Nutrition of an infant at 6 months. List of products and important complementary feeding rules for a six-month-old baby

A six-month-old baby no longer looks like a newborn baby. During his first six months of life, he more than doubled his weight, learned to roll over, crawl, and maybe even sit. His leisure time becomes more varied, he is actively interested in the space around him, acquires new skills, and expresses his emotions. For normal development of a child, a properly organized and comfortable daily routine is important. A 6-month-old child needs proper sleep, proper nutrition, hygiene procedures and walks, as well as educational games, exercises, and massage.

Content:

Features of a child's nutrition at 6 months

For a baby at 6 months, breast milk remains the main food product, which he can receive on demand or according to a schedule. However, its nutritional value is no longer able to fully satisfy the child’s needs, so complementary foods are being introduced into the diet of infants. For artificial infants, complementary feeding, in agreement with the supervising pediatrician, begins 1–2 months earlier. For children who are fed mother's milk on a schedule, as well as those who are on mixed or completely artificial feeding, 5-6 feedings per day with an interval of 4 hours are recommended. If the baby receives mother's milk on demand, then the number of feedings may be greater.

Depending on the child's reaction to new food and the rate of weight gain by the end of the sixth month, complementary feeding can completely replace one breastfeeding. Products recommended for complementary feeding include fruits and vegetables (apples, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower) in the form of juices or purees, porridge, special children's kefir, yogurt or cottage cheese. Their choice is carried out under the supervision of a doctor, taking into account the characteristics of the baby.

When introducing complementary foods, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Each product is given for the first time, starting with ½ tsp, gradually increasing the amount in subsequent days, provided that the child’s body reacts normally to it.
2. It is necessary to give completely new food in the first half of the day in order to be able to track the reaction throughout the day.
3. Dishes should be offered to the child in a well-chopped semi-liquid state, since he is not yet at all familiar with food with a solid consistency.

If skin rashes and other allergic reactions or gastrointestinal disturbances occur, the introduction of the product that provoked such a reaction should be postponed for several weeks.

Sleeping and waking patterns of a six-month-old baby

The total waking time of a newborn baby, as a rule, is no more than ¼ of the day. As it grows and develops, it gradually increases, and by 6 months it can already be 8–9 hours.

The duration of night sleep for a six-month-old child is about 10 hours. During this time, many babies wake up once or twice to eat. This is especially true for those who are breastfed. Children on artificial or mixed nutrition mostly eat porridge or cottage cheese at night, which ensures a feeling of fullness for a long time. They can sleep without a break for about 9 hours or more.

Daytime naps become shorter and more frequent. Depending on their temperament, physical activity, state of the nervous system and other individual characteristics, children of this age sleep 2 or 3 times for 1.5–2 hours.

Advice: It is necessary to put the child to bed at approximately the same time (plus or minus 30 minutes) every day, following a certain procedure before bedtime, which will allow parents to avoid many problems when getting the baby to fall asleep.

The child's sleep and wakefulness patterns change periodically. For example, if he previously slept three times during the day, now two times may be enough for him. Signs of readiness to switch to two naps a day are a decrease in the duration of the third nap to 40 minutes, an unwillingness to go to bed, and the ability to stay awake for 3 hours without overwork and whims.

You should put your child to bed at the first sign of fatigue. If this is not done on time, then everything will end in whims, overexcitation, and it will be more difficult for him to calm down and fall asleep later.

Exercises while awake

The baby's periods of wakefulness at 6 months become longer, and he wants to spend this time actively. Walking in the fresh air, various toys, gymnastics, and massage will come to the rescue.

Almost all children like to play while sitting in a high chair, in a playpen or on a development mat. They can spend quite a lot of time doing this activity in front of their mother. Toys that can be offered to a baby should be safe, designed for his age, and contribute to the development of fine motor skills and other skills in the child. Children are especially willing to play with bright toys made from different materials. These can be rubber balls, wooden, fabric and plastic cubes, pyramids, sorters, musical toys and others.

During a walk, it is useful to draw the baby’s attention to the world around him, show him cats, dogs, birds, let him touch leaves, smell flowers. In the summer, when it is light outside for a long time, you need to walk twice a day for 2–2.5 hours. In winter and autumn, if the weather permits, it is recommended to go outside at least once and ventilate the apartment more often.

Parents should pay great attention to the physical development of the child. Many six-month-old children can roll over, crawl, and some even sit. To consolidate these achievements, you need to do simple exercises and a relaxing massage with your baby. They will contribute to the development and strengthening of his muscles, improving coordination of movements. Before starting such activities, you need to consult with your pediatrician to choose the most suitable complex. It is better if a professional children's massage therapist demonstrates to parents the correctness of performing the exercises.

