The introduction of new foods for the baby should be carried out when the baby is 6 months old because drinking only the milk is no longer sufficient for his nutritional needs.
Some babies are prepared to ingest solids sooner and therefore with the indication of the pediatrician, new foods can also be presented to the baby after 4 months of age.
Regardless of the age at which the baby begins to try new foods, it is essential that baby food with gluten is given to the baby between 6 and 7 months of life to prevent the baby from becoming intolerant to gluten.
Baby's First Foods
The first foods to give the baby are baby food, pureed vegetables and fruits, meat, yogurt, fish and eggs. All of these foods have to be given to the baby with a pasty consistency and the order to give the baby each of these foods can be:
- Start with cornmeal or rice gluten - free porridge and vegetable puree. In the first soups, you can choose between different vegetables, avoiding those that cause more gas, such as beans or peas, and acids, such as tomatoes and peppers. To make the soup you should cook the vegetables without salt, form the puree with the mixer and after being ready add little oil. The first fruits should be apple, pear and banana, all mashed, leaving for later citrus fruits, like strawberry and pineapple. At 7 months you can add chicken or turkey meat to the vegetable cream. The doses of meat should be guided by the pediatrician, as its excess can harm the kidneys. Natural yogurt can also be given to the baby after 8 months. The last foods to introduce are fish and eggs, as they are more likely to cause allergies.
The consequences of not giving the baby the most suitable foods are mainly the appearance of possible allergic reactions, with the appearance of symptoms such as diarrhea, rash and vomiting.
Therefore, it is important to offer the baby one food at a time to identify the food that may have caused an allergy if it occurs, and also for the baby to get used to the taste and texture of the food.
Banned baby foods
The foods banned for the baby are mainly high-fat foods such as fried foods because they will hinder the baby's digestion and very sugary foods like soft drinks because they spoil the baby's teeth. Other foods high in fat and sugar that cannot be given to babies are mousse, pudding, gelatin, sour cream or condensed milk, for example.
Some foods such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts should only be given to the baby after 1-2 years because before that age the baby may choke when eating these foods.
Cow's milk should only be given to the baby after 2 years of life, because before that age the baby is unable to properly digest cow's milk proteins and may become intolerant to cow's milk.
Find out more about baby feeding at: Baby feeding from 0 to 12 months
