Dopo i sei mesi inizia la fase in cui il lattante dovrà cominciare ad alimentarsi in modo autonomo, con cibi diversi dal latte materno. Per garantirgli una dieta sana ed equilibrata ci sono, però, alcuni alimenti da evitare durante lo svezzamento.
Crescere un bambino è un impegno fisico e mentale che può mettere a dura prova l’equilibrio emotivo dei genitori. Con tanta pazienza e qualche inevitabile notte in bianco, mamma e papà dovranno prendersi cura del nuovo arrivato, dedicandogli le attenzioni necessarie per una vita sana e in perfetta salute. Questo assunto vale anche e soprattutto nella fase dello svezzamento, che segna l’inizio del periodo in cui bisognerà includere nella dieta del neonato cibi “complementari” al latte materno.
Per aiutarvi a vivere questo momento di transizione con serenità, abbiamo creato una guida con indicazioni chiare e precise sugli alimenti che fanno bene ai lattanti e quelli che, invece, bisognerebbe evitare.
Quando iniziare?
Secondo gli esperti lo svezzamento dovrebbe iniziare verso i sei mesi e, a partire da questo periodo, i genitori dovranno insegnare al proprio figlio come e cosa mangiare, in base alle sue specifiche esigenze. Dal momento, però, che ogni bambino è diverso dagli altri, la regola dei sei mesi trova la sua eccezione sia nel caso in cui il piccolo manifesti il desiderio di assaporare cibi diversi dal latte materno in anticipo sia qualora dimostri riluttanza ad abbandonare il seno materno.
Anche se il latte della mamma può comunque rimanere l’alimento principale della dieta neonatale fino al compimento del primo anno di età, sono molti i genitori che vengono colti da ansia e preoccupazioni nel caso in cui il bimbo rifiuti il cibo.
The watchwords in these cases are “graduality” and “perseverance”, since the purpose of the first tastings should not be to force the child to eat all the baby food in the hope that he will gradually get used to the change, but rather to make him discover new flavors and textures, respecting his times.
Remember, too, that during the first few weeks food comes out of the baby’s mouth all the time, not because he doesn’t like the food, but simply because he doesn’t know how to swallow it. Therefore, it is important that the mother helps him to become familiar with the cutlery and teach him to handle it correctly, even if this means continually picking up the spit food to offer it to him again.
Disorders associated with weaning
As underlined, the transition from a predominantly liquid to a solid diet must take place gradually, alternating the various dishes with bottle or breast. This is because during the first weeks of weaning there may be problems – usually not serious – due to greater digestive difficulties in foods rich in fiber, such as fruit and vegetables. Diarrhea, constipation, stomach ache, intestinal discomfort and colic are, therefore, rather common symptoms that should not generate alarmism or unnecessary worries.
Therefore, it will be advisable to alert the pediatrician only in the event that these disorders continue to persist even after the initial stages of weaning and not because you have found darker feces in your child’s diaper or because he may be having too many whims.
In any case, to experience weaning in a serene way it is important not to do your own thing and consult your doctor to be prescribed an appropriate diet, as well as having the necessary aids to deal with any emergency situations, such as oral drops, at hand. for the treatment of colic and the best ear thermometers for measuring body temperature.
Foods to avoid during weaning
As the title suggests, the “highlight” of our post concerns foods that babies should not eat during weaning, because they are highly allergenic, too difficult to digest or harmful to their health.
sugar
Since we all, for better or worse, know the negative effects of excessive sugar consumption, it should come as no surprise that this food ranks # 1 in our top five foods to avoid when weaning.
Doctors and pediatricians, in fact, recommend not sweetening baby food and drinks to entice the child to eat and, if you really want to make the dish more palatable, you can use a crushed fruit or a little breast milk, so as to avoid annoying digestive problems and the early formation of cavities.
Furthermore, contrary to the well-established popular belief, it is preferable to avoid the use of honey, which although it may seem a natural alternative to sugar, could lead to various ailments, such as infantile botulism, dystonia, anaphylaxis and mastocytosis.
salt
Like sugar, the use of salt should also be reduced to a minimum. Equally harmful to children’s health, in addition to increasing the risk of obesity and hypertension in the subsequent stages of growth, it could slow down or compromise the correct development of the kidneys, which thus risk losing their natural ability to purify the body from waste and from toxins.
Fish and shellfish
Although fish is an irreplaceable source of nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids essential for cardiovascular health, some fish species (such as tuna, swordfish and mackerel) contain higher concentrations of mercury than others.
Per questo motivo, è consigliabile non includerle nel regime alimentare del lattante per salvaguardare il suo sistema nervoso, evitando anche crostacei e molluschi per via del loro potenziale allergizzante.
Latte vaccino
Nella lista degli alimenti “no” troviamo anche il latte vaccino e i suoi derivati, che potranno essere inseriti nella dieta del bambino solo dopo i dodici mesi. Allo stesso modo, si raccomanda di evitare anche i latticini scremati, poiché sottoposti a un processo di scrematura del grasso che li priva anche delle vitamine di cui il bimbo necessita per una corretta crescita.
Caffeina
Finally, although it may seem obvious, teas and drinks that contain caffeine are also banned, since they could inhibit the correct assimilation of calcium and iron. In addition, the risk that the baby will choke if fruits, vegetables and other solid foods are not cut correctly must also be considered; therefore, it is always better to divide the meal into small portions, which are easier to swallow.
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