Menu for a 3 month old bottle-fed baby. Artificial feeding of a baby in the third month of life. Adviсe

Last article updated: 04/26/2018

Today, enormous attention is paid to the nutrition of infants (children up to one year old). And this is correct, because 80% of a person’s health is formed in the first 1000 days of his life. Of course, the most nutritious and delicious food for a baby is mother's milk. He will enjoy it for quite a long time, combining breakfast, lunch and dinner with the necessary communication with you. Soon, the baby, actively developing and literally growing before your eyes, will watch with interest how his mother eats, and the most active one may even try to taste something. This method of starting complementary feeding is called “pedagogical”. Its meaning is to give the child a try of what he is interested in.

Local pediatrician

I hope you understand that the phrase “what is he interested in” implies food products that are safe for the baby, and you should not give him soda or fast food to try.

Therefore, as a caring mother, offer him the healthiest products that nature can provide. While the baby copies your behavior, parents have an excellent opportunity to form the right taste preferences. They will have a positive impact on infant growth and development.

Today the mother of a three-month-old baby asked me a question: “I want to feed her already, what do you say about cow’s milk and semolina? I also saw purees in the store, can I start complementary feeding at 3 months?”

You should not start the first complementary feeding at 3 months, both with artificial and breastfeeding. At such an early age, the child’s digestive system is still functionally immature. In other words, the intestines of an infant are not yet adapted to digesting any food with the exception of mother's milk and adapted milk formula.

Previously, it was customary to give the first complementary foods at three months, starting with juices. Later, at four months of age (complementary feeding on IV started two weeks earlier), fruit puree was added. And even earlier, our grandmothers fed us cow's milk and semolina porridge.

I often hear the phrase from the older generation: “We fed our children semolina all their lives, and nothing happened - look how they grew up.” And they are great, because it was much harder for them to raise children than it is now. All conditions have been created for modern mothers, but they still get tired. Imagine what it was like for our grandmothers, but they coped.

However, living conditions have changed since then, and children today are completely different. This needs to be understood. Cow's milk protein often causes allergies, and semolina interferes with the absorption of iron in the intestines, which leads to the development of anemia. Therefore, they should be introduced into the child’s menu only from the age of 2.

Now pediatricians recommend giving the baby the first complementary foods from 6 months. However, scientific studies have shown that tolerance (addiction) to food products is formed from 4 to 6 months. Therefore, it is better to start complementary feeding with artificial feeding from 4 months. For mothers who are breastfeeding, it is best to start complementary feeding at 5 months. Thus, by 6 months you will be able to replace one feeding with complementary foods, following the pediatrician’s recommendation (80% of the diet is considered full breastfeeding) and in time you will form an addiction to other foods.

Important!

Don't start complementary feeding:

• when the baby is sick;
• if the child is teething;
• before and three days after vaccination;
• if you are going on a long trip.

1. Complementary feeding during artificial feeding, as with breastfeeding, starts with the same products. The only difference is the timing of administration. Complementary feeding is introduced at 4 months with artificial feeding. For infants, the recommended age is 5 months. At the age of three months, complementary feeding is started only in case of poor weight gain on the main diet.

2. For the first complementary feeding with good body weight gain, it is recommended . Choose green and white vegetables. You can prepare puree at home, following safety rules. Modern technologies offer a wide selection of industrial products. It's up to you to decide which is more suitable. Start with a one-ingredient puree (contains only one vegetable).

If a child is not gaining weight well, use porridge for the first complementary feeding. Take dairy-free, gluten-free cereals. This is buckwheat, rice, corn. It is better if the porridge contains only one grain without any extraneous additives. Add vegetable oils (olive, corn or sunflower) to the porridge. First a few drops, then gradually increase up to a teaspoon. Milk porridges can be introduced at the age of 8 - . Prepare porridge at home or purchase finished products from baby food manufacturers. Butter can be added to porridge from 7 months. Start at the tip of a teaspoon and work up to 10 - 20 grams.

3. Fruit puree, as complementary food for artificial babies, it is recommended to introduce it at 4.5 - 5 months, for infants - at 7 - 8 months. Start with purees containing only one fruit. Choose fruits grown in your region. From industrially produced purees, take those that contain nothing but fruit. To begin with, do not use bright and exotic fruits and berries (remember about allergies).

