At 6-24 months, it is recommended that complementary feeding be practiced alongside breastfeeding. You should introduce foods gradually-one at a time, and then wait about 3 days before you introduce another new food. This will help you identify potential foods triggering allergic reactions. The foods likely to cause allergic reactions are: eggs, cow’s milk products, nuts, fish and shell fish, sesame, rye, wheat, barley etc. If allergies present, consult with a medical specialist.
You should progressively include a variety of nutritious meals. Especially aim to include iron –rich foods like meats, vegetables and Vitamin A foods in adequate amounts.
Begin with pureed, mashed or strained foods as you continue to adjust to more solid textures as your child’s ability to eat develops. At about one year, your child can eat the same foods as the rest of the famil mebers.
Include at least 3 meals and snacks in between. Feed your child small portions of food and slowly. Select nutritious snacks between meals. The snacks can include fruits , milk etc.
Promote responsive feeding to aid in the development of healthy eating skills. For instance; encourage your child to eat finger foods to allow for the development of self-feeding, or encourage him to make use of an open cup as opposed to using a bottle. Also, facilitate responsive feeding in accordance with your child’s hunger and satiety signals.
Introduce cow’s milk when your child is more than 9 months to limit the likelihood of iron deficiency resultant from the casein in it that inhibits iron absorption. Instead continue breast feeding or give them water. Avoid giving your child sweetened beverages like carbonated drinks, juices etc. Also avoid giving your child tea and coffee as they inhibit iron absorption, and at this age they are already at high risk of iron deficiency. Sugary foods i.e. sweets should also be avoided to reduce the likelihood of dental caries.
Promote good sanitation practices when handling your infant’s foods. Thoroughly wash the feeding equipment with warm water and wash your hands well before preparing food. Ensure that you also serve and store food properly. Avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, and avoid feeding them under-cooked meats or eggs, unpasteurized milk or juices. Supervise the child when feeding. Discourage prolonged bottle feeding.
Include sufficient quantities of macro-nutrients-please refer to post on Introducing Complementary Feeding for recommended nutrient intakes at this age. There are increased nutrient demands for your child due to rapid growth, as such carbohydrates, proteins and fats content have to be increased. The child should consume adequate vitamins and minerals. These can be obtained from:
- Proteins: soft, small pieces of beef, chicken, fish, lamb, turkey, eggs.
- Cereals: porridge from sorghum, millet
- Dairy: milk
- Vegetables: spinach, carrots, broccoli, yams, sweet potatoes, butter cup, beets
- Whole grains: whole grain breads, pastas, beans, lentils, peas
- Fruits: bananas, pawpaw, avocadoes, oranges, pears, melons etc.
When preparing your baby’s foods:
- Cook the foods until soft
- Remove seeds from fruits then cut into small pieces or puree them
- Remove the bones from meats
- Mash or puree foods to soft texture