Baby food, how much should I feed?
1. Feed baby food just before feeding.
It is good to start weaning food at a leisurely pace when the child is in a good mood. Around 10:00 a.m., just before breastfeeding, feed baby food first and then breastfeed or formula feed.
If you are unfamiliar with baby food, it is okay to breastfeed to some extent and feed baby food. People may spit out or refuse food at first.
Be patient though and try several more times until your child swallows the food. If you reject it too badly, take a few days off and try again.
2. Increase the number of times from 1 to 3 times a day.
In the early weaning period, 4 to 6 months, feed only once a day, in the middle period, 6 to 8 months, twice a day, and in the later period, 9 months, three times a day like adults.
In the meantime, gradually increase the amount of baby food you eat at a time, and you should be able to eat half a bowl of rice (150 cal) per meal by the time you turn around. From mid-term, it is recommended to provide snacks between weaning times.
3. Change from watery foods to solid foods.
The consistency and hardness of baby food should be changed step by step, and at least 7 months of age should completely grind the food and finish feeding and eat chunky food.
When weaning early, grind the food and give it in the form of soft porridge or soft porridge.
In the middle season, soft tofu that can be mashed and eaten using the tongue and roof of the mouth is suitable.
In the latter period, jinbap and chunks of food that can be eaten by hand are also available.
When to Start Weaning Food by Ingredient
1. Vegetables are fed from the beginning of weaning.
The first vegetables that can be added to rice bran are cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, green peas, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. Sweet potatoes and potatoes can be seen as types of rice rather than vegetables.
However, spinach, Chinese cabbage, carrots, and beets are high in nitrates, which can cause anemia in children under six months of age.
2. Meat must be fed from 6 months of age.
From 6 months onwards, meat must be fed to replenish iron. In particular, the iron contained in the lean meat of chicken and beef is highly absorbed by the body, making it suitable for baby food.
For meat, buy only lean cuts without fat, remove all tendons and tough parts, then grind or slice into thin slices, cook and then grind.
In the early days, it is completely ground and fed, and after about 7 months, it is cooked thoroughly so that there are some lumps. The broth that comes out when the meat is cooked is used as baby food broth.
3. Fruits are fed from 4 to 6 months of age.
The first fruits you can feed are apples, pears, plums, and apricots. It is recommended to feed tangerines or oranges after 9 months.
Strawberries and tomatoes are allergen-causing fruits, so it’s good to feed them at least after the baby’s first birthday. Until the middle of the weaning period, the seeds and skins of the fruit should be removed before serving.
At first, the fruit is grated or cooked and then mashed, but gradually it can be eaten in chunks. Fruit juice is introduced after 6 months of age.
4. Egg yolks are fed from 7 months and egg whites after the first birthday.
Egg yolks can be fed from 7 months of age, but it is important to feed the egg whites after the stone has passed, but fully matured. At first, give only a small amount, then gradually increase the amount.
Egg yolks contain a lot of cholesterol, so eating too much is not good. For children with egg allergies, avoid feeding them before the age of two.
5. Feed fish and shellfish after the stone.
Fish and shellfish are more likely to cause allergies, so starting after stones is a good idea. There is an opinion that small fish or white fish grown in clean water can be fed from 9 months, but it is safe to postpone until the stone is possible.
Fish, shellfish, large fish such as shark and tuna, and freshwater fish, especially those grown in highly polluted areas, may contain contaminants and should be avoided.
When feeding fish, don’t sprinkle salt on it, and don’t feed salty fish like gulbi or minced mackerel even after the stone passes.
6. Raw milk after the first birthday, dairy products from 8 to 9 months of age.
Be careful if you feed raw milk before your baby’s birthday, as it can cause allergies and cause microbleeding in the intestines, resulting in anemia. It is recommended to feed about 400 to 500 cc a day after the stone has passed.
Cheese can be fed from 9 months, but most commercially available cheeses are salty, so you should choose cheese for children with low salt content. It is better not to feed salty cheese at all.
Yogurt can be introduced from 8 months of age, but plain yogurt made at home without added sugar is best.
7. Flour is added little by little from 7 months after birth.
Adding flour little by little when making baby food before 7 months of age helps reduce the occurrence of wheat allergies and diabetes.
If you cook macaroni, pasta, spaghetti, etc. well and soften them, you can feed them well during weaning at the end of the 9th month.
8. Nuts start after stones.
Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, and pine nuts are slow to digest and are likely to cause allergies, so you should avoid feeding them at least before your baby is born.
One thing to watch out for is at night. Chestnuts are often included in baby food from an early age without thinking of them as nuts.
In particular, it is safe to give peanuts after at least two children, as there is a concern about choking accidents that go down the respiratory tract.
Another reason not to give nuts early is that their high fat content can cause unbalanced eating if children are accustomed to the rich and savory taste early on.