How To Feed A Baby From 8 To 12 Months Of Age?

We continue with information about what foods should be added to the baby's menu according to his age.

In the 8th month meat is introduced:

1. Puree with meat or fish

Feeding with mashed meat or fish begins in the early eighth month. It is recommended to give ready-made meat and vegetable puree, 2-3 times a week at lunch, alternating with vegetables. With meat, the child receives protein, minerals and iron and thus prevents the risk of developing iron deficiency anemia. In the beginning, mashed chicken or turkey, beef or fish are offered, and later lean pork and rabbit meat. Fish is rich in unsaturated fats, proteins, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A and D, is easily digestible and does not contain connective tissue. Children prone to food allergies should not be given goat and lamb meat and fish, and in case of intolerance to cow's milk protein - beef and veal. They offer chicken, turkey and rabbit meat.

2. Puree with liver and brain

The liver contains vitamins A and B, copper, zinc, iron and other micro- and macronutrients. They have no connective tissue, which makes them easily digestible and well absorbed by the child's body.

In the middle of the 8th month, a morning dairy meal is gradually replaced by potpourri with cheese and butter. The cheese must be desalinated. During the same period, the amount of yolk increases from ¼ to ½ every other day, and fruit juice can be replaced with grated fruit.

At the beginning of the 9th month, broth and soup are included in the infant's menu. They help digestion and through them the child gradually begins to get used to the taste of adult food. Ready-made broths are not recommended because they contain ingredients (food additives, pepper and high salt content) that are not suitable for children. At lunch, before the puree, start with a small amount of vegetable or meat broth or soup of chopped or minced vegetables.

Vegetable broth or soup is given on the days when the child is fed meat puree, and meat broth or soup on the days when he is fed vegetable puree. Bread should not be crushed in them, because in this way the child is satiated and may refuse to eat.

In the 9th month the first incisors sprout. For this reason, a crust of bread or a piece of apple can be given to the baby's hand to get him used to biting and swallowing larger and firmer foods.

At the end of the 10th month , a transitional diet is included. Breakfast consists of transitional or yoghurt with biscuits, a piece of muffin or muesli. For lunch - stuffed peppers with meat, mashed potatoes with cheese or moussaka. 2-3 times a week give a whole boiled egg yolk. Afternoon breakfast includes milk with rice, milk cream combined with fruit or juices.

In the 11th month, the lunch menu is completely replaced by a transitional meal.

In the 12th month, dinner should consist of a meatless dish or yogurt and bread.

It is important to know that the timely introduction and accustoming of the child to coarser minced foods, dishes with minced meat, grated fruit, etc. should not be delayed. If he eats only pureed dishes and purees until the end of the first year, at a later stage it will not be easy for him to learn to chew and swallow harder to digest food.