Proper nutrition is of great importance for health, so doctors try to pay attention to the issues of feeding the baby and the features of introducing complementary foods. At each planned visit to the doctor, the mother is asked in detail about what and how the child ate, give advice on the composition of the daily diet.
Fermented milk lure
The transition from breastfeeding to new types of food is a complex and lengthy process, each step of which has its own meaning and purpose. The introduction of sour-milk products into nutrition for infants of the first year of life makes it possible to solve several problems at once.
1. They provide the crumbs organism with the necessary building material: proteins and minerals.
2. Phosphorus and calcium included in the fermented milk are in an optimally balanced ratio and are easily absorbed by the body. This avoids many problems: the formation of bones and tooth enamel, growth retardation, caries, increased nervous excitability and trouble in the cardiovascular system.
3. Sour-milk products restore the normal intestinal microflora and protect the baby from the effects of dysbiosis. Of course, only with the help of sour-milk products, their food and dietary value it is impossible to cure the already formed disease. But as prevention kefir and various fermented milk mixtures are very effective. After all, they contain a large number of special bacteria (lacto-, bifidobacteria, etc.) which, when ingested into the intestines of the baby, begin to suppress and displace pathogenic microbes, and also produce lactic acid and create favorable conditions for the development of "useful" microorganisms.
4. Whole milk is very hard to digest even in children older than 1 year, and infants are completely contraindicated. At the same time, dairy products are much less likely to cause unwanted reactions (including allergic) and are absorbed almost completely.
In 1990, the World Health Organization recommended to begin acquaintance with sour-milk products not earlier than 6 months, and at first to give them in small portions - 20-30 ml not more often 2-3 times a week.
Where to begin?
This largely depends on the personal preferences of mother and child. Of course, liquid kefir may seem to the baby more like the usual milk, but, on the other hand, the cottage cheese will help the crumb learn to chew and swallow more dense food. So decide for yourself: if the child is conservative and suspicious about acquaintance with cottage cheese, it is not worth insisting. And, of course, do not forget about the taste preferences of the baby, and if you prefer the sour taste of yogurt, the crumb may well prefer the curd mass.
Calculate calories
In some cases, when choosing a sour-milk dish, one has to think about caloric content.
If the baby, according to the doctor, grows too slowly and does not get the weight, then the lure is recommended to start with cottage cheese, so that the body gets more proteins and minerals. It promotes a set of muscle mass and the proper development of bones. If the child is gaining weight too quickly, then it is more useful for kefir.
How much total ...
In addition to yogurt, there are many more tasty and useful sour-milk products: yoghurts, sour cream, fermented baked milk, whey-based drinks ... Alas, but with sour milk variety it will be necessary to wait at least till 1,5-2 years, since the digestive system of a young child still is not ready to absorb these useful, but difficult for digestion products. For example, burgers, sour cream, and varenets contain too much fat, which is not only "extra calories," but also an extra burden on the stomach, the intestines, the liver of the child that it is desirable to avoid.Everyone's favorite yogurt is contraindicated up to 1.5 years, because they can contain too many extra additives: preservatives, sweeteners, and special children's yoghurts without sugar and other fillers, dieticians usually do not advise offering to the child during the first year of life, because the influence of the Bulgarian rod (bacteria taking astie in education yogurt) on the body is still unexplored. So with yogurt will have to wait, but over time you may well be able to pamper baby new delicious and healthy dishes.
Just try not to forget that the choice of yogurt for baby food should be approached with great care, carefully studying its composition, nutritional value, etc.
Be prepared for the fact that even ordinary yogurt or cottage cheese may not like your child that much, that he categorically refuses to try them again. In such a situation, one should never force a baby to eat unpleasant food - this will not do good to his nervous system or digestion, as coercion will only consolidate a strong aversion to these products as "insipid." In the future, the child will reject everything that at least somehow reminds them.It can only be helped by parents: it is quite possible that in a couple of weeks the mood of a small eater will change, and he will take great interest in getting acquainted with sour-milk products.
But not everything is so simple, unfortunately, most of the usual sour-milk products do not suit the kids, not to mention infants. Trying to feed the crumb with "adult" cottage cheese or kefir can cause both digestive disorders and allergies.Although by the end of the first year of life (and now experts believe that the second year) the child is simply not ready to eat the same as adults. from the year, you can recommend not to get acquainted with new types of sour-milk dishes, but only a gradual, cautious increase in the dosage already familiar - for example, up to 100 g curds 3-4 times a week.But such changes in the diet are best done after consultation with the treating pediatrician.
Acquisition of finished sour - milk products (not overdue, having all the necessary certificates and recommendations) in the department of baby food is also not always a security guarantee. Sour-milk products are a very delicate thing, even a small violation in the storage rules is enough to make them lose their useful properties. If you still decide to buy your baby ready kefir or cottage cheese, pay attention to the information on the package: date of issue, shelf life, composition, etc. Try to purchase small-size packages, since natural dairy products are stored very briefly (in the open - no more than 12 hours at 2-5 C), and a long shelf life is possible only with the addition of preservatives. And, of course, kefir and cottage cheese can be cooked at home. It's not such a complicated and lengthy process.