Introducing non-milk foods into the child's diet
Non-milk food is solid or semi-solid food that is given to an infant in addition to breastfeeding when breastmilk is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional needs (or in addition to formula, for children who are breastfed with supplementation or artificially fed).
Introducing solid foods helps your baby learn to eat, giving him/her experiences of new food flavors and textures. It helps develop the teeth and jaws, as well as other skills that will be needed later for speech development.
This is a transitional period from milk feeding to eating at the family table, which the infant is mostly ready to do from the age of one.
The introduction of non-milk foods has not only a direct impact on growth and development during the first year of life; there is also growing scientific evidence of a long-term health impact for life. A healthy diet supports the child's growth, directs brain development, strengthens the potential for learning, improves productivity in adulthood.
If a child does not adopt healthy eating habits on time and does not accept different types of food, he/she often later eats only a certain type of food, which can have health consequences (not enough vegetables, deficiency of vitamins, trace elements, antioxidants; empty calories, risk of obesity and chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes).
When is non-milk food introduced into an infant's diet?
A naturally-fed infant should start consuming non-milk foods at the age of about 6 months, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Exclusive breastfeeding until the age of 6 months is the best way to feed children. The introduction of non-milk foods before 17th week increases the risk of obesity, as well as allergies.
A breastfed infant with formula supplementation should get non-milk foods from 5th month of life (not before 17th and not after 24th week). From 5th month, the functions of the digestive and excretory organs are sufficiently mature, as are motor functions that enable feeding the child with semi-solid and solid food.
How will you know that your child is ready for the introduction of non-milk diet?
Children grow and mature at different speeds. Signs that a child is ready for non-milk foods are usually clear at the age of about six months:
Keep track if your baby is starting to be able to:
- stay seated upright without being held for support, lean forward and return to a stable upright position; the shoulder and neck muscles are strong enough to support the head
- control hand movements so that he/she can deliberately pick up a small object and put it in his/her mouth
- not expel food from the mouth with his/her tongue, but is able to swallow it
- control saliva swallowing
Signs or signals that are NOT good indicators of readiness - as they can mean something else:
- more frequent waking up at night or anxiety
- the baby can easily be distracted while breastfeeding
- tooth growth, drooling or chewing fists
- showing interest when others are eating, playing with food (food is not swallowed)
- accepting food if an adult puts it in his/her mouth
You may misinterpret this behavior as the child's readiness for the introduction of solid foods. Sometimes parents simply want a new activity with their child and are eager to reach a new stage in their baby's development.
When a child is learning to eat, he/she needs not only food, but also smiles and patience. Think of feeding as a time you spend interacting with your baby instead of focusing on the amount of food eaten.
Include your baby in family meals so that he/she is offered food eaten by the family and can see others using their eating skills.
