When should breakfast be served?

At eight or nine months of age, most children begin to reach for what is on the breakfast table. You can then give them a slice of bread or a piece of banana to chew around. However, food that is easy to swallow should be avoided in order to prevent the risk of suffocation.

From the 9th month of life or with the breaking through of the teeth a full participation in breakfast is usually possible. With the first year of life, children already eat the same things as adults. However, care should be taken to ensure that the children eat well-tolerated, not flatulent and not too spicy foods. The four daily milk and supplementary meals become three main meals in the morning, at noon and in the evening, as well as two snacks in the morning and afternoon. Drinks are tap water, mineral water and unsweetened tea.

When are babies allowed to eat bread or bread crust?

Your baby is allowed to eat bread and bread crust from the moment he shows interest in the family’s food and preferably already has some teeth. This is often the case from the age of 9 to 12 months. For the beginning, the child should be offered a loose and soft bread, as it is easier to chew. However, the bread is not yet the baby’s main food. It is rather the first introduction to other foods, which usually include cereal porridge and milk.

Advantages and disadvantages of breast milk

Breast milk contains many ingredients that are essential for the baby. A distinction must be made between two types of breast milk. In the first days after birth, colostrum is produced, which is particularly rich in substances that promote the immune system.

During this process, the newborn infant is specifically given all those antibodies by the mother through the milk that are needed to protect the child from infections. In the course of this process, colostrum is transformed into mature breast milk, which has fewer antibodies and more nourishing ingredients. It contains sufficient protein, carbohydrates and fat adapted to the age of the child, as well as fat-splitting enzymes that promote the digestion of fat.

It also contains sufficient vitamins, trace elements and antioxidants for the first few months. All these valuable ingredients, which are perfectly tailored to the baby in the first months, are among the advantages of breast milk. During breastfeeding, hormonal processes also take place that promote the mother-child relationship, which is particularly important for the mental well-being of the child as well as the mother.

The same hormonal processes also promote the contraction of the uterus via so-called “afterpains”, which can be somewhat painful at first. These significant changes are just as undoubtedly among the benefits of breast milk. One of the few disadvantages of breast milk is the fact that it often contains too little vitamin K and vitamin D. However, this can be given as a supplement.

In addition, in addition to breastfeeding on the 5th month, breastfeeding should be supplemented with porridge food in order to prevent iron deficiency, as the milk from the 5th month onwards does not contain enough of it and to generally cover the growing energy and nutrient requirements. What must also be considered is that infections, medication and toxins such as alcohol can also be transmitted through breast milk. The breastfeeding mother must always be aware of this and should consult a doctor or midwife if she is uncertain or has any questions.