Starting complementary food: When and how?
The introduction of complementary foods is an important milestone in a baby's development. Whether traditional methods or Baby Led Weaning, the goal remains the same: a healthy, balanced diet and respectful treatment along the way. With patience and flexibility, parents lay the foundations for their child's healthy eating habits.
Educator and specialist for baby-friendly complementary foods, Bianca Kaya, gives tips and answers the most important questions about introducing complementary foods.
What you can expect in this article
- What is complementary food?
- Why is complementary food important?
- When to start complementary foods?
- How can I tell if my baby is ready for complementary food? (signs of maturity)
- What is the best way to introduce complementary foods?
- When can I give what? (complementary food plan)
- How can I prepare porridge myself?
- What is Baby Led Weaning?
- 5 tips on how to successfully introduce complementary foods
- Absolute no-go's in the introduction of complementary foods
- What should I do if my baby refuses complementary food?
- What should I look out for in my baby's bowel movements?
- What should I do if my baby gets constipated from complementary foods?
What is complementary food?
Complementary feeding refers to the introduction of solid foods into a baby's diet, that is, in addition to breast milk or formula (breastfeeding or bottle feeding before and after each complementary meal). This stage marks an important step in a child's growth and development as they are introduced to new flavors, textures and nutrients to help meet their growing needs.
Why is complementary food important?
Complementary foods are essential to meet the nutritional needs of a baby that can no longer be fully met by breast milk or infant formula alone.
Complementary food helps with this:
- avoid nutrient deficiencies, especially of iron and zinc.
- Getting the baby used to different flavors and textures.
- To promote the development of chewing and swallowing skills.
- Prevent allergies by introducing potential allergens early and in a controlled manner.
When to start complementary foods?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends starting complementary foods from around 6 months of age . Some babies show signs that they are ready as early as 4 months. While others may need a little more time. This varies from child to child. It is therefore important to observe your child and pay attention to the baby's individual signs of maturity.
How can I tell if my baby is ready for complementary foods?
Observe your child and pay attention to the signs of maturity. You can tell whether your baby is ready for complementary food by the fact that your baby...
- ... can hold the head independently.
- ... can sit upright with light support on the lap.
- ... the eye-hand-mouth coordination is fully developed.
- ... the tongue thrust reflex has disappeared, i.e. your baby no longer automatically pushes its tongue out when it gets solid food in its mouth.
Once all the signs of maturity have been met, you can slowly start complementary feeding.
Babies are never fed solid food in a semi-recumbent position. If your baby cannot hold himself upright on your lap with light support, please postpone the introduction of complementary foods. This is because in the event of choking, all muscle groups must be fully developed and able to support coughing. This also applies to the muscle groups that hold the baby in an upright position on your lap.
As soon as your child can sit upright on their own and you switch to a high chair, they will definitely need a footrest. This should "grow" with the size of the child and be adjustable accordingly so that the child's feet always have "contact with the floor". This is particularly important when coughing.
What is the best way to introduce complementary foods?
There are many large manufacturers of baby food and also pediatricians who offer weekly plans for introducing complementary foods. You don't have to stick to these meticulously, but they can provide useful guidance, especially at the beginning. It is important to observe your child closely, be patient and try things out together. It takes time to feel your way around, for some it goes faster, for others it can take several months. Every child is different.
Complementary feeding is not initially intended to satiate. Rather, it is a time of experimentation and exploration, true to the motto "Food under one is for fun". During this time, the baby tests the consistency and texture of the food, reduces insecurities by "testing" the taste of the food and processing it in the mouth with the tongue - and maybe, or maybe not, swallowing it in the end.
A good complementary food introduction is dirty, muddy and messy. The child is allowed to enjoy it to the full. It opens up its world with all its senses: It has to see the new food on its plate, smell it, feel it and taste it. It acts instinctively.
Imagine if we had been denied the opportunity to taste with all our senses and instincts in the Stone Age, we would almost certainly have died very often from poisoning. Although you know that the food is not poisonous, your baby doesn't know it "yet". So don't stop him from following his instincts.
Let's compare it to a trip to an unknown part of the world: we don't know the food culture, it is completely unknown to us. We don't know the taste, appearance or consistency of the food. How would we approach the food?
When can I give something?
Even if weekly plans for introducing complementary foods are no longer up-to-date, there is still a rough division that shows from which month which foods can be introduced. The aim is to gradually replace liquid meals with solid foods. Complementary feeding plan from six months:
1. introduction of complementary foods 6 to 8 months
You can start with easily digestible foods such as pureed carrots, pumpkin, potatoes or rice porridge. Fruit purees such as apple, pear or banana can also be introduced.
2. introduction of complementary foods 8 to 10 months
Gradually, chunkier consistencies can be offered, e.g. mashed vegetables and fruit. This is followed by the introduction of protein-rich foods such as pureed meat, fish, egg and pulses.
