For those who are about to start weaning

Baby food is a meal that is made according to the growth and development of the baby for about a year. It is divided into early, middle, late, and complete weaning stages, but it is only a guideline. There are individual differences in the growth and development of babies. Even if things don't go according to plan, don't be impatient and keep pace with your baby.

Look at your baby's condition and start weaning when the following four conditions apply.

1. Able to sit on the neck and turn over
2. can sit for more than 5 seconds
3. When I put a spoon in my mouth, I don't push it out with my tongue anymore.
4. showing interest in food

Note: First, practice swallowing with "gokkun". For about a week after starting baby food, practice by getting used to porridge and a spoon.

• Feed once a day, preferably at the same time each day. It is easier for the baby to eat if you use the time you are currently breastfeeding as a guide. Start with one kind of food for the first time a day, one spoon for baby food, and continue for about three days. Once you get used to it, do the same with other ingredients. Baby food should be given before breastfeeding when the baby is hungry. Give your baby as much milk or formula as he or she wants after meals. Consider one set of baby food and breast milk/milk as one meal.
• Start with rice porridge, which is less likely to cause allergies, and try other vegetables like potatoes, pumpkin, and carrots. Once you get used to it, try tofu, white fish, and egg yolk. At the start of weaning, seasoning is not required.
• The firmness, size and seasoning will be adjusted according to the development of the baby.

four points

1. Food for babies with weak immune systems. Be mindful of hygiene.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before cooking.
3. Cooking utensils and eating utensils do not need to be sterilized like baby bottles, but wash them carefully and sterilize them if necessary.
4. Do not give leftover food or leftover food.

• Rinse the rice and drain the water. Put the rice and the amount of water in a pot (rice: 1 to water: 10) and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Cover with a lid and turn the heat to high. When it boils, reduce the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes with the lid slightly ajar so that it does not boil over.
• Turn off the heat, cover tightly, and let it steam for about 10 minutes. When it cools down a bit, grind it into a paste.

Note: At first, it will be like a thick potage that is easy to swallow. Once you get used to the texture on your tongue, gradually increase the tubu-tubu.

• A simple way to make porridge is to put the amount of rice and water for porridge into a deep heat-resistant container and place it in the center of the rice cooker when cooking rice for adults. And if you cook the rice as usual, porridge will be cooked together with the rice.

[Potatoes boiled in milk]

• material

1/4 of a potato 50cc baby milk or vegetable soup, dashi soup

• how to make

(1) Peel the potatoes, boil them, and mash them with a masher until they are smooth.
(2) Dissolve baby milk in boiling water, mix with (1), and make a paste.
　
　
[Pumpkin mash]

• material

30g of pumpkin, 50cc of boiled pumpkin or 50cc of baby milk

• how to make

(1) Boil the pumpkin and mash it in a mortar or strain it.
(2) Boil the pumpkin or stretch it with 50cc of baby milk.

Watch out for these 3 foods

1. To prevent infant botulism, honey should not be used until the age of 1.
2. Milk can be heated and used as a cooking material from the middle of weaning (around 7 to 8 months after birth), but it should not be given until after 1 year of age.
3. Unheated items (excluding fruit juices, fruits, etc.)

When making baby food for the first time, it may be difficult to understand the state of cooking. In such a case, let's refer to baby food. It's convenient and hygienic in the early days when you only eat a little bit. When you give it, check how it looks like, and touch it with your hands to see if there are any rough spots left. If you use the powder type of 10x porridge for the first time, it is convenient just to mix it with hot water. As a guideline, the thickness should be like a creamy potage.

Delaying the start of weaning or eating certain foods does not prevent food allergies. Start weaning around 5 to 6 months of age.
Do not eliminate specific foods to prevent allergies without a doctor's diagnosis, as it may affect the growth and development of your baby.