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In the first months of life, there is no better food for a baby than mother’s milk. It contains the optimal amount of essential nutrients. However, after about six months, their content in breast milk decreases noticeably, and the nutrients become insufficient for the normal development of the child, even in formula. Then it’s time to introduce complementary foods.
The baby’s taste preferences and habits will depend on how the process of introducing complementary foods occurs. And many of them, contrary to popular belief, can be influenced by developing the child’s taste. What role does the so-called taste (or critical) window play in this process? We explain in the YokoSun article.
What do you need to know about baby digestion?
As you know, babies cannot digest solid food - their body is simply not adapted to it. But digestion will develop, and the baby will need complementary foods.
Many scientists are still arguing about when it is best to introduce complementary foods. Thus, WHO recommends starting to introduce a child to foods other than mother’s milk or formula no earlier than 6 months. There is another point of view. For example, European and Russian gastroenterologists believe that complementary feeding can be started as early as 4 months. It is at this age that the child’s digestion develops sufficiently for the baby to be able to swallow and digest liquid or semi-liquid food.
It is important that the baby’s body at the age of 4-6 months begins to require more vitamins and microelements. Some of them cannot be obtained from mother's milk or formula. For example, by the end of the first six months of life, children are at high risk of developing iron deficiency. Gradual and competent introduction of complementary foods from 4 months can relieve such unpleasant consequences, according to research.
Some scientists believe that introducing different foods into a child’s diet between 4 and 6 months can reduce the risk of developing allergies. For example, if you start giving your child eggs, the risk of developing an allergy to them decreases. The same goes for other products.
What is a taste window?
The taste window is precisely the period of a baby’s life from 4 to 7 months. It is considered important not only because of its ability to reduce the risk of allergies or various nutritional deficiencies. The thing is that at this time you can influence the baby’s taste preferences.
Many children are picky eaters, and feeding in some cases results in tears and whims. It's normal to be picky about food. But by taking advantage of the taste window, baby can develop a more varied taste and parents can have less stress about feeding.
The child continues to follow the nutritional habits acquired in the first three years of life until adolescence. All this is an excellent reason to instill in your child a taste for vegetables, fish, porridge and other healthy dishes and products that children most often do not particularly like.
Where to start complementary feeding?
The main goal during the taste window period is to diversify the children's diet.
Parents can understand that the child is ready for complementary feeding by certain signs. So, the baby can already sit with support, he holds his head confidently. The baby's weight has doubled since birth, and after 8-10 feedings he is still hungry.
However, the process of introducing complementary foods must be carried out under the strict supervision of doctors. Under no circumstances should you try to compensate for the deficiency of microelements in the child’s body on your own, without the appointment of specialists.
Which products are best to start with? Experts do not advise immediately leaning on sweets - for example, due to the rich tastes of fruits or juice, it will be more difficult for a child to fully perceive vegetables and cereals. It is believed that food from jars is the best option for children. When producing such products, the needs of the growing body for certain microelements and vitamins are taken into account; it has a consistency that is convenient for the baby. Moreover, such products are more varied in taste and significantly save parents’ time.
Foods with which you can start complementary feeding and when to introduce them:
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Vegetable puree can be administered in small portions (from 10 grams) from 4 months of age. The more diverse the “vegetable set”, the wider the child’s taste preferences will be in the future. Suitable for first feeding.
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Porridge are also suitable for complementary feeding from 4 months in small portions, but not more than 150 grams.
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Introducefruit pureegradually, but not as a first food. So, from 4 months, a child can be given from 5 to 50 grams of the product. Over time, portions can be increased.
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Meat puree or boiled meatcan be added to the baby’s diet from 5 months. If you decide to give your child boiled meat, watch the portions. In the first month they should not exceed 15 grams.
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Yolkcan be introduced from 7 months. First 1/4 part, increasing the amount of product over time.
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Cottage cheese is also not suitable for the first complementary feeding; to include it in the baby’s diet, you should consult with doctors and start complementary feeding no earlier than 6 months.
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Fish pureeis suitable for complementary feeding from 8 months of a baby’s life. Portions should be small: at first from 5 to 30 grams.
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Fruit juicecan be given to children from 8 months, but not more than 60 milliliters.
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Fermented milk drinking products are introduced from 8 months.
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Cookies can be given in small pieces from 6 months of age, bread or crackers - from 8 months of age.
Be that as it may, there are no universal feeding techniques. Every baby is unique. Therefore, it is better to discuss the nuances and scheme of feeding your child with a specialist - he will give advice on specific products and the time of their introduction, as well as contraindications. In the meantime, parents should remember that it is up to them what habits their child will acquire over time.