How to divide baby rice cereal into sections? Why to divide baby rice cereal into sections?

Many mothers know that milk powder has detailed segmentation instructions. The time since birth determines the number of stages of milk powder the baby eats. Rice flour and milk powder are also segmented. So how is baby rice flour segmented? Let’s take a look at the details below!

How to segment baby rice cereal

Baby rice cereal is generally divided into three sections according to the baby's age in months. The baby's age in months will be indicated on the outer packaging of most brands of rice cereal. For example, the outer packaging will indicate "rice cereal suitable for 6-month-old babies", "rice cereal suitable for 8-month-old babies", etc.

In addition, the applicable age groups of rice cereal can overlap. For example, babies aged 5-6 months can only add stage 1 rice cereal (or other complementary foods); babies aged 6-8 months can eat a mixture of stage 1 and stage 2 rice cereal (or other complementary foods) at the same time, and babies aged 8 months and above can eat stage 1, 2, and 3 complementary foods at the same time.

However, no matter whether the baby starts to add complementary foods at 4 months or 6 months, he should start with stage 1 original flavor (single flavor) complementary foods, and gradually transition to stage 2 complementary food products with complex flavors.

Why should baby rice cereal be divided into sections?

Adding complementary foods to babies means that they can start to open their mouths to eat like adults. The baby's swallowing function and gastrointestinal digestion and absorption function are in the initial stage. They are not adapted to many foods and will experience vomiting and constipation. Therefore, we must start with the finest rice and gradually train the baby's ability to try food, swallow, digest and absorb.

This stage requires mothers to be careful and patient. They cannot change the food every day like we adults do. Mothers should follow the principle of starting with a small amount and then an appropriate amount, starting with a thin amount and then a thick amount, and starting with a few types and then a variety of types to add complementary foods to the baby.

Principles of adding complementary foods to infants

【time】

The earliest you can start adding complementary foods to your baby is when they are 4 months old, and the latest is no later than 6 months old. Adding complementary foods that the baby cannot digest too early will cause diarrhea. Adding complementary foods too late will lead to nutritional deficiencies and be detrimental to health. Generally speaking, breastfed babies can start adding complementary foods around 6 months old; while babies who are fed with formula or mixed feeding can start adding complementary foods in moderation, but not earlier than 4 months old.

【variety】

From one to many, they should be added in the order of "starch (cereals) - vegetables - fruits - animals". The transition between types requires a one to two-week adaptation period; when adding, they should be done in the order from single to diverse, even for the same type of food.

【texture】

From thin to thick: First, use breast milk, formula milk, rice soup or water to mix rice noodles into a thin paste and feed it to the baby. After confirming that the baby can swallow smoothly without vomiting or choking, gradually transition from liquid or semi-liquid food with high water content to mushy food.

【Amount】

When adding new food from a small amount to a large amount, it is best to start with an amount as small as the tip of a spoon, observe whether the baby has any uncomfortable reaction, and then slowly increase the amount.

【Production】

The correct order of adding from fine to coarse should be: liquid -> thin mud -> thick mud -> puree -> crushed powder -> slightly larger soft particles -> slightly harder particles -> blocks, etc.

When should babies eat rice noodles?

Normally, you should start adding milk to your baby after the baby reaches 800ml of milk per day at 4 months old, but it depends on the baby's situation. But mothers should remember not to add rice flour to the baby too early. Starchy foods can only be digested after the baby is 4 months old, because the baby's amylase is sufficient at 4 months old. If you eat these starchy foods before 4 months old, they basically cannot be digested or absorbed, but will be excreted.

After the baby is 4 months old, you can let the baby try to add rice cereal. It is recommended to add it in the morning for the first time. The doctor said that even if there is any discomfort after eating, you can still see the doctor in the afternoon. It is enough to add one complementary food every morning within 6 months. After 6 months, you can add another meal of rice cereal or porridge around 6 pm (that is, after 6 pm, the usual dinner time). At 10 o'clock, it is still a large bottle of milk, so that the baby is full and can sleep well at night. The first time, you can make it a little thinner and put it in the bottle for him to suck, and gradually thicken it. After two weeks, you must transition to feeding with a spoon instead of a bottle.

How to eat rice cereal correctly for babies

After the baby is four months old, you can start to add rice cereal. In the early stage of adding, it is best to feed the baby four times a day. Start eating complementary food once, which can be fed at around 10 am, and eat some juice or vegetable soup at noon; increase to twice at 6 months old, the time can be around 6 pm, and some milk can be added after eating complementary food. At the beginning, arrange complementary food before the second feeding, and feed it immediately after eating. Complementary food during this period should be delicate, smooth, easy to digest, and do not contain seeds or long fibers in fruits and vegetables. The taste should be light and moderate, and no salt or sugar should be added.

Generally speaking, the first stage is 4 to 6 months old baby rice cereal. During this stage, rice cereal is fortified with vegetables and fruits (some also add some egg yolks), rather than meat, which is good for the baby's digestion. The second stage is after 6 months. At this time, fish, liver paste, beef, pork, etc. are often added to baby rice cereal, and the nutritional spectrum is more extensive. When choosing rice cereal, mothers can choose rice cereal with different formulas according to the baby's age.

Of course, in addition to paying attention to the month, mothers can also choose rice noodles with different formulas according to the needs of their children, such as alternating between feeding rice noodles with carrot formula and egg yolk formula, so that the child can eat more balanced and comprehensive.

Precautions for babies to eat rice noodles

1. It is not advisable to add rice cereal to the baby in the first 3 months. In the first 3 months after birth, the baby has very few salivary glands, and the amylase contained in the salivary glands and the amylase in the digestive tract are also quite small. If you feed the baby rice cereal at this time, it will be difficult to digest.

2. There is no exact data on the ratio of rice flour to water. It depends entirely on the baby's age and adaptability. When the baby first comes into contact with rice flour, you can make it thinner, and then gradually make it thicker.

3. If the water temperature is too high, the nutrients in the rice noodles will be lost easily; if the water temperature is too low, the rice noodles will not dissolve and will clump together, which will cause indigestion in babies. The more suitable water temperature is 70 to 80 degrees Celsius. The hot water in the water dispenser used by ordinary families should be no problem for soaking rice noodles. Note that mothers do not need to boil the prepared rice noodles, otherwise the water-soluble nutrients in the rice noodles will be easily destroyed.

4. If the baby has just started eating rice cereal and is not used to being fed with a spoon, you can feed him with a bottle first. We know that after a baby is born, his natural reflex is sucking. He will suck the nipple when it is put in his mouth. He will not chew food when a spoon is put into his mouth. Chewing is acquired. Before this habit is formed, you can feed him with a bottle as a transition. Once the baby's swallowing action is developed, the mother should feed him with a spoon, otherwise it will be detrimental to the development of the baby's chewing function.

5. Generally speaking, because the digestive system and chewing function are not yet perfect, babies under 6 months old must use a juicer to grind vegetable leaves. Babies over 6 months old can add finely chopped vegetable leaves when feeding rice cereal.

6. If your baby doesn't like rice noodles, you can buy some milk rice noodles, or add some milk powder to the rice noodles, mainly with the taste of milk powder, so that he can accept it. At the same time, try to train him to eat soft porridge, soft noodles, etc. as early as possible. Pay attention to the porridge and soft noodles to be cooked very homogeneously. There is no need to add milk companion or sugar to rice noodles.