What kind of porridge to choose for the first feeding - feedback from experts
For the first feeding you need to use milkless porridge: buckwheat, corn or rice. Let's find out which one is more suitable for the baby and what you need to pay attention to when buying.
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- Which baby food manufacturers are better
- When you need to use porridge for feeding
- The best porridge for feeding
- The composition of cereal for baby
- What porridge is not recommended to choose
Which baby food manufacturers are better
Porridge industrial production need crumbs in order to properly develop and get the necessary amount of nutrients. But such products must be absolutely safe for babies, do not cause an allergic reaction and comply with international quality standards.
The best manufacturers of porridge for feeding are:
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Nestle;
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Nutricia;
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Heinz;
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HiPP;
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Agusha
When you need to use porridge for feeding
If the calf is exclusively breastfed, it is not worth introducing complementary foods before six months. This is due to the fact that the nutrients contained in human milk, provide proper growth and development of infants. But if the crumb is bottle-fed, it is permissible to introduce “adult” food at the age of 4–4.5 months.
For the first feeding, traditionally mashed vegetables and cereals are used. Kashami recommended feed those children who:
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Poor gaining weight;
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Suffer from abundant and frequent regurgitation;
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Have problems with stool (frequent diarrhea).
The best porridge for feeding
It is recommended to start feeding with one-component porridges that do not contain milk and gluten. This is due to the fact that cow milk products often cause allergies, and gluten (vegetable gluten) leads to intestinal disorders, loss of appetite in a child and an allergic reaction. Moreover, the early use of gluten products increases the risk of developing gluten-sensitive celiac disease in children genetically located for this disease, by 2–3 times (if the supplement is introduced before 6 months).
Gluten-sensitive celiac disease is characterized by damage to the small intestinal mucosa, impaired absorption, iron deficiency and exhaustion.
The best cereals are:
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Buckwheat A great option for young children, especially those who are diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. It increases the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood and does not cause allergies. It contains vitamins (A, B, C), iron, manganese, selenium, potassium, magnesium and other beneficial substances.
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Rice. Such porridge is well absorbed by the organisms of the baby, especially if he has gastrointestinal disorders and diarrhea. It has a high nutritional value - it contains a large amount of vitamins B and C, amino acids, selenium, iodine, iron, etc.
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Corn. This porridge normalizes the bowels, and because of the large amount of fiber, it is suitable for children who often suffer from constipation. It has high nutritional value and contains vitamins A, C, E, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, folic acid, tryptophan, etc.
The composition of cereal for baby
Nutritionists recommend starting to feed the baby porridge industrial production. Such products are often enriched with vitamins, minerals and other useful compounds necessary for the normal development of the little ones. In addition, the consistency of store cereals as much as possible adapted to the requirements of the children's ventricle.
Porridge often contains:
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Vitamin A is necessary for healthy eyesight, strong immunity and normal physical development of the child. Lack of this substance in infants can lead to an increased risk of infections and anemia.
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Folic acid (B9). Lack of this substance can cause megaloblastic anemia in the infant, as well as stunted growth and development, poor appetite and exhaustion.
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Vitamin C - promotes healing of wounds, affects the immune system and contributes to the synthesis of collagen.
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Vitamin D - helps calcium to be absorbed in the intestine, has a positive effect on the metabolism of bone tissue and the immune system. Its deficiency can lead to the development of rickets.
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Iodine - plays a major role in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, necessary for the normal development of the child, maintaining metabolism and enriching cells with oxygen. It is also of great importance for the mental development of the infant. A lack of iodine in a baby during the perinatal period can cause the appearance of endemic goiter and hypothyroidism, in which the baby has intestinal problems, brittle nails, lethargy and other symptoms.
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Zinc - affects the metabolic processes of the child's body. The need for it increases when babies recover from infectious diseases. In breast milk, zinc is enough for a child under 6 months old, but children over this age should receive this substance from their complementary foods. Zinc deficiency is characterized by delayed development, diarrhea, problems with immunity, etc.
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Calcium - plays an important role in metabolic processes and bone mineralization. It is necessary for normal growth of the skeleton. If the baby is not fed either mother's milk or other dairy products, he should receive calcium supplements.
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Iron. Children from 6 months to two years have an increased sensitivity to iron deficiency. At this time, they should receive the mineral in large quantities. When iron deficiency develops iron deficiency anemia. Earlier administration of unmodified dairy products increases the risk of its development.
WHO estimates that about 43% of infants and children under 4 years of age suffer from anemia worldwide. Premature babies tend to have little iron in their bodies, so they require an increased amount of mineral. Anemia can lead to slower growth and physical development, increased susceptibility to diseases and even impaired mental development.
Prebiotics. Increase the growth of "good" bacteria and promote their functioning in the gastrointestinal tract. Due to this, the baby has a normal chair and colic.
What porridge is not recommended to choose
It is not recommended to choose cereals, which include:
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Gluten free and milk.
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Salt. Parents should not add salt to their baby’s food and buy cereals. The need for this substance in a baby is very low - 0.3 g. Sodium chloride is very poorly administered by children's kidneys, and its excess can lead to an increase in pressure in children. When this deteriorates the functioning of the kidneys and pancreas.
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Sugar - can lead to the development of allergies and intestinal disorders.
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Palm oil. May adversely affect digestion and excrete calcium from the body.
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Artificial flavors, colors and thickeners. They cause allergies in children, reduce the digestibility of useful substances, lead to the development of various diseases, including cancer.
When choosing porridge for the first feeding, also pay attention to the hypo-allergenic and low-allergenic products.The use of these products will reduce the likelihood of the child developing an allergic reaction and facilitate the transition to “adult” food.
In the following articles, our experts tell how to mix milk for baby and secrets baby food choices and recommendations for the choice of highchair baby
Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.