What does an 8 month old baby eat? nutrition

Nutrition of infants should be balanced and healthy. After all, a small organism grows and at the same time requires constant enrichment of the diet. At 8 months, babies are already allowed many foods, including meat, fruits, vegetables, kefir, cottage cheese. Formula-fed babies, in addition to these products, can already eat fish. At the same time, one should not forget that acquaintance with new elements of the diet should be carried out carefully, starting with the minimum portions, and with a gradual increase in the dose. What foods can and should be given to an eight-month-old baby, how to make an approximate diet for a week? More on this later.

Baby nutrition at 8 months - what new foods should be introduced into the diet

At eight months, the baby continues to be fed with breast milk or formula. It is advisable to keep these products in the diet for at least 1 year twice a day - in the morning and at night.

• Vegetables. infant at this age he already eats many vegetables: zucchini, cauliflower, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots. At 8 months, the baby can already safely introduce green peas and beans. First, legumes are served as a puree, then mixed with vegetables, meat, fish, or added to soup. Onions are also introduced into the baby's diet. It is added to puree soup and served in combination with other vegetables. Maximum amount vegetables per day for a child of eight months - 180 gr.
• Kashi. Porridge must be present in the child's menu. It is recommended, in addition to the usual buckwheat, corn, rice, to introduce the child to oatmeal. You need to cook a healthy dish on the water, with the addition of breast milk or formula. After getting acquainted with a new type of porridge, cereal-based dishes can be diversified: add fruits and vegetables there. The best option are cereals intended for baby food. All the necessary elements for the normal functioning of the baby's body have already been added there. The optimal dose per day for the indicated age is 180 gr.
  
• Dairy products. At this age, the baby already eats kefir, cottage cheese and yogurt. These products do not replace a full meal, but are given as a supplement to a meal. It is allowed to flavor them with fruits and dried fruits. Dairy products should be without artificial additives and low fat. A more suitable option for feeding a child is kefir and yogurt, prepared on their own based on sourdough or bought in a dairy kitchen. They will enrich the intestines of the crumbs with beneficial bacteria and prevent the development of pathogenic microflora. The norm for the use of cottage cheese per day is 50 gr., kefir, yogurt - 200 ml.
• Fruits and dried fruits. Fruits are the main source of vitamins and microelements that will strengthen the immune functions of the baby and resist the development of beriberi. A child at this age already eats apples and pears, so you can additionally please him with peaches, bananas, cherries, blueberries and currants. If the crumbs have no problems with stool, then introduce him to prunes, raisins, dried apricots, melon pulp. The use of fruits can be slightly diversified by mixing them with yogurt, cookies or cottage cheese. Amount per day - 80 gr.
• Meat. Meat is rich in all trace elements necessary for a growing organism - animal protein, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium. The main novelty in the baby's menu, which is on breastfeeding, - meat. Children who were content with milk mixtures begin to get acquainted with this product 1 month earlier. The introduction begins with low-fat varieties - rabbit, veal, turkey. Since not all babies at this age are able to fully chew food, it is better to give the product in the form of mashed potatoes, pate. When the stage of acquaintance with meat is passed, and no undesirable reactions are observed, you can start adding the product to vegetable purees, cook soups in meat broth, and cook soufflé. Consumption rate per day - 50 gr.
  
• A fish. While breastfed babies have just begun to get acquainted with meat, the menu of artificers already includes fish products. It is better to introduce the baby to white sea fish - hake, cod, pollock. After testing these varieties, after 2-3 weeks, you can offer the baby salmon, carp and pike perch. Fish at this age should be given 2 times a week. The product should be served in the form of puree, soufflé. After a while, you can diversify the dish with vegetables. Fish is rich in B vitamins, amino acids, polyunsaturated fats, minerals. This is very important for a growing organism. The optimal dose is 5-30 gr.
• The drinks. Be sure to include vegetable and fruit juices (80 ml) in the baby's diet. At this age, it is better to dilute them by half with water. Acquaintance with juices should occur only after the baby has tasted fruit purees, and if there are no reactions, then you can safely please him. Be sure to drink boiled or filtered water. In addition to juices and water, decoctions based on raisins, prunes, dried apricots can be included in the baby's diet. It is also allowed to cook compotes from dried fruits (without adding sugar).

What else can be introduced into the baby's diet?

1. A baby at this age can eat wheat bread (5 grams per day).
2. Gnawing, sucking crackers (5 years).
3. Cookies can already be added to cottage cheese and fruit puree (5 grams per day).
4. Porridge is allowed to flavor with butter - no more than 4 grams.
5. Can be added to soups and vegetable puree vegetable oil(maximum - 5 ml).
6. Chicken yolk is also necessary for crumbs at this age. The optimal dose at 8 months is half a week.

Features of the daily diet, taking into account the type of feeding

If we talk about the recommendations of the famous doctor Evgeny Komarovsky, then he advises to slightly change the sequence of dishes. For the second breakfast, the pediatrician recommends giving the baby cottage cheese and sour-milk products, and for dinner - a hearty porridge.

