The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively until about 6 months of age and continue breastfeeding until at least 1 year of age after the addition of complementary foods.
Every baby develops at a different rate, so how do you know your baby is ready for something other than breast milk and formula? Mothers and fathers can make scientific judgments by observing their baby's own development, and usually babies who are ready for complementary foods will show the following signs.
1. the baby can sit well without support or with only minimal support
2. the baby is able to lift its head on its own and can control its head and neck movements well
3. the baby opens its mouth or leans forward to approach food when fed by the mother or father.
4. the baby weighs double the birth weight (about four months old) or more than 13 pounds.
5. the baby's tongue thrust reflex (tongue thrust reflex) disappears, the baby will put the spoon or other things in the mouth with the tongue out, this physiological reflex usually disappears until the baby is four or five months old, if the baby still has the tongue thrust reflex, parents can try to add supplementary food after a few days.
In fact, breast milk and formula can fully meet the nutritional needs of babies under one year old. The main purpose of adding complementary foods is to exercise the baby's ability to chew food, adapt to different foods, and allow the baby to gradually transition from drinking milk to eating the same food as adults.