When to start food diversification?
Dietary diversification is a key step in your baby's development. This is the moment when he will be able to discover new flavors and textures to gradually arrive at a meal similar to that of an adult.
Baby is ready when he can: everyone has their own rhythm !
Breast milk is the ideal food for up to 6 months and is enough to cover all of your baby's nutritional needs. From 6 months, or even at the end of his 4 months, his digestive system gains in maturity, which allows him to embark on this new adventure, with your help of course!
Why this difference of 4 to 6 months for the beginning? Because it depends on each baby. Your pediatrician will guide you as to the right time to start diversification. A few clues can also put you on the path to diversification:
- he sits alone for a while
- he brings things to his mouth
- he is interested in what you eat; even seek it seeks to catch food
- it makes chewing movements
- he shows signs of weariness towards the bottle
Prepare baby gently…
To facilitate this food transition, stay with your little angel for these moments of sharing and conviviality, so that he apprehends them positively. Give him new foods gradually, introducing only one food at a time, to optimize acceptability and allow him to develop his sense of taste.
He refuses what you offer him? Let a few days go by to suggest it again. This may require up to 10 attempts. In any case, your baby will always eat as much as he can, which is reassuring.
Each baby is unique so the reactions are necessarily different. If your little one takes time to adapt, be patient and everything will be fine! You can start by giving it a few spoons only and then gradually move to the whole jar. At 6 months, it is not so simple to face so many changes ...
In any case no doubt, whatever the reaction of your baby - a small mouth that opens wide at the arrival of each bite or on the contrary of pursed lips facing the spoon - you will long remember his little face .
Wondering which foods should be given priority at the start of food diversification? Read our article: "Food diversification in 5 steps" [Cross-reference to article].
You have a question about this essential phase for your baby ... Talk to your doctor.
Sources :
- Chouraqui JP, Dupont C, Bocquet A, Bresson JL, Briend A, Darmaun D, Frelut ML, Ghisolfi J, Girardet JP, Goulet O, Putet G, Rieu D, Rigo J, Turck D, Vidailhet M. et Comité de nutrition de la Société française de pédiatrie, Alimentation des premiers mois de vie et prévention de l’allergie, Archives de pédiatrie 2008
- Fewtrell, M. Bronsky, J. Campoy, C. « et col. » Complementary Feeding: A Position Paper by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 2017
- OMS, Principes directeurs pour l’alimentation complémentaire de l’enfant allaité au sein, 2003
- Patrick Tounian, Françoise Sarrio, Alimentation de l’enfant de 0 à 3 ans, Edition Elsevier Masson 2011