Sample menu for each day of the week

At this age, the baby is already content with a variety of dishes. As for the differences in the menu of an artificial baby and a breastfed baby, it practically does not differ from the “baby” one. Just add fish dishes. You can serve them on Tuesday and Saturday for lunch instead of meat.

As usual, each day of the week starts (first breakfast) and ends (bedtime meal after dinner) with mother's milk or adapted formula. All other meals are listed in more detail in the table.

The diet of a child at this age can be very diverse. The same products that are offered to the baby should not be repeated throughout the day. Be sure to include meat, vegetables, cereals, dairy products and fruits in the baby's menu every day. This will provide the body with all the nutrients and vitamins.

Here are some tips for moms to help with menu planning.

1. For breakfast, you can serve not only porridge, cottage cheese, fruit puree, but also meat, fish, yolk. From drinks, fruit drinks, fruit juices, compotes, jelly are allowed.
2. Lunch must necessarily combine vegetable dishes, meat and fish. After that, you can please the baby with a dessert in the form of fruit and berry puree, baked fruits, juices, mousses, soufflés.
3. The maximum protein for the baby should be consumed before lunch.
4. For an afternoon snack, the baby must definitely eat fermented milk products with the addition of fruits, dried fruits, and cookies.
5. Dinner is based on the principle of breakfast.
6. The child must definitely drink a field of food.

To make it easier for yourself, you should take care of compiling a weekly menu for the baby in advance. You need to plan a diet taking into account all the products recommended at this age and the daily requirement.

Video about feeding a baby at 8 months

Features of drawing up a daily feeding regimen and menu for children with allergies

We think that it should not be pointed out that an allergic child should eat only hypoallergenic mixtures. In no case should you give such a baby cow's milk. According to generally accepted norms, complementary foods for allergic children are introduced 1 month later.

If the child is 8 months old, then the following allergenic foods should not be introduced into the diet:

• chicken eggs;
• whole milk products;
• fish;
• citrus;

You should be careful when introducing crumbs of orange-red vegetables, fruits and berries (carrots, red apples, cherries, etc.) into the menu. The basis of nutrition should be lean meats, fermented milk products cooked at home or bought in a dairy kitchen, vegetables. Porridge (gluten-free) should only be cooked with water. Meat is allowed to be introduced only at 9-10 months, and fish - closer to a year. As for fruits, first the child should be introduced to the green apple, and then gradually introduce pears, plums, bananas, and yellow currants into the diet. Eggs are completely excluded up to 1 year or replaced by quail.

In this article:

Every age is beautiful in its own way. Babies become special, it is interesting to watch them, analyze their actions, habits and reactions to what is happening around them. At this age, the baby still cannot have shortcomings, if the parents correctly perceive everything that he does.

The development of a child of 8 months is very fast if parents are engaged with him, play educational games and just pay attention. This is exactly the time when the baby, like a sponge, begins to absorb everything that is presented to him. He just does not know how to talk yet, but he is already beginning to understand a lot.

A huge amount of energy is directed to the development of physical skills, some kids try to take their first steps on their own. But not everything is so fast, for all its time. Parents need to be patient.

Physiological aspects of development

Each baby develops individually. It all depends on the day regimen of an 8-month-old baby, his nutrition, sleep and wakefulness. Many babies already have a few teeth and are ready to try new foods. At this age, sleep is approximately 14 hours a day, the interval between meals increases to 4 hours.

Pediatricians say that the ideal weight is 8-8.5 kilograms, but no one dares to say the exact figure. Weight is so individual that it is not particularly necessary to pay attention to it. A child in certain months may gain more than the norm, and after some time, lose weight. Therefore, if the pediatrician is not appointed special recommendations, worry about the weight of the baby is not worth it.

This also applies to development, everything has its time, the child will start walking sooner or later, he does not need to be forced, he will strive to do it himself.

Psychological aspect

This is the very moment of truth when parents need to learn how to behave correctly. Control of emotions, issued reactions means a lot. A child at 8 months old can begin to eat poorly, show his character, so to speak, check the nerves of his parents. He already knows how to get his way. Parents during this period need to control their emotions, this will help preserve the psyche of the baby. You need to be able to prohibit so as not to injure the child by offering him something in return. Switching attention from one subject to another will allow you to bypass screams and tantrums.

All prohibitions must be motivated, justified. Each action must be explained. At the same time, it is worth forgetting about aggression and nerves, parents should always have a balance. If mom’s psyche can’t stand it, let dad come to the rescue. If a child purposefully reaches for the same object, it is easier to remove it from view than to constantly scold the baby. He develops, wants to know the world, but receives a constant "NO".

A child at this age, needs the presence of loved ones, reacts very wary to new faces, while clinging to his mother. He begins to distinguish between day and night. Ideally, if the toys are similar to objects from reality.

Skills and abilities

At the end of the eighth month of life, the baby can be able to:

1. Stand up on your own to sit down (important to control this moment and not let sit for too long);
2. Pull up on your hands, get up, try to take a few steps on your own on the crib;
3. Hold objects firmly in your hands, shift them, throw them. A child at this age very rarely drops something, now he is interested in throwing it.
4. Can pronounce syllables and the first words appear.

