What do doctors recommend for feeding your six-month-old?

If your child has reached the sixth month and you are not yet on a proper diet schedule, here is this medically recommended daily program for your child’s healthy development:

Not following a healthy program with your six-month-old may expose you to many problems in its development, so we offer you a nutritional schedule appropriate for his age:

What should you feed your child?

At this age, your child has begun to grow, and he needs to eat solid foods, to get the nutrients he needs to grow in addition to those available in breastfeeding.

But first of all, always remember that your child at this age still depends on breast milk as a primary source of nutrition, solid food is just nutritional supplements necessary for his proper growth.

The American Association of Pediatrics recommends delaying feeding your baby solids until 6 months of age. Your baby may leave breast milk, causing him to not get enough protein, fats, and other nutrients, and your breast milk may dry up.

These are the solid foods that you can start feeding your baby:

   cereal

Gradually introduce iron-rich cereals to your children, such as rice or oats.

Mix one teaspoon of one type of cereal with four teaspoons of water, and when your child gets used to it, replace the water with breast milk.

Avoid giving your child cereal in a bottle. Help your child to sit upright and feed him cereal with a small spoon once or twice a day.

Mashed vegetables and fruits

Start introducing pureed vegetables and fruits into your child’s diet gradually.

Offer single-ingredient foods without other additives such as sugar or salt, then wait three to four days before introducing a new one.

If your child has an adverse reaction to it such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting, your child may be allergic to this type.

After you have introduced a variety of solid foods prepared from one ingredient to your child, you can start mixing the solid foods.

One study showed that children who do not eat a lot of fruits and vegetables in a period of 6 to 12 months, may not eat a lot of them by the time they reach adulthood.

Information: Record the foods your child eats for the first time, to monitor his reaction to them.

What are the foods that you should avoid?

There are a few foods that you should not give your child at this age:

Raw honey:

It can poison your baby, you have to wait until he is 12 months old to give him honey.

Cow’s milk:

Your baby may not be able to digest it properly, and it may cause occult blood in the stool.

Choking foods:

Stay away from fatty and large foods such as nuts and popcorn. Avoid serving spinach, beets, green beans, and zucchini, as they may contain high levels of harmful nitrates from the soil.

          You can give your child soft foods that dissolve quickly and of very small sizes, such as cooked carrots, boiled potatoes.

Certain types of fish: Avoid giving your child fish that contain large amounts of mercury more than once a month, such as a tuna. Usually, whitefish such as salmon are safer for your baby.

Juices:

It is best to avoid giving your child juices, even if they are natural, as they may contribute to causing weight problems and indigestion, as well as to tooth decay later because they contain a lot of sugar.

Schedule for feeding your baby

This table may help you organize your six-month-old’s feeding periods, who may need six to eight meals a day:

7:30 am: It’s time for the feeding of breast milk or formula.

 8:00 am: Offer him oatmeal or rice cereal and mix it with breast milk.

9:30 a.m.: Your child’s nap time is for one hour. If he tries to take longer in his sleep, try to wake him up in gentle ways.

10:30 a.m.: Offer your child a bottle of milk after he wakes up from his nap.

12:00 p.m.: It’s lunchtime for your child. Serve him a bowl of mashed vegetables or fruits.

12:30 p.m.: It’s time for your child’s second nap.

1:30 p.m.: A feeding of breast milk or formula.

3:30 p.m.: It’s time for your child’s third nap.

4:30 p.m.: A feeding of breast milk or formula.

6:00 pm: It’s dinner time – serve him a plate of vegetables or fruits.

7:30 p.m.: Say goodbye to your baby’s day with a bottle of milk to sleep soundly until the next morning.