Can I feed my baby at 3 months ?
Some mothers feel that their infants do not get enough breastfeeding enough to satisfy them, whether through breastfeeding or artificial feeding, so they resort to feeding their young children early using rice cereal or cereal with juice or even plain water, but when can you start that, and can you Feeding the baby in the third month? Find out all the basic information about introducing solid foods to your baby through the following article.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO FEED THE BABY IN THE THIRD MONTH?
Many are confused about the appropriate time to start introducing solid foods to the infant. There are some opinions that recommend feeding the baby starting from the fourth month and others from the sixth month, but what about the third month?
Before the start of the fourth month, the baby’s digestive system is thin and not equipped to deal with solid foods of any kind.
Eating these foods too early can cause food allergies and respiratory difficulties due to the infiltration of small parts of grains into the lungs, and infection can also occur. Constipation and other stomach problems.
Pediatricians also warn against starting to introduce solid foods to children too early, as this increases the risk of obesity in later life stages, as the child begins to eat unnecessary calories.
As for juice, this may suppress a child’s appetite for breast milk, and may also lead to diarrhea and other abdominal pain, as well as tooth decay in older children who drink from drinking glasses or suck on bottles filled with juice throughout the day, the academy recommends. American Pediatrics never offer fruit juice to children under 12 months of age.
BABY WEIGHT IN THE THIRD MONTH
Many people wonder about the ideal weight for a baby in the third month to keep track of their baby’s weight, whether he is fit or skinny, some may feel the need to introduce solid foods according to the average weight of the baby.
In general, the average weight of a child in the third month is 6.5 kilograms for boys, and about 5.9 kilograms for girls. This does not mean that the weight loss or increase by one kilogram is that your child suffers from a health problem, but it is recommended to periodically follow up on weight and height and follow all health guidelines And maintain breastfeeding dates to ensure that it is supplied with all the nutrients necessary for its growth.
TIPS FOR FEEDING A BABY IN THE THIRD MONTH
Your baby at the age of 3 months only needs to be exclusively breastfed, it is not recommended to feed him any other foods before the age of 4 months.
Breast milk is best for infants during the first four months.
A child at this age needs to breastfeed at a rate of 6 to 8 times a day.
Make sure to change the diaper several times during the day, which indicates that he has obtained the necessary nutrition and feels full, and his weight should be constantly monitored under Doctor supervision to make sure everything is OK.
WHEN CAN SOLID FOODS BE INTRODUCED TO YOUR BABY?
Babies show some signs when they are well prepared for solid foods along with feeding, including:
- Good head and neck control when sitting in the dining chair, usually not until the fourth to sixth month.
- Open mouth when watching others eat.
- Develops the oral motor skills needed to swallow food.
- They usually weigh up to or close to twice their birth weight.
Many people ask, “Can a baby be fed in the third month?” As we reviewed in the article, you should not rush to introduce solid foods to the baby before it is well prepared, as this may lead to food allergies and respiratory problems, in addition to an increase in the incidence of obesity.