Diet for 8 month old baby

Well, now the period has come when the baby can be given a lot of new things. Vitamins of various categories should be present in the diet. Now the question of what to feed an 8 month old baby will not be a headache. A frequently asked question by parents among pediatricians is whether it is possible to 8 month old baby give boiled fish. At this age, not only is it possible, but it is necessary to give a product that is a source of proteins, fats, mineral salts and several groups of vitamins.

Fish is easily digestible and can be quickly digested. But do not abuse this product. Fish can cause an allergic reaction. At the first feeding, the child should be observed, analyzing the reaction to different varieties. And yet, a little subtlety, the child's body perceives ocean fish and white fish well: pollock, hake, cod, salmon, river pike perch and carp. The fish can be boiled with vegetables and grind to a mushy state.

Meat rarely becomes an allergen, it is recommended to give it daily. The diet of an 8-month-old baby should contain various groups of vitamins, the main thing is that everything offered to the baby in the process of eating should have the norm.
If a child has an allergy to dairy products, then the diet must be compiled with a pediatrician. The doctor will be able to tell you what exactly you can replace sour-milk and dairy products so that the child receives the necessary vitamins and minerals. Menu for a child of 8 months for breastfeeding:

Looking at the table, many will say "WHO". But if you take a closer look at the portion graph, then everything will fall into place. At each feeding, the child consumes approximately the same amount of food, the difference is only in the diet.

If the baby tries to sit on his own, then all meals should be taken while sitting.

Mom's breast milk is gradually fading into the background. Now she does not need to endlessly offer the baby a breast. Only a third of the entire diet is breast milk. Vegetable purees should be as seasonal as possible. The diet must be expanded gradually, but correctly, and then your children will grow up healthy.

Useful video about the development of a child at 8 months

Presence in the diet of an 8-month-old baby useful products, recommended by experts, is an indispensable condition for the proper growth and development of the baby. At this age, physical activity increases markedly, which requires more energy value diet.

According to the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization), there is no difference in the diet of children on and babies receiving. Previously, formula-fed children were introduced to complementary foods at an earlier date. This was due to the poor quality of milk formulas, which did not provide the child with the necessary nutrients.

Currently, adapted mixtures are almost identical in composition to breast milk. Therefore, the timing of the introduction of certain complementary foods in infants and artificers does not differ. True, on the Internet you can read many articles with recommendations for different timing of the introduction of complementary foods and differences in the diets of infants and artificers. In some regions of the country, you can also meet pediatricians working in the old fashioned way, adhering to old methods.

Not less than important point There is also the question of the timing of the introduction of juices into the diet of babies. Previously, they were recommended to start giving from 1-2 months, and by the age of 8 months, the recommended portion of juice reached 50-70 ml. Until now, in many articles on the Internet (as well as in the advice of some pediatricians), these recommendations have been preserved.

However, studies by foreign experts have proven that juices have an irritating effect on the gastric mucosa and can cause development not only, but also in adolescence. Therefore, fruit juices should not be introduced into the child's diet until the age of one. Some experts advise giving juices even later.

The list of products and their quantity for the diet at 8 months

Millet porridge with a banana diversifies the diet of an 8-month-old baby.

The diet includes most of the products received by the child earlier, but their range is expanding, the portion sizes are increasing. One of the new products is fish, but more on that below. The difference is also the fact that now you can cook multi-component vegetable and fruit purees and cereals for your child.

Vegetables

In addition to the vegetables already familiar to the child (, pumpkin, carrots,) can be used, green pea, beans. Crushed legumes are added to vegetable puree from other vegetables or to meat puree. The addition of legumes should be small (30-40 g), since a large amount of them can cause bloating and discomfort. Onions can be added to vegetable purees, puree soups. The maximum serving of vegetables for a child to consume per day is 180 g.

Kashi

This dish is a must for an 8 month old baby. In addition to the porridge already familiar to the baby (oatmeal), you can gradually introduce it, starting with 1 tsp. new product. You can cook porridge on water, on vegetable broth, on breast milk or a mixture.

You can add no more than 1 tsp to the finished porridge. creamy or mashed boiled vegetables or fruits. You can cook porridge for your mother yourself or purchase industrial products for children. At 8 months, you can give your baby 150-170 g of porridge.

Some children do not master the volume of the normative portion of porridge or vegetable puree, others willingly cope with it and can also suck on the breast. If the baby eats less, but gains weight well, then parents have nothing to worry about.

Dairy products

From fermented milk products, a child can be given not only cottage cheese, but also. These products can be made in addition to other dishes, or you can feed a child with cottage cheese and kefir in the afternoon. They can be bought in the baby food department, paying attention to the production time and composition.

The best is the preparation of lactic acid products by the mother on her own. For this purpose, a yogurt maker and special starter cultures purchased at a pharmacy are used. Such yogurts not only enrich the child's body with beneficial microflora, but also prevent the development of pathogens.

The fat content of dairy products should be minimal. To improve the taste of these products, you can add chopped fresh fruits or dried fruits (pre-soaked in warm water) to them. Permissible daily consumption rates: yogurt and kefir - 200 g, - 50 g.

