When feeding the baby at 6 months, new foods should be introduced to the menu, alternating with feedings or the use of a milk formula appropriate for the age. 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 to facilitate swallowing and digestion.
When introducing 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. The ideal is that 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.
Get to know the BLW method of food introduction, where the baby starts to eat alone with his hands, only cooked food at every meal.
So, the ideal is to start with the following foods:
- Vegetable soups 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. In addition, the soup or puree must be made without using salt, and you can add 1 teaspoon of olive oil after preparation is ready. Fruit purees: shaved or mashed fruits should be given to the baby in the 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. Porridge: porridge should be made according to the guidance 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.
Food routine
An example of a 6-month-old baby's feeding routine for a day might be:
- Breakfast (7 am): Breast milk or bottle; Morning snack (10 am): Fruit puree with banana and apple; Lunch (1 pm): Vegetable puree with sweet potatoes, pumpkin and cauliflower; Afternoon snack (16h): Breast milk or artificial milk; Dinner (6:30 pm): Wheat porridge; Supper (9:00 pm): Breast milk or artificial milk.
Purees and porridges should be given to the baby with a spoon, always avoiding giving the bottle, as he needs to learn to feel the texture, have chewing stimulated and learn to swallow food.
Recipes for Complementary Food
Below are two simple recipes that can be given to a 6-month-old baby.
Zucchini cream
This recipe yields 4 meals, being possible to freeze for use in the following days.
Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, pepper, and salt.
Method of preparation
Peel, wash and dice the potatoes and carrots. Wash the zucchini and cut into slices. Place the potatoes, carrots and zucchini in a pan with boiling water and cook for 20 minutes. Drain excess water and beat the ingredients using a blender or mix until you have a velvety cream. Then, add the olive oil and, if necessary to help with weight gain, add 2 teaspoons of the baby's milk.
Banana puree
This puree is simple and can be offered as a snack or as a dessert after a meal with vegetable cream, for example.
Ingredients
- We have a wide range of products to choose from, including:
Method of preparation
Wash and peel the mango and banana. Cut into pieces and beat in a blender until pureed. Then add the milk and mix until smooth.