4. Cottage cheese, as an independent product, it is included in the menu from 6 to 7 months. In the beginning without additives, it is better to use low fat.

5. Meat puree or minced meat(beef, veal, rabbit, turkey) are tried from 8 months.

6. Egg yolk, boiled and pureed, offered at 8 months. Starting with 1⁄8 part, gradually increase to half the yolk per day.

7. Dairy products(baby kefir, yogurt without additives, biolact) at 9 - 10 months.

8. Fish(preferably sea food) try from 10 months, give no more than twice a week.

9. From 10 months you can introduce juice. Start with bleached, soft-colored fruits (preferably apple) that contain only natural sugars. Give starting with a few drops, increasing to the volume of one feeding.

10. Berry puree, porridge(barley, pearl barley, millet, semolina), meat by-products(liver, tongue, heart) are introduced after a year.

1. Give complementary foods before feeding. Supplement with breastfeeding or formula after the baby has tried complementary feeding. Gradually increase to full volume (100 - 200 grams) and replace one feeding.
2. You need to start with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing to the volume of one feeding (100 - 200 grams).
3. Give your child a week to get used to the new product, after which you can introduce the next one.
4. Grind all complementary feeding products to a homogeneous consistency (puree). A convenient option is industrial jars. They guarantee the safety and quality of the product. Read the shelf life and storage conditions on the label carefully. Check the packaging for leaks.

   Don't buy a month's supply of baby food, you may not notice that the expiration date has already expired.

5. Watch your little one. If his behavior does not change, his skin is clean, his stool is regular, of normal color and consistency, you can safely continue to give this product.
6. Keep a food diary. Make a note of foods that have had any reaction.

My advice. Children love to play while eating. Place your favorite toys nearby and feed them together with the baby. Imagine that the spoon is a helicopter carrying valuable cargo, and the baby’s mouth is the door. Your baby will eagerly pick up the game and eat with great pleasure.

What problems may arise when introducing complementary foods?

1. The child's refusal of the product you offer. Do not insist and force feed your baby. Offer it again in a couple of weeks, and most likely the child will eat it with pleasure.

Complementary feeding at 3 months on artificial feeding differs in the time of introduction of new food and in its composition. A formula-fed baby does not receive all the nutrients from formula milk like a breastfed baby. This is due to the fact that the artificial formula is devoid of important nutritional elements that increase the child’s immunity and form beneficial microflora in the intestines.

The baby must receive all the necessary components from an additional source of nutrition, such as complementary foods from fruit and vegetable mixtures, eggs, juices and cereals.

Formula-fed infants are introduced to complementary foods when they reach 3 months of age. At this time, the baby begins to behave restlessly because he lacks the nutrients necessary for active growth. He often wakes up, cries and looks for a pacifier with his lips. It's time to switch your child to additional nutrition other than milk. How to do it?

To ensure that the first feeding at three months is successful, pay attention to the following:

1. The baby should be healthy and well-rested.
2. The consistency of the new dish should resemble liquid puree.
3. New food should be monocomponent.
4. You should start new complementary foods at 3 months with one coffee spoon.
5. Complementary foods should complement, and not exclude, formula milk.
6. It is not recommended to introduce a new type of food with the first and last feeding of the baby.
7. You should not give new foods twice a day.
8. If acne appears on the face of a newborn or stool upset, complementary feeding should be temporarily stopped.

A mother must understand that introducing a new dish to a child is a whole event. He may not like the taste or smell of the product, or the new sensations of eating unfamiliar food. Therefore, new food should not be offered to a child who is in a bad mood or recovering from an illness.

Everything new for the baby is of particular interest and is remembered for a long time. If he gets a negative experience from an unfamiliar food at three months, it will remain a negative memory in his memory. Subsequently, the mother will have problems feeding the baby.

The consistency of the new dish should resemble formula milk so as not to cause rejection or fright in the child (in some cases). When teething symptoms appear in infants, the consistency of food should become denser to promote the formation of chewing skills.