Fruit

Fruits serve as a source of trace elements and vitamins for the body. Previously, the child had already met with an apple, banana, and apricot. Now the child can also receive currants (preferably golden),. Each variety of fruits (berries) should be administered separately, starting with a minimum portion (0.5-1 tsp) and monitoring the body's reaction to a new product.

From the fruits already familiar to the baby, you can prepare a multi-component puree. At the same time, its basis (50% of the volume) should be applesauce, other fruits are added to it. If the child's stool is normal, then raisins, melon pulp can be introduced into the diet. Citrus and exotic fruits (, mango, kiwi) are not recommended. The normative age portion of fruit puree can be up to 80 g per day.

Meat

Many children have already begun to introduce meat into the diet at the end of the eighth month. In this case, after reaching the full 8 months, you should increase the portion of chicken meat puree,. Additionally, you can enter veal, beef. Meat puree can be added to vegetable puree. The daily portion of meat can be brought up to 50 g.

If up to 8 months the meat has not yet been introduced to the child, then you should start with a minimum amount (0.5 tsp) of ready-made meat puree. To prepare it, you need to boil (or cook in a double boiler) chicken breast, chop it with a blender and dilute with breast milk to the desired consistency.

In the absence of a blender, the meat must be scrolled through a meat grinder twice. In addition to chicken, rabbit and turkey can be used for the first samples. With good meat tolerance, the portion of it gradually increases to the standard.

A fish

is a new product that experts recommend starting to introduce into the diet after 8 months. Fish contains not only valuable proteins, but also polyunsaturated fatty acids (including omega-3), minerals and vitamins.

For the first sample, low-fat sea fish is suitable:

• pollock,
• cod,

Its introduction into the diet should be carried out according to the same rules: from a minimum amount (5 g), monitoring the reaction of the body, gradually increasing the portion to 30 g.

With good tolerance of sea fish, after about 3 weeks, you can offer the child river fish (carp, salmon, pike perch). Mashed or soufflé is prepared from fish. A fish dish can be given no more than 1-2 times a week.

The drinks

You can give your child boiled water (or special water for children). In addition, the child can be given compote and jelly prepared by the mother from fresh fruits or without sugar. You can also make decoctions of dried apricots, raisins, prunes.

Other products

In addition to the above, other products should be given to a child at 8 months:

• a small amount (5 g per day) of wheat, slightly dried bread;
• biscuit cookies or crackers - 3 pieces (soak in breast milk or kefir);
• homemade crackers from a wheat loaf or drying (give suck or gnaw under the supervision of an adult);
• the amount of butter and vegetable (sunflower, olive, corn) remains the same, that is, 5 g;
• a serving of hard-boiled egg yolk () also remains the same - ½ yolk 1-2 times a week.

Hard crackers offered to the child will contribute to the development of chewing skills and the formation of the maxillofacial apparatus, which will also have a positive effect on the development of speech.

Diet and feeding regimen at 8 months

At 8 months of age, the child receives 5 meals a day. Breast milk or adapted formula feeding should be maintained. Mom's lactation may already be reduced, but you should not rush to replace mother's milk with a mixture. Breastfeeding is important to maintain at least until the age of one. The diet is varied, but it is recommended to give breasts or a mixture at least before bedtime and early in the morning.

Mom can compose on her own various options menu, guided by the following tips:

• the same product should not be given to a child twice a day;
• without fail, the baby must receive daily cereals, meat, vegetables, fruits, dairy products in order to provide the body with the necessary nutrients, minerals, vitamins;
• mom can decide for herself when it is better to give porridge (for breakfast or dinner), and when fermented milk products; a combination of them is also possible;
• for lunch, be sure to cook vegetable dishes, fish or meat;
• for dessert, you can prepare fruit and berry puree, baked fruits, fruit soufflés or mousses.

To make it easier to organize the nutrition of the baby, it is better for the mother to prepare a menu for the week in advance, taking into account the recommendations of specialists in the set of products and the daily need of the child for them.

sample menu

Menu for the day

• 6:00 - mother's milk or formula;
• 10:00 - porridge on the water, monocomponent or multicomponent with butter; fruit puree;
• 14:00 - vegetable puree soup with the addition of vegetable oil and half the yolk, meat puree or soufflé, bread, compote;
• 18:00 - yogurt with fruit or kefir, cottage cheese with cookies;
• 22:00 - mother's milk or adapted formula.

The sequence of the dishes offered to the child can be changed. For example, fermented milk products can be given to the baby for a second breakfast, and porridge (dairy or dairy-free) can be prepared for dinner. After a more satisfying dinner and breastfeeding before bed, the baby will sleep and not require a breast at night. The same recommendations are given by Dr. E. O. Komarovsky, known to many parents.

Always from 6:00 to 7:00, that is, at the first breakfast, and at 22:00 (before bedtime), the baby receives breast milk or an adapted formula.

What to feed an allergic child?

For a baby with a tendency to allergies, only products that rarely cause development should be selected. allergic reactions. The doctor will help you choose a hypoallergenic milk formula. Under an absolute ban should be cow's milk. According to the recommendations of experts, complementary foods are introduced to children with allergies a month later than to healthy children.

