For children of the first year of life, mother’s milk is the best food. The amount of milk sucked by a child from 10 – 20 ml in the first days of life gradually increases: on the 3rd day he can already suck 40-50 ml per feeding, by the 7th day 70 – 80 ml, by the end of the first month of life 100 -110 ml. However, individual fluctuations in the norm can be very significant. Even the same baby can suck out different amounts of milk at different times. If the child develops normally, gains weight well, sleeps calmly and is awake, then the mother has enough milk. However, if the child shows anxiety after each feeding, does not stand the intervals between feedings, it can be assumed that there is not enough milk. In this case, you should contact the children’s clinic, where the doctor conducts control feeding (the child is weighed before being attached to the mother’s breast and after the end of feeding, the amount of sucked milk is determined by the difference in body weight) and calculates the daily amount of food received by the child. It is considered accepted norms that a child aged from 8 – 10 days to 2 months should receive such an amount of milk per day that is equal to 1/5 of his body weight. If during repeated control feedings it is established that the child does not receive enough mother’s milk, he is prescribed supplementary feeding in the form of donor milk or adapted milk formulas. Moreover, the younger the child, the more desirable it is to use donor human milk as a supplement. At the age of 2-3 months, you can refuse it and switch to supplementary feeding with adapted mixtures.

In addition to breast milk, a child of the first days of birth needs water, especially in the hot season or at high air temperatures in the room. Water is given to the child between feedings for 1-2 teaspoons (only up to 50 ml per day, and in the heat – up to 100 ml). Boiled unsweetened water or weak tea can be given as a drink. From 3 weeks of age, the child begins to drink fruit and vegetable juices, which are richer in vitamins than decoctions, but contain slightly less minerals. Therefore, after the introduction of juices into the diet of a child, one should not stop giving him a decoction. Apple juice is introduced first, starting also with a few. drops, gradually its amount can be brought to 40-50 ml in two or three doses. Juice is given during or after feeding. Giving juice before meals is not recommended, as this can lead to a decrease in appetite. When the child gets used to apple juice, he should also gradually begin to give other juices – cherry, blackcurrant; after 2 months – plum, cranberry, apricot, pomegranate, carrot, cabbage, beet, etc. Raspberry, strawberry, citrus, tomato juices are best given after 3 months, with some caution, as they often cause allergic reactions. Very acidic juices can be lightly sweetened with sugar syrup. The total amount of juices by 3-4 months can be 50-60 ml per day.

When prescribing juices, their specific properties should be taken into account. So, cherry, pomegranate, blackcurrant, blueberry juices contain tannins and have a fixing effect. They should be given to children with unstable stools. It is better not to give grape juice to children, as it contains a lot of sugar, which enhances the fermentation processes in the intestines.

Children with a tendency to constipation benefit from carrot, beetroot, and plum juices.

At the age of 1.5 months, applesauce should be introduced into the child’s diet, starting with 2-3 g and gradually increasing to 50 g by 3-4 months. After getting used to applesauce, the child can be given puree of apricots, pears, bananas and other fruits, as well as canned fruit and berry purees for baby food. Each new type of fruit puree should be given at first in a small amount, and only after making sure that the child is well tolerated, the dose can be gradually increased.

From 3-3.5 MONTHS, the yolk of a hard-boiled chicken egg is included in the child’s diet. The yolk is also given at first. In small quantities and with good tolerance, after 7-10 days, bring up to 1/2 yolk per day. In this form, children can receive an egg every day during the entire first year of life (protein is given to a child only after a year).

From the age of 4 MONTHS, it is recommended to give cottage cheese to a child. They start giving cottage cheese from 5-10 g, gradually increasing the dose to 20 g per day. At 5 months, a child can receive 30 g of cottage cheese per day, at 6 months – 40 g, by the year – 50 g.

AFTER 4 MONTHS, the development of the child proceeds at a faster pace, his activity increases, motor functions, the psyche develop. At this age, mother’s milk can no longer meet the child’s needs for essential nutrients wah. There is a need to introduce other, more concentrated foods into the diet. The child is prescribed complementary foods. Normally, complementary foods should be given to healthy children from 4.5 months. Earlier introduction of complementary foods is indicated for rickets, anemia, persistent regurgitation, and premature babies. Later than the specified period, complementary foods are prescribed for digestive disorders, febrile illnesses, and also in the hot season, when the production of digestive juices in a child decreases and any new food is poorly digested.

Vegetable puree, rich in carbohydrates (starch, sugars), minerals, pectin and other food ingredients, is recommended as the first snack. The first is mashed vegetables containing relatively little fiber (carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, turnips). At the beginning, mashed potatoes are prepared from any one specified product, and only after the child gets used to this dish, the assortment of vegetables is expanded. Later, the child should prepare mixed purees from the widest range of vegetables (cabbages, beets, zucchini, tomatoes, etc.). Like all new products, mashed potatoes begin to be given in small quantities – 1-3 teaspoons and gradually, over 10-12 days, are brought to 100-150 g, replacing one of the breastfeedings. Usually, along with vegetable puree, the child is given yolk, and for a snack – fruit juice. Along with mashed vegetables made from natural products, children can be given mashed potatoes produced by the industry for children’s litany. Of these, mashed potatoes from zucchini, pumpkin, green peas, carrots, and tomatoes are very useful. You can also use dry nutrient mixtures based on vegetables and fruits (mostly imported Bebimik, Frutolino). They include apples, bananas, zucchini, spinach, carrots and other products.

The second complementary foods are usually given to children at the age of 5 months. It is given in the form of milk porridge – first 5-8%, then – 10%. With cereals, from which cereals are prepared, the child receives a wide range of minerals, B vitamins, vegetable protein, and fiber. Buckwheat and oatmeal cereals are especially useful for young children, you can use this, rice cereal, as well as mixtures of various cereals, which increases the biological value of the dish. Rice porridges that are cooked with by adding carrots, pumpkins, apples, etc. Dry milk porridges, produced by the industry especially for children of the first year of life, are also used. Complementary foods with cereals are also introduced gradually, starting with 1-2 teaspoons; within 7-10 days, their number is brought to a full nutritional volume of approximately 150 g, replacing another breastfeeding. Porridges for children of the first year of life are prepared first with half milk, and then with whole milk. Butter is added to the finished dish (vegetable in vegetable puree). In some cases (with an allergy to cow’s milk; children with rickets), cereals are cooked on a vegetable broth.

After the abolition of high breastfeeding, the child’s diet should be built in such a way that breastfeeding alternates with complementary foods. In this case, the mother’s milk production will be better preserved: If the breaks between breastfeedings are very long (if two complementary foods are given in a row), lactation can quickly fade away. Therefore, porridge should be given during the second feeding, adding cottage cheese and fruit juice to it, in the next Feed the baby with breast and fruit puree, and in the evening (at 6 pm) give complementary foods in the form of vegetable puree with yolk.