Games that can excite the baby and put him in an excited state should be played no later than 1.5 hours before bedtime, no matter whether it is during the day, evening or night. Overstimulation from play or other activities can prevent your baby from falling asleep peacefully.

Approximate daily routine

The daily routine of each child is formed individually, taking into account his characteristics and the characteristics of the life of the family into which he was born. The main thing is that it is comfortable for the baby and provides all his needs.

An approximate daily routine for a 6 month old baby with three naps during the day:

07:00 – getting up, hygiene procedures
07:10 – feeding
07:00 – 09:00 – exercises, games
09:00 – 11:00 – afternoon nap
11:00 – feeding (complementary feeding)
11:00 – 13:00 – time in the air
13:00 – 15:00 – afternoon nap
15:00 – feeding
15:00 – 17:00 – time in the air
17:00 – 19:00 – afternoon nap
19:00 – feeding
19:00 – 20:30 – games, communication with parents
20:30 – water treatments
21:00 – night sleep
23:00 – feeding

If a child sleeps only twice during the day, then the first nap should be between 10:00 and 12:30, and the second from 16:00 to 18:30. At the same time, night sleep may become longer due to earlier bedtime or later rise in the morning.

Important: Compliance with a certain regime is of great importance for a small child. This will ensure his successful development, good mood and well-being, normal appetite, quick falling asleep and peaceful awakening.

Video: Pediatrician about the developmental features of a child aged 6 months

This plan only includes 3 breast (or bottle) feedings. Often children at this age eat 4-5 times, so stick to your established routine. Lunch and dinner can be varied at your discretion.

Approximate menu for a child at 6 - 7 months.

The child's menu should look something like this:
6.00 – breastfeeding;
10.00 – vegetable soup with meat broth – 20 g; vegetable puree – 150 g (add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and half a yolk to the puree); meat or liver puree 10-30 g; fruit juices – 5-6 teaspoons;
14.00 – breastfeeding, one of the fruit juices – 5-6 teaspoons;
18.00 – oatmeal (buckwheat, rice) – 150 g; cottage cheese – 4 teaspoons; scraped apple or one of the fruit purees - 3 tablespoons;
22.00 – breastfeeding.
As you can see, the child’s menu is already quite varied.

If your baby is bottle-fed, his menu looks something like this:
6.00 – milk mixture or kefir – 200 g;
10.00 – oatmeal (buckwheat, rice) – 150 g, cottage cheese – 4 teaspoons, one of the fruit juices – 5-6 teaspoons;
14.00 – vegetable soup cooked in meat broth – 20 g, vegetable puree – 150 g with the addition of 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and half an yolk, meat or liver puree – 40 g, peeled apple or one of the fruit purees – 3 tablespoons;
18.00 – milk mixture or kefir – 200 g; one of the fruit juices – 5-6 teaspoons;
22.00 – milk mixture or kefir – 200g.
As you noticed, vegetable, fruit and meat dishes are gradually replacing dairy dishes.
In winter, when the child does not get enough exposure to the sun, give the baby vitamin D. The child receives this vitamin in the form of a drug prescribed by your local pediatrician.

Menu for different occasions

Option 1. If your baby received exclusively breast milk until 5-6 months old and grew and developed normally, then now is the time to start introducing new foods into his diet. Depending on the individual characteristics of the child, the doctor’s recommendations and your personal wishes, this may be juice, puree - fruit or vegetable. If a child is prone to allergic reactions, in some cases vegetable puree can be recommended as the first product new to the child (from half a teaspoon, gradually increase the serving volume to 150 g). 2 - 3 weeks after this, the child can be offered another new product. A month after the baby started receiving new foods, his menu may look something like this:

I feeding(6 hours): Breast milk

II feeding(10 hours): Fruit puree, Breast milk 30 g

III feeding(14 hours): Vegetable puree or porridge about 140 - 150 g, Vegetable oil, 3 g (1/2 tsp), Fruit juice 60 ml (can be given between feedings)

IV feeding(18 hours): Breast milk, Fruit puree 30 g

V feeding(22 hours): Breast milk

Option 2. If your child began to receive additional nutrition and complementary feeding at an earlier date (from 4 to 4.5 months) as prescribed by a doctor, then by 6 months his diet may look something like this:

