As the baby grows day by day, the body's nutritional requirements gradually increase. The amount and nutritional content of breast milk cannot meet the needs of growth and development. For example, the iron given to the baby by the mother is only enough to sustain three to four months, and the iron content in breast milk is relatively low, making it difficult to meet the body's growth needs. So, why add complementary foods to babies?
After the baby grows to 6 months old, breastfeeding is relatively simple and cannot fully meet the baby's body's nutritional needs. On the basis of insisting on breastfeeding, using complementary foods can help supplement the baby's body with various nutrients such as energy, protein, iron, vitamin A, zinc, etc., especially iron. If babies do not add complementary foods in a timely manner to obtain sufficient iron from other foods, it may lead to iron deficiency anemia.
For babies, both chewing and swallowing abilities need to be learned. If the baby does not practice temporarily, they may refuse to try on their own after the age of one. Sometimes even if the baby is willing to eat on their own, they will vomit immediately after finishing, causing difficulty in eating. So, after about 7 months of age, it is necessary to gradually add different types, flavors, and shapes of complementary foods to help babies adapt to various flavors of food, avoid picky and selective eating in the future, and also help exercise their chewing and swallowing abilities.
The first stage to add complementary food is 4-6 months after birth. It is suggested that iron rich cereal Rice noodles is the first complementary food for baby. In addition to iron, appropriate complementary foods can help provide a diverse and balanced nutritional mix, including protein, vitamins, calories, and trace elements, thereby meeting the nutritional needs of the baby's body.
