As babies grow older, mothers have to do another thing amidst their busy schedules - complementary foods. After reaching a certain stage, breast milk and formula can no longer meet the needs of the baby's body, and only complementary foods can help the baby develop better. So, how many months can babies add complementary foods? What should complementary foods be eaten?
How many months can babies add complementary foods
The World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the UK government's Department of Health all recommend that exclusive breastfeeding should be carried out for at least 6 months, and after 6 months, complementary foods should be added to babies. Because breast milk can meet all nutritional needs, including water, up to 6 months ago. As an imitation and substitute for breast milk, proportionally formulated formula milk can also meet all the nutritional needs of babies up to 6 months old.
6 months is when babies begin to adapt to different foods, and it is also the best time for different food structures and feeding methods. Due to the developmental needs of the baby's digestive system and the nutritional issues of breast milk, it is best for mothers who have the conditions to breastfeed Baobao exclusively until 6 months old, and then gradually add complementary foods. If some babies or mothers cannot continue to breastfeed exclusively for certain reasons, whether to add complementary foods early should be based on the actual advice of pediatricians.
What should babies eat as complementary foods
During the early stages of weaning, babies begin to experience new flavors through chewing rice paste, vegetable puree, and fruit juice, which is an important stage for establishing good eating habits. When adding complementary food to the baby, after Rice noodles and rice paste, the mother will generally try juice and vegetable water for the baby. These two foods are rich in vitamins and are a natural and safe way for babies to supplement their vitamins. However, during the addition process, it is important to pay attention to whether the baby is allergic to this ingredient.
Babies are prone to constipation or dry and hard stools. At this time, in addition to developing regular bowel habits, it is also necessary to add dietary fiber appropriately to complementary foods. However, for babies who have just tried complementary foods, excessive dietary fiber is difficult to digest. So, when tasting fruit and vegetable juice for the first time, it is recommended to filter out the residue first.
