Is Your 9-Month-Old Refusing Milk? Nutritional Tips for Parents - Pediatrics

Dr. Yi Zonghong reply Pediatrics

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Dr.
Tsai Cheng-Hsien, attending physician of the pediatrics department at Tainan City Hospital, responds: Dear concerned mother, babies who are breastfed indeed need to start introducing complementary foods and prepare for weaning at this stage.
The process typically begins with rice cereal or rice, followed by oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, and fish or meat.
When your baby sees adults eating and reaches out to grab food, this is the best time to introduce complementary foods.
Start with small amounts of a new food; if the baby develops a rash, diarrhea, or unusual irritability, it is advisable to pause for a week or two before trying again.

When your baby can sit up well, you can offer foods that they can grasp with their hands, which require minimal chewing and are easy to swallow, such as mashed potatoes, diced fruits, or melt-in-your-mouth baby biscuits, allowing them to learn self-feeding.
You can give them a small spoonful of banana puree, porridge, or rice cereal; if they enjoy chewing and swallowing it, you can gradually increase the amount.
If they push the food out with their tongue, it indicates a lack of interest, so do not force it; wait a week or two before trying again.

Before offering complementary foods, you can feed them some milk to prevent them from being too hungry and rejecting other foods.
After introducing complementary foods, the baby's stools may become softer, and sometimes small pieces of food may pass through undigested; as long as the stools are not watery, this is normal.
Generally, babies enjoy eating alongside adults, so you can let them sit at the dining table during family meals.
Many babies particularly like the food from adults' plates; you can select less greasy and less salty options for them, and this is also an opportunity to observe the family's dietary habits for healthiness.
As the baby's hand-eye coordination improves, you can let them play with a spoon during mealtime.
Once they learn how to use a spoon, you can place a little food on it for them to try self-feeding, while you use another spoon to feed them the rest.
Initially, they may make a mess or play with most of the food, so you can lay down a large newspaper under the chair and clean up afterward.
Do not rush to take their spoon away or quickly wipe their mouth; eating is also a form of play and a way for babies to practice hand-eye coordination.
Once the baby can sit steadily, you can prepare a high chair to establish the habit of sitting in it during meals.
If they get up to play, let them leave; avoid developing the bad habit of chasing them to feed.
To prevent the baby from getting used to high-cholesterol foods, some suggest limiting egg yolks to no more than three per week.
Egg whites are more likely to cause allergies, and it is recommended to introduce them after one year of age.
Complementary foods should never be placed in a bottle to avoid overfeeding.
Using chopsticks or a spoon for feeding is fundamental in developing proper eating habits in infants.

There are various ready-made baby food jars available on the market; while convenient, they are not particularly recommended.
Baby food should prioritize natural and minimally processed options.
If purchasing, be sure to check the expiration date, ensure the packaging is safe, and confirm the contents are fresh.
Once opened, pay attention to the usage period (usually must be consumed within 24 hours).
Tainan City Hospital cares about you! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out again.

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Reply Date: 2004/11/17