What is baby feeding

Complementary feeding is a gradual change in the diet of an infant. It should be started at three months only on the recommendation of a doctor. This may be prescribed for certain indications. The reason for this is usually the lack of weight of the child who is fed breast milk or baby food.

However, there are standards adopted by the World Health Organization, including the age for starting complementary feeding. However, this does not mean that you need to follow them blindly and strictly. After all, children are all different. Some babies are born weighing more than 4.5 kg, while others barely weigh 2.5. And they also sometimes gain weight at completely different rates.

This also applies to the development of the digestive organs and their functional activity. And it is not strange that for some babies it will be quite normal to start complementary feeding at 3 months while breastfed.

Therefore, it is necessary to closely monitor the general condition and development of the child. If he does not have the slightest health problems and excellent immunity, which is most likely a hereditary factor, and the digestive system has almost completed its formation, then you can begin to accustom the baby to adult food. To do this, you will definitely need the permission of a specialist; it is better not to engage in amateur activities, and especially not to listen to many different advisers.

Complementary feeding at 3 months: is it possible to start, 6 tips for introducing complementary feeding, 3 possible problems

Article last updated: 04/26/2018
I hope you understand that the phrase “what is he interested in” implies food products that are safe for the baby, and you should not give him soda or fast food to try.

Therefore, as a caring mother, offer him the healthiest products that nature can provide. While the baby copies your behavior, parents have an excellent opportunity to form the right taste preferences. They will have a positive impact on infant growth and development.

When should you start introducing the first complementary foods?

Today the mother of a three-month-old baby asked me a question: “I want to feed her already, what do you say about cow’s milk and semolina? I also saw purees in the store, can I start complementary feeding at 3 months?”

You should not start the first complementary feeding at 3 months, both with artificial and breastfeeding. At such an early age, the child’s digestive system is still functionally immature. In other words, the intestines of an infant are not yet adapted to digesting any food with the exception of mother's milk and adapted milk formula.

Previously, it was customary to give the first complementary foods at three months, starting with juices. Later, at four months of age (complementary feeding on IV started two weeks earlier), fruit puree was added. And even earlier, our grandmothers fed us cow's milk and semolina porridge.

I often hear the phrase from the older generation: “We fed our children semolina all their lives, and nothing happened - look how they grew up.” And they are great, because it was much harder for them to raise children than it is now. All conditions have been created for modern mothers, but they still get tired. Imagine what it was like for our grandmothers, but they coped.

However, living conditions have changed since then, and children today are completely different. This needs to be understood. Cow's milk protein often causes allergies, and semolina interferes with the absorption of iron in the intestines, which leads to the development of anemia. Therefore, they should be introduced into the child’s menu only from the age of 2.

Now pediatricians recommend giving the baby the first complementary foods from 6 months. However, scientific studies have shown that tolerance (addiction) to food products is formed from 4 to 6 months. Therefore, it is better to start complementary feeding with artificial feeding from 4 months.

For mothers who are breastfeeding, it is best to start complementary feeding at 5 months.

Thus, by 6 months you will be able to replace one feeding with complementary foods, following the pediatrician’s recommendation (80% of breast milk in the diet is considered full breastfeeding) and in time you will form an addiction to other foods.

Important!

Don't start complementary feeding:

• when the baby is sick;
• if the child is teething;
• before and three days after vaccination;
• if you are going on a long trip.

Where to start complementary feeding?

1. Complementary feeding with artificial feeding, as with breastfeeding, begins with the same products . The only difference is the timing of administration. Complementary feeding is introduced at 4 months with artificial feeding. For infants, the recommended age is 5 months. At the age of three months, complementary feeding is started only in case of poor weight gain on the main diet.

2. Vegetable puree is offered for the first complementary feeding if there is good weight gain . Choose green and white vegetables. You can prepare puree at home, following safety rules. Modern technologies offer a wide selection of industrial products. It's up to you to decide which is more suitable. Start with a one-ingredient puree (contains only one vegetable).

