Around the age of six months, you will be faced with the question of complementary foods. As with all other stages of development, always keep in mind that your baby is an individual. He will develop at his own pace and learning to feed will therefore be different for each baby.
When to give complementary foods to the baby?
It is only when your baby has a secure head position that he is ready to start complementary foods. By around six months of age, most babies can roll from their backs to their stomachs. At the same time, their tongue motor skills are maturing, which is why rolling over is one of the signs that they are ready to start complementary foods. Your baby can reach for an object and guide it to their mouth. They can also sit on your lap with some support in their lower back. A baby should not be placed in a high chair until they can sit up unaided.
In any case, the tongue reflex should have weakened considerably. This reflex protects babies from foreign bodies and also from foods that their body would not yet tolerate. When breastfeeding and sucking on the bottle, this protective reflex is naturally eliminated by the sucking reflex. However, if you start giving complementary foods too early, your baby will simply push the spoonful of food out of his mouth with his tongue.
In addition to these physical conditions, the baby must also be interested in new challenges. Let your baby sit at the family table during your meals. This way, you will not miss the moment when your child will also want to know your food.
How to introduce them and where to start?
Start by offering your child a little extra food during your meals. Particularly suitable for introducing complementary foods in addition to milk meals:
- Foods such as well-steamed vegetables or tender-boiled potatoes
- If possible, avoid products that are very salty or sweet.
- Complementary foods can be given in small pieces or pureed, with a spoon.
- With a range of varied, fresh, and healthy products, you stimulate your baby’s curiosity.
Complementary foods are not about getting your baby to eat a certain amount of porridge at a certain time. Gradually, your baby should try the foods that the rest of the family eats, at his own pace. Just like you, your child will sometimes eat more and sometimes less. The first attempts at complementary foods are just to allow your baby to get to know them and try something new.
Eating with all your senses
Be patient. Your baby wants to look at the food, smell it, and taste it, but also “take charge”, which involves grabbing, touching, pressing, and smearing. Allow your baby to do this by setting up a place at the table that is easy to clean, so as not to prohibit your baby from trying to eat for reasons of cleanliness. Stress or pressure have no place at the table anyway. Instill the joy of eating in your baby by creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere at the table.
How important is breast milk after introducing complementary foods?
Above all, make sure that your baby is not hungry during the first attempts. So continue to breastfeed or feed your baby with first-age milk, as you have done so far. This is because your child has not yet experienced the satiety that this new form of food provides. It will take some time before your baby eats enough complementary foods that will reduce their need for breast milk or first-age milk. So continue to breastfeed or feed your baby according to your needs, so that your baby has enough energy. If you are giving first-age milk, you do not necessarily have to move on to the next foods in the range, but you can stick with this initial food, as it is best suited to your baby’s needs.
Every baby has a rhythm. Not all babies are ready for the introduction of complementary foods at the same time. Start the introduction of complementary foods slowly and arouse your baby’s curiosity for more solid forms of food.
How long can I breastfeed my baby?
The introduction of complementary foods and breastfeeding are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, you can continue breastfeeding for as long as you and your baby want. Breastfeeding in the second half of the first year not only continues to provide your baby with all the necessary nutrients but also strengthens his immune system. The breastfeeding period therefore does not end at all with the introduction of complementary foods. During the first year, breast milk remains your child’s main food. Your midwife will be happy to advise you on complementary foods, breastfeeding, and nutrition.
