Menu for the little ones

Menu For the Little Ones: How to properly feed a baby in the first weeks of life

Feeding a baby in the first weeks of life is a responsible and important stage for every mother. In cases where breast milk is not available, the child should receive food prepared from cow's milk. However, the baby’s gastrointestinal tract is not yet adapted to digest large amounts of protein, so cow’s milk must be diluted with cereal broth or water. In this article we will tell you how to properly create a menu for the little ones.

Infant formula

For feeding children in the first weeks of life, in most cases, mixtures consisting of two parts milk and one part decoction (2:1) are used. Such mixtures are usually designated by the letter “B”. Depending on the decoction with which the milk is diluted, words are added to the letter - rice, oats, buckwheat, barley (B-rice, B-oats, B-buckwheat, B-barley). For children in the first weeks of life, in some cases, milk is used in half with cereal broth and these mixtures are designated by the letter “B”, to which the name of the cereal is also added - B-rice, B-oats, B-buckwheat, B-barley. Sometimes children in the first weeks of life are given cow's milk diluted half with water. This mixture is usually called mixture No. 2.

Porridge for babies

The first complementary food for babies is given in the form of liquid 5% porridge. For children older than 6 months, a thicker 10% porridge is prepared. For young children, porridge is prepared from flour (rice, oatmeal, buckwheat) or from a mixture of flour of these cereals. Children over 6 months old should add 5 g of butter to porridge. After one year, children should be given not pureed, but well-cooked porridge. For children over 1.5 years old, porridge is prepared in the usual way. At this age, more varied cereal dishes, such as soufflé and cream, can already be introduced into the children's diet.

The right approach to cooking for babies

When preparing food for children, special rules must be followed. Soda and salt are added in the form of a solution, and sugar is added in the form of syrup. To prepare a soda solution, you need 1 teaspoon of soda per 5 glasses of water. Place purified baking soda in a bowl, pour hot boiling water and stir until the soda is completely dissolved. To prepare a salt solution, you need 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of water. The salt also needs to be dissolved in boiling water, mixing them together until the salt is completely dissolved. Sugar syrup is made from 1 part sugar and 2 parts water. Place sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

If you cook porridge with milk, you need to boil the milk before using it. It is also necessary to ensure that the porridge is sufficiently liquid and does not cause digestion problems for the baby.

By following these recommendations, you can correctly create a menu for the little ones and provide your baby with the necessary nutrients in the first weeks of life. It's important to remember that every baby is different and may require a different approach to feeding, so don't hesitate to consult your doctor and pediatrician if you have questions or concerns.