If a child is not gaining weight well, use porridge for the first complementary feeding. Take dairy-free, gluten-free cereals. This is buckwheat, rice, corn. It is better if the porridge contains only one grain without any extraneous additives. Add vegetable oils (olive, corn or sunflower) to the porridge.

First a few drops, then gradually increase up to a teaspoon. Milk porridges can be introduced at the age of 8 - 9 months. Prepare porridge at home or purchase finished products from baby food manufacturers. Butter can be added to porridge from 7 months.

Start at the tip of a teaspoon and work up to 10 - 20 grams.

3. Fruit puree, as complementary food for artificial babies, is recommended to be introduced at 4.5 - 5 months, for infants - at 7 - 8 months. Start with purees containing only one fruit.

Choose fruits grown in your region. From industrially produced purees, take those that contain nothing but fruit.

To begin with, do not use bright and exotic fruits and berries (remember about allergies).

4. Cottage cheese, as an independent product, is included in the menu from 6 to 7 months. In the beginning without additives, it is better to use low fat.

5. Meat puree or minced meat (beef, veal, rabbit, turkey) is tried from 8 months.

6. Egg yolk, boiled and pureed, is offered at 8 months. Starting with 1⁄8 part, gradually increase to half the yolk per day.

7. Fermented milk products (baby kefir, yogurt without additives, biolact) at 9 - 10 months.

8. fish (preferably sea fish) from 10 months, give no more than twice a week.

9. From 10 months you can introduce juice. Start with bleached, soft-colored fruits (preferably apple) that contain only natural sugars. Give starting with a few drops, increasing to the volume of one feeding.

10. Berry puree, porridge (barley, pearl barley, millet, semolina), meat by-products (liver, tongue, heart) are introduced after a year.

How to introduce complementary foods?

1. Give complementary foods before feeding. Supplement with breastfeeding or formula after the baby has tried complementary feeding. Gradually increase to full volume (100 - 200 grams) and replace one feeding.
2. You need to start with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing to the volume of one feeding (100 - 200 grams).
3. Give your child a week to get used to the new product, after which you can introduce the next one.
4. Grind all complementary feeding products to a homogeneous consistency (puree). A convenient option is industrial jars. They guarantee the safety and quality of the product. Read the shelf life and storage conditions on the label carefully.
   Check the packaging for leaks.

   Don't buy a month's supply of baby food, you may not notice that the expiration date has already expired.

5. Watch your little one. If his behavior does not change, his skin is clean, his stool is regular, of normal color and consistency, you can safely continue to give this product.
6. Keep a food diary. Make a note of foods that have had any reaction.

My advice. Children love to play while eating. Place your favorite toys nearby and feed them together with the baby. Imagine that the spoon is a helicopter carrying valuable cargo, and the baby’s mouth is the door. Your baby will eagerly pick up the game and eat with great pleasure.

1. The child refuses the product you offer. Do not insist and force feed your baby. Offer it again in a couple of weeks, and most likely the child will eat it with pleasure.

2. Manifestation of allergies.

Never try two or more products at the same time. It will be difficult to understand what your baby reacted to. If there are signs of an allergy (skin rash, redness and flaking on the cheeks and body), immediately exclude the product from your diet.

Remember, or better yet, write down what your child is allergic to. Don't give anything new for two weeks. If allergies are severe, consult a doctor for advice and treatment.

3. Reaction from the digestive system (constipation, loose stools, excessive regurgitation, colic). If you are sure that you followed the rules for preparing and storing the product, temporarily remove it from your diet. You shouldn't give up this dish completely. Most likely, the baby’s intestines are not yet ready for this food. Try again a little later, for example in a month.

Complementary feeding is the first stage in a child's transition to adult food. Be responsible when introducing the first complementary foods. Follow the timing and rules for introducing complementary foods. Remember, your baby is introducing himself to a new food, and watch his reaction carefully.

When trying complementary foods, before giving it to your baby, you should not ask with a sour face: “How do you eat this?” By your example, you must show your child that this is delicious.