3. introduction of complementary foods 10 to 12 months
Finger food can now also be offered in bite-sized pieces, such as soft vegetable sticks, small pieces of fruit, soft bread and cheese. Wholemeal products and finely chopped family meals can now also be included on the children's plate.
How can I prepare porridge myself?
First of all: porridge from jars is practical, but it is a ready-made meal. To ensure that the porridge from the jar is a complete meal, these two components should always be mixed into the porridge:
- A high-quality oil that contains omega-3 fatty acids. Linseed oil, olive oil and hemp oil are particularly suitable for this. Rapeseed oil is ideal for heating
- Vitamin C e.g. through steamed apple, pear, berries or a shot of fruit juice without added sugar.
Adding oil and vitamin C to the porridge helps to improve nutrient absorption.
If you prepare the porridge yourself, remember to only make small amounts at the beginning. Your child will only try a few spoonfuls at first. As a portion size, the smallest jar size of 120 ml can be used at the beginning. be oriented. Practical containers that are ideal for pre-portioning and freezing are ice cube trays, for example. These are ideal for small portions of pureed porridge. This makes it easy to increase the amount of porridge and vary the type of composition.
Start with porridge made from mono-vegetables. Only give one type of vegetable at a time and observe your baby: What tastes good? What doesn't taste good? Are there any physical reactions? If your baby doesn't like parsnip, for example, you can also start with carrots, pumpkin or sweet potatoes and try it out step by step.
What is Baby Led Weaning?
Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a method in which babies decide for themselves what and how much they eat by being offered solid food in the form of finger food from the very beginning instead of pureed food. All foods that can be mashed on the palate with the tongue are suitable for this.
Advantages of Baby Led Weaning
- Baby Led Weaning promotes independence and fine motor skills.
- It allows the baby to explore different textures and flavors.
- Meals can be eaten together, as the baby eats directly from the family table. However, this also means that authentic and really healthy food should be served at the family table - for all family members!
Disadvantage of Baby Led Weaning
The disadvantage of Baby Led Weaning is that the baby stops eating before it is full.
This is because eating independently is still incredibly strenuous for babies. While all the important nutrients can be easily mixed in porridge, with BLW you have to make sure that the child has eaten everything - and that the diet is not one-sided. It is therefore essential that you help, as your baby will not open its mouth once it is full.
With BLW, it is important that the food on offer is safe and easy to handle in order to avoid the risk of choking.
5 tips on how to successfully introduce complementary foods
- Be patient and give the baby time to get used to new tastes and textures.
- Create a quiet and relaxed dining environment.
- Sit the baby at the family table to share a meal to arouse curiosity and interest.
- Offer a variation of porridge and semi-mashed to see where the tendencies go. There are babies who reject porridge completely. Try it with Baby Led Weaning.
- Offer different foods again and again, even if they are rejected the first time.
Absolute no-go's in the introduction of complementary foods
The introduction of complementary foods should not begin until your baby meets the above-mentioned maturity criteria and is really ready to eat solid foods independently.
Because the absolute no-go's when introducing complementary foods are:
- Compulsion
- Stopper
- Time pressure
For example, holding the child's hands to put the spoon in the mouth.
Probably the most serious approach to introducing biscuits is when parents simply shove food directly into their child's mouth - without their consent and without being able to "test" it themselves beforehand. In this way, the child can develop neither fun nor pleasure in eating. On the contrary, it will associate food with compulsion, thus maturing into a "bad" eater .
If the child flails or fights back, this is a clear signal that should not be ignored. This is either a desire to explore or a rejection. The important thing is: the introduction must be made with respect and consideration, the child is the decision-maker.
Even at a later age, children are still far from being able to correctly estimate portions when they are allowed to scoop their own food. Their eyes are often bigger than their actual hunger.
The introduction of complementary foods is the moment when parents can put aside their own negative childhood experiences and do better now. Nobody has to finish their plate when their tummy is full and no, it won't rain the next day because of it.
What should I do if my baby refuses complementary food?
If your baby refuses complementary food, nothing is lost yet. It is very important that you do not push or force your baby. This can lead to negative associations later on. Instead, be patient and try it out:
- Continue to offer complementary foods regularly.
- Try to introduce your baby to food in a playful way.
- Try out different consistencies and flavors.
- Be patient, it may take some time before the baby is ready.
What should I look out for in my baby's bowel movements?
Stools can change in color, consistency and frequency with the introduction of complementary foods. Regular, soft stools are a good sign of healthy digestion. Persistent hard or very infrequent stools may indicate constipation and should be monitored.
What should I do if my baby gets constipated from complementary foods?
If your baby gets constipated from complementary foods, offer him sufficient fluids, especially water. Give high-fiber foods to eat, such as fruit (e.g. pears, plums) and vegetables. If problems persist, consult your pediatrician.