Weight gain and additional nutrition

Formula-fed babies are better equipped to accept new foods than breastfed babies. Therefore, an infant who eats mother's milk is introduced to a new diet later than an artificial one.

If a bottle-fed baby is not gaining weight well, pediatricians prescribe additional nutrition at three months of age. Early complementary feeding is given if the baby is actively growing and does not have enough milk formula to satiate him. Based on the child's behavior, the mother will understand that it is time to supplement the milk mixture with boiled yolk or banana puree. In some cases, they begin to introduce porridge into complementary foods.

How to determine if a child is underweight? At each doctor's visit, the baby is weighed, and the pediatrician can determine underweight (or overweight).

If there is a shortage, the baby is prescribed porridge, and if there is too much, vegetable purees.

During the first 6 months, the baby gains 800 grams in weight. After six months - 400 grams monthly.

If the baby gains little weight, but is active and cheerful, then everything is fine with him! The main guideline for the correct harmonious development of the baby’s body:

• good mood;
• absence of diseases;
• a good appetite;
• deep sleep.

Very active babies spend a lot of energy on movement and may not fit into the established monthly weight gain limits.

Don't panic if your baby's weight gain is out of whack. Minor deviations can be caused by genetic or individual structural features of the body.

Fruit juices and purees

If the baby develops normally, eats well and does not wake up at night from hunger, complementary feeding with fruit juices and purees begins at three months. Some mothers begin to give the baby boiled grated yolk, diluted with milk formula.

How to properly give additional nutrition - before or after the main feeding? Fruit puree is given before taking formula, and juice after meals.

What juices can a baby drink at three months? Pediatricians recommend starting with clarified green apple juice. The child must first get used to filtered juice, and only then can he switch to nectars with pulp.

Is it possible to give multi-component juices? First, the baby is introduced to apple juice (3-5 drops from a pipette), then introduced to pear, plum, peach or cherry juice. After this, you can move on to mixed juices.

What puree should I give my baby at three months? Complementary feeding begins with an apple and a banana. The fruit is grated on a fine (not metal) grater and fed to the baby from a spoon. Then you can introduce your baby to purees from:

• pears;
• plums;
• cherries;
• cherries.

If the juice tastes very sour, you can dilute it halfway with drinking water. Remember that juice is a complete food for a bottle-fed baby; it should not be used in large quantities to quench thirst.

To monitor the baby’s well-being and not get confused with the timing of introducing new food, you need to keep a special diary. In it, the mother should note the date when a new type of food was introduced, and the baby’s body’s reaction to the new food product.

Vegetable puree

Pediatricians are not unanimous in their opinion about when it is better to feed a child vegetables - at three or four months. By the end of the third month, a bottle-fed baby is able to digest vegetable puree with a liquid consistency. However, it is better to start with fruit.

Why are fruits preferable to vegetables for a baby? Pureed raw fruits are easier to digest by the body, as they are digested independently in the stomach. This rule applies to all raw foods: they contain substances that promote self-digestion of food in the stomach.

Vegetable puree for a bottle-fed baby can be given closer to the fourth month of life, when he gets used to fruits. What vegetables to choose for additional nutrition? Only green! Red and orange vegetables can trigger allergies. Therefore, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini puree for infants are ideal for complementary feeding.

To improve the taste, vegetable puree can be diluted first with a milk mixture, and then added with a drop of olive oil.

Store-bought vegetables are not suitable for feeding babies due to the large amount of chemicals that pollinate them during cultivation or storage. It is better to buy factory-made canned baby food.

Required portion of complementary foods

Introducing new foods should be gradual. The baby is allowed to try a few drops of juice or lick fruit puree from a spoon. Daily norm: 5-30 grams. That is, you should start with one coffee spoon, gradually increasing the portion to one tablespoon.

This is an approximate portion in grams. However, the exact weight of complementary foods can be determined based on the child’s weight. It makes up one seventh of the baby's body weight. Some children happily eat two tablespoons of treats.

The mother should monitor the baby’s drinking regime and note the amount of liquid consumed in a diary. The total daily fluid intake includes drinking water and juice.

