16 commonly asked questions about complementary feeding

1.      When should complementary feeding be introduced?

Complementary feeding should start when a baby is six months old. At this age, the baby’s digestive system is already mature enough to digest starch, protein, and fat in a non-milk diet. Frequent breastfeeding should continue despite introducing other foods. During the next few months, the variety and amount of foods can be increased while breastfeeding continues. For most children, complementary feeding stretches from 6 months to 24 months, after which they are weaned to family foods alone.

2.      Why should I continue breastfeeding my baby?

Breast milk supplies a large proportion of the nutrients a baby needs. In addition, breast milk also provides protective factors that help to protect the baby against common infectious diseases and are especially important while the baby's immune system has not yet fully matured.

3.      Why start complementary feeding at six months and not before or after?

Babies have doubled their birth weight by this age and are more active. Breastmilk needs to be supplemented with other foods because it cannot provide all of the required nutrients. In terms of development, this is also the age at which newborns may successfully eat semi-solid foods from a spoon and swallow them. Starch, protein, and fat from solid foods can all be digested by an adult digestive system.

However, mothers should spend the first six months of a baby's life solely on breastfeeding; food introductions should wait until then. In addition to supplying protective elements that support the infant's immune system, breast milk reduces the likelihood of introducing potentially dangerous pathogens before the immune system can handle contamination effectively. Thus, delaying supplemental feeding until six months of age enables the immune system to mature sufficiently.

4.      What could happen if my baby does not receive enough meals a day?

A baby who does not get enough meals during the day or whose meal portions are too small will not obtain all the necessary nutrients. This can lead to undernutrition. Visible signs of undernutrition include a slower increase in growth than expected according to the growth chart, growth leveling off, or, in extreme cases, weight loss. These signs are potentially dangerous, and feeding patterns should be corrected quickly. Therefore, making frequent clinic appointments is crucial to monitor the baby's growth. Clinics also provide other essential services such as immunization and vitamin A supplementation.

5.      Are there specific nutrients that are important during complementary feeding?

Generally, all nutrients are essential. Babies have relatively high metabolic rates and grow rapidly. So, during this time, they have proportionately higher nutrient needs. However, emphasis should be placed on energy-dense and iron-rich foods. These can be achieved easily by making suitable choices of complementary foods.

6.      How can we ensure that a baby gets the recommended daily calories?

There are a few simple actions to take to reach the energy intake objective. Babies cannot eat much food at once because their stomachs are so small. So, to ensure a sufficient intake of energy:

·         feed the baby several small meals a day

·         feed the baby enough food at each meal

·         avoid serving very runny food.

Add oil or peanut butter to baby food to increase energy. It is important to remember that while a sufficient energy supply is essential, too much is not beneficial.

7.      Why is iron essential for a baby, and which foods are rich in iron?

During pregnancy, the mother's nutrition and iron reserves supply her unborn child with the necessary iron, and some iron is also preserved. After delivery, the baby draws on its reserves in addition to receiving some iron from breast milk. These reserves are often depleted when a baby is six months old; thus, food sources must replace the quantity of iron breast milk.

 Some good iron-rich food sources are liver, meat, and eggs. Although these can be introduced at six months along with enriched cereals and vegetables, few moms employ these items early in supplemental feeding. These animal food sources are wonderful options for other crucial minerals and iron. If at all possible, these food options should be given daily. They should also be well prepared, pureed, or minced.

8.      What aspects of complementary feeding impact health, growth, and development?

·         The continued role of breastfeeding.

Breastfed babies in developed and developing countries have less sickness due to respiratory and gastrointestinal illness than babies who are breastfed only for a short time or are not exclusively breastfed initially. Breastfeeding continues to supply health-protective substances to the baby from the mother; the baby will not get this protection without receiving breast milk.

·         How food is given to the baby, how, when, where and by whom.

Children should have their own plates or bowls so that it is easy to gauge the amount they have eaten. The utensil used for feeding should be the correct size. The person feeding the baby should be able to concentrate on that task and interact with the baby during feeding times.

