Despite the abundance of information, recommendations of pediatricians and WHO, for many parents the question of
when to start complementary foods remains open. After all, qualified doctors say that up to six months the baby does not need anything, and grandmothers say that it is necessary to teach a child to adult food from a month old. No less relevant is the question of why it is necessary to begin acquaintance of the baby with ordinary food. But here even doctors and scientists cannot come to a consensus.
Some say that it is better to start eating vegetables, others insist on fruit puree, and others insist on cereals. But complementary foods according to Komarovsky begin with fermented milk products, for example, with kefir. This doctor, popular in the CIS, justifies his opinion by the fact that the baby’s gastrointestinal tract is used exclusively to dairy products. In addition, it is in kefir that contains special sour milk bacteria that are able to withstand various microbes and reduce the risk of intestinal infections. This product also improves digestion and reduces the load on the baby’s still weak liver.
Komarovsky recommends introducing the first complementary foods at the beginning of the day, gradually replacing them with the second feeding of the baby. Very little is given for the test: for the first time, it is enough to feed the child a couple of teaspoons. In the following days, the dose doubles until the baby begins to eat 100-150 grams of kefir in one feeding. Further complementary foods according to Komarovsky are introduced as follows: somewhere on the 5th day of kefir consumption, cottage cheese is added to it. Of course, all this is done, provided that the child does not have any rashes, digestive disorders, he is cheerful and healthy. By the age of 6-8 months, it is quite enough to gradually introduce 30 g of cottage cheese, by the 9th its quantity is brought to 50 g. If the child does not like such food, Komarovsky recommends slightly sweetening it.
If you introduce complementary foods according to Komarovsky, then after the complete replacement of one feeding with fermented milk products (and this should take about 7-10 days), you can enter another feeding. This doctor recommends replacing the most recent meal with cereals: buckwheat, rice or oatmeal. To cook it yourself or buy a soluble option in a box - this should be decided by the mother herself.
Introducing complementary foods according to Komarovsky, only by 8 months will you add vegetables and fruits to your baby’s diet. To begin with, he recommends giving the child a taste of the vegetable broth, and only then switch to vegetable soup or mashed potatoes. After 2-3 weeks, you must add meat or a slice of egg yolk. Komarovsky recommends giving fruits only after the child has the first tooth, but not earlier than 6 months.
It looks like complementary foods according to Komarovsky. The product introduction table recommended by most pediatricians is somewhat different from this scheme. So, many doctors believe that
dairy products, and especially cottage cheese, are too heavy products for the children's stomach. Therefore, most still recommend to introduce vegetables or fruits. But here, too, there are pitfalls: after tasting sweet apples or bananas, the baby may refuse to eat fresh cauliflower, zucchini or potatoes.
But at what age and with what products to begin to acquaint your baby with adult food, only the child's parents should decide, focusing on the recommendations of doctors and common sense.