Most babies are ready to start eating solid food as a complement to breast milk (ASI) at the age of 6 months. At this age, the process of learning to eat children is also important to practice healthy eating habits. But remember, Mother, that these foods are companion and not to replace the intake of breast milk or formula milk as the main source of nutrition for babies everyday.
It is important for the Mother to wait for the baby until she is ready to be given complementary food (MPASI). Research shows that babies can get all the nutrients they need from breast milk or formula until they are around six months old. In addition, waiting for the baby to be ready means to give time for the digestive system to develop fully so that it can digest solid food.
Make sure your baby is ready to start eating MPASI. Readiness can be seen from the age and the following signs.
- Little one likes to put a hand or toy into the mouth.
- Babies can sit and hold their heads in an upright position consistently, although they still need a backrest for their bodies.
- He is interested in what Mother eats, for example by speaking "aah" when he sees an adult eating or he is trying to take a fork or bread.
- He can pull his lower lip to take food from the spoon.
Mother can prioritize MPASI starting from the types of soft-textured and the baby has adjusted to the new eating schedule habits. What can you do?
1.Food First
Start by giving him soft or smoothed food as a start for Little One. Options can be rice porridge, or baby cereal. Occasionally also give boiled vegetables and fruits, such as potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples or pears. Soft fruit such as melons may also be given to him.
As a first step to introduce the first food, offer Little Food foods that do not contain added sugar or salt one by one type. Allow 3-5 days to introduce each new type of food. In this way, you can find out the baby's reaction to the food given, whether the food causes diarrhea, vomiting, or rashes. If such a reaction occurs, stop feeding it and consult a pediatrician. After introducing food singly, later Mother can offer food in the form of a combination of several types.
Meanwhile, in providing baby cereal, Mother can mix one tablespoon of cereal with about four tablespoons or 60 ml of breast milk or formula milk. Feed the cereal with a small spoon twice a day after the baby suckles. Gradually, make a thicker cereal and increase the amount. Be sure to give baby special cereals. You can choose cereals fortified with iron, oatmeal or wheat, or rice cereals.
Even so, giving various types of food is still recommended as it is feared that if only giving him rice cereal, babies risk being exposed to excessive arsenic exposure.
2.Finger food
Once accustomed to eating soft foods, Mother can give him finger food. Finger food is food that is cut to the size of the finger of the Mother so that it is easily grasped and eaten by babies. Mother can give banana pieces or avocados that have been cooked as finger food. Initially the baby may learn to hold food with his own hands and learn to put it in the mouth, but later at the age of 8-10 months, usually the little one can already consume finger food in a slightly larger portion.
3.Advanced food
If the baby is able to eat like the two stages above, it means he can already consume more complex, advanced food. Foods such as chicken, meat, noodles, bread, rice and boiled eggs are safe to give to him. But make sure the food is cooked soft to make it easier to eat and avoid choking. Since the age of six months, babies may be given fatty milk products, such as yogurt, but prioritize those without added sugar or containing only a little sugar. Mother can also give him food cooked with a mixture of cow's milk.
4.Drink from a cup
Give the baby the experience of drinking directly from an open cup or glass after he is six months old. This will help the ability to drink well at the same time for tooth development.
5.Eat three times a day
If the baby initially eats enough twice a day, but after 8-9 months of age, he has begun to eat three times a day. Later at the age of 12 months, he was used to eating three meals a day plus a light meal. In addition, starting from the age of 12 months, babies can already drink cow's milk. Choose full-fat dairy products because children under two years old are in need of extra fat and vitamins for their physical development.
The Right Way to Give MPASI to Babies
Mother can apply the following ways to give MPASI to Little without disturbing the natural development of the body.
- Give the baby MPASI when his mood is happy and not too hungry, tired, or fussy. Do it slowly and no need to rush so Mother and baby can enjoy this experience together. If you use a spoon to feed it, wait until the baby is going to open his mouth, not stuff him immediately and force him to eat. Babies might want to hold a spoon too.
- Let your baby enjoy the time of touching and holding food, even though it might make it messy.
- If the baby shows an interest in feeding on his own, give him occasional opportunities to eat with his hands directly.
- Mother must be patient, do not force the baby to eat. If this time he is not interested, don't despair because Mother can still offer it another time.
- Continue to breastfeed the baby for at least one year.
- Accompany the baby while eating to avoid choking. Also take advantage of this moment to learn techniques to overcome choking children.
- Make sure the food given to the baby is clean, fresh, and not hot.
Apart from the additional nutrition obtained from MPASI, don't forget that toddlers still need to take supplements of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D specifically. Experts recommend giving these vitamin supplements every day, especially to toddlers (babies less than five years old).
As a safety measure, always consult with your pediatrician about your baby's need to take vitamin or other nutritional supplements, along with the right dosage. At least it should be known to Mother, babies who consume more than 500 milliliters of formula milk per day should not be given vitamin supplements anymore because formula milk has been enriched with these nutrients.
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