Weaning

How and when to introduce the second baby food during weaning?

After 2-4 weeks from the introduction of the first meal, the right time will come to start with the second

The process of knowledge of food runs parallel to the growth of the child; it might seem precocious but it is in the first 3 years of life that the sense of taste is born . That’s why, getting your child used to a varied and balanced diet, starting from weaning, is a fundamental tool for stimulating curiosity and taste and ensuring all the nutrients essential for development.

Therefore, 2-4 weeks after the introduction of the first porridge, the appropriate time will come to start the second. The latter will replace the evening feed , reducing the intake of breast milk.

As with the first meal, even in the second meal the child will have to slowly accept the new foods and communicate in an increasingly recognizable way when he is hungry. It is important that the progressive discovery of foods respects the concept of demand feeding, the understanding of which is essential for successful breastfeeding and weaning.

For this purpose, alternating or replacing breast milk with other liquids such as sugared water or chamomile teas/herbal teas could interfere with normal feelings of hunger; with the exception of milk, the only drink that should be offered to the infant (especially in the delicate 6-12 month age group) is therefore water, with an adequate intake of 800 ml per day (Larn 2014).

With the second meal , cereals containing gluten such as wheat, spelled and barley enter the child’s diet . In this regard, it has been reported that the early (<4 months) or late (>7 months) introduction of foods containing gluten is associated with an increased risk of developing celiac disease.

In addition to the new cereals, always administered in the form of creams, a new protein source of vegetable origin, i.e. legumes, will have to be introduced: as an alternative to meat or cheese and never together, in order to avoid excessive protein intake.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables should always be offered in the form of soups.

Industrial or overly processed foods or those containing caffeine or stimulating substances (chocolate, tea and coffee) should instead be avoided.

How to prepare the second baby food

The second porridge will be given in the evening, and also in this case it will be equivalent to a single dish; the more or less liquid consistency will depend on the child’s taste:

  • 15 g (3 tablespoons) of dried legumes (only one type: lentils, or chickpeas, or beans, or peas, or broad beans if not contraindicated);
  • Cooking broth of legumes without added salt (just enough, based on the consistency of the jelly);
  • 20 g of pasta (2 tablespoons);
  • 5 g (1 teaspoon) of EVO oil.

Procedure:

  • Soak the dried legumes for 12/24 hours. If you use fresh ones, cook them without preliminary soaking. Boil the legumes with seasonal herbs and without added salt for 30-120 minutes depending on the cooking times (longer for chickpeas), until the skins too become very soft.
  • Pass the legumes in a vegetable mill.
  • Cook the pasta in the strained legume cooking broth.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of the legume purée and the EVO oil.

Useful tips

a good strategy to reduce cooking times is to use a pressure cooker; to enrich the flavor of the food, on the other hand, seasonal aromas can be added instead of salt.

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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