When and how to introduce cottage cheese into complementary foods? How to make homemade cottage cheese?

Healthy nutrition is one of the main growth factors for a child in the first year of life. In order for the baby to fully develop, confidently sit, actively crawl and walk with the correct setting of the feet, he needs strong bones. The main source of calcium for infants is breast milk, and after 6 months, cottage cheese. This product must be present in the diet of children, regardless of their age. We will tell about when and how to introduce cottage cheese into complementary foods, and how to cook it yourself, in our article.

How to find out that the baby is ready for feeding?

At the beginning of his life's journey, the baby gets acquainted with the environment, an important element of which is food. That is why it is important to properly organize the feeding process. Usually interest in food in children appears at the age of 6 months. The following symptoms indicate this:

1. The child sits confidently and opens his mouth at the sight of a spoon. Forced feeding can only lead to refusal of food.
2. His first pair of teeth erupted, which contributes to the development of chewing skills during feeding.
3. At this time, there is a period of active growth and development of the child. The body of the crumbs needs vitamins and minerals, and to make up for their deficiency, it is advisable to introduce complementary foods along with breastfeeding.
4. By the age of six months, the gastrointestinal tract of the child is completely ready to receive new food.

The first products from which the kid begins to get acquainted with the adult table are vegetables and cereals. In the first few weeks, they are recommended to be given separately, starting with a teaspoon, and not mixed with each other. Cottage cheese is introduced into the food a little later. Otherwise, this can lead to additional stress on the kidneys and impede the absorption of iron.

Useful properties of cottage cheese

This dairy product can rightfully be called one of the most important in complementary foods. The curd contains calcium and phosphorus, folic acid and vitamin B2. The body needs it not only for the formation of bones and teeth. Cottage cheese has a beneficial effect on the state of internal organs and the nervous system, accelerates the metabolism in the body. But the useful properties of the product do not end there:

1. In addition to calcium and phosphorus, curd contains milk protein concentrate - the main material for the formation of immune bodies, cells and enzymes.
2. This dairy product has high nutritional value. It contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates in a balanced amount.
3. Albumin is abundant in cottage cheese. This special protein contributes to the production of own antibodies in the child’s body, as well as tryptophan and methionine amino acids.
4. Regular use of this product is an excellent prevention of rickets.

From all of the above, it is easy to guess why cottage cheese is introduced into the foods as one of the first products.

Harm and contraindications

Cottage cheese will not bring benefits to the body in the following cases:

• With lactose intolerance.
• With kidney disease.
• If there is an early overgrowth of the fontanel, which is associated with an increased concentration of calcium in the body.
• If a baby who is breastfed quickly gains weight.
• If more than 72 hours have passed after opening the package, the result is a sharp increase in the risk of developing an intestinal infection.

When to introduce baby food with cottage cheese?

On the packaging of this fermented milk product offered in the store, you can often see the mark “6+”. But these recommendations of producers concern, rather, to children who are on artificial feeding. Most often, mothers give these babies earlier lure: not at 6, but at 4 months. Accordingly, by the age of six months, the artisan is usually already familiar with vegetables, fruits and cereals. Therefore, the cottage cheese perceives its digestive system quite well.

In addition to artificial feeding, indications for the introduction of dairy products in the diet at 6-7 months are:

• insufficient weight gain;
• rickets or predisposition to it;
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• lack of calcium in the body.

As for the question of when to introduce cottage cheese to feed the baby during breastfeeding, here the terms vary from 8-9 months. But do not insist. If the child did not like the product, you can offer it to him in 2-3 weeks or replace the home-made version of the cottage cheese "Agusha". Perhaps he will like the crumbs more.

Doctors pediatricians strongly recommend that children not be given fermented milk products before 6 months, because before the pancreas can not provide the digestive system with the necessary enzymes.

How to introduce cottage cheese into the diet?

First of all, complementary foods should only be started if the baby is absolutely healthy. It is not necessary to introduce a new product into the diet immediately after the vaccine or on the eve of vaccination, as well as during teething. If there are no obstacles, you can begin to get acquainted with a new product. It is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. It is recommended to introduce cottage cheese, as well as other products, in the morning.
2. The first serving of a new dish corresponds to 1 teaspoon.
3. In the first day after the introduction of the product, you should observe the condition of the crumbs.
4. If no changes have occurred (abdominal pain, bloating, allergic skin rashes), the next day, the serving increases exactly 2 times. Gradually, within 5-7 days, the volume of the dish should be brought to the daily norm.
5. In the first year of life, cottage cheese is introduced into the feed for children in a pure, natural form without flavoring additives. After 12 months, fruits in the form of mashed potatoes or slices and other fillers are added to the product at will.