An 8-month-old allergic child is not allowed to eat highly allergenic foods:

• poultry meat;
• fish;
• whole milk products;
• chicken eggs;
• fruits and vegetables with bright colors.

The basis of nutrition is homemade sour-milk products, vegetables and gluten-free cereals boiled in water. Rabbit meat and lean beef are introduced no earlier than 9 months, and fish - only shortly before the age of one.

Chicken eggs can not be introduced up to a year, with the permission of the allergist, they can be replaced with quail eggs. From fruits, you can give a green apple, banana, plums, golden currants. Ideally, you should coordinate the set of products with an allergist or pediatrician.

Summary for parents

The diet of an 8-month-old baby is so varied that it allows mom to show both her imagination and her culinary skills in order to prepare new healthy and tasty dishes.

At 8 months, the child learns to use cutlery, behavior at the table. Even crackers in the diet are not given by chance - they will help develop the baby's chewing apparatus and prepare for meals at the common table.

Pediatrician, nutritionist S. G. Makarova talks about how to feed a child at 8 months:

The baby is growing, he is already eight months old. The child at this age becomes more active. The usual diet no longer satisfies the needs of the crumbs in nutrients Oh. It is necessary to expand the menu and give the child to try new dishes.

What can a baby eat at 8 months

A grown-up eight-month-old baby, regardless of type, needs to be given porridge. Rice, buckwheat, corn, oat and barley porridge are suitable for this age. Millet porridge should not be given yet, it is too rough for the baby's gastrointestinal tract.

It is good for the health of the crumbs at this age to give him broths on vegetables. At the age of eight months, babies eat hard-boiled yolk. If the baby is not used to it yet, then it's time to give him a try of this product. The yolk can be included in the diet once a week.

All new products should be given to the child gradually, starting with small portions and gradually increasing the volume. In doing so, it is important to act consistently. You can not accustom the baby to two or more products at the same time.

Eight months of age is a good time to introduce your baby to fruits. The body of the crumbs is quite strong and the likelihood of developing allergies is minimal. This is also the most recommended age to give the baby berries.

An eight-month-old baby needs to be given fish. It contains many components that help the development of bone tissue and the proper functioning of the heart. Fish is especially recommended to be included in the diet of formula-fed children. There are few vitamins in their menu, besides, with the early introduction of complementary foods, the body of such children is already quite ready to get acquainted with fish. Be sure to choose marine fish, since river fish are often infected with helminths.

Not all mothers know this, but babies of eight months of age are allowed to give bread. It should be a small piece that serves as a snack for the child and teaches him to chew. Also this is the most best time for injection into milk crumbs. Initially, it must be diluted in half with boiled water.

Menu for a child at 8 months

For the health of the baby, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the diet. Feeding should be done every day at about the same time. You can have small snacks between main meals. If the baby feels hungry all the time, then it makes sense to increase the amount of servings. As a snack, there can be children's cookies, a piece of fruit or a cracker.

• The baby's breakfast should be from 6.00 to 7.00 in the morning, it should consist of breast milk or a portion of baby food.
• From 10.00 to 11.00 hours the baby receives a portion of porridge boiled in water or milk. At the same time, you can give him some chicken yolk.
• For lunch, which should be from 14.00 to 15.00, the baby is given on meat broth or meat or vegetable puree and separately broth.
• The baby's dinner should take place from 18.00 to 19.00, for which he receives some kind of dairy product and fruit puree.
• At night, the child is given a portion of baby food or breast milk. This should be from 22.00 to 22.30 hours.

This feeding regimen is not mandatory, as all babies are different. The mode of wakefulness and sleep in children is also not the same, so the feeding time may vary.

When sick or when the baby is teething, he usually becomes capricious and more often refuses ordinary food, preferring breast milk. Such nutrition, as well as the sucking process itself, soothe the baby and make him feel protected. After improving health, the feeding regimen is returned to normal.

How much should a baby eat at 8 months

Generally eight month old baby throughout the day should eat about 1 liter of food by volume. However, water is not taken into account in this calculation. Since a baby of this age eats five times a day, it is easy to calculate that a child should receive about 200 grams of food per feeding.

You can learn more about the nutrition of a baby at the age of eight months from the following table. It takes into account that the child is already familiar with complementary foods, although he continues to receive breast milk or baby food.

Regardless of the type of feeding, the baby should eat varied and balanced foods from all major groups. In a child at 8 months, the daily menu is distributed into 5 meals, while the first and last consist of mother's milk or a mixture. Sometimes before going to bed you need to supplement with porridge.

Features of nutrition at 8 months

Another meal of dense food is added, the baby receives adult food 3 times a day, and in the early morning and before bedtime continues to drink mother's milk or a mixture in accordance with the type of feeding. Night feedings are no longer included in the recommended amount of food, it is advisable to learn to do without them. If the baby continues to wake up frequently at night and demand breast milk, you need to reconsider the diet, perhaps he does not have enough food for the day.

On a note! Adding liquid porridge to the last meal will help reduce the number of nightly feedings while breastfeeding.

