A guide to preparing, processing, and giving baby food

From birth to six months of age, the baby's daily intake is obtained only from exclusive breastfeeding. Along with the increasing nutritional needs of the baby, he will need food intake other than breast milk. In order for optimal feeding for babies, you need to understand all the following important information.

Why do babies need another intake at 6 months of age?

Exclusive breastfeeding is the best food for babies born to six months of age. During the exclusive breastfeeding period, you are advised not to give your little one any other food or drink intake.

This is because at the age of less than six months, exclusive breastfeeding is able to meet the baby's daily nutritional needs.

However, after the age of six months, these nutritional reserves run out and breastfeeding alone is no longer able to meet the needs of the baby.

This is the reason why the intake of complementary foods or complementary foods for babies is needed when they are 6 months old.

As the name implies, this complementary food is given together with breast milk. In other words, even though it is no longer the time for your little one to get exclusive breastfeeding, breast milk should still be given.

Giving complementary foods seems to be a transitional or transition period for babies after previously only getting breast milk intake.

Before actually eating solid food to family food, giving complementary foods helps babies adapt while still being given breast milk and infant formula.

You can also adjust complementary foods for babies to the MPASI schedule based on the child's age.

If you find that there is one thing or another that makes you want to introduce solid foods to your baby before the age of six months, it's best to consult with your doctor first.

Choice of food for babies

Complementary feeding (MPASI) for babies until they are two years old can be done gradually.

You can start by giving the texture of crushed, chopped solid food, so that later the baby is able to eat family food.

Preparing meals for your little one is actually easy as long as you know the right options. The Guidelines for Balanced Nutrition from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia describe the various ingredients of food for babies, namely:

Complete complementary solid food, consisting of staple foods, animal side dishes, vegetable side dishes, vegetables, and fruits.
Simple complementary foods, consisting of staple foods, animal or vegetable side dishes, and vegetables or fruit.

On the other hand, paying attention to the composition of your little one's food ingredients is incomplete without knowing good criteria.

The Indonesian Ministry of Health explains the criteria for good complementary foods for babies, including:

Dense energy, protein, and micronutrients that are lacking in breast milk such as iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate.
Does not contain sharp spices and uses just enough sugar, salt, flavorings, colorings or preservatives.
Easy to eat and loved by babies.

Well, as an explanation, here are some food choices that you can introduce to babies:

1. Fruits and vegetables

The provision of various fruits and vegetables for babies is allowed from the time the baby gets intake other than breast milk as an introduction at the age of 6 months.

Babies who are more often given a variety of good and good fruits and vegetables are more likely to enjoy these foods as adults.

Meanwhile, if you delay giving fruits and vegetables until the baby is a little older, usually he tends to refuse and it is more difficult to like him.

Besides being rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber, vegetables and fruit will also make food more beautiful for babies from 6 months.

This is because a mixture of vegetables and fruit can add color to the food you serve. If your little one seems to refuse the vegetables or fruit that you give him, you should be patient and don't force him.

Try giving other MPASI menus then serving the same vegetables or fruit a few days later.

Usually, you need to feed your baby the same vegetables or fruit at least 10-15 times before deciding whether he likes them or not.

During the period of acquaintance with various types of good and good vegetables and fruit, it is okay to give babies a variety of flavors.

Starting from vegetables or fruit that are sweet, sour, to tend to be bitter.

This method will help your little one to learn and get used to liking various flavors of food gradually.

2. Sources of animal protein

Protein choices for babies in the animal category include red meat, chicken, beef liver, chicken liver, eggs, seafood, and cheese for babies.

Meat is a good source of nutrients including iron, zinc and vitamin D in it. As previously explained, a baby's iron stores run out at the age of six months.

That is why, including iron intake in the baby's daily diet is important to meet their needs.

Apart from meat, seafood is no less good to give to babies as long as there are no allergies. Seafood such as fish, shrimp, squid, and others are a source of protein, minerals and vitamins for babies.

Omega-3 fatty acids contained in salmon are also good for helping to maintain a baby's heart health while supporting brain development.

Don't forget, always try to make sure this animal protein source has been cooked until it's completely cooked.

If you serve fish or seafood to your little one, make sure it is also mercury-free and that there are no spines left.

What should be considered when giving baby food?

Some of the following things you need to pay attention to when giving food to babies:

1. Time to give animal and vegetable protein

As previously explained, introducing babies to a variety of food sources should be done from an early age.

Likewise with the provision of animal and vegetable protein sources which can be started since the baby is six months old, aka the MPASI period.

Sources of animal protein include beef, chicken, beef liver, chicken liver, eggs, as well as a variety of seafood.

While tofu and tempeh are among the choices for vegetable protein sources.

2. Pay attention when cooking animal protein sources

Although it is very permissible, you are advised to make sure the eggs, fish, and meat given to babies are completely cooked.

