Patient's question:
The baby is 7 months old and being breastfed. How often should they be fed? How should complementary foods be appropriately provided for the baby? What kind of assistance is needed: How often should they be fed? How should complementary foods be appropriately provided for the baby?...Doctor's answer:
Food must follow certain principles: 1. The amount provided should start from small to large; 2. Food should transition from thin to thick, from fine to coarse, from liquid to semi-liquid to solid food; 3. When introducing new food types, add one variety at a time, just as you would with familiar foods. If a child does not accept the food on the first try, do not assume they dislike or are not adapted to it. Try again later. Feeding requires patience and should not be forced. After introducing a new food, closely monitor the child's digestive response. If symptoms such as indigestion, vomiting, abnormal bowel movements, or other issues arise, pause the introduction of that complementary food. Once the digestive system returns to normal, resume feeding with the same amount or a smaller amount. If the child is ill, avoid introducing new complementary foods temporarily. 4. Flexibly control the variety and quantity of complementary foods: During feeding, adjust according to your child's specific characteristics. Objective indicators of appropriate feeding are: the baby does not cry after eating, sleeps deeply, has normal bowel movements, and gains weight satisfactorily.I. Whether breastfeeding or formula feeding, the baby's main food at this stage should still be based on dairy products. Substitutes can only be introduced as trial foods for the baby to learn.
II. Increase the intake of semi-solid foods, such as rice porridge or noodles, adding only once a day.