I feeding(6 hours): Breast milk

II feeding(10 hours): Milk porridge 150g, Butter 4 g, Fruit puree 60 g

III feeding

IV feeding(18 hours): Breast milk, Cottage cheese 40 mg., Fruit juice 30 ml

V feeding(22 hours): Breast milk

Option 3. Approximate daily diet for a 6-month-old child who is bottle-fed and receives new foods from 4 months:

I feeding(6 hours): Adapted fresh or fermented milk mixture 180 – 200 ml

II feeding(10 hours): Milk porridge 150 g, Butter 4 g, Fruit puree 60 g

III feeding(14 hours): Vegetable puree 150 g, Vegetable oil 3 g (1/2 tsp), Yolk 0.25 g (1/4), Fruit juice 30 ml

IV feeding(18 hours): Adapted milk formula 150 ml, Cottage cheese 40 g, Fruit juice 30 ml, Cookies 3 g

V feeding(22 hours): Adapted fresh or fermented milk mixture 180 – 200 ml

Option 4. Approximate daily diet for a 6-month-old child with an allergy to cow's milk proteins:

I feeding(6 hours): Breast milk, Fermented milk product, Soy mixture, Protein hydrolyzate mixture 180 – 200 ml

II feeding(10 hours): 8-10% dairy-free porridge with the addition of breast milk, fermented milk product, soy mixture or hydrolyzate 170 g, Ghee (vegetable) butter 3 g (1/2 tsp), Fruit puree (apple, pear, plum)20 g

III feeding(14 hours): Vegetable puree 160 g, Vegetable oil 3 g (1/2 tsp), Meat puree 20 - 50 g (4 tsp), Fruit puree 20 g (4 tsp)

IV feeding(18 hours): Dish of cereals and vegetables (zucchini, rice; cauliflower, buckwheat 1:1) 160 ml, Vegetable oil 3 g (1/2 tsp), Meat puree 20 - 30 g, Fruit puree 20 g

V feeding(22 hours): Breast milk, Fermented milk product, Soy mixture, Protein hydrolyzate mixture 180 – 200 ml

At 6 months, the child’s horizons, attention, and needs become broader. The same thing happens with the diet. It is becoming more diverse. Previously, doctors advised starting complementary feeding at almost one month of age. Today their opinion has changed, they recommend changing the child’s menu at 6 months. As a rule, the baby’s diet during this period becomes more varied. Up until this point, he had only been drinking breast milk or formula.

If the child is sick or has recently been vaccinated, then it is better to postpone complementary feeding. Otherwise, his parents won’t even know why he has a fever. Now we’ll find out what a child’s menu should be at 6 months.

Mostly during this period we start giving vegetable purees. You can, of course, give fruit ones too. But then the little one will refuse to eat more nutritious dishes after eating sweets. To avoid allergic reactions and rashes in your baby, you must first give half a teaspoon of puree.

It is advisable to introduce complementary foods in the morning. If your baby develops a rash or something suspicious, you can take action immediately; this is quite difficult to do at night. Before giving your child a new food, it is necessary to study what allergic reactions certain vegetables can cause.

If everything is fine, then the dosage should be increased by a couple of teaspoons over the course of a week. You cannot introduce two or more new dishes into your baby’s diet at once. Let him get used to one first, after 2 weeks to the second, and so on. should be very finely chopped, then you can do it with small pieces (but very gradually) so that the child does not choke while eating.

Vegetable purees

Mothers often ask the question: “What to feed a baby at 6 months?” The first vegetable puree usually consists of potatoes, zucchini, carrots or cauliflower. If the child’s tolerance to these products is normal, then the vegetables can be mixed. For example, carrots with potatoes or zucchini. You can prepare different soups with vegetables, just be sure to grind them in a blender before serving.

Lean meat

After getting used to vegetables, your child can be offered lean meat. It also needs to be crushed and added to soups or purees. What can you give a 6 month old baby from meat? Veal and turkey are perfect for new complementary foods. You can cook soup for your baby using broth from this meat. Just first you need to strain it very well so that there is no fat. Every child will like veal or turkey. Making meat puree is not at all difficult. For example, veal needs to be cleaned of excess film, washed in plenty of water, cut into pieces and simmered until cooked.

A blender does not always grind meat well, so it is better to grind it 2-3 times through a meat grinder. After this procedure it turns out quite dry. To prevent the child from choking on it, you can pour a little broth to the desired consistency. Then put on low heat and bring to a boil. You need to add very little butter - 1-2 grams. A child's menu at 6 months gradually becomes more varied and balanced.

