Porridge for feeding: tips for choosing, rules for the first feeding, reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pediatricians advise mothers to introduce the first complementary foods to the baby's menu, starting at six months. Moreover, cereals are best suited for this. But a rather crucial moment in such an important issue is the expansion of the diet. If you do not follow the basic rules of administration and terms, then you can cause irreparable harm to the he alth of the crumbs. Porridge for complementary foods must meet many requirements. It serves as a powerful source of energy, has a beneficial effect on the digestive tract and is a rich source of trace elements and vitamins. But parents do not always clearly understand when it is best to introduce cereals and what to prefer - packaged or cooked with their own hands.

Complementary Feeding Goals

A mother's breast milk provides all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals a baby needs. But the child is growing rapidly and histhe body is no longer enough that it can get from milk. The baby quickly learns new skills, he learns to roll over, sit, crawl, stand up and walk. All these active actions require the intake of increased amounts of nutrients that mom can no longer give him.

Therefore, complementary foods are designed to meet the needs of a growing child for energy, which is converted from food supplied to the body. As it grows, its growth increases more and more. In addition, the food that is offered to the baby contributes to the formation of his taste habits, helps to master the skill of chewing and satisfies the natural curiosity for the contents of the plates in adults. Porridge for complementary foods is the most preferred in many cases. Especially often it is prescribed for underweight and poor nutrition of the mother.

Timing for introduction of complementary foods

Medicine in the field of pediatrics does not stand still. Specialists are constantly studying the characteristics of the growth and development of the child, as well as the validity of the need to introduce complementary foods. If earlier doctors advised mothers to introduce complementary foods to children with porridge by the age of three months, now the deadlines have shifted. Under the condition of natural feeding, it is worth giving any other products no earlier than six months. Somewhat earlier, from the age of five months, they begin to feed artificial children.

Experts note that before reaching the recommended age, any food, unlike breast milk or formula, will not bring benefits. It's just that the digestive tract is not yet mature at all and cannot digest food that is foreign to it.

Begin feeding, starting with cereals

If it is decided to introduce complementary foods, and the pediatrician advised with porridge, then a number of requirements must be observed.

In the beginning, the dish should consist of only one type of cereal, not have traces of milk. It is forbidden to add sugar, butter for taste. If the product is purchased, then it should not contain flavors and dyes.

Porridge for feeding can be different. But as a first, you need to take only gluten-free. Gluten is a plant protein that is very difficult to digest. The child's digestive system may simply not be ready for such a load. Of course, the baby is growing at a rapid pace and the difficulties with digesting this component are gradually fading away. But sometimes the problem remains for life. Buckwheat porridge for feeding, as well as rice and corn, is the best choice at the very beginning. It is recommended to wait with oatmeal and wheat groats, which are too heavy for a fragile digestive tract.

It is important that the pediatrician advises what kind of porridge to start complementary foods with. The choice will depend on the general condition of the child and his individual characteristics.

It is known that cereal dishes can solve many problems. So, if the baby has a tendency to constipation, then corn porridge will be useful to him. The cereal contains a large amount of fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the intestines.

If the baby is well tolerated by two or three types of grain, dairy-free dishes, then in a month you can try to offerdairy. However, the rule of gluten-free cereals remains unchanged. For self-preparation, use a milk mixture. Whole milk is only allowed after one year

Many people feed their children semolina in the old fashioned way. However, modern medicine warns to do this up to a year. Despite the fact that children often like the dish, semolina can delay the absorption of calcium.

How to inject the product

Starting with cereals, the start of complementary foods can solve many problems in the baby, especially if they are associated with a lack of weight and a lack of nutrients in mother's milk. It is necessary to start no earlier than 5-6 months. However, sometimes pediatricians advise feeding the baby with a grain dish from 4 months. But such an approach is possible in the case of artificial children, or the inability to purchase a high-quality adapted mixture. Otherwise, negative consequences from the digestive system and manifestations of allergic reactions are possible.

The rules for the introduction of complementary foods say that the first spoonful of an unfamiliar product should fall in the morning. In this case, it is easiest to follow the reaction of the body. At the beginning, the crumbs are offered only a teaspoon of porridge, and then they are fed as usual (mixture or breast).

If no adverse events have followed, then in 10 days the amount of complementary foods is adjusted to a full serving. The first courses must be prepared with water.

Cooking porridge at home

The first feeding with dairy-free porridge is an exciting moment. Of course, you can use ready-made packagedproducts. However, some mothers prefer to cook the dish on their own. In this case, proportions should be observed. For 100 ml of liquid, you need to take 5 gr. ground cereal. You can grind already prepared porridge in a blender.

If an unfamiliar dish is well tolerated by the baby, then after a couple of weeks you can increase the ratio of cereals by 10%. After another week or two, it is allowed to try porridge from another cereal. Thus, within a month, the baby will be able to appreciate the taste of three gluten-free cereals.

Variety of choice

The first cereals for complementary foods are very diverse. Which of them to choose, the pediatrician will always tell you, who takes into account the age of the child and his state of he alth. For now, parents can:

• buy instant porridge in a box;
• cook your own meal at home;
• buy fully cooked porridge.

Vellings have recently appeared in large cities and retail chains. Food, traditional for the Scandinavian peoples. It is a product that is a cross between liquid porridge and a milkshake. More suitable for travel and recommended from 5-6 months.

Porridge for complementary foods can be in milk or water. The latter is recommended for the start of complementary foods and for children with lactose deficiency. In addition, starch and sugar are completely absent here, which create an additional burden on the intestines of the crumbs.

The agony of choice

What is the best porridge for the first feeding? In this case, all pediatricians advise buckwheat. Groats are especially rich in iron,contains magnesium, B vitamins and a large amount of protein. There is practically no allergy to buckwheat, it is well tolerated and easily digested. Therefore, it is ideal as a first course.

If the baby is diagnosed with a lack of weight, the doctor may advise you to start with rice cereal. Grains are especially rich in he althy dietary fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the intestines. However, some parents are wary of offering rice porridge to toddlers because of the risk of constipation. But experts refute this fact and emphasize that the problem may arise as a result of eating crushed rice. A product made from rice flour does not lead to such consequences.

Corn groats are recognized as a no less valuable and safe product. It is enriched with minerals, fiber and proteins. However, pediatricians advise introducing it into the child's diet only after he has tried buckwheat and rice porridge.

From the whole variety for the first complementary foods, one should choose only one-component (consisting of one type of grain) dairy-free porridge. If the baby tolerates the novelty in the diet well, has already tried three different types of cereals, then you can offer multi-component and dairy.

Buy or cook

The best choice is porridge for complementary foods. Which is better - purchased, in a box or cooked by mom with her own hands? If you follow the recommendations of WHO, then they boil down to the fact that the product prepared in the factory is definitely better. Among its virtues:

• enrichmentall necessary trace elements;
• consistency is completely homogeneous and adapted for absorption at an early age;
• contains no dyes, flavors or s alt;
• completely eliminated impurities of chemicals and heavy metals;
• product undergoes rigorous factory quality control.

If you buy porridge in a box from a well-known manufacturer, you can be sure of its quality and complete safety. In addition, many are captivated by the simplicity and speed of preparing the finished dish.

Homemade porridge

In the life of every baby, sooner or later, the first feeding with porridge happens. Which is better in this case - purchased or factory? Of course, from the point of view of economy, purchased ones are initially more expensive, because at first the child eats a small part, and you can store the rest of the dry mixture for a short period of time. There are also mothers who prefer to cook for their beloved child on their own and simply do not trust the store product.

However, in this case, it is important to follow the recommended proportions and hygiene requirements very precisely during cooking. As practice shows, at home it is quite easy to cook porridge from buckwheat flour. But rice can also be cooked quite simply.

Basics of good cooking

A lot of babies do not refuse porridge for the first meal. Which at the same time will become his favorite, it will become known in time. But in order to diversify the menu, it is important to alternate different types of cereals and offer the baby only freshly prepared and tastyproduct.

If mom preferred ready-made porridge from the box, then it is important to follow the instructions exactly to prepare it. It is usually supposed to pour a certain number of measuring spoons of boiled water, mix thoroughly and allow to cool. But it is worth considering that it is impossible to prepare such a product in advance.

If parents decide to cook porridge on their own, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Groats must be carefully sorted, washed and dried;
• Then it is ground using a coffee grinder. It should be flour.
• Strict proportions require the preparation of porridge for the first complementary foods. What's the recipe? For 100 ml of water, you need to take 5 grams of cereal. Gradually the grain ratio increases by 10%
• After cooking, you can bring the dish to the desired consistency by adding breast milk, formula or water.
• It is forbidden to add sugar or s alt for taste.

Begin feeding with dairy-free porridge. As soon as the child is eight months old, and he tolerates different types of cereals well, you can use purchased milk porridges, or add baby milk to your own cooked dishes. Also shown is a small piece of butter.

Review of popular cereals

Many parents are wondering what kind of porridge to choose from all the variety presented in stores. The modern baby food industry produces so many different products that it is difficult for the average person to navigate. Let's analyze the features and composition of ready-made cereals of the most popular brands.

"Nestlé" - tasty and satisfying

Nestlé is widely known among parents in many countries. Porridges are tasty, nutritious and completely diverse in their taste qualities. Among the rich assortment, you can choose dairy-free, milk porridges. There are one-component, from several cereals and with the addition of pieces of fruit. Reviews of mothers confirm the quality of products. They love the wide variety, affordable price and great taste.

For the first feeding, the company produces buckwheat, rice and corn porridge. They are fully adapted for babies and are recognized as safe. All raw materials pass quality control. Among the shortcomings, it is worth highlighting the presence of lecithin in the composition, which sometimes provokes an allergic reaction.

"Gerber" - high quality products

Porridge from the company "Gerber" is often recommended by leading pediatricians. This is due to the fact that the company's products are recognized as organic, which is confirmed by the appropriate labeling. This ensures that all baby food raw materials are of exceptional quality. Parents' reviews show that the porridge dissolves in water rather quickly, while no lumps remain. The finished product, despite the complete absence of sugar, s alt and flavors, has a pleasant taste and aroma.

Contradictory products from Heinz

The manufacturer does not have such a diverse line of ready-made cereals for babies. The range includes the following types:

• dairy;
• dairy-free;
• allergenic-free;
• with various additives.

Judging by the reviews, all cereals are well bred, there are no lumps left in the plate, and there is something to choose from the presented assortment. However, not all babies are suitable for the company's products. Porridges in their composition contain additives that not all children learn. However, the taste of the dishes is on top.

"Hipp" on a decoction of herbs

The manufacturer's products are quite original, but, as the reviews show, they are suitable for the first complementary foods. The porridge is distinguished by a decoction of herbs in the composition and the inclusion of a hypoallergenic milk mixture. Pediatricians confirm that, starting from five months, you can safely introduce cereals from this manufacturer into the diet.

The company produces a fairly extensive range of baby food. As the first complementary foods, you can choose dairy-free cereals, then introduce dairy. Particularly appreciated by many parents is the "Good Night" series with extracts of soothing herbs. After eight months, cereals with fruits, biscuits and even cocoa can be introduced.

The famous "Baby"

The company's products are widely known even to our grandmothers and are boldly recommended to children from five months. The assortment is quite diverse:

• dairy-free cereals;
• dairy;
• single component;
• multi-cereal;
• with fruit pieces added.

Parents are not attracted toonly a wide selection, but also an affordable price. Almost all product reviews are good, cereals are tasty, nutritious and enriched with everything you need. However, there are reports that lumps often remain during dilution, so you have to carefully monitor their dissolution.

Budget "Diaper"

Porridges of domestic producers, which are gaining popularity. Despite the low price, the products are made only from high-quality raw materials and have a fairly extensive range.

However, doctors' reviews warn to drive porridge of this manufacturer earlier than 6-7 months due to the presence of sugar in the composition. Otherwise, the products do not cause any more complaints.

Conclusion

Porridge, as the first food, is suitable for most children. It is important to strictly observe the terms recommended by the pediatrician, not to rush to introduce new dishes into the baby's diet. As the first porridge, dairy-free buckwheat is best. Regardless of whether mom cooks the dish herself or prefers the finished product, this cereal will only benefit.