a very important role in the development of children. If you do not pay attention to the scientific recommendations when giving solid foods, parents can unintentionally make the health and development of children lag behind. Many mothers ask when should they start giving complementary foods to their children? What is a dietary supplement?

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), babies should start to eat solid foods (also known as sam) when they are 6 months old, because at this time their digestive system has developed quite completely, so they can absorbing solid and complex foods than breast milk, babies really need complementary foods for healthy development because breast milk supply after 6 months is not enough to meet their daily nutritional needs. young.
However, many mothers still have the misconception that early complementary feeding will make the baby stronger and the child will not be hungry. Many children receive complementary foods from the 4th, 5th and 5th month, even many cases are supplemented from the 3rd month of age. Children 4 months old should not start eating solids because this will affect their utilization. breast milk, children are prone to digestive disorders leading to malnutrition. In particular, some mothers in rural, remote and isolated areas still feed their children chewed rice, which is very unhygienic, even a source of disease transmission to children.

Introducing solids too early will be harmful to children because the digestive system of children under 6 months of age can only accept and be suitable for digesting liquid foods such as breast milk. If complementary foods are processed at a liquid level like breast milk, they often have a lower nutritional value than breast milk, which is not enough to ensure the normal development of the baby.

Following the basic principles when giving solid foods to children will help parents know how to make nutrition for children more convenient and scientific. These are also the factors that help the growth and development of children reach the most complete level. According to experience drawn from child health care of the American Academy of Pediatrics (American Academy of Pediatrics), weaning should pay attention to the following principles:
Let children learn to eat with complementary foods. foods that are close to breast milk or formula to help babies get used to "new foods", help babies gradually adapt to solid foods and make eating easier. The principle of "sweet - salty" should be adhered to at the beginning of the weaning period, usually MSG will be the first choice when introducing weaning foods because the taste is "similar" to breast milk, the child is given Weaning food with MSG first will be gradually replaced with salty flour with more nutritious ingredients. The principle of "less is more" to train the child's digestive system to gradually adapt to an increasingly richer amount and composition of food. Feed the child with a small amount and then increase it gradually, specifically, in the first month, children should eat 1-2 additional spoons of powder each time and then gradually increase to 1/3 cup, then half a cup... provide adequate energy - essential nutrients for children's growth and development needs. The principle of "thinning - thickening" should be kept in mind so that the child's complementary feeding process is always "smooth", this is the principle to help children not be allergic or sensitive when exposed to strange foods and their digestive system. Children can keep up with the process of digesting more complex foods. The principle of "coloring the dough bowl" means that the baby's solid food powder also ensures all 4 important food groups to help children develop well. Flour group includes rice, flour, bread, vermicelli, pho, corn, potatoes... Protein group includes meat, fish, eggs, milk, shrimp, soybeans, soy products and legumes/ other beans... The fat group includes oils, fats, butters, cheeses and oilseeds. The group of vitamins and minerals includes fresh vegetables and fruits. For young children, nutritionists recommend that mothers or caregivers do not add fish sauce and salt to their children's food, because the child's kidney function is still weak, causing many effects on the child's health after the baby is born. this. The principle of "don't force the child to eat" when the child does not want to eat or is opposed to solid food, parents should let the child stop eating solid food for a period of 5-7 days and then continue to practice so that the child will not eat solid food. stress in weaning.

When starting solid food, it is still necessary to continue to breastfeed the baby daily at least 3-4 times, eat a sufficient number of meals (from 2 meals gradually increase to 3-4 meals when nearly 1 year old) and powder/porridge. Cooked with the following 4 food groups:
Flour group: Use plain rice, new eight rice, sticky rice should not be mixed (it makes it hard to eat because of gluten), willow, lotus seeds, green beans ( because it easily causes a feeling of boredom, difficulty eating and indigestion). Protein group: When starting to eat weaning, should use lean meat (pork, chicken), egg yolk rich in protein, fat, easy to digest.

Fat group: Fat is a source of energy and a solvent for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A to prevent dry eyes, vitamin D to prevent rickets, ... Children need to eat both vegetable oils and fats. animal fat (chicken fat, lard, ...), with the best ratio being 1:1 (different from adult is 2:1). Should feed a variety of vegetable oils (soybean, sesame, olive, ...), Gac oil should only be fed 1-2 times a week to avoid jaundice due to excess carotene. It is recommended to use animal fat such as chicken fat, lard, salmon oil... Especially note that every meal must be fed with oil / fat and must be in sufficient quantity: When starting to eat BS, each meal should give 2.5ml of oil. /fat, 8 months or more 5ml, nearly 1 year old or more 7.5-10ml/meal according to the principle of one meal of oil, one meal of fat. The group that provides fiber and vitamins: Green vegetables, tubers and fruits hardly provide energy, so don't put too much in the flour/porridge to make the energy density low: at the beginning of the supplement, you should give 1 teaspoon, then increase to 2-3 spoons/1 is enough. If the child is constipated, you can give more but not too much. Note that it is not recommended to use many types of green vegetables and fruits in one meal, making the meal volume too large.

Rich in energy, protein, fat and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, D, C and folate (available in many animal sources, seafood, dairy, ...). Clean and safe: no pathogenic bacteria or other harmful organisms; no harmful chemicals or toxins (don't give children toad meat, puffer fish... or potentially toxic foods such as mushrooms of unknown origin); No bones or hard pieces that could hurt your baby. Not too hot, spicy, salty, easy to eat, kids like. Easily prepare baby food from family, local, affordable, easy-to-cook foods. Attention should be paid to washing and keeping kitchen utensils and dishes clean when preparing food and preserving food well. Avoid snacks with too much sugar (damaging teeth) and low nutritional value (such as carbonated water, ice cream, ...), easy to cause metabolic disorders later. In short, in order for children to grow well and be healthy, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and balance in quality. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients that adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in both physical, mental and motor.
The period of baby eating solid foods is an extremely important period to help children develop comprehensively. Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiencies, causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption, etc. If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with supportive products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
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