Calculate the correct volume of liquid using the formula: the number of months of life multiplied by 50 ml. You can diversify your drinking regime with the help of fruit compotes: they are brewed from fresh and dry fruits.

If the baby is naughty

What to do if your baby spits out new food? There is no need to despair: not all fruits or juices taste good to children. The baby must get used to new things, so constantly offer him new food. Just don't force it.

How many days should a mixed-fed baby be offered a new type of food? If you have offered your baby some puree for 9 or 10 days in a row to no avail, then stop trying. Apparently he really didn't like the taste.

Carefully monitor the baby’s well-being. If your baby’s digestive system is poorly formed, a new type of food may cause him pain:

• signs of colic appear in newborns;
• bloating;
• allergic rashes;
• stool disorder.

In this case, the baby urgently needs to be shown to a pediatrician and complementary feeding should be stopped.

Both bottle-fed and mixed-fed babies can have a negative reaction to a new type of food if the portion size of complementary foods is not followed. Disorder can also occur with a sudden transition from canned food to homemade food. Be careful.

How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth?

Infancy is considered a critical period in a baby’s life, because it is at this age that the formation of the main regulatory mechanisms, including the central nervous system, occurs. Therefore, young mothers should know what to feed their baby at 3 months if there is no milk. Mistakes in feeding a baby should not be made, since it will be impossible to correct these mistakes. When deciding what to feed a child at 3 months if there is no milk, his individual characteristics must be taken into account. It is very important that the child gains weight. Every month he must gain at least 700 grams.

What to feed your baby if there is no milk

Breastfeeding is considered the most beneficial for a child’s body. If the mother does not have milk, then the baby must be transferred to artificial feeding. A doctor will help the mother decide what to feed her baby. It is better to choose hypoallergenic mixtures. It is better to choose formulas for feeding your baby with probiotics. Probiotics will help strengthen the immune system and improve the functioning of the baby's intestines. Some children cannot tolerate milk. In this case, you need to choose special mixtures that do not contain milk.

When deciding what to feed your baby at 3 months old, you should remember that nutrition depends on how the baby develops and gains weight. It is advisable not to feed the baby at night. But if the baby wakes up and screams from hunger, then it is better to calm him down and feed him.

It happens that a mother cannot decide when her child is 3 months old what to feed and what formula to choose. However, it should be remembered that changing formulas too often will harm the baby’s health. Also, do not stubbornly give the best formula, according to the doctor and parents, if the baby does not tolerate it well.

A correctly selected mixture does not cause dyspeptic disorders (regurgitation, vomiting, loose, poorly digested stool or constipation) or deficiency conditions (hypotrophy, iron deficiency anemia, paratrophy) in the child.

What to feed a 3 month old baby, besides formula

If a child is slowly gaining weight or has signs of anemia or rickets, then it is permissible to introduce complementary foods from three and a half months.

When deciding what to feed and what foods to choose as complementary foods, we must remember that the introduction of complementary foods is the first step in the baby’s transition to solid and thicker foods. Therefore, any complementary foods must be introduced very carefully. For the first feeding, it is better to choose juices and purees with a sweet or moderately sweet taste. Later, you can gradually increase the range and volume of dishes.

In order for sour juices to be better absorbed, it is advisable to dilute them halfway with warm boiled water. Since apple juice is quite easy to digest, it is best to start with it.

First you need to offer your baby just a few drops of juice, the next day you can increase the dose of juice to half a teaspoon after two feedings. Over the course of a month, you need to increase the daily amount of juice to four to six teaspoons.

Juices should not be given to quench thirst instead of water. You can offer juices to your baby only after feeding. You should not mix fruit and vegetable juices, as some of them contain a substance (ascorbinase) that destroys vitamin C.

When a mother chooses what to feed her child at 3 months and which juice to prefer, she must remember that children under six months should not be given grape juice. Grape juice contains a lot of glucose and fructose, which enhance fermentation processes and cause bloating. And carrot juice in large quantities can cause allergies. Along with fruit juices, your baby can be offered one-component fruit puree at the same time and in the same quantities.

At three and a half months, you can already offer your baby the yolk of a chicken egg. You should start with a small piece before the main feeding, and after a week you can give about half a yolk every day.