By following the recommendations of pediatricians and correctly introducing complementary foods, you will provide your child with proper nutrition and the baby will grow up healthy.

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Source: https://kroha.info/food/prikorm/prikorm-v-3-mesyatsa

How do 3 month old babies digest food?

To understand what doctors are guided by when prescribing complementary foods for babies, parents should at least have a general idea of ​​the physiological characteristics of the baby’s body. Speaking about this in more detail, the following points need to be mentioned.

1. In the baby’s stomach, the mechanism for producing hydrochloric acid, which is part of the digestive juice, is just beginning to take effect. It has a stimulating effect on the functioning of digestive enzymes.
2. The organs of a child’s gastrointestinal tract are not fully formed and do not function as they do in an adult.
3. The intestines are not able to digest any food. Its walls can easily let through many molecules, even very large ones. And this is fraught with the development of an allergic reaction.
4. The child's swallowing mechanism is not sufficiently developed. Therefore, he is able to swallow only liquid food well.
5. The immune system that protects the body is also still in its formation stage. And it cannot fully protect the baby’s body.

Photo: MapleHorizons

The listed features of the physiology of the infant body are not a complete list. But even based on them, one can imagine that starting complementary feeding too early can cause serious disorders.

Not only the stomach and intestines, but also the kidneys and liver receive an excessive load that they are not yet able to cope with. Their normal development is delayed, they adapt more slowly and less well to the food of adults. Subsequently, the child may experience intestinal disorders, frequent vomiting, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the digestive organs, and acute abdominal pain.

What are the dangers of complementary feeding at 3 months?

In connection with what was the decision made about the impossibility of complementary feeding at 3 months (we recommend reading: development and complementary feeding of a child at 3 months)? What are doctors guided by, since their colleagues several decades ago had a completely different opinion and advised feeding babies fruit juices and purees from such a young age? Opponents of early feeding give the following arguments:

READ ALSO: proper complementary feeding for a child up to one year old by month

• According to WHO recommendations, until the age of 5-6 months, children should be fed only breast milk or an adapted formula.
• Malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract. The baby may begin to suffer from colic, acute pain, bowel problems, and vomiting. These phenomena can be temporary, or they can be longer lasting if the disruptions in the functioning of the digestive organs were too severe. It will be possible to help such a baby only in a hospital.

READ ALSO: How to properly introduce complementary foods when breastfeeding at 5 months?

• Allergic manifestations. They are associated with an insufficiently formed immune system, as well as with the fact that the intestinal walls still easily allow large food molecules to pass through. A negative response from the body can manifest itself to a minor extent in the form of redness or a rash, or it can lead to serious dysfunction of the entire body, causing a number of diseases. There is scientific evidence that incurable forms of bronchial asthma are based on an allergic reaction. The baby can get a serious chronic disease - atopic dermatitis, which implies the presence of inflammation on the skin.
• The immune system, which is not yet fully formed, also comes under attack. Its initial task should have included adaptation to the outside world, to food and to the infections and viruses around. Now he is forced to put these worries aside and come to grips with the allergens invading the body. Thus, the process of formation and improvement of the immune system is delayed. The latter will lead to the child being more susceptible to various allergic manifestations and frequent diseases.
• Malfunctions of internal organs. With early complementary feeding, everything comes under attack: the liver, kidneys, stomach, intestines. The high load on these organs can play a cruel joke in the future. The development of organs slows down, causing them to weaken even more and lose the ability to adapt to adult food. Having reached school age, a child may often suffer from all sorts of digestive problems: vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the abdomen. A weakened gastrointestinal tract is an excellent place for the development of gastritis, colitis and other chronic inflammatory processes.

READ ALSO: how to properly introduce complementary foods while breastfeeding: tips

• The danger of interrupting breastfeeding. A baby who eats mother's milk receives all the vitamins and minerals, as well as nutrients necessary for active and healthy growth and development. A child at this age does not require any additional sources of energy. If they appear in the diet, the baby will remain full longer than usual. In this case, satiety is not an indicator of nutritional adequacy. The baby may not have enough elements, and a lack of important microelements will negatively affect the baby’s overall development. Satiety will lead to the fact that the baby will no longer need mother's milk, which is why he will be less willing to breastfeed, and subsequently, lactation, not supported by regular sucking, will decrease and come to naught.