Porridge

What can you give a 6-month-old child, besides meat and puree? Porridge. They are very useful for the body of any person, especially children. This is already the beginning of the second complementary feeding after puree. Children love porridge. However, there is pearl barley and millet, which are more difficult to digest and chew, so these 2 types should not be given yet.

What can you give a 6 month old baby? If the child has low weight and frequent belching, then you should start with semolina porridge. You shouldn’t consume it every day, since it contains quite a few vitamins, but there is enough starch, which can cause allergies.

If the child has loose stools quite often, then it is better to start complementary foods that normalize the intestines. For constipation, oatmeal porridge is suitable because, on the contrary, it will relax you. Buckwheat porridge is considered the healthiest. It can be given to children suffering from diathesis.

How to feed cereals?

There is no need to grind semolina porridge. All the rest should be ground well in a blender. Semolina is boiled in milk (water must be added). When the child gets used to such feeding, you can eliminate water completely.

Another porridge that is very healthy for a child is oatmeal. It contains phosphorus, iron and other substances necessary for the body. The main thing is that it is not only healthy, but also nutritious.

Fruit purees

What sweets should I feed my 6 month old baby? After the main courses, you can start pampering your baby with tasty things, for example, fruit purees. You should first give half or a quarter of a teaspoon, gradually increasing the gram to 50. After 2 weeks, you can introduce a new one. When the baby gets used to different purees, then they can be combined. For example, an apple with a carrot or a pear.

Doctors' opinions on this matter

Since mothers go with their children to the clinic until they are one year old, the doctor at the appointment should tell them what to feed the child at 6 months. Parents who are just having their first baby don’t know how and what to give their little one correctly so as not to harm him. They are happy to follow advice. Only today, doctors have different opinions about what it should be. Some argue that it is better to buy special canned food for children in pharmacies, others believe that it is more advisable to cook it yourself. But the mother must understand that, firstly, you can’t buy canned food, since the prices for them are high, and secondly, she prepared it herself and you know exactly what you are giving to your baby.

Cottage cheese

What else can you give a 6-month-old child, besides purees, cereals and meat? Of course, cottage cheese. It is necessary for the growing body, as it contains protein, calcium, phosphorus, which is necessary for strong joints, teeth, hair, etc. The main thing is that the child is not allergic to dairy products. Then the cottage cheese will be digested very easily.

It should be started with 5 grams, once a day, preferably at 16-18 hours. Thus bring to 50 grams. The same amount should be given regularly for up to a year. When the baby’s body gets used to cottage cheese, then it can be combined with fruit purees that are familiar to him. After a week, you can add cookies to the same dish. It will be just right for an afternoon snack.

Drinks for baby

What can a 6 month old baby drink besides breast milk? Rosehip decoction is very useful for the baby, thirst is quenched well. You definitely need to drink water. Often children refuse it, but at least a few drops through a pipette must be given. Any juice, only homemade, not purchased.

You should start giving it with 2 drops per day, gradually increasing the dosage. Apple juice is the least likely to cause allergies, so it is advisable to start a new drink with it. When the child gets used to it, then you can give juice with pulp.

If a child suffers from constipation, then it is advisable to give plum, apple, apple with rosehip or pumpkin juice. Also, thanks to these drinks, the baby will suffer less from viral infections.

After the juice, you can add compotes of fresh berries and fruits. Kissel - berry or milk is also suitable, but not to quench your thirst, but for variety. You need to drink half an hour before or after meals. Under no circumstances should you be allowed to drink while eating. This makes it difficult to digest food.

From 6 months to one year, a child needs to drink at least 300 ml of liquid per day. You also need to accustom your baby to kefir. For the first time, 3 teaspoons is enough, after which you need to supplement with formula or breast milk. Throughout the day it is necessary to observe the baby how he reacted to the new product.

If the child is given insufficient fluids, dehydration may occur. Consuming too much makes it difficult for the kidneys to function. That is why every mother should control not only nutrition, but also how much her baby drinks.

Sample menu for a 6 month old baby

At 6 a.m., only breast milk or formula is given.

8.00 - porridge 100 gr. + butter 2 gr. and juice 50 ml.

10.00 - formula or breast milk.

12.00 - fruit puree 100-30 gr.

14.00 - vegetable puree 120 gr. + meat 20-30 gr.

16.00 - breast milk or formula.

18.00 - fruit puree 100-130 gr. or cottage cheese 50 gr.

20.00 - formula or breast milk.

Throughout the day, the child should be offered juices, teas, compotes, and so on.

