Question
The baby is five months old and currently consumes half an egg yolk and a serving of rice porridge each day. The parents inquire whether they can start feeding the baby rice congee, meat snacks, and fruit puree, while also being concerned about the safety of feeding fruit puree as the weather turns cooler.
Answer
At five months old, appropriate complementary foods for the baby include rice puree, thin congee, egg yolk, tofu, fish puree, animal blood, fruit puree, and vegetable puree. Introducing these foods should be done gradually, starting with small amounts based on the baby’s digestive system maturity, gradually increasing the quantity, allowing the baby to adjust. Rice congee and fruit puree can be offered in moderation during cooler weather, but if the baby shows discomfort after trying a small amount of fruit puree, feeding should be stopped. Meat snacks are recommended to be introduced between seven to nine months of age. When the baby is sick, new complementary foods should be temporarily withheld. It is generally not advisable for mothers to wean their babies in winter; spring is a more suitable time.