The first year of life is a very important period for every child. Newly made parents understand this very well. That is why for them this time is an extremely important and exciting stage.
Many important issues occupy the minds of young mothers and fathers. One of them is the issue of expanding the diet of the baby. When can I start introducing new foods into my diet? Which of them should start feeding at 8 months with breastfeeding (HB)? And what kind of food is better to avoid? Parents need to find answers to each of the questions in order to competently expand the kid’s daily menu and avoid unpleasant consequences.
Nutrition at 8 months with breastfeeding
The menu of a breast-fed infant has significant differences from the diet of a baby eating a milk mixture. That is why there are also some differences in the introduction of complementary foods.
So, for example, it is possible to expand the diet of an artificial baby starting from four months, but enriching the menu of crumbs, which is fed by mother's milk, costs no earlier than six months. And only if the baby does not eat up.
How to introduce complementary foods to a baby at 8 months? Despite the addition of new products, breastfeeding should continue as usual. Do not forget about nightly meals. After all, it is at this time of day that the production of the hormone prolactin most actively occurs, on which the level of lactation directly depends. If you confine yourself to daily feedings, deterioration, and in some cases, termination of the formation of breast milk, is possible. It is imperative that you breastfeed your baby after each adult meal.
How to introduce complementary foods at 8 months with artificial feeding
Feeding at 8 months with artificial feeding is formed taking into account the paramount importance of the mixture. By the way, feeding her should continue at least until the child reaches one year of age.
It is possible that at first the baby will refuse the proposed "adult food". This reaction is understandable. For a long time, the infant knew only the neutral taste of the infant formula, while the crumbs that were breastfed conveyed the taste of the food that the mother ate. In this case, new parents need to be patient. Over time, the baby will get used to the new food.
Fish as an element of feeding
Fish is a source of nutrients, including vitamins A, B2, D12, D, E, PP. In addition, this product contains the necessary trace elements for the proper development of the baby - zinc, calcium, sodium, magnesium, bromine, phosphorus, iron, fluorine, iodine. That is why many pediatric pediatricians strongly recommend introducing this product into complementary foods at 8 months of age when breastfeeding and while feeding the baby with milk formula.
The regular introduction of fish products in the crumbs menu has a positive effect on the growth and development of a small child, namely, it helps to normalize digestion processes, stimulates intellectual and brain activity, and also strengthens the cardiovascular and nervous systems of the child’s body.
In stores for goods for newborns, you can buy special mashed potatoes, which include a fish for every taste and budget. When buying, you should carefully read the composition, as well as pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions.
If desired, you can make mashed fish for your baby yourself. To prepare a dish for a baby, it will take no more than 30-40 minutes. First you need to wash and clean the fish. After this, it is necessary to separate the skin and bones from it and cut into small pieces. Then, in boiling, pre-salted water, you need to send the fish and cook until tender over low heat.
If marine fish is preferred, a little dill should be added to boiling water. The cooked product must be cooled at room temperature, then carefully chopped with a blender. The resulting puree can be stored for no more than two days with strict observance of the temperature regime of +2 ... + 6 degrees. Many experts consider the hake to be the most suitable fish for feeding the baby.
How to introduce meat into the baby’s diet
The main innovation in the menu of an infant who has crossed the line of 8 months is low-fat meats. To expand the diet of the baby, rabbit, turkey, chicken meat is ideal. Offal will not be superfluous - tongue, liver and heart. From this time, you can begin to cook tasty and healthy soups with the addition of meat and gradually introduce meat products into complementary foods at 8 months with breastfeeding.
To do this, you can use the following recipe. First you need to cook the meat broth. To do this, cut 150-200 grams of lean meat into small pieces, dip in hot water and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Then you need to add finely chopped potatoes to the broth, and after 10-15 minutes, fresh shabby carrots and chopped onions. After another 10 minutes, you need to send cauliflower or several broccoli inflorescences to a boiling broth with vegetables and meat.
At the end of cooking, you can add a tablespoon of cereal to the soup: barley or buckwheat. As a seasoning, you can use a small amount of salt. At the very beginning of cooking meat broth in boiling water, it is allowed to omit 1-2 bay leaves.
