It is proper to continue with breast milk in the 4-6 months, as well. But as from these months, breast milk is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the baby. Therefore, it is necessary to start with more intense food. In addition, either breastmilk or formula is not sufficient to meet requirements such as iron, zinc and vitamin C after the 6th month, therefore one should start with some additional nutrients. Another reason is to begin the baby to familiarize with different foods and a mixed diet. Additional nutrients are started between 4-6 months according to the condition of the baby weighing. It is recommended that breastfeeding should be continued until 1.5-2 years of age with additional nutrients.
Additional nutrients are advised to be given with spoon or cup. First of all, you should start with foods with a low risk of allergies. To see if your baby is allergic to any food, you should start additional nutrients one by one and in very small quantities, such as 1-2 teaspoons. Add the next nutrient only after 3-4 days from the previous nutrient.
Apple or peach juice and mash, custard prepared with rice flour or solid food with appropriate ingredients may be the starting food. Following these first nutrients, vegetables, orange juice, banana mash and yogurt are added to the diet respectively. In later months, other foods will also be on your baby’s list.
In 4-6 months, you should add the following nutrients to your baby’s diet in addition to breast milk:
- Apple, peach, banana or orange juice or mash (1-2 times a day, between meals)
- Custard with rice flour or solid food (in the evening, 1 meal per day)
- Mixed vegetable food (freshly prepared, as lunch)
- Yoghurt (once a day)
Preparation of Additional Nutrients
After thoroughly washing the apple with boiling water, peel and grate it with a glass grater. You can give the juice of the mash as apple juice or give it as mash with a spoon. You can do the same for peach, as well. You can give him orange juice by squeezing orange. You can mash the banana with a fork, or you can dilute it with apple juice if you want.
The consistency of additional nutrients should be softer until the 6th
7th months, then stiffen gradually. You can prepare the vegetables as vegetable soup initially, then as vegetable mash. In both cases, prepare them fresh. You can enrich it by adding oil, rice or farina. Zucchini, potatoes, carrots and peas are the first vegetables that can be given. As a rule, yellow vegetables such as carrots and potatoes are given before green vegetables such as peas and green beans.
The horse bean should not be given in these months because it may cause a disease called favism. As eggplant contains almost no minerals and vitamins, it should not be preferred in these months. Spinach with high oxalate content is not recommended until further months.
You can add yogurt to your baby’s diet right after the vegetables. Calcium in breast milk is sufficient for the baby in the first months, but as the amount of breast milk decreases in all nutrients, the baby should start to be given calcium-containing proteins such as yogurt and cheese.
Watch out for the salt! Do not add salt to your baby’s food as the baby’s kidneys do not filter out high amounts of salt and getting used to salt at an early age can cause other problems such as high blood pressure. Since both dairy products and vegetables naturally contain salt, there will be no need for extra salt for your baby.
Egg has a high nutritional value, but it is highly allergenic, too. Therefore, it is more appropriate to add it in your baby’s diet after the first 6 months. Additional foods such as white cheese, bread, jams and meats should also be left after the first 6 months.
Don’t give your baby any honey in those months. It is recommended by some physicians after 8 months but by some doctors only after 1 year of age, as it may cause some side effects and in addition to providing calories.