Question
The baby is 5 months old and only eats a few spoonfuls of rice noodles. What can be done to improve complementary feeding?
Answer
Hello, according to your description, the baby started complementary feeding at 7 months old, which is somewhat late and may make it more challenging. It is suggested that you introduce pureed foods into the baby’s diet gradually when they are in good health. Initially, focus on introducing pureed foods like egg yolks, rice noodles, vegetable purees, and fruit purees. At first, you can offer complementary feeding once a day in the morning, such as 1/4 of an egg yolk (the white is more likely to cause an allergy and should not be introduced early on). The rest of the time, continue breastfeeding and ensure the baby drinks plenty of water. Once the baby adapts, gradually increase the frequency of complementary feeding while reducing breastfeeding sessions. The principle of introduction is to start with less and increase gradually (from 1/4 to 1/2 of an egg yolk), from thin to thick (from rice gruel to porridge to soft rice), and from fine to coarse (from vegetable water to vegetable puree to chopped vegetables). Do not introduce too many new foods at once. Get accustomed to one type (about a week) before introducing another.