TRANSITION TO COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING

Nutrition in the first 2 years of life is very important not only for short-term growth and development, but also for the long term adulthood health. After six months, breast milk or formula  does not meet the baby’s nutritional requirements; It provides only the half of the energy required between six months and one year of age, and 1/3 after one year of age. According to the European Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, the perfect time for transition to complementary feeding is between 17th and 26th weeks. If you start earlier, allergic reactions, digestive problems or overload on the kidneys may occur. If you start later, there may be risks of nutritional deficiency, growth and developmental delay, difficulty in learning to chew and swallow, food rejection.

How much food should I give ?

The stomach capacity of a baby is approximately 30 cc (2 tablespoons) at birth, 180 cc (1 tea glass) at the 6th month, and 240 cc (1 cup) at the age of 1 year. The meal frequency that should be given for complementary foods is 2-3 meals for babies aged 6-8 months, and 3-4 meals for babies aged 9-11 and 12-24 months.

What are complementary foods?

  • Vegetables and fruits: This is the food group which should be introduced at an early stage. They are rich in vitamins A and C. The daily vitamin A requirement of a 6-24 month old baby can be obtained from 1.5 spoons of carrots or 1/3 bowl of cooked green vegetables. Fruit juices should be consumed immediately after preparation and should not exceed 250 ml per day. Fruits should be consumed as a puree instead of juices.

Vegetable soups usually contain potato and carrot, then other vegetables are mixed one by one. Adding meat in the form of minced meat will both increase the protein quality and make it easy for the baby to get used to particles.

  • Milk and dairy products: The World Health Organization does not recommend cow’s milk until the age of 1 year. Breastfeeding or formula feeding should be continued during transition to complementary foods. Yogurt and cheese are rich in protein, calcium, zinc, magnesium, riboflavin, vitamins A and B. They are fermented foods and they also contain probiotics. They can be given as complementary food starting from 6-8th month old.
  • Animal foods: The nutrients most frequently deficient in the complementary feeding period are iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B. Foods that prevent the deficiency of these nutrients are animal foods which are meat, chicken, fish and egg. Eggs are a very good source of protein; The yolk part is rich in vitamin A, vitamin B and iron, and the white part is rich in protein. In the 6-7th month, small amounts of yolk can be introduced, white part should be given after 1 year old. Salmon, tuna, sardine and mackerel are fish rich in omega 3. Omega 3 is necessary for brain and eye development.
  • Cereals: Wheat, barley, rice, oats, rye and corn are the main ones and meet the energy requirement. Mixing cereals with fruits or vegetables will increase the vitamin content.
  • Legumes: Beans, chickpeas and lentils are fiber rich foods with high protein content. They are also an important source of vitamins and minerals (iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, vitamins B and E). It is recommended that babies, especially those who cannot consume enough animal food, should consume grains and legumes every day.

BASIC RULES IN TRANSITION TO COMPLEMENTARY FOOD:

  1. Complementary feeding should be started between 17th– 26th weeks.
  1. One single food should be introduced every time.
  1. Baby should be fed when he is hungry and the amount should be 1-2 spoon at the beginning then gradually increased over 2-3 days.
  1. A new food should be added 2-3 days apart.
  1. Sugar and salt should not be added to foods.
  1. Meat should be added to the diet at an early stage.
  1. Tea, sweets, ready-made fruit juices, ready-made soups, canned foods, salty and very spicy foods are not suitable for baby nutrition.