The issue of complementary feeding probably worries all parents. So the question arises: what can you give a child at 3 months? On the one hand, you want to introduce the baby to new food, on the other hand, it is important not to harm it. Therefore, you need to study all the pros and cons and only then feed the baby with so-called adult food.

Consequences of early complementary feeding

To begin with, parents should decide when to start feeding their child. Today there are two opposing opinions. Many pediatricians, as well as the World Health Organization, recommend giving complementary foods to children no earlier than 5 months, or even six months if they are breastfed. Adapted formula or mother's milk is the only food that a three-month-old baby needs, just like a month-old baby, for example. Moreover, this is the main food for toddlers up to a year old. They provide the baby with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, so that he grows and develops well. And any other products are not just unnecessary - they can do harm.

This point of view is explained by the immaturity of the digestive tract. At this age, gastric juice has just begun to be produced, and the number of enzymes has increased to cope with the required volumes of milk. But the body is not yet ready for other foods, so the likelihood of an allergy is quite high. In addition, the balance of the gastric microflora is not yet ideal, so immunity is practically absent.

As a result of feeding a baby at 3 months old, you can face serious consequences.

• Malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract. The baby will have a tummy ache, bowel movements will be disrupted, the child may burp frequently, and in some cases vomiting is possible. We cannot rule out a serious disorder of the digestive system that can only be corrected in a hospital.
• Allergy. The peculiarity of the structure of the baby's intestines, an insufficient amount of enzymes that are needed for normal absorption of food, weak immunity - all this leads to the development of allergies. It manifests itself in the form of a rash, itchy red spots, and peeling on the skin. If contact with the allergen continues, then more severe consequences are possible - bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis. As the baby gets older, he will often get sick due to a weakened immune system.
• Disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. The kidneys, liver, pancreas and other organs of the digestive system receive too much stress. Even in adulthood, this can manifest itself in the form of gastritis.
• Even with the presence of complementary foods, the baby's main diet at 3 months is breast milk or formula. And because of new foods, especially sweet fruit purees, the baby may feel full and not eat the right amount of food. As a result, he does not receive the necessary vitamins and minerals, which slows down his development.

How is early complementary feeding introduced?

There is another position according to which complementary feeding is recommended from 3 months. Mothers and grandmothers talk about their successful experience of raising children according to this scheme. Of course, all children develop at their own pace. It is quite possible that the baby’s gastrointestinal tract will accept the new product without consequences, since it is already quite ready for it. And in general, if the baby is healthy and strong, then a drop of juice is unlikely to really harm him. In the worst case, there will be minor negative manifestations, such as an allergic rash, which will quickly disappear after discontinuing the product. Therefore, if parents are determined to give complementary foods at an early age, then they have this right. But you still need to know all possible reactions in order to make the right decision and react quickly if they occur. It is also advisable to consult a pediatrician.

The reasons why complementary foods are introduced at 3 months may vary. For example, parents want to introduce their baby to new tastes and diversify his menu. In some cases, this is a pediatrician’s recommendation for certain diseases, such as rickets or anemia. Or if during the autumn-winter period a nursing mother herself does not have enough vitamins, the resulting milk is not nutritious enough.

The main thing that adults should remember when introducing complementary foods is that you need to start with a very small amount. If it is juice, then literally a couple of drops; if it is porridge, then on the tip of a teaspoon. The goal is not to feed the baby, but to prepare him for new food. Different foods should be introduced gradually. First give one type, not earlier than a week later - another. And the food must be in liquid form, no pieces. At the age of three months, the child will not be able to chew them or spit them out.

We must remember that if the child is 3 months old, the likelihood of a negative reaction is higher than in a six-month-old baby. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor his condition. The appearance of a rash is a signal that it is better to postpone complementary feeding for a while. Diathesis is not as harmless as it might seem. And, of course, there is no need to force a baby to eat if he is choking, vomiting, or has bowel movements. You need to take a break, in a week or two you can try something else.

Where to start complementary feeding?

If parents are interested in feeding their child from 3 months, the table will tell you what to feed. First of all, these are juices. They are quite easy to digest and at the same time useful. In addition, it is comfortable for babies to try them because of their liquid form. It is recommended to give them at the end of feeding. If you do this earlier, you can kill your appetite. In addition, after a sweet drink, the little one may refuse the formula and even the breast.