9.      When should I change the consistency of foods from soft to lumpy to solid?

Foods with some lumps can be introduced at about eight months. By this age, babies have developed enough tongue mobility to chew and swallow these foods. Babies can start to hold finger foods from 9 to 12 months and have the manual skills to feed themselves and drink from a cup by this age.

These periods are critical for progressing from soft to lumpy food to solid foods. If they are not introduced at the correct age, they may develop feeding difficulties later.

10.  Should baby food taste bland?

Baby food does not have to taste bland. Babies are introduced to different tastes already in the womb, depending on their mothers’ diets. Similarly, the flavor of breast milk also changes according to the mother’s diet. This allows the baby to learn about – and enjoy – different flavors. These preferences may even track into childhood and adolescence.

It is beneficial to expose babies to various food tastes during complementary feeding. These include flavors commonly used in their culture, the taste of different vegetables, and those already introduced during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Adding extra sugar or salt to baby food is unnecessary; instead, it could set an undesirable threshold for sweet or salty tastes.

11.  What drinks can I give my baby during complementary feeding?

Breast milk will supply most of the fluid needed. Clean water (after or in between meals) or fruit juice are additional fluids that can be administered. Fruit juice should only be used sparingly, diluted with water. It shouldn't take the place of fruit in the diet because the infant must learn how different fruits feel. There is no need for a bottle; drinks should always be served from cups.

12.  How can I protect the quality and safety of food for my baby?   

Diarrhea, which affects many infants between the ages of 6 and 12 months often, is primarily brought on by food contamination. Diarrhea can be avoided, nevertheless, by using food properly and consuming it.

When food is finished cooking, it shouldn't be left to stand. Warm foods and warm conditions encourage the growth of germs, which can quickly reach harmful levels by multiplying even in small numbers.

It is crucial for everyone handling baby food to thoroughly wash their hands (with soap and water) before handling it, whether it is being prepared or being fed to the baby. All areas of the hand, including those between the fingers, behind the nails, and around the thumbs, should be washed.

Hands should be dried with a clean cloth afterward.

Cooking and feeding utensils for infants should all be extremely clean. When kids start eating with their fingers, parents should ensure they wash their hands well.

13.  When can I start giving my baby cow’s milk?

Breast milk should remain the primary source of milk until at least 12 months. However, from the age of six months, pasteurized cow's milk can be used in mixed dishes (for example, soft porridge or white sauce on spaghetti). Individual criteria that consider typical feeding methods and food availability will determine the age at which full-cream cow's milk can be offered as the primary milk source.

14.  Are there any foods that babies are restricted from eating?

 Infants require a lot of nourishment. They won't have enough room to ingest the nutrient-rich foods they need if offered low-nutrient diets. Foods like sweets, sugary beverages, chips, cakes, ice cream, and nondairy creamers shouldn't be served to babies and young children. Leftover foods or foods cooked and left standing for a long time should be avoided. Such foods may contain dangerous levels of harmful bacteria since these microorganisms multiply quickly on warm food. Prepare fresh, hygienic food instead.

Meat products containing blood must not be given to babies; all meat products must be well-cooked.

15.  What tips do you have for feeding babies not interested in meal times?

Make sure the infant is being fed in a distraction-free environment. The person providing the infant should focus on them and encourage interaction while eating.

It is up to the mother to decide what is most practical and what her kid would like regarding whether breast milk or complementary foods are served first during a meal.

If a baby rejects a new food, the mother can combine it with a familiar dish. For instance, she could blend breast milk into mashed butternuts or butternut into pureed minced beef.

Remember that when a baby tastes or experiences food for the first time, they can reject it. Continue and serve the dish once more because consecutive introductions frequently result in acceptance.

16.  What determines whether foods are suitable for complementary feeding?

Baby food should be appropriate for their developmental stage. A baby's ability to chew and swallow food is influenced by their developing gastrointestinal tract, which is still immature at six months of age, and their developing muscle coordination. Babies at this age are more susceptible to getting sick than older kids because of their still-developing immune systems and consuming contaminated foods.