This is not an exact menu, but only an approximate one. At this age, the child becomes more active. And mother's milk becomes very little for him. That is why every mother should think about what kind of nutrition her active child should have. Parents can keep a diary where they can write down the baby’s meals for every day and stick to this menu. Then they will not get confused, and the food will become balanced and varied. In addition, you should remember that it is unacceptable to enter several products into the menu at one time. There is no need to rush in this matter, otherwise various problems are likely to arise (rash, tummy pain, moodiness). After all, a baby cannot immediately adapt to unusual food.

Schedule

In order to know exactly what to feed a child at 6 months, it is worth planning the meals by day.

1 day. Apple juice, buckwheat banana puree.

Day 2. Compotes, rice porridge, apple or pear broccoli or cauliflower, a little cottage cheese.

Day 3. Oatmeal with added milk, preferably breast milk. Kissel, fruit puree - plum or pumpkin.

Day 4 Buckwheat porridge, mashed potatoes, kefir, fruit puree.

Day 5 Rice porrige. A little boiled egg yolk (less than half), jelly, zucchini puree, carrot juice.

The first and fourth feedings should consist of only breast milk or formula.

If you write down your child’s menu in this way, then it will be balanced and healthy. At the age of six months, the child gets used to new food; closer to 7 months, he already receives all the basic foodstuffs. At 6 months, you should not give porridge more than once. It is nutritious, so there is no need to be surprised if the child may refuse the next feeding. There is no need to force him, it means that the previous food was enough for him. If a child constantly refuses a certain food, then he simply overate this product (or he simply does not like it). You need to give the baby time to forget about it and try again.

What should you feed a 6 month old baby if he has teeth? First peel the apple or carrot and let it chew, but only very carefully! There is no need to leave your baby unattended if he eats a vegetable or fruit. Important: it is advisable to start complementary feeding with vegetables, gradually moving on to cereals. Fruit purees and juices should be introduced after them. Meat in the diet should be present in very small quantities. Dairy products should be introduced after others. Egg yolk, citrus fruits, and strawberries can cause allergies, so they must be given very carefully. Chocolate under 3 years of age is not recommended at all.

Conclusion

Now you know what it should be. We hope that our advice will help you create the right diet. Remember that proper and balanced nutrition will ensure growth, activity and a healthy lifestyle.

A six-month-old child can be given no more than 1 liter of food per day. The feeding regimen for a 6-month-old bottle-fed baby is 5 times approximately every 4 hours with a sleep break at night for up to 8 hours. The nutrition of a bottle-fed baby at 6 months will include formulas that replace breast milk and complementary foods that are introduced at this age.

What to feed a 6 month old bottle-fed baby?

If the child is on, then to add missing vitamins and microelements to the diet, complementary foods can be introduced 2 weeks faster than with breastfeeding. After all, even when feeding with formulas that are well balanced in calories, vitamins and microelements, there is no full compliance with breastfeeding, and there is a decrease in immunity. Therefore, fresh juices and fruit purees should be introduced on time to the menu of a 6-month-old mixed-fed baby, and the first complementary food is usually vegetable puree, to which yolk and cottage cheese begin to be added from 5.5 months.

By 6 months, the second complementary feeding is introduced, and you need to know what a bottle-fed baby can eat at 6 months. By this time, 10% porridge (150 ml) had already been introduced, in addition to complementary foods, fruit juice should be introduced (according to the formula - 10n, it is believed that n is the number of months of the child, counting from 4 months, that is, already 60 ml of juice) and the same amount of fruit puree.

If vegetable puree (up to 170 ml) was introduced as the first complementary food, then porridge was introduced as the second complementary food. And to vegetable puree they can add 10-20 g of cottage cheese, and first half, and then a whole yolk (in the absence of allergies).

Menu for a 6-month-old bottle-fed baby by the hour

A 6-month-old child should have 5 meals approximately every 4 hours with an 8-9 hour break for nighttime sleep. Morning and evening feedings are mixtures. For artificial feeding, they recommend balanced formulas in terms of calories and nutrients, enriched with vitamins and microelements, and hypoallergenic.

Of course, if the question is what else can you feed a bottle-fed baby at 6 months, then you shouldn’t forget about whole cow’s milk, but this increases the risk of malnutrition due to its lower calorie content. Sample menu for a 6-month-old bottle-fed baby:

• at approximately 6.00 am - milk formula 200 ml;
• 10.00 am – 10% homemade porridge or ready-made porridge 150 ml, juice (fresh fruit) 60 ml;
• 14.00 - grated vegetable puree 170 ml, egg yolk;
• 18.00 – cottage cheese 20-30 g, fruit puree 60 ml, supplementary feeding with formula milk 110-120 ml;
• 22.00 – last feeding, milk formula 200 ml.