This is because undercooked sources of animal protein are at risk of containing bacteria. If these foods are eaten by babies, it is possible to cause the baby to experience nutritional problems and disease.

3. Pay attention to the selection of baby foods and drinks

It is not recommended to give honey to babies and fruit juice to babies if they are less than 12 months old.

In addition, avoid also providing foods with high sweeteners and fats.

4. Pay attention to how to cook and give baby food

You must pay attention to the cleanliness of hands and cooking utensils before processing food for your little one. No less important, separate the cutting board used for cutting raw and cooked ingredients.

Finally, make sure the baby's hands are clean before eating.

5. The use of oil, butter and coconut milk is allowed

If needed, it's okay to add oil, butter, or coconut milk to your little one's food.

The addition of oil, butter, and coconut milk can be useful as a calorie booster for your little one.

Rules for feeding infants aged 6-11 months

Providing food for babies cannot be done carelessly. In addition to paying attention to food choices for your little one, you also need to understand the texture of food at each age.

Babies cannot immediately be given family food at the beginning of the transition from exclusive breastfeeding.

So that you don't take the wrong steps, here are the developments in the texture, frequency, and portion of baby food at each age stage:

Infants aged 6-8 months

After being at the age of 0-6 months before, the baby is always breastfed, now it's not anymore. You can begin to provide complementary foods with a creamy texture (mashed) or filtered (puree).

The frequency of eating babies at the age of 6-8 months is usually around 2-3 times for main meals and 1-2 times for snacks or baby snacks according to their tastes.

As for the meal portion, start with 2-3 tablespoons, which can be increased further up to ½ cup 250 milliliter (ml) size.

Infants aged 9-11 months

At the age of 9-11 months, your baby can generally be given finely chopped food (minced), roughly chopped (choped), and finger food (finger food).

The frequency of eating at this age has increased to 3-4 times for main meals and 1-2 times for snacks according to the wishes of your little one.

Likewise with a one-meal portion that is able to reach ½ cup 250 ml size.

Is it okay to provide food for babies under 6 months?

Ideally, babies are not allowed to get food and drink other than breast milk if they are not yet 6 months old.

This is supported by a quote from the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI). According to IDAI, breastfeeding alone as long as the baby is less than 6 months old is able to meet the baby's daily nutritional needs.

But sometimes, there are certain conditions that make it difficult for a baby to breastfeed exclusively.

Usually, this condition is caused by insufficient production of the mother's milk so that the baby's exclusive breastfeeding needs are not fulfilled.

In addition, there are various other medical conditions that do not allow babies to get breast milk.

These conditions include galactosemia in infants, mothers undergoing chemotherapy, as well as conditions for HIV, tuberculosis, and herpes in mothers.

Babies with galactosemia are not advised to get breast milk because their bodies do not have the ability to convert galactose into glucose.

Likewise for mothers who have HIV and are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Both of these conditions are also not allowed to give breast milk to the baby in any way.

Meanwhile, if the mother has tuberculosis and herpes, breastfeeding can still be done by pumping and breastfeeding from a bottle.

However, mothers should not breastfeed their babies directly for herpes conditions with lesions on the breasts.

In this condition, you are usually allowed to give babies less than 6 months of intake other than breast milk.

With notes, still consult with your doctor first to determine what food and drink intake is best for children under 6 months.

Usually the doctor will assess the indication for giving complementary foods before 6 months and signs of readiness of complementary foods in infants.

Launching from the Mayo Clinic page, babies around 4-6 months of age can be introduced to complementary foods with breast milk (MPASI) whose texture is adjusted like solids for babies 6 months.

How to prepare baby food

The process of preparing baby food is no less important to note.

This aims to ensure that the quality of food given to your little one is indeed good to meet daily nutritional needs and support their growth and development.

How to prepare baby food

When preparing or processing food for your little one, here are some tips that you can apply:

Make sure you wash your hands with soap and running water before processing your little one's food.
Make sure the cooking and eating utensils for processing and serving your little one's food are clean.
Wash your hands and your baby again before eating, including after going to the toilet and cleaning your little one's feces.
Store food to be given to your baby in a clean and safe container and place.
Avoid using the same cutting board for cutting raw and cooked ingredients.

Can you add sugar, salt and micin?

Maybe you often feel confused about adding sugar, salt, and micin to baby food. If you are given these additional flavors, it is feared that it is not time for the baby.

However, if the flavor is not given, the baby will find it difficult to eat because it tastes bland. It is important to know that giving sugar, salt for children, and micin for babies is not really a problem.

Because, adults like you might refuse to eat foods that taste bland, even your little one.

It's just that, IDAI recommends that sugar and salt for babies less than 12 months is given in the least amount possible. Likewise with micin, you should not give too much.