Norms

The correct answer to the question of when to introduce the cottage cheese to the baby's food will depend on the type of feeding the baby (breast or artificial). The World Health Organization has developed certain standards. So, when breastfeeding, children should receive the following amount of cottage cheese per day:

• 6 months - 10 g;
• 7 months - 30 g;
• 8-9 months - 40 g;
• 10-12 months - 50 g.

It is worth recalling that in the opinion of most pediatricians, the 8-month age is considered optimal for the introduction of dairy products.

Artists should receive the following amount of cottage cheese per day:

• 6-9 months - 40 g;
• 10-12 months - 50 g.

Curd should be given 2 times a week. For children with rickets or underweight, this dairy product should be offered daily.

Which cottage cheese is better?

Which product should be preferred: store-bought or home-made? In the first year of life, it is better for children to give special cottage cheese of industrial production. Such a product has a soft texture, a pleasant taste, it is easily absorbed and does not cause allergic reactions. Children's cottage cheese for feeding should have a natural composition and not contain any flavoring additives. Particular attention when choosing a product should be given to the production date and shelf life (not more than 48 hours). Such conditions correspond to the cottage cheese "Agusha".

Many mothers neglect industrial products for children. They believe that at home they can cook more fresh and healthy cottage cheese. In fact, it is quite difficult to comply with all the quality standards involved in production in your own kitchen. But the final decision about which cottage cheese is better for feeding is, of course, made by mother. She is fully responsible for the health of her baby.

How to make homemade cottage cheese from kefir?

As already noted, you can cook sour-milk complementary foods on your own. At the exit of 250 ml of kefir, it is possible to get 50 g of cottage cheese, which corresponds to the daily volume of a serving of a one-year-old baby.

You can learn about how to cook cottage cheese for complementary foods from the following step-by-step instructions:

1. Pour special baby kefir or regular (1% fat) into a clean glass jar. Put the container in a pot of cold water directly on a cotton towel, after laying it on the bottom.
2. Heat kefir in a water bath over low heat. About 10 minutes after boiling water in a pan, the temperature of the fermented milk drink will reach 40 °, and clots will begin to form in the jar.
3. Remove the fermented milk mixture from the water bath, cool and strain through 3 layers of gauze to separate the whey. In order to speed up the process, the gauze bag can be suspended or put under the press.
4. When the liquid drains, the product will be ready for use.

Homemade Calcium Enriched Curd

Such a product is recommended, first of all, for children with signs of rickets, as well as for premature babies. Calcined cottage cheese will be useful for nursing mothers who do not receive enough calcium and phosphorus salts with food. It is made from cow's milk with the addition of a 10% solution of calcium chloride.

How to make homemade cottage cheese in this way?

1. Pour milk (1 liter) into a pan and add 20 ml of solution.
2. Put the container on the stove and bring to a boil over low heat (but do not boil). Milk should curl.
3. Remove pan from stove. Cool the separated cottage cheese and strain through cheesecloth, folded in 2-3 layers.
4. The finished product can be consumed.

Cottage cheese dishes for children

If the child is already 1 year old, he can be offered the following cottage cheese dishes:

1. Casserole. Grated cottage cheese (75 g) is combined with grated apple, sugar (1 tsp) and egg whipped with a fork. The mass is laid out in a greased form and sent to the preheated oven. Casserole is cooked for 30 minutes at a temperature of 180 °.
2. Lazy Dumplings. When the child is 12 months old and the cottage cheese has already been introduced into complementary foods, you can offer the baby the following dish. Boil water in a saucepan. Beat cottage cheese (200 g) with an egg blender. Add 100 g flour and a pinch of salt. From the kneading dough, form a sausage and cut it into pieces. Throw lazy dumplings into boiling water and cook until they float.

Opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

Well-known pediatrician recommends starting complementary foods with fermented milk products. He gives the following arguments:

1. Sour-milk and dairy products do not fundamentally differ in composition.
2. Kefir and cottage cheese contain sour milk bacteria that improve digestion and reduce the load on the liver.
3. The above products are well absorbed by the children's body.

Dr. Komarovsky argues that it doesn’t matter if you use homemade or store cottage cheese for the first feeding. The most important thing is that it is of high quality and fresh.