Breastfeeding begins with breast milk or bottle until 4-6 months, and then stronger foods such as porridge, mashed potatoes and semi-pureed foods are introduced. From 8 months of age, most babies can take food with their hands and take it to their mouths. Finally, after 12 months, they can usually eat the same foods as the rest of the family, which can be included in the family’s meal table.
The baby needs 6 meals a day: breakfast, afternoon tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and dinner. In addition, some babies still feel the need to breastfeed at night, while still eating. When the baby turns 1 year old, only breakfast and dinner should contain milk and all other meals should be eaten with solid, spooned foods.
Guidelines for a standard diet for infants 0 to 12 months of age
Vegetable and tubers puree. Mixed fruit, crushed or in natural juice without sugar, jam or gelatin. You can include a tablespoon of olive oil in the soup or mash.
It is also possible to expose your baby to allergenic foods to reduce the risk of developing food allergies, such as eggs, peanuts or fish. ***
This is just a general pattern of infant feeding and the pediatrician can tailor it to each child’s needs.
The introduction of allergenic foods such as eggs, peanuts or fish should take place between 4 and 6 months, according to the American Society of Pediatrics, as some suggest that it may decrease the risk of developing food allergies in infants. These tips can also be followed for infants with a family history of allergies and/or severe eczema, however, this should be done under the supervision of a pediatrician.
It is important to avoid certain foods during the first year of life that can cause choking such as popcorn, raisins, grapes, hard meats, gum, candy, sausages, peanuts or nuts, for example.
Usually between 4 and 6 months, the baby shows the first signs of being ready to start eating, such as looking and caring about food, trying to catch food, or even taking it to your mouth. In addition, it is important to start breastfeeding only when the baby can sit alone, so there is no risk of suffocation.
To introduce a food, one food should be administered at a time, with an interval of a few days, so that tolerance and acceptance are observed, checking if allergies, vomiting or diarrhoea have appeared.
During the first few weeks, it is recommended that the food be well crushed and filtered, and the consistency of the food gradually improves, when the baby is able to eat the current consistency without choking.
The introduction of the meal should begin with 2 tablespoons of food and, once used, the baby may ingest 3 tablespoons. If you accept the 3 spoons, you can slowly increase the amount, if you do not accept, this amount should be divided throughout the day. From 6 to 8 months, you must offer 2 to 3 meals per day, as well as 1 to 2 snacks. From 8 months, you must have 2 to 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks.
The amount of food and the number of times the baby will depend on the number of calories in each food, so it’s best to get advice from a pediatrician or nutritionist.
To find out if the amount of food was sufficient, it is very important that parents can identify signs of hunger, fatigue, satiety or discomfort, as they influence the process of introducing food. The main signs are:
The baby does not have a very large belly and it is true that solid foods take up more space than the liquid version itself. Therefore, parents should not despair if the baby seems to eat little at once. The important thing is not to give up too quickly, and also not to force the baby to eat if he shows resistance. The variation of flavors is very important for the baby to learn to eat everything.
It is recommended to prepare the baby’s meals separately from the family. Ideally, saute the onion with a little extra virgin olive oil and then add the water and vegetables (2 or 3 different for each soup or puree). Then you have to knead everything with a fork and leave it with a not too liquid consistency, to prevent the baby from drowning. This can be an example of lunch and dinner.
For snacks, you can offer sugar-free natural yogurt and top it with fruit puree, such as banana or scraped apple. Boiling or porridge should be prepared according to package instructions, as some should be prepared with water and others with milk, which may be breast milk or appropriate milk, depending on the baby’s age.
Discover the BLW method to let your baby eat alone
Sometimes the baby doesn’t want to eat, which creates anxiety and restlessness between parents and caregivers, but there are strategies that can help maintain a healthy and diverse diet from childhood. See the tips in the video below:
The baby should not eat sweets, sugary foods, frying, sodas and very spicy sauces before the 1 year, as they may interfere with its development. Thus, some examples of foods that the child should not eat are chocolate milk, chocolate, brigadeiro, coxinha, iced or stuffed cake, soft drinks and industrialized or powdered juices. See other examples of foods your baby can’t eat until age 3.