If desired, complementary feeding can be done with the third and fourth feedings. The diet of a 6-month-old bottle-fed child should include various porridges (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal), but the least common type of cereal can be cooked, which contributes to the development of rickets and excess weight in the child.

You can cook the porridge yourself or make it from a special ready-made porridge diluted with milk according to the recipe on the package. Also, various vegetables are introduced into the menu of a mixed-fed baby at 6 months: potatoes, carrots, beets, zucchini, boiled cabbage, grated with the addition of mashed boiled egg yolk. Products for vegetable puree must be fresh and not cause allergic reactions in the child.

The same requirements apply to fruits from which fresh juices and purees are prepared; you can also use special ones prepared for children of this age. From fruits, only those that do not cause diathesis are used. The most commonly chosen fruits are apples, pears, plums, apricots or peaches.

The baby is growing, and every month his body’s need for nutrients increases. What should be the proper nutrition for a 6 month old baby?

Types of complementary foods. What to choose?

Currently, two methods of introducing complementary foods are popular:

Pediatric

It comes in two types:

• Developed in accordance with WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations. Today it is the most popular and most rational from the point of view of children's physiology. Recommended from 6 months.
• Developed taking into account the recommendations of the Ministry of Health. It is similar to the method proposed by WHO, however, the timing is shifted: from 6 months it is administered to breastfed babies, and to artificially fed babies - from 4 months.

Pedagogical complementary feeding

It is popular due to its ease: there is no need to cook specifically for the child, since the baby receives food from the adult menu in microdoses. However, this method can only take place with natural feeding. It should also be borne in mind that the parent's table should consist exclusively of healthy food. If mom and dad only eat fried potatoes and like spicy and salty foods such as canned cucumbers and smoked fish, pedagogical complementary feeding is impossible.

Maria, mother of 9-month-old Alina: “I heard enough about how good pedagogical complementary feeding is, and decided to feed it that way myself. She gave me a match head of meat and potatoes. But the breast milk was too thin, and the baby did not gain any weight in a month! This complementary food did not suit us, we had to catch up with our peers on porridge.”

It is worth considering that the ideal formula for introducing complementary foods has not yet been identified. However, according to WHO, pediatric complementary feeding is considered the most rational: it takes physiological factors into account to a greater extent.

Complementary feeding is not a replacement for breastfeeding, but an addition to it. Its goal is not to “feed,” but to gradually introduce the baby’s gastrointestinal tract to the food that he will eat in the future.

How to feed correctly?

6 months is the period when the baby is already 24 weeks old. Some mothers mistakenly believe that the beginning of the sixth month is the time to introduce complementary foods. But in fact, by this time the baby is still only 20 weeks old, and this is too early to switch to adult food.

What you need to know:

• You need to spoon feed before giving milk (breast or artificial). Food must be warm.
• When starting complementary feeding, you should introduce no more than half a spoonful of the new product in the first days, gradually, over 10 days, increasing the volume to the required norm. Subsequent introduction of other products can be reduced to 5-7 days. This interval between doses is necessary so that you can monitor the child’s body’s reaction to a new product. You need to monitor not only skin rashes, but also your baby’s stool.
• Monocomponent products should be introduced into the child’s diet first.
• It is better to give the product for the first time before lunch. What is important here is not so much the diet as the child’s reaction to new food. The same new type of complementary food is not given twice a day.
• If the baby is sick or has vaccinations coming up, then the day of introducing complementary foods should be postponed. The same rule applies to each product introduced for the first time.

You need to start introducing complementary foods with vegetable purees or cereals. Among vegetables, zucchini, cabbage and potatoes are best suited as the least allergenic foods. It is better to introduce fruit puree later, because after tasting the sweets, children may then refuse vegetables and cereals.

If your baby is prone to constipation, has irregular bowel movements, and is overweight, then preference should be given to vegetable purees. You can choose either food from jars or home-cooked food.

If a baby is diagnosed with underweight or a risk of developing anemia, then the first complementary food should be porridge. If your baby is prone to allergies, it is better to start with dairy-free and gluten-free cereals (rice, buckwheat, corn).

Irina, mother of Seryozha, 1.5 years old: “Seryozha was born premature, he did not gain weight well, even though he was fed breast milk. From the age of 5 months they started introducing porridge, as the pediatrician advised. But problems with stool appeared: constipation. I had to switch to vegetables, and porridge was postponed until 9 months.”