The organization of nutrition for an 8-month-old baby gradually smooths out the differences between GW and WT. The difference remains only in the set of products, because the artificial ones receive complementary foods earlier. For children of this age, it is no longer recommended to grind food with a blender. It's time to learn to chew and swallow foods of different textures. Meat dishes need to be chopped, passing through a meat grinder several times, vegetables and fruits should be grated or kneaded with a fork.

Products in the diet of an 8 month old baby

The basis of the menu is the same for all types of feeding, mother's milk or industrial formula remains in the baby's diet. At eight months, complementary foods consist of:

• gluten-free cereals;
• meat;
• local seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries;
• children's dairy products;
• egg yolk (quail or chicken);
• crackers, cookies.

On a note! For an 8-month-old bottle-fed baby, the menu additionally includes fish, because they started complementary foods earlier.

At 8 months, the baby's diet should include a lot of healthy foods.

What foods are added to the diet?

Babies should eat daily meals prepared from all major food groups in order to get the necessary nutritious and healthy nutrients from food. It is necessary to continue to expand the diet with new components allowed at this age.

It is time for an eight-month-old child to introduce complementary foods:

• oatmeal;
• legumes (peas, beans);
• chicken (fillet);
• fish (for children on IV);
• wheat bread.

How much should a baby eat?

To avoid problems with being overweight or underweight, you need to know how much a baby should eat at 8 months. The Union of Pediatricians of Russia recommends adhering to a daily volume of 1000 ml for up to a year. They should be approximately equally divided into 5 meals, regardless of the type of feeding. The resulting 200 ml includes the prescribed portion of solid food, if the baby does not eat it, it is required to supplement with breast milk or formula.

On a note! 1000 ml does not include berries and fruits, dryers, crackers and other small snacks.

Differences between breastfed and formula-fed babies

By eight months, the differences are gradually smoothed out, since by the year there should be no difference. The diet of a formula-fed child is much wider, because complementary foods are introduced at 4-4.5 months, and not at 5.5-6. During this time, kids have time to try more new foods.

Another difference is the feeding schedule. Night snacks for artificial people should be absent. Unlike breast milk, an adapted formula should be equated with regular food, therefore it is undesirable to exceed the recommended dosages under the condition of complete complementary foods.

The nutrition of a child of eight months on breastfeeding is less varied. Breastfeeding strictly on time will not work, as this will negatively affect lactation. Often, babies refuse solid food, getting most of the nutritional components from mother's milk. Such children can wake up 1-3 times at night, which indicates malnutrition during the day.

Complementary feeding at 8 months of a breastfed baby is almost no different from that for an artificial person. General recommendations:

• the rules for introducing a new product remain the same;
• keeping a food diary;
• 5 meals (every 3.5-4 hours), of which 3 are completely replaced with complementary foods;
• supplementary feeding with breast milk or an adapted mixture during the day is carried out after the baby receives the main dishes;
• it is impossible to force them to eat the entire portion; to improve appetite, snacks between main feedings should be removed;
• fish can be added to the diet of children who receive complementary foods from 4-4.5 months;
• the introduction of gluten-containing cereals should be carried out carefully;
• during the day it is allowed to give the child fruit juices and purees, they do not need to be included in the total amount of food;
• drying and crackers are recommended to be offered to the baby to facilitate teething;
• wheat bread should be yesterday's, without crusts in the amount of 5 g;
• butter and vegetable oils in a small dosage should be in the diet daily;
• if the baby does not sleep well at night, often asks for breasts, you must first give liquid porridge (about 80 ml) before going to bed, only then breast milk;
• all recommendations are averaged, when compiling the menu, one should focus on the individual characteristics of the baby, for example, breakfast does not have to be porridge, you can change some dishes in places, while maintaining the total daily volume of the dish.

The diet of a child at 8 months on artificial feeding should already be fully formed. Feeding must be carried out strictly at the set time. If the adapted mixture becomes insufficient before bedtime to sleep peacefully all night until morning, then, as with natural feeding, you need to add porridge before bedtime, reducing the amount during the day.

All complementary foods can be prepared by yourself.

What is included in the diet of an 8 month old baby and recipes

Almost all the main products have been introduced, so the menu for a child at eight months old can be compiled according to the type of adult food. An exception will be a reduced portion size, a crushed look and a recipe for cooking. For improvement palatability some salt and sugar are allowed. Butter and vegetable oil must be added daily to dishes.

What to feed a baby at 8 months, regardless of the type of feeding:

• porridge;
• vegetable and fruit puree;
• meat or fish (with IV) dish;
• dairy products;
• egg yolk;
• drinks - juice, fruit drink, compote, tea, broth.

Kashi

This dish is one of the main foods for an 8 month old baby. It is especially important to add cereals to the diet of babies with insufficient body weight. Artificialists are already eating gluten-containing cereals, and breast-fed babies should only try such cereals. Most often, oatmeal is introduced first. Cow's milk can be added to dishes, but if you are prone to allergies, it is advisable to dilute it with water. In case of intolerance dairy product boil cereals in water, then before feeding you can add a little breast milk.

Cooking technology:

1. Boil water, add cereal.
2. Cover with a lid and cook until almost done, stirring occasionally.
3. If desired, add salt and sugar, pour in hot milk.
4. Boil for 2-5 minutes, remove from heat, add a little butter, cool until warm.
5. If the grains are too large, grind a little with a blender, but do not rub to a homogeneous consistency as before.

