A couple of days ago we explained when they consider it appropriate to start offering complementary food to the highest agencies in terms of children's health. As we said, most determine that It is advisable to start at six months of age.
Today I want to answer some possible questions that could arise from what was explained in the previous entry.
What if the mother starts working at 16 weeks?
Unfortunately in Spain (and other countries) international health recommendations for babies are not taken into account and maternity leave is terminated when the baby is 3 and a half months old.
The recommendation in these cases remains the same, milk exclusively up to six months. For mothers who breastfeed the recommendation for the health of the baby is to offer breast milk extracted. In Babies and more we have already given some recommendations on how to do it.
Some mothers decide to wean the child at this time, however it means adding two “separations”. One, the separation of the mother who is going to work and two the separation of the breast, which in addition to food is comfort and affection. The ideal for the emotional health of the baby (and for physics too, of course) is to continue breastfeeding.
And if the mother does not want or cannot express her milk, is she given artificial milk when she is not there?
There are mothers who do not want to express milk or who do not have material time to do so.
In these cases, many professionals recommend artificial milk for the shots in which the mother is not with the baby, however, since artificial milk comes from cow's milk and has a high allergenic potential (milk is the first cause of allergy In the kids) it is preferable to continue only with breast milk until four months and thereafter offer other foods such as gluten-free fruit or cereals, which can be prepared with water (it may sound strange, but gluten-free cereals are rice and corn and rice, for example, is cooked with water).
Many children, knowing that Mom will return after a few hours, wait to eat (rejecting the food offered) until the moment her mother returns. At that moment they get hooked to the chest and recover all the lost time, both food and emotional level.
What if the child drinks artificial milk?
The recommendation is the same: milk up to six months, exclusively and on demand and thereafter start supplementing with other foods.
There are literature and professionals who in this case do "allow" to start giving them fruit or cereals. Personally I still think that milk is nutritionally more complete than those foods and therefore would continue until six months, at which time the child will be more prepared to start accepting the spoon.
Should we reduce shots as new foods are offered?
As we have said on other occasions, milk must remain the fundamental food until the year of life. This means that Complementary feeding should complement, but not replace.
Children at these ages should drink about 500 ml of milk. In case the baby is fed breast milk the correct order is first breast milk and then the food that complements. Now I explain why:
Children who take a bottle can get those 500 ml with two 250 ml bottles (or with three of 170 ml, or with four of ...), but those who drink breast milk need several shots a day to reach that amount.
Pretending that a child sucks 250 ml in one shot and 250 ml twelve hours later is unbelievable (not because of the amount, which is possible, but because the discomfort for the mother being 12 hours without breastfeeding would be obvious, not to mention the risk of engorgement and mastitis).
Breast milk is also nutritionally more complete than any other food. If the stomach is filled with vegetables and meat (for example), and a milk intake is lost, the milk is being exchanged for a food with fewer calories and of lower quality.
If this also happens several times (one take with the vegetable, another with the fruit, another ...), there are too many times of the day without breastfeeding and it is difficult to reach those 500 ml that are recommended.
If you drink formula, the “rule”, as I have already said, is the same, that 500 ml of milk is offered daily. Meals in these children can be both milk alone, milk and food or food only.
And at six months, when exclusive breastfeeding is over, is it changed to continuation milk?
There are professionals who at six months say: "Now you have six months, because it was a tit and we started with the continuation milk in a bottle and for cereals."
This recommendation is based on that myth that says that after six months breast milk does not feed. I have already commented on the unreal of this belief and the recommendation by health agencies is clear: the best, prolonged breastfeeding.
On the other hand, bottle feeding children who have never used it is quite complicated. The way of bottle feeding is different from breast sucking and many choke and do not accept this means of feeding.
There is no major problem because it is not necessary (in fact it does not make much sense) to teach a child to use an item that should be removed right away. Adults drink in a glass and eat with cutlery, these are the elements you should use.
Another difference is the taste of milks. Often babies who accept the bottle only accept that they are filled with breast milk.
There is also the situation, less drastic, that the mother continues to breastfeed and it is recommended that to make cereals, if the mother decides to use dried cereals in powder, use artificial milk.
As I have already commented, cereals can be made with breast milk or with water and even with vegetable broth if the child has already tried it, so it is not necessary to give artificial milk.
In addition, it makes no sense that a mother who decides to breastfeed should be suggested artificial milk to make cereals as it makes no sense that a mother who gives artificial milk be told that she has to make cereals with breast milk.