Children's diet changes during infancy

After adjusting to a new, unfamiliar food, he needs less breast milk, especially if he begins to feel full quickly enough. And at this age, there is no food better than mother’s milk; only it can fully provide the baby’s body with everything necessary.

In addition, satiety is not at all an indicator of getting enough food. And the child may be underweight. In addition, after starting complementary feeding, the baby may begin to consume breast milk less well or completely refuse it. And the mother will produce much less of it, and soon lactation will stop altogether.

However, it is also possible that complementary feeding becomes necessary for a child from an early age. If a doctor prescribes it, then he has a good reason for it.

During the Soviet Union, complementary foods were prescribed to babies starting at three months. Therefore, even today, many grandmothers insist on the correctness of this method. However, sometimes a young mother hears a bunch of advice, often completely opposite. And only a specialist can help her decide which of them are correct and which are not.

Complementary feeding at 3 months while breastfed

Nowadays, doctors recommend starting to feed babies receiving breast milk from the age of six months. A good guide for this is the appearance of the first teeth and the baby’s desire to sit independently.

By this age, the digestive tract is sufficiently developed to digest adult food. The liver, kidneys, stomach, and intestines are already noticeably more formed. The production of digestive enzymes also begins to activate. Therefore, the products are better absorbed and the body is able to use the beneficial substances contained in them. Of course, this does not apply to all children, because the individual characteristics of the body cannot be discounted.

Sometimes, for medical reasons, complementary feeding may also be prescribed from 3 months of breastfeeding. The reasons for this may be insufficient growth and weight gain, lack of breast milk. Also, complementary feeding at such an early age can be prescribed to premature infants. It becomes a forced necessity that cannot be avoided. However, resorting to it on your own is unacceptable; this must be decided by the doctor who has been observing the baby since birth.

Baby porridge is the best complementary food from 3 months

What complementary foods should I introduce to a child at 3 months?

The opinions of experts on this matter are divided: some believe that only liquids will bring benefits, others expand the diet, also including cereals and purees. All dishes must be single-component.

Salt or sugar are not allowed as flavoring additives.

Allowed juices (clarified): apple, carrot, pear. The initial dose is a few drops.

Suitable vegetables for puree : broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower. Quantity – 5-10 g.

Porridge can be prepared with buckwheat, corn or rice. Be sure to grind to a homogeneous consistency.

store-bought baby food to your child according to the instructions. If parents prepare a new dish themselves, then the products must be fresh and organic.

There is no need to rush and try to add variety to additional nutrition.

Even if food is digested normally, the small body needs time to get used to it, usually it is at least 2 weeks.

For more convenient understanding, we will present the permitted amount, periods and additional recommendations regarding complementary feeding for children from 3 months of age in the form of a table.

TABLE

For premature babies, it is recommended to add 1/3 of a quail egg yolk to porridge and puree.

The very first attempt is not carried out spontaneously; several important conditions must be met :

• The little one must be absolutely healthy and preferably in a good mood;
• a portion of new food is given in the morning, after which the reaction must be monitored for 24 hours;
• You should not give all permitted foods at once, try starting with juice;
• during feeding, the baby needs to be seated;
• Give any dish with a spoon; the food itself must be warm.

At the slightest sign of anxiety (rash, colic, diarrhea), inappropriate foods are excluded from the diet until consultation with a pediatrician.

Starting complementary feeding: what to use

Complementary feeding is undoubtedly a very important step. And you need to start it responsibly and thoughtfully. The future health of the child largely depends on this.

The main guideline for starting complementary feeding is weight gain. Of course, it is better to take your time with this so that the internal organs are formed as necessary. But if you still decide to start it for medical reasons, you should clearly understand how to do it correctly. First of all, you need to decide on the choice of products.