Meat is an important product in the children's diet, which should be introduced approximately 8-9 weeks after vegetables. With a standard complementary feeding schedule from 6 months, meat can be introduced into the diet at 8-8.5 months. If the baby has been receiving complementary foods since 4 months, then you can try meat by the middle of the 6th month. You should start with rabbit and turkey.

Soups can be introduced into a child’s diet only after he has become familiar with the individual ingredients of this dish. It is best if they contain only vegetables, and if meat is present, then you should choose dietary meat: rabbit, turkey. Fish should be included in a child’s menu only after a year: the risk of allergies is too great.

Table - scheme for introducing complementary feeding to a child up to one year old

Name of products and dishes	Age (months)
	4	5	6	7	8	9	9-12
Fruit juice, ml.	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100
Fruit puree, ml (at least 2 weeks after juice)	5-30	40-50	50-60	60	70	80	90-100
Cottage cheese, g			10-30	40	40	40	50
Egg yolk, pcs.				0,25	0,5	0,5	0,5
Vegetable purees, g		5-100	150	150	170	180	200
Kashi, g			50-100	150	150	180	200
Meat purees, g					5-30	50	60-70
Kefir and other fermented milk products, ml.						100	200
Fish puree, g							30-60
Bread (wheat), g				3-5	5	5	10-15
Cookies, crackers, g				3-5	5	5	10-15
Vegetable oil, g		1-3	3	3	5	5	6
Butter, g			1-4	4	4	5	6

Type of primary feeding and complementary feeding

Depending on what type of feeding the baby is on, the schedule for introducing complementary foods may differ slightly.

For bottle-fed children, pediatricians recommend partially free feeding. With this method, certain hours are added to the daily routine for feeding the baby. The nutrition of a 6-month-old breastfed baby differs from the menu of bottle-fed babies in that complementary foods are introduced later. There is no need to start it with cereal porridges if the mother eats well and the child does not lag behind in physical indicators.

However, today not all pediatricians share a similar point of view: “This misconception about the earlier introduction of complementary foods to artificial children dates back to the old days, when formulas consisted of diluted cow’s milk,” says Dr. Komarovsky. – Today, the composition of infant formula is as close as possible to breast milk. Therefore, when starting complementary feeding, the type of primary feeding of the child is not particularly important.”

With the beginning of the introduction of complementary feeding, the children's daily routine changes: meals become 5 times a day.

If a child stubbornly refuses to accept a new dish, you should not immediately switch to another product. You can offer him this product up to ten more times. After all, it is very important to form the baby’s taste habits now. In the future, this will greatly facilitate his stay in kindergarten or school: there, as a rule, the menu includes “tasteless” but healthy foods.

Table of feeding regime and menu for a child at 6 months: menu (approximate)

The table contains an approximate feeding schedule, calculated that the daily nutrition of a 6-month-old bottle-fed baby includes complementary foods introduced from 4 months:

Feeding time	Products	Food volume
feeding 1st (morning, 6:00 a.m.)	milk mixture 180 - 200 ml	180-200 ml
2nd feeding (morning, 10:00 a.m.)	rice or buckwheat porridge (milk) fruit puree (industrial or homemade)	120-150 g, 60 g
feeding 3rd (morning, 14:00)	vegetable puree grated egg yolk with milk (egg is given a maximum of 3 times a week!) juice (preferably homemade fruit or vegetable juice)	about 150 g 1/4 about 30 ml
feeding 4th (morning, 18:00)	formula milk children's cottage cheese (maximum 3 times a week) cookies (can be dissolved in milk)	150 ml 40 g 3 g
feeding 5th (morning, 22:00)	mixture (milk or fermented milk)	up to 200 ml

If the child is fed with mother's milk, then in the morning the second feeding includes porridge without milk, and the third - puree (vegetable or fruit) plus additional feeding with milk; the rest of the meals are made up of breast milk.

The nutrition of a 6-month-old child on mixed feeding is close to the diet of an infant; only daily intakes of mother's milk are replaced, if necessary, with infant formula.

Recipes for a six-month-old baby

Cooking your baby's own food gives parents confidence that the baby is receiving quality nutrition. A double boiler, a slow cooker and a blender will be good helpers in this matter.

It is important to remember that the child must be familiar with each component of the dish if it consists of several ingredients.

This applies even to such “simple” products as milk, olive oil, etc.

Vegetables:

1. Cauliflower in a slow cooker

Place washed cabbage (100 grams) on the multicooker rack. Steam for 15 minutes. Next, grind the product in a blender and cool.

2.Pumpkin puree

Cut the pumpkin pulp (the volume depends on how much the baby eats) into cubes and place on the steamer rack. Cook in steam mode for 20 minutes, grind with a blender.

3.Carrot puree

Peel the carrots, cut into slices and place in a double boiler for 20 minutes (you can simply boil them in a saucepan), cook until the fibers are completely softened. Next, chop the carrots in a blender.

4.Carrot puree with added milk

One large carrot; milk – 4 tbsp. spoons; a few drops of oil (the best option is olive oil).

Grind the boiled carrots in a blender, add hot milk. Boil for a couple of minutes over low heat, add oil.

5.Mashed potatoes

Soak peeled potatoes in water to remove starch (12-24 hours). Rub the boiled potatoes through a sieve, add milk to the desired consistency, and boil for a couple of minutes.

6.Assorted vegetables (zucchini, carrots, potatoes)

100 g zucchini pulp, half a medium carrot, 1 potato, 1 teaspoon olive oil, half a glass of water.

Cut the peeled vegetables into cubes and place in a steamer bowl. Cook for 20 minutes. Place them in a blender bowl, add boiled water and oil, and grind.

Fruits:

1.Applesauce

Scald an apple (sweet and sour, sour, green) with boiling water and remove the peel. Cut into pieces, remove seeds. Grate or grind in a blender. The puree should be prepared immediately before eating, otherwise it will darken.

2.Stewed apple puree

Grate the washed and peeled apple and, adding a couple of tablespoons of water, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

3.Apple-carrot puree

Peel the apples and carrots (one each), and grind in a blender. Add a spoonful of water and boil for a minute or two.

4.Prune puree

Pour boiling water over the prunes and leave with the lid closed for three to four hours. Rub the steamed prunes through a fine-grained sieve, add a spoonful of the water in which they were infused, and boil for a minute.

5.Dried apricot puree

Wash good clean dried apricots and soak in boiling water for several hours. Boil in the same water for 7-10 minutes. Drain the water and rub the dried fruits through a fine-mesh sieve or grind in a blender.

Porridge

1.Dairy-free rice porridge

Grind the rice in a coffee grinder. Add rice flour to boiling water (3 tablespoons per glass of water). Stirring continuously, cook for 10 minutes.

2.Corn porridge (dairy-free)

Corn grits - 3 tablespoons; glass of water.

Pour the cereal into boiling water and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the cereal is completely softened (up to 30 minutes). Grind the finished porridge to a puree consistency in a blender, pour into an enamel bowl and let it boil.

3.Milk porridge (buckwheat, rice or oatmeal)

Rinse the cereal until clear water and place in a saucepan, pouring water 2 fingers above the cereal. Cook over low heat until done. Grind the porridge through a fine-mesh sieve or grind in a blender. Pour hot milk to the desired consistency and boil for a few minutes, you can add a little butter.

Meat

1.Carrot and meat puree

100 g turkey (rabbit, chicken); 1 carrot, 80 g milk.

Cut the meat into cubes and boil until cooked. Separately cook the carrots. Grind the products with a blender, transfer to a saucepan, pour in milk. Bring to a boil over low heat, cool.

2.Meat with rice

Boil the meat and rice (in water) separately. Grind the meat in a meat grinder, mix with rice and puree the mixture with a blender. Place the mixture in a saucepan, add milk and bring to a boil, cool.

Soups

1.Fruit and vegetable soup (in a slow cooker)

2 apples, 1 carrot, water - one and a half glasses.

Cut the carrots into slices, the apple into slices. Place in a slow cooker, add water. Cook in the “stew” mode for about 30 minutes. Grind the cooled soup with a blender.

2.Pumpkin puree soup

A small piece of pumpkin (about 100 g), carrots (1 piece), quail egg yolk, milk 150 ml, salt (small pinch), butter (1 piece by 1 cm).

Cut the pumpkin and carrots into pieces and boil until fully cooked. Grind with a blender, pour in milk, add butter. Boil.

Juices

1.Apple

Peel the juicy apple and grate it on a medium grater (it is better to use a plastic grater to prevent oxidation). Squeeze through cheesecloth. Can be diluted with boiled water.

2.Pumpkin juice with apple

Cut the pumpkin pulp into slices, and the apple without peel and seeds into slices. Prepare juice in a juicer. You can grate and squeeze through cheesecloth (a more labor-intensive process).

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