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When feeding your baby at 6 months, you should start introducing new foods to the menu, alternating with feedings, either natural or in formula. Thus, it is at this stage when foods such as vegetables, fruits and porridge should be added to the diet, always with the consistency of purees, broths, soups or small snacks to facilitate swallowing and digestion.
During the introduction of new foods to the baby's menu, it is important that each new food is introduced alone, to facilitate the identification of food allergies or sensitivities, allowing the family to know the reasons for problems such as stomach pain, diarrhea or imprisonment. belly. Ideally, a new food is introduced into the diet every 3 days, which also facilitates the baby's adaptation to the taste and texture of the new foods.
To assist in the feeding introduction of the 6-month-old baby, the BLW method can also be used where the baby begins to eat alone with and with his own hands, which brings numerous benefits, such as learning the textures, shapes and flavors in natura . See how to apply the BLW method to your baby's routine.
How should the food be
The best way to start the introduction is to feed, it is to have the three most appropriate ways for babies, such as:
- Vegetable soups, broths or purees: they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers that are essential for the correct development of the baby. Some examples of vegetables that can be given are pumpkin, potato, carrot, sweet potato, zucchini, cauliflower, chayote and onion.
- Purees and fruit porridge: shaved or mashed fruits should be given to the baby for morning or afternoon snacks, and cooked fruits can also be offered, but always without adding sugar. Some good fruits to start the solid feeding of the baby are apple, pear, banana and papaya, guava and mango.
- Porridge: porridge should only be added to food when made according to the advice of the pediatrician or nutritionist, following the dilution indicated on the label. Cereal porridge, flour and starch can be given, using sources such as corn, rice, wheat and cassava. In addition, one should not avoid giving the baby gluten, as contact with gluten decreases the chances of food intolerance in the future.
It is natural that in the first solid meals the baby eats very little, as he is still developing the ability to swallow food and inhabiting new flavors and textures. Thus, it is usually necessary to supplement the meal with breast milk or bottle, and it is important not to force the baby to eat more than he wants.
In addition, it may be necessary for the baby to consume a food about 10 times, before accepting it completely.
6 month baby menu
When starting the six-month-old baby's food routine, one must keep in mind the importance of good hygiene of fruits and vegetables, in addition the food must be provided in childbirth and plastic spoons, so that nutrients are not lost and occur accidents, like hurting the baby's mouth.
Here is an example of a six-month-old baby's menu for three days:
Meals | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
Breakfast | Breast milk or bottle. | Breast milk or bottle. | Breast milk or bottle. |
Morning snack | Fruit puree with banana and apple. | Watermelon cut into small pieces. | Mango pope. |
Lunch | Vegetable puree with sweet potatoes, pumpkin and cauliflower. | Vegetable puree with zucchini and broccoli and peas. | Vegetable puree with beans and carrots. |
Afternoon snack | Mango cut into small pieces. | Corn porridge. | Guava porridge.
|
Dinner | Wheat porridge. | Half orange. | Rice porridge. |
Supper | Breast milk or artificial milk. | Breast milk or artificial milk. | Breast milk or artificial milk. |
Pediatricians recommend that after a meal, whether sweet or salty, the baby be offered some water, however, this is not necessary after breastfeeding.
In addition, it is important to remember that, although exclusive breastfeeding is only up to 6 months of age, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that breastfeeding be at least until 2 years of age. way, if the baby requests milk, and it is possible to offer, that this is not denied, as long as daily meals are eaten.
Recipes for complementary feeding
Below are two simple recipes that can be given to a 6-month-old baby:
1. Vegetable cream
This recipe yields 4 meals, being possible to freeze for use in the following days.
Ingredients
- 80 g of sweet potatoes;
- 100 g of zucchini;
- 100 g of carrot;
- 200 mL of water;
- 1 teaspoon if oil;
- 1 pinch of salt.
Preparation mode
Peel, wash and dice the potatoes and carrots. Wash the zucchini and cut into slices. Then put all the ingredients in a pan with boiling water for 20 minutes. After cooking, it is advisable to knead the vegetables with a fork, since when using the blender or the mix there may be loss of nutrients.
2. Mashed banana
This puree can be offered as a morning and afternoon snack, or as a dessert after a salty meal, for example.
Ingredients
- 1 banana;
- 2 dessert spoons of baby's milk (either powdered or liquid).
Preparation mode
Wash and peel the banana. Cut into pieces and knead until pureed. Then add the milk and mix until smooth.