On a note! Industrially produced cereals can still be purchased, and multi-grain mixtures are also allowed.

Fruit and vegetable purees

The menu of the baby must include vegetables and fruits. First, local low-allergenic products are introduced according to the season. From exotic fruits, it is permissible to feed the baby with a banana. The basis of vegetable dishes still consists of potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, cauliflower and zucchini.

At 8 months, add lentils, peas and beans in turn. Legumes are high in vegetable protein, vitamins and minerals, but can cause flatulence, colic, and anxiety. For this reason, they are added in a small amount when monitoring the condition of the baby.

Method for preparing vegetable puree:

1. Wash potatoes, carrots, beets and white cabbage, peel and cut into small pieces.
2. Cook until tender over low heat with a lid on.
3. Grind with a fork, meat grinder or using a grater.
4. Add salt, vegetable oil or breast milk to taste.

On a note! Boiled vegetables or soft fruits and berries can be offered to a child in a nibbler. The nursing accessory looks like a large pacifier with holes. A piece of the product is placed in a container, securely closed.

Soups

At this age, a child needs to prepare vegetable soups from several components. It is permissible to cook on a weak secondary broth, add separately cooked meat. Strong meat and fish broths are prohibited at this age. You can add some salt and oil.

How to make mashed zucchini soup:

1. Boil zucchini and rice until fully cooked.
2. Grind through a sieve or ceiling with a fork.
3. Add butter and some breast milk.

Meat and fish dishes

The product is used only in boiled form. It is important to chop the meat well, because the child can choke on a large piece, it still won’t be possible to chew it, which will linger in the stomach for a long time, causing heaviness, regurgitation, and discomfort. For 8 months, ready-made baby food is well suited, greatly facilitating the preparation of dishes, reducing the time for meat processing. Closer to the age of nine months, you can offer the baby meatballs.

On a note! Fish should be gradually introduced at the end of 8 months to formula-fed babies.

Meat soufflé preparation technology:

1. Boil rabbit meat (70 g) over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
2. Grind in a meat grinder.
3. Mix with whipped protein.
4. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Dairy products

This group includes kefir, cottage cheese and yogurt made in the children's kitchen or at home. The food industry offers products labeled as baby food. Such products are ready to use, have a short shelf life, and are intended for feeding children under 1 year old.

Technology for making homemade kefir:

• Milk with a shelf life of up to 7 days and a fat content of 1-3.2% is brought to a boil.
• Cool to 40°C, pour into a glass jar.
• For 1 liter of milk, add 100-150 g of special starter culture or baby kefir from the store.
• Mix thoroughly, wrap in a towel.
• Leave for a few hours.
• Store the finished drink in the refrigerator for no more than 1-2 days.

Egg food

Egg protein is recognized as ideal in terms of amino acid composition, therefore it is necessary for the nutrition of the baby. At eight months, complementary foods are supplemented with chicken (½ pc.) or quail (1 pc.) Boiled yolk. Protein can be added in small amounts to meals (meatballs, casseroles, puddings), but be careful because it is a strong allergen.

Cooking technology:

1. Use only fresh eggs. To check, lower it into cold water, if it floats or becomes vertical, then it cannot be used to feed a child.
2. Dip the washed egg into boiled salted water, cook for 10-12 minutes.
3. Pour cold water until completely cool.
4. Peel, separate the yolk from the protein.
5. Give the child only the yolk, after crushing it with a fork. Can be mixed with vegetable puree.

Juices and other drinks

The diet of the child should include compotes, fruit drinks, teas, decoctions. Freshly squeezed juices are recommended to be introduced at 8 months of age after diluting with boiled water. Drinks should be prepared from fruits, berries, vegetables and herbs growing in the area. If it is not possible to purchase local fresh products, then use fresh-frozen or industrial products.

Technology for making cranberry juice:

1. Rinse cranberries (500 g), squeeze the juice.
2. Pour the pomace with water (1.5 l), bring to a boil.
3. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add squeezed juice, remove from heat, cool.

Table of diet and sample menu

An eight-month-old formula-fed child has a more varied menu than infants. But the time of eating and the amount of servings do not differ. Regardless of the type of feeding, the diet should be tailored to the individual characteristics of the child.

Table 1. Diet with an approximate menu for an 8-month-old baby

In a breastfed child, the menu at 8 months should gradually approach that of an artificial person. During the day, it is advisable to gradually remove feedings on demand, distracting the baby. Then, during the main meal, he will eat with great interest and desire, respectively, he will not remain hungry. Breast milk still provides him with the most necessary nutrients and nutrients, but it's time to accustom him to adult food.