Baby juices

In former times, it was believed that it was best to start giving infants baby juices from 3 months, introducing them into the diet a few drops at a time. But nowadays doctors no longer consider this the right decision. After all, a severe allergic reaction is possible. Fruit acid is very often negatively perceived by the baby’s body.

Baby puree

Now they recommend starting complementary feeding with pureed vegetables. It can be pumpkin, zucchini, sometimes it is recommended to use cauliflower, although not all pediatricians support the appropriateness of its use.

If you choose from fruits and berries, you need to know that peaches, pears, green apples, as well as white cherries and white currants are practically non-allergenic. In addition, you can use prunes. Especially in the case of constipation in a baby, which is quite common in artificially raised children. It will help you relax your tummy.

When using fruit purees for complementary feeding, you need to take into account that he may subsequently refuse vegetable purees and cereals. Although, of course, this point largely depends on the individual characteristics of the child’s body, but this possibility must be taken into account.

Baby cereals from 3 months

Giving baby puree from 3 months is the right decision for starting complementary feeding. Or try baby porridge from 3 months (liquid gluten-free from buckwheat, rice, oats, corn) on water. Porridge will be the best choice if a child is noticeably underweight.

You can buy them at the store or prepare them yourself using high-quality ingredients. Vegetables, finely chopped, need to be boiled and ground using a sieve or blender. If a child refuses a product, there is no need to give it again. The first dose should be approximately a quarter teaspoon. And over the course of 6-7 days it should increase little by little.

In the absence of allergies or other negative reactions, we can conclude that the product is suitable for the baby. In addition, he will learn to swallow thicker food. And only after he gets used to this product, is he allowed to start trying another, also starting with very small doses. This will reveal which foods the child is not allergic to.

What complementary foods can be given to a baby at 3 months of age when breastfeeding or bottle-fed?

Complementary feeding from 3 months is a controversial issue. Some pediatricians believe that at this age the child is ready to be introduced to adult food. Others say that early complementary feeding is best introduced for medical reasons. One of these doctors is Dr. Komarovsky. There is no need to start feeding your baby at 3 months if he is absolutely healthy and has no deviations in weight gain and growth.

Baby on the tummy

Is your baby ready to start complementary feeding at 3 months?

At 3 months, children have an insufficiently formed digestive system. It is difficult for them to digest adult food. The main nutrition at this age that the baby receives is breast milk or an adapted milk formula.

If the baby is absolutely healthy, gaining height and weight in accordance with generally accepted standards, then there is no need to feed the baby.

For artificial babies, the optimal age for complementary feeding is 4 months, for infants – 6 months.

In some situations, pediatricians prescribe early complementary feeding. There are several reasons for this:

• underweight;
• prematurity;
• the child does not get enough milk;
• feeding cow's milk instead of formula or breast milk.

In such cases, new products will enrich the baby’s diet and give him all the necessary microelements and vitamins for development.

Physiology of a baby at 3 months

3-month-old children can hold their heads confidently, walk, actively explore the world around them, and are able to recognize people from their environment. They are interested in bright toys and reach out to them.

The main food product at this age is breast milk or adapted milk formula.

The child’s body does not produce enough gastric juice; the intestinal walls are not thick enough to easily digest adult food.

Child looking at his leg

The need, advantages and disadvantages of complementary feeding at 3 months

Menu for a 5-month-old bottle-fed baby

Early complementary feeding is prescribed for strictly defined reasons. You should not feed your child food from the common table without consulting your pediatrician. This can lead to serious consequences. Complementary feeding from three months is administered according to certain indications:

• slow weight gain and height;
• metabolic problems;
• frequent allergies to infant formula;
• lack of microelements in breast milk;
• the child does not eat enough liquid food and often demands more.

Important! Unauthorized prescription of complementary foods at 3 months can cause health problems for the child. Before making such a decision, you should consult with a specialist.

Early feeding of children has its advantages and disadvantages. The benefits include:

• variety of diet;
• establishing a clear diet;
• reduction in the frequency of allergic reactions;
• active weight gain;
• accustoming a baby to a spoon.

Among the shortcomings, an inadequate reaction of the child’s body is noted. A new product can provoke not only an allergic reaction, but also problems with stool. Therefore, at 3 months, purees, juices or cereals are given to taste with a couple of drops.

Boy on his stomach with a spoon

Features of complementary feeding for artificial and infants

Children on guardianship and on birth receive different types of nutrition. This means that the development of their digestive tract differs slightly. Infants are less likely to have problems with stool and allergies, while artificial babies have the opposite.

How much should a 6 month old baby eat?

When introducing complementary foods, it is necessary to take into account the individual developmental characteristics of the baby. They begin feeding strictly according to the doctor's instructions. In other cases this is not necessary.

The beginning of feeding a breastfed baby is carried out in several stages:

• The child is allowed to taste boiled, cooled water. At first, the baby will refuse it. You need to offer it for several days in a row until the baby gets used to it.
• Then the child is offered a few drops of juice. If the concentrate is prepared independently from fresh fruits, then it is diluted by half. Monitor the reaction for the first day, then double the portion.
• After juices, they offer fruit puree, vegetable puree and dairy-free cereals.
• Breastfeeding continues as usual. You cannot wean your baby from your breast.

Important! The later a change in a child’s diet occurs, the less often he develops allergies and problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Formula-fed babies are adapted to foods other than breast milk from birth. They digest vegetables and fruits more easily, while cereals are more difficult to digest.

Therefore, without certain indications, they should not be introduced into the diet. The principle of feeding artificial babies is the same as for infants.

Any new food products are introduced with caution, carefully observing the child's response.

Boy drinking juice

Where to start feeding a 3 month old baby

What can you feed a baby at 3 months, young parents ask. Children of this age take liquid foods; therefore, complementary feeding should begin with a product of a similar consistency. Pediatricians recommend giving infants and infants fruit juices and purees to try. If there is a lack of body weight, then the first product should be dairy-free cereals.

Start feeding with a small dose. The first time the baby is given 3-4 drops of fruit juice. Then the body's reaction is monitored. If no changes in behavior are observed, then complementary feeding is continued, increasing the dose by 2 times each time. It takes 2 weeks to get used to one product. By the beginning of 4 months of life, the baby tries 2 products.

Table for introducing first complementary foods from 3 months

What complementary foods can a child start giving at 3 months? The beginning of changing a child's diet occurs according to a certain pattern. On the first day, the portion of juice is a few drops. By the end of 2 weeks, the portion is increased to 30 ml. After each juice feeding, the baby is supplemented with breast milk or formula.

Scheme for introducing complementary foods to a child at three months

DayJuice, mlFruit puree, g.

These values ​​are optimal for each child. If the first product is dairy-free porridge, then it is administered in the same small portions as fruit purees. Cereals are prepared liquid, at the rate of 5 g of dry product per 100 ml of water. Convenient to use are children's instant dry cereals, which are sold in all stores.

Important! Adding sugar or salt to children's food is prohibited. This causes additional stress on the kidneys.

A girl is spoon fed

What to feed a 3 month old baby during breastfeeding

At the age of three months, children are allowed to try fruit juices, vegetable and fruit purees, and dairy-free cereals. A pediatrician will help determine the right product for a child, taking into account the individual characteristics of his development. The list of permitted products at this age includes:

• apple;
• pear;
• zucchini;
• prunes (for problems with stool);
• pumpkin;
• cauliflower;
• broccoli;
• rice;
• buckwheat;
• corn grits;
• oat groats.

There is also a list of prohibited foods for young children. They are not digested by the baby’s body, causing constipation, allergies and increased gas formation. These include:

• potato;
• beet;
• cottage cheese;
• meat;
• fish;
• meat broths;
• eggs;
• dairy products;
• tomatoes;
• pepper;
• spices.

What to give a 3 month old baby on IV

Artificial babies are recommended the same list of products as infants. The digestive system and general development of children on different types of feeding are practically the same.

Therefore, the reaction and process of assimilation of nutrients is the same for them. It is recommended to start complementary feeding with vegetables and fruits, juices or cereals.

They resort to cereals only when the baby is gaining little weight or losing it.

Juices

You can prepare this product yourself or buy it ready-made in a store. Pediatricians recommend giving preference to store-bought clarified juices marked “3-4+” for the first complementary feeding.

When deciding to prepare the drink yourself, the fresh fruit is washed under water and peeled. One piece is grated on a fine grater. The pulp is placed in cheesecloth and the juice is squeezed out. The liquid is diluted with boiled water 2 times.

Then they offer it to the baby.

Fruit or vegetable puree

Homogenized puree is given to children 2 weeks after getting used to juices. Choose products from the list suggested by the pediatrician. Vegetables and fruits are also sold ready-made in baby food departments. If parents decide to prepare puree themselves, they must adhere to a certain scheme:

• 10 g of vegetables and fruits are washed under water.
• Peel off the skin.
• Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
• Then the product is kneaded with a fork.
• Add the same amount of broth.
• Beat with a blender until smooth.

Important! For a three-month-old baby, food should be liquid or semi-liquid. If there are lumps in food, the child may choke.

Baby eats from a spoon

Dairy-free porridge

To increase the body weight of children, they resort to feeding them dairy-free cereals. Thanks to their caloric and nutritional content, kids quickly gain weight and catch up with their peers. After such a meal, the baby sleeps well, does not ask for food for a long time and plays actively. It is recommended to choose the following cereals:

• rice;
• buckwheat;
• corn;
• oatmeal.

They do not contain gluten, which slows down the growth and development of the baby. Porridge is prepared at the rate of 5 g of dry mass per 100 ml of water. At 3 months, the child is able to digest and accept food only in liquid form.

According to the pediatrician's recommendations, it is preferable to use ready-made instant dairy-free cereals, which are sold in all stores. The manufacturer removes gluten from the cereals, and they are considered safe for children.

The baby's reaction as a signal to stop complementary feeding

At 3 months, children are able to express discomfort and inconvenience only by crying. This also applies to complementary foods and reactions to them. If certain signs appear, then it is necessary to stop feeding the baby and urgently show him to a specialist. Signals include:

• The baby refuses to accept new food, spits it out and does not take a spoon.
• Long, continuous crying.
• Increased gas formation, bloating.
• Constipation or diarrhea, change in the nature and color of stool.
• Manifestations of rash or red spots on the skin.
• Presence of vomiting and nausea.

The boy is crying

Useful tips

To make it easier for your child to become familiar with new foods, it is recommended to follow certain tips:

• If the baby refuses new food, do not insist; it is better to postpone feeding for a few days, then try again.
• The optimal hours for feeding are considered to be from 10.00 to 14.00.
• At 3 months, children eat liquid food, so complementary foods should be as close in consistency to milk as possible.
• Dairy-free cereals are given first if the baby is not gaining weight well.
• Any introduction of a baby to new food should be under the supervision of a specialist.

Source: https://kpoxa.info/zdorovie-pitanie/prikorm-s-3-mesyacev.html

How often to give complementary foods in the first months

In the first days, complementary foods are given to the baby only once a day. It should be given immediately before the main feeding. Over about 2 weeks, the dose should be increased to 2 tablespoons. And one complementary feeding will gradually replace one full feeding.

A three-month-old baby needs to be fed 5 or 6 times a day. Complementary foods are given every day at the same time during this period. It is not permissible to do this more than once a day. In addition, it is extremely undesirable to use fruits that are exotic for our region for complementary feeding. It is almost impossible to predict how the baby’s body will react to them.

It is permissible to start complementary feeding only when the baby is absolutely healthy. And be sure to meticulously monitor his condition. At the slightest change in stool, complementary feeding should be stopped. Well, if an allergic reaction occurs, you should also immediately contact your pediatrician.