The reference provides 7 months of entry for parents

Increasing the age of the baby is usually accompanied by the development of an increasingly mature body. Of course this must be supported by good food intake. So that children's nutrition can be fulfilled properly, don't miss the importance of understanding the rules of complementary feeding (complementary feeding) for babies at the age of 7 months.

This is important to meet the nutritional needs of the baby. Check out the complete information through the following review, yes!

Baby's eating habits at 7 months of age

If at the age of 6 months your little one has entered the initial period of introduction of semi-solid food, now your baby's ability to eat at the age of 7 months is certainly much more developed.

At the beginning of their introduction to complementary foods, babies seemed clumsy and found it difficult to feed themselves, now at the age of 7 months it is a little different.

At the age of 7 months, the coordination of a baby's eye and hand with food is generally better trained. Babies begin to learn to grasp food and transfer it from one hand to the other.

In fact, babies may be having fun learning new skills with food and cutlery.

Even though it seems like they are "crushing" the food given, this is a typical way for babies to learn to recognize and feel the texture of food with their hands.

Indeed, this will make the bowl and dining area very messy. However, this is the most comfortable and enjoyable way for your baby to help him recognize a variety of new types of food.

The solution, you can put a base under the plate or food bowl to make it easier to clean the area.

You can also wear a food apron or small cloth that is wrapped around the baby's neck and up to the baby's chest to prevent food from contaminating his clothes.

Entering the age of 7 months, babies usually begin to be interested in trying and even trying to take other people's food.

What you and other family members are eating will attract the baby's attention to taste it.

Well, this method can be one of the steps to lure a 7 month baby to want to try various types of new solids.

However, still do not carelessly give new types of complementary foods to babies without adjusting to their abilities at 7 months of age. Because at the age of 7 months, babies are still in the stage of eating soft or semi-solid solids.

What are complementary foods for babies aged 7 months?

Source: New Mum Tips

As babies' eating skills improve, entering the age of 7 months is the right time to switch to other textures of complementary foods (complementary foods).

Quoting from the Baby Center, you can process food with a smooth texture but thicker than before.

In addition to aiming to train the ability to eat, this change in texture will also help train the 7 month baby's skills to chew food.

You don't need to worry even if the baby hasn't teething. The texture of solid solids is thick but smooth enough to make it easier for babies aged 7 months to chew and crush them in the mouth.

In order to help him get to know and like various kinds of food, here are the choices of solid foods that you can serve to your 7 month baby:

Various types of vegetables and fruits
Starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes
Red meat, chicken, fish and eggs as a source of protein
Milk and processed products

Interestingly, the more variety of food ingredients you include in the 7 month baby solid food menu, the more types of nutrients it will get.

Providing various types of nutrition will of course make it easier for you to meet your baby's daily nutritional needs properly.

In addition to providing soft and slightly thick solid foods for babies aged 7 months, the Indonesian Ministry of Health still recommends mothers to breastfeed their little ones.

Through Balanced Nutrition Guidelines, the Indonesian Ministry of Health recommends that breastfeeding be continued at least until the child is 2 years old.

So at the age of 7 months, giving semi-solid solids for babies can still be accompanied by breast milk. This is because breast milk still contains important nutrients needed by babies even though the amounts are not many.

On this basis, breastfeeding must be accompanied by complementary foods (complementary foods) at the age of 7 months.

How many servings of solid foods for babies 7 months?

Not much different from the age of 6 months, at the age of 7 months, the frequency of giving infant complementary foods is not too much.

According to the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), you can provide food 2-3 times per day while regularly breastfeeding. You can also adjust the feeding of these foods to your baby's appetite.

In fact, it is fine to offer snacks 1-2 times a day in between the 7 month baby's main complementary foods.

If previously the baby was only given about 2-3 tablespoons of solid food per day, now you can gradually add it to ½ cup or ½ glass of mineral water for 7 months of age.

Also pay attention to the time or time a 7 month old baby should eat no more than 30 minutes at each meal of main food or solids.

Can babies eat with a spoon at 7 months of age?

It really doesn't matter if you want to start introducing your baby to eating utensils. But it must be remembered, your little one's ability to use cutlery such as spoons has not been properly trained.

When you set an example, the baby will probably copy it. It's just that his skills when holding and putting food into his mouth using a spoon may still not be perfect.

As a result, just like when eating in general, you will also see a lot of food scattered on the apron and children's dining area.

This is because the child's coordination skills are not well honed or they still need a little practice. Usually after the age of 1 year, children begin to be able to eat by themselves using a spoon and fork.

Even so, there is nothing wrong with giving one spoon as the first step in introducing baby solids at the age of 7 months.

It's not necessarily used in the right way, but at least your little one will be more familiar with using cutlery.

His ability to use cutlery may not be done well, but you will see some signs of motor development such as:

Babies begin to survive sitting alone in a chair for several minutes, especially during feeding.
Although they still need help from others, babies have begun to be able to lift and lower their bodies to sit and stand on their own.
His hands are getting more nimble in moving or passing objects or food from one hand to another.

There are other things you also need to pay attention to in providing baby feeding utensils. If you want to introduce a spoon or other cutlery to your little one, make sure that the spoon or fork is safe.

Choose a spoon made from pliable plastic so it's safer if your little one tries to put it in your mouth.

Tips for giving baby solids for 7 months

Overall, here are some tips that can be used as a reference for providing complementary foods to meet the nutritional needs of babies aged 7 months from food:

All fried foods are not good choices for babies. If you want to give it, you should do it occasionally and not too often.
Try to provide a diet that includes fruit, eating vegetables, a source of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats for the baby.
Babies are allowed to eat whole grain cereals, but avoid giving sweet colored cereals,
Puree and mash vegetables and fruits before giving them to babies to make it easier for them to eat and prevent choking.
Teach the baby to sit in his special dining chair during meals.
Ideally, your little one should eat no more than 30 minutes. So, you should avoid things that can interfere with the baby's eating, for example while playing gadget.

It is important to teach the baby to sit in a special chair when eating. Not only does it aim to make the baby more accustomed to it, it is also useful to prevent the possibility of choking when eating while crawling or doing other activities.

Consult your doctor further if there is a family member who has allergies. Usually you will be advised to be more careful when it comes to introducing new types of food to babies.

However, do not make it a barrier to providing a variety of complementary foods for babies 7 months.

The reason is, in a period of growth like now, babies need various types of food to help meet their daily nutritional needs.