What goodies can be given to a baby at 8 months old
Starting from 8 months, a small amount of goodies can be added to the daily menu of the baby. Among them should be:
- soft cheese with creamy-creamy consistency;
- dried apricots;
- prunes
- beet;
- bell pepper;
- legumes, etc.
Beets are introduced into the diet exclusively in boiled form. Bell pepper can begin to be given at the end of 8 months of the baby's life. Vegetable is an ideal ingredient for soup.
Legumes, for example, lentils, peas and beans, can be given to eight-month-old crumbs not as an independent dish, but as a component of mashed potatoes and soups.
Dried fruits are recommended to be used as an independent treat or as compotes.
Sample menu
Mandatory elements should be butter and vegetable oil, as well as half the yolk.
The scheme and mode of feeding in combination with breast milk or a dry mixture should look like a certain way.
- 6.00-6.30 - the first meal. Breast milk or milk formula.
- 10.00 - the second meal. Porridge with the addition of 10 grams of butter, half chicken yolk, milk or dry mix.
- 14.00-14.30 - the third meal. Vegetable puree (170 g), meat puree (50 g) or fish puree (30 g), vegetable oil (half a teaspoon), wheat bread (5 g), fruit juice (50 ml).
- 18.00-19.00 - the fourth meal. Cottage cheese (40 g), crackers or cookies (1-2 pcs.), Fruit puree (40 gr).
- 22.00-22.30 - the last meal. Breast milk or milk formula.
Parents should understand that this is an approximate diet. Every mom and dad has the right to independently create a menu for his baby, depending on the characteristics of his body and behavior.
The main principles of complementary foods
In order not to harm the baby's health, you need to follow several important principles:
- Expansion of the diet should begin gradually. Each new menu component should begin to be given at about 10-20 grams per day. This will determine whether the crumbs are allergic to a particular product.
- If the first time a small child did not like a product, it is by no means necessary to remove it from the diet. This is a mistake of many parents. It is necessary to gain strength and patience, enabling the baby to recognize the whole gamut of taste of an unfamiliar product.
- Complementary foods should be monocomponent.
Observing the above simple rules, expanding the diet will be simple and safe for parents and, first of all, for the baby.
What foods are better not to give an eight-month-old baby
The list of products that should not be used to expand the daily diet of an infant of 8 months includes the most allergenic products, namely:
- citrus fruit;
- chicken and quail eggs (with protein);
- whole milk products;
- cheese.
Caution should be taken when introducing crumbs of orange-red vegetables, fruits and berries into the menu.
Recipes for babies 8 months
Parents should understand that for an 8-month-old baby on HB, complementary foods can be varied with interesting recipes.
To prepare a vegetable mousse with turkey, you will need the simplest ingredients, namely:
- 50 g turkey fillet;
- 80 g broccoli;
- 80 g pumpkin;
- olive oil.
First you need to boil poultry and vegetables for a couple. An ideal multicooker or a double boiler. After the cooking process is complete, grind everything in a blender and cool.
Fillet with peaches and cream is a very tasty and healthy dish.
You will need:
- turkey meat or chicken fillet - 200-300 g;
- 3-4 peaches or nectarine;
- 2-3 plums.
After the child reaches the age of one year, honey can be added to the recipe (if the baby does not have allergic reactions to this ingredient). First you need to grease the baking dish with butter. Then you need to put the meat in a bowl, cover with foil and send to the oven for 20-25 minutes.
After this, you need to thoroughly rinse the fruits, remove the seeds, if desired, you can remove the skin. Then you need to cut the fruit into four parts and put it in the meat. Bake fruit with turkey (or chicken) for 15 minutes without covering with foil. Fruit juice can be watered before serving a small gourmet. After the child reaches the age of one year, you can add a teaspoon of honey to the finished dish and let it brew for 10-15 minutes.
Instead of a conclusion
The introduction of new products in the baby’s diet is a very serious stage for him and his parents. This should be approached very carefully and seriously. It is necessary to take into account all the features of the baby's body. Millions of newly minted moms and dads are worried about how to properly introduce complementary foods at 8 months, a daily menu.
Before the introduction of a product, it is recommended to consult a specialist in a medical institution. The doctor will help draw up an approximate diet of the baby, give necessary advice on introducing new products into the daily menu.
To feed a baby of 8 months on HB and milk formula, you should choose the highest quality and freshest products. Before buying, you should carefully study the composition, pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions.