Introduction of complementary feeding

Complementary feeding is the gradual introduction of foods other than milk. It is also the transition from liquid foods to increasingly solid textured foods, also known as “weaning”. Baby will develop the skills to eat from a spoon and then to eat by herself with her fingers.

0 to 4 months : Breastfeeding or bottle feeding

Complementary feeding at the earliest after 17 weeks and no later than 26 weeks is recommended.

5 to 6 months : Discovery and initiation

  • Morning, afternoon and evening : Breastfeeding or infant formula
  • Noon : Gradual introduction of a vegetable and carbohydrate meal

6 to 8 months : Familiarisation 

  • Morning and evening : Breastfeeding or infant formula
  • Noon : Vegetable or carbohydrate meal with meat or fish or egg
  • Afternoon : Fruit

8 to 12 months :

  • Morning and evening . Breastfeeding or follow-on milk with bread or fingerfood or milk porridge
  • Noon : Vegetable or carbohydrate meal with meat or fish or egg
  • Afternoon : Fruit

WHEN TO START COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING?

Diversifying your baby’s diet is recommended between the ages of 17 weeks and 26 weeks. After the age of 6 months, breast milk and infant formula alone are no longer sufficient to cover the child’s nutritional needs, nor to provide the stimulation necessary for her development.

The maturation of the digestive system makes it possible to begin food diversification. Continuing milk feeding alone after 6 months is not recommended. It is important to adapt the beginning of complementary feeding to baby’s evolution. Complementary feeding is a gradual discovery for baby which is done in stages. This learning process should be a moment of pleasure for the child, giving her time to discover new tastes and textures and giving the digestive system time to adapt to new foods. It is important not to rush through the stages.

Baby is ready if:

  • She holds her head up.
  • She puts her toys in her mouth.
  • She is interested in the food you eat.
  • She is learning to stick her tongue out and is becoming more accepting of the spoon.
  • She shows interest in foods other than milk.
  • She finds pleasure in discovering new foods.

Each baby has his or her own rhythm which is important to respect. Some are happy to discover new foods. Others are less happy, and complementary feeding takes a little longer. In this case, continue to give her breast milk or infant formula to ensure her needs are met. She’s only a few days away!

HOW TO PROCEED?

Phase 1

Around 5-6 months, the #rst stage is the initiation of eating with a spoon and the discovery of new smells, tastes, textures, flavours, etc. The aim is to gradually replace a feed or bottle with a vegetable meal.

In practice:

  • Around lunchtime (or in the evening).
  • Before or after a feed or bottle.
  • Your baby is slightly hungry (if she is very hungry she may not have the patience to try new foods).
  • Your baby is in a good mood.
  • The atmosphere around the meal is pleasant.
  • You keep her in a high chair opposite you with eye contact.
  • Start slowly and patiently.
  • You give as many spoonfuls of pureed vegetables as baby wants.
  • To start with, your baby will probably only have a few spoonfuls. Then supplement with the child’s usual milk or offer the breast.
  • As soon as baby eats a whole meal, she no longer needs milk after the meal.
  • You can now also offer water as a drink, bearing in mind that vegetable purée is often rich in water and that baby may refuse to drink water at first. You should not force it, but continue to offer it.
  • How much they do eat will depend on their appetite.
  • Introduce the meal with a spoon. If the child is not yet ready, it is better to delay the introduction and offer it again later.
  • To prevent your child from “swallowing the wrong way”, present the spoon from underneath, i.e. from her chin towards her mouth.

 

IF BABY ACCEPTS

  • offer pureed vegetables every day at about the same time;
  • vary the vegetables;
  • add carbohydrates and fat;
  • reduce the volume of milk according to the amount of puree, then remove when baby eats a full meal (100 g to 150 g).

IF BABY IS NOT YET READY

  • continue exclusive breastfeeding, the milk covers her needs until 6 months;
  • there is no hurry, try again a few days later, do not insist, but do not give up;
  • it is better to introduce later than to insist.

The case of allergens

The introduction of complementary feeding should not begin before the age of 5 months, nor after the age of 6 months, whether or not the child is at risk of food allergy. Once the introduction of complementary feeding has begun, it is recommended that major food allergens such as dairy, egg, fish, gluten and peanut be introduced without delay, whether the child is at risk of allergy (due to family history) or not.

“Unless the specialist physician advises otherwise, there is no need to delay the introduction of any food group.

Phase 2

At around 6 months of age vegetable meals are usually well accepted and the variety of foods offered can be expanded further. This is the age when protein, such as meat, fish, eggs and beans are introduced and gradually added to the vegetable meal.

In addition, it is time to replace an afternoon feed or bottle with a meal of fruit and water. At around 8 months of age, some babies become hungrier.

Do not increase the daily volume of milk (2 to 3 feeds or bottles, 500 to 600 ml of milk per day), but add carbohydrates to morning and evening meals to increase energy intake. This is when bread should be introduced.

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