The importance of colostrum in early life
Breastfeeding, among other things,is also a serious protection for the newborn in terms of receiving from the mother, along with milk, the opportunity to form its own strong immunity. It is very important to put the baby to the mother's breast already in the first hours of birth. The colostrum that she has, and at the time of his birth, contains very valuable substances, both nutritious and necessary for protecting him from various allergies and infections, to which the baby is very susceptible in the very first few months of his life. In addition, colostrum contains components that help the maturation and strengthening of the intestines, preventing the development of dysbacteriosis and digestive disorders. And another important factor - the child receiving colostrum in the largest quantity in the first hours gives the mother the opportunity to produce full-fledged breast milk in greater volumes in the future.
Mother's milk is the best food
No dairy, even the most modern onea formula developed by entire institutes will never be able to replace natural food for a baby. Whatever you see on the packaging of the most expensive milk formula and no matter how it is advertised, the formula will not change its composition in accordance with the needs of the child, as breast milk does. All pediatricians in the world agree that, if possible, up to six months, food for a child should consist only of mother's milk. There are special methods for overcoming a lactation crisis and increasing lactation itself, allowing you to continue feeding your child exclusively with breast milk. The amount of milk that comes depends on how much the baby sucks out. That is, the more milk he sucks out, the more it is produced. The child does not need any baby drinks, teas, widely advertised and sold in specialized stores, he does not even need water. After all, if you give the baby something to drink, he will suck out less milk, which will lead to less milk production. And if the amount of milk allows, then it is worth feeding the child at a year, and at one and a half, and at a later age. This will only benefit him.
Breastfeeding, pacifiers and other
Breastfeeding should occur as neededuntil the baby gets hungry. The same applies to the duration of the feeding itself. Previously, there was a misconception regarding its duration, they said that you can't feed a baby for more than ten minutes, because the nipples will swell and crack, which will lead to inflammation and other unpleasant things. But as practice shows, such problems appear due to improper attachment of the baby to the breast. A young mother can be taught how to properly attach a child to the breast both in the maternity hospital and in prenatal classes. The main thing is not to limit the feeding time, let the baby eat until he or she is full. When breastfeeding, you can't give nipples and pacifiers, the rubber surrogate slowly but surely begins to displace the mother's influence, because the nipple will calm and comfort. In this situation, the mother gets a secondary role - "food giver". Once the baby reaches six months, you can start thinking about complementary feeding that is appropriate for his age. But you shouldn't resort to it right away when the amount of milk suddenly decreases, you just need to put the baby to the breast more often, and the previous volume of milk will return.
Initial lure
In the nutrition of a child up to one year, starting from sixmonths, complementary feeding can be added, but breastfeeding should not be stopped even in the event of a lactation crisis. The energy needs of a baby aged 6-8 months can be satisfied up to 70% with the help of breast milk. At 9 months, this figure changes to 55% and by 40% - in the period up to two years of age. The essence of complementary feeding itself is in no way to replace mother's milk, but to supplement its nutritional value. Complementary feeding should be started with very small doses to allow the digestive system to adapt to it: half a teaspoon, if it is porridge or puree, and a few drops, if it is fruit or vegetable juices. During the first week, this amount should be gradually increased, adding complementary feeding to breast milk, so the digestibility of the new food improves. At 6 months, the baby's stomach is already ready to digest thicker food. At this age, quite large changes occur in the baby's body, including the appearance of baby teeth. Gradually, he needs to get used to using his teeth for their intended purpose with the help of not only thick, but also solid food in the future.
Home Feeding
Whatever the single-component puree isideal for initial feeding, the diet should gradually be supplemented with other components, from which you can make assorted purees. The following vegetables are quite good in this regard: potatoes, onions, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini. For example, you can boil a potato, carrot, onion, add parsley and grind it all to a uniform consistency. And no salt, spices or sugar. You can also use similar jarred purees, but buckwheat or rice groats are often added to their composition. After consulting with a pediatrician, you can add a little egg yolk and a couple of drops of vegetable oil - corn, sunflower or olive - to purees and dairy-free cereals. If the portion is 150 g, you can add a teaspoon of one of the vegetable oils, or 2-3 tablespoons of cream with a fat content of no more than 10%. All food should be soft, freshly prepared, from quality products, without salt, sugar and other seasonings, as mentioned above, and have a temperature of no more than 36-37 degrees. It should be remembered that from seven months the child must begin to receive clean water between feedings.
Diet in 8-9 months
We continue to add to the baby's dietnew products. The products that the child can start to eat at this time include porridges made from buckwheat, corn or rice, as well as lean, iron-rich meat. The rules for preparing these dishes are exactly the same as for vegetable puree in earlier months. Now the child can be given fruits, mashed meat, vegetables, various porridges cooked in cow's milk, if the child is not allergic to it. Rabbit and veal are good meats at this time. The meat should be boiled until done, chopped well and a little broth added. Later, when meat takes a firm place in the child's diet, it can be mixed with vegetable purees. Starting from nine months, the baby begins to be taught to chew food. It is worth offering the baby small pieces of food that are convenient to hold in the hand.
At 10 months and older
Children from 10 months should start replacingminced meat, meatballs and steamed cutlets. Canned meat for children is also suitable for feeding from this age. It is necessary to introduce chicken and lean fish (cod, pike perch and the like) into the diet, if the child is not allergic to these products. Fish is served for lunch instead of minced meat with vegetable puree. At this age, feeding should already be scheduled, three meals must be main. Between main meals, the child can be given kefir, fruit, baby cookies and bread. At the same time, you can begin to accustom the baby to a spoon. Usually, by the age of one, mothers stop breastfeeding. With the right approach, the child at this time receives all the nutrients he needs with food. But it is worth remembering that it is wrong to wean a child during his illness, in the summer and when preventive vaccinations are carried out. Proper, complete and varied nutrition will cover all the baby’s energy expenditure, while providing him with everything necessary for normal development both at this age and in the future.