A child's nutrition at 3 months can include both store-bought juices and juices squeezed independently. But if you make drinks at home, it is difficult to monitor their quality. Bacteria may enter them during the cooking process. In addition, products must be from environmentally friendly areas; in unfavorable places there is a risk of various toxins. Baby food manufacturers offer purified drinks made from quality fruits and vegetables.

Which fruits are suitable and which ones should you avoid?

The question arises, which juices are suitable for children from 3 months? You can start with apple. This fruit is considered hypoallergenic, so there is less chance of a negative reaction. It is only desirable that the apples are green and not red. It is better to avoid brightly colored fruits. The juice should not contain sugar; carbohydrates are still poorly absorbed. They can cause fermentation in the intestines and cause colic. If the drink seems sour, then you should dilute it with water the first day of the week. Later it will be possible to give it in its pure form.

You need to start complementary feeding at 3 months with just a few drops. If the child accepts this addition to regular food normally, then the portion should be increased slightly every day. The maximum amount per day is 30 ml, less is allowed, but not more. We must remember that juice does not replace water. The child still needs to be fed, especially if he is bottle-fed.

When your little one gets used to apple juice, you can start giving him another one. It is worth considering that some of them have a laxative effect, while others, on the contrary, have a strengthening effect. The first include beetroot, cabbage, plum, the second - cherry, pomegranate, blackcurrant. So you need to remember about the characteristics of your child. If he already suffers from constipation, then cherry juice can make the situation worse. You can pay attention to carrot juice, as it is rich in carotene. Only it should not be given too often, preferably every other day, as the skin may turn yellow. Juices can also be replaced with liquid fruit purees.

What fruits it is best to avoid for now are any citrus fruits. They often provoke allergies. Also, don't rush with grape juice. It contains a lot of fructose and glucose, which cause increased gas formation and stomach pain.

When and what complementary foods can be given to a child, only parents decide. Although it is worth listening to the pediatrician’s recommendations. The main thing is to take all precautions and monitor the baby’s condition. You also need to remember that for now the main food is mother's milk or formula. The third month is no different from the earlier age. And all the new menu items are just additives for introducing new tastes. And then development will occur at a normal pace.

It is important to correctly formulate a child’s routine at 3 months. Thanks to a stable daily routine, the baby feels calmer, which has a positive effect on his development. Mom can plan her time, and not just devote herself entirely to the baby.

The basis of a 3-month-old baby's routine is sleep and nutrition. It must be remembered that the daily routine for a child of this age should be flexible. Children can be bothered by colic, they often react to the weather and the phases of the moon, a leap in development can throw them out of their usual rut, and some babies begin teething early. The task of parents is to accustom them to the regime gently, deviating from it if the baby really needs it. It is also necessary to take into account biological rhythms so that the day passes in the most comfortable way for the whole family.

How to organize your sleep

Sleep is extremely important for normal development. By three months, the need for it decreases somewhat, and the time spent awake increases. The baby is exploring the world, he is actively learning. He must rest enough so that the brain has time to process new information, and the nervous system has time to “reboot.”

• Total sleep time is 15-17 hours.
• Night sleep - 10-12 hours.
• Daytime sleep - 4-6 hours.

During the night, your baby will most likely wake up several times. Children of this age are not able to withstand long periods of time without food. Babies who are breastfed tend to wake up earlier.

During the day, babies sleep 3-4 times. The average waking time during this period is 2 hours. Then it's time to rest. The duration of daytime naps may vary. For example, 2 naps of 1.5 hours each and 1 nap lasting 2 hours. Or 2 sleeps of 40 minutes, 1 - 1.5 hours and another 1 - 2 hours. This depends on the individual characteristics of the baby, which you need to remember when creating the daily routine of a 3-month-old baby.

Most children do not know how to fall asleep on their own at this age. Therefore, they need help, only then will they be able to achieve a certain daily routine. Breastfed babies can fall asleep on the breast; artificial babies are often comfortable with a pacifier. Sometimes babies have to be rