When to introduce lactation during breastfeeding?

In the life of every newborn baby, there necessarily comes a time when vitamins and micronutrients that make up the breast milk begin to be missed. Although every young mother is looking forward to this time to introduce the crumb with new products for him, in fact, it is not worthwhile to hurry up with the introduction of complementary foods, especially when breastfeeding.

According to the recommendations of WHO, as well as the majority of practicing pediatricians, a newborn infant should receive exclusively breast milk before performing 6 months of age. In addition, to meet the youngster with new products must meet a number of certain conditions.

In this article, we will tell you when to introduce the first lure in breastfeeding, and what signs will help young parents to determine that the baby is ready to get acquainted with new foods and foods.

When to feed a baby breastfeeding?

Most babies who are naturally breastfed begin to receive complementary foods after 6 months. Meanwhile, even at this age, before adding new products to the daily menu of the baby, you should always consult a doctor.

Pediatricians when deciding whether to expand the diet of a child take into account the presence of the following signs:

• from the moment of birth the weight of the baby increased 2-2.5 times;
• the crumb does not have a tongue ejection reflex;
• the child confidently sits alone without support;
• absolutely everything, including inedible objects;
• crumbs have a food interest - he pays attention to adults eating food, and also opens his mouth if a spoonful of food is brought to him;
• One or several teeth have already appeared in the mouth of the baby.

In addition, the introduction of complementary foods is highly discouraged during the period when the child is sick, as well as during preventive vaccination. In both of these cases it is better to postpone the introduction of crumbs to new dishes and foods for a few days or even weeks.

To avoid negative consequences, under any circumstances, young parents should always consult with a doctor on the topic of when it is better to introduce complementary feeding in breastfeeding. In the absence of at least one of the above signs, the presence of any chronic diseases, insufficient gestation period, and also for other reasons, the age of the introduction of the first complementary meal can be increased to 7-8 months.

How to correctly introduce the first complementary foods?

Introduce new dishes and foods into the baby's diet is recommended in the morning, before the second breast-feeding. Any food in this case should have a temperature of 36-37 degrees, so as not to burn the tongue of crumbs. Regardless of what the doctor recommended to enter first - porridge or puree from vegetables, the initial portion of this dish should not exceed a quarter teaspoon.

In the future, the amount of each complementary meal is recommended to be increased to a normal portion corresponding to the age of the crumb, within 2 weeks. Only after the baby is completely accustomed and adapted to one new product, he can be offered another.

Puree for the first complementary foods can both be purchased at baby food stores, and cook on their own. In any case, its composition should include exclusively natural ingredients, and for consistency this type of food should resemble thick milk.

During the entire period of complementary feeding, parents should keep a special diary, in which it is necessary to note all the dishes taken for food, as well as the reaction of the baby to them. In the case of allergies or disruptions in the work of the digestive tract, it will be necessary to temporarily abandon the product, which provoked negative consequences.