Menu for the week

sample menu for a child on natural and artificial feeding:

1. Monday:
   • 3: wheat porridge with apple (100 g), chicken yolk (½), pear juice (50 ml), GM/blend.
   • A: Cauliflower, Potato and Zucchini Puree (180g), Boiled Rabbit Meat (50g), Apple Peach Juice (30ml)
   • U: banana with cream (125g), baby biscuits, GM/mix
2. Tuesday:
   • G: buckwheat porridge (180 g), cottage cheese (4 tsp), peach juice (50 ml), GM/blend
   • A: vegetable soup in a weak broth (30 g), broccoli (100 g), minced boiled liver (50 g), grated apple (50 g), bread or cracker, dried fruit compote
   • U: boiled zucchini (180 g), quail yolk (1 pc.), vegetable oil (1 tsp), apricot juice, GM / mixture
3. Wednesday:
   • Z: rice porridge (150 g), apple (30 g), plum juice (50 ml)
   • A: chopped boiled beets and beef (150 g and 50 g), vegetable oil (1 tsp), cranberry juice (50 ml)
   • Y: cottage cheese (50g), banana puree (50g), GM/mix
4. Thursday:
   • G: water oatmeal (100g), prunes (60g), yogurt (40g), GM/blend
   • A: turkey zucchini, potato, carrot and onion soup (150 ml), pear juice (50 g), GM/blend
   • U: rice porridge with pumpkin (80 g), cottage cheese (40 g), kefir (80 ml)
5. Friday
   • Z: corn porridge with milk (200 ml), berry compote
   • A: boiled cauliflower and potatoes (150 g), boiled rabbit (30 g), ½ yolk, crouton
   • Y: cottage cheese (40 g), GM/mix
6. Saturday
   • Z: buckwheat porridge (150 g), baked apple (50 g), pear juice
   • A: chicken and squash puree (50 g and 150 g), cracker, currant juice
   • U: kefir (80 ml), carrot-pumpkin puree (100 g), GM/blend
7. Sunday
   • Z: rice porridge (150 g), boiled beets (50 g), pumpkin juice
   • A: vegetables (150 g), boiled beef (50 g), apricot compote
   • U: apple with cream (125 g), biscuit, GM/mix

On a note! Dishes can be interchanged throughout the day, the main thing is a balanced diet and maintaining the recommended serving size.

What difficulties may arise?

The child may refuse to eat, demand breasts, often wake up at night. Even those who at first enjoyed trying new foods and ate the entire serving may refuse such food by 8 months. It should be understood that children like complementary foods as something new, unknown. When this interest is satisfied, the baby refuses, because it is not vital in the presence of natural feeding. You should continue to offer him new products, but do not insist.

For a breast-fed child, there is no specific amount of food that he must necessarily eat when taking into account subsequent supplementary feeding with mother's milk. All standards are advisory in nature. The problem is the lack of nutrients, which adversely affects the health of the crumbs. This situation rarely occurs and is solved together with the pediatrician. The reason may be intolerance to the proposed products, personal preferences, lack of enzymes for food processing, dysbacteriosis. The main thing to focus on is the well-being of the baby, because the norms for everyone are individual.

The child refuses normal food

It often happens that the baby does not want to eat complementary foods at all or eats only a couple of spoons and turns away. This problem is only for mom. At 8 months, mother's milk still forms the basis of the diet, providing the necessary nutrients and nutrients. You need to keep offering food, maybe he doesn't like some foods. Children under one year old will not leave themselves hungry, because it is in their nature to demand from their mother everything necessary for growth and development. If you don’t want mashed potatoes or soup yet, you don’t need to force it.

The problem of refusal of complementary foods can lead to the constant inventing of new ways of entertainment at the table so that the child eats more. As a result, eating is perceived as an uninteresting addition to play activities. When mom runs out of ideas, the baby refuses to eat. Therefore, when feeding, it is not recommended to look at books, show cartoons, or offer new toys. It is important to teach to show interest in the food itself, the process of eating. It is advisable to eat together so that the baby learns to behave at the table from an early age, to eat with appetite.

The child eats little complementary foods and wants to breast again

This is a very common problem with breastfeeding. Many mothers are interested in what to do if a child at 8 months does not eat complementary foods well, demanding breasts. At this age, you should not worry about this if he is gaining weight and feels good. Moreover, when a baby is forced to eat a full portion of complementary foods, mother's milk is completely displaced, which leads to a decrease in lactation. As a result, breastfeeding will stop by the age of one or less. If there is no goal of weaning at this age, it should be supplemented after each feeding in the usual way. Mom should offer the child new products, diversify his diet, but not force them to eat against the child's desire.

On a note! Force-feeding negatively affects health and causes many psychological problems in the future.

The baby may refuse complementary foods and demand breast

The baby often wakes up at night and constantly asks for a breast

The main reasons for this problem are:

• malnutrition during the day;
• nervous excitement;
• pain caused by teething or other cause;
• sleep disturbance during the day.

In this case, experts recommend reconsidering the complementary feeding regimen. Before a night's sleep, you can give liquid porridge. The bulk of solid food should be in the morning. If after it during the day the child refuses complementary foods, it's okay. But at night you need to supplement with fermented milk products, mashed vegetables or porridge.

At 8 months, breastfeeding babies should receive complementary foods 3 times a day. All norms for the volume of a serving and a food set are advisory in nature. Artists at this age should try to completely replace food intake with solid food, it is permissible for a breast-fed child to eat only a few tablespoons of new dishes, receiving the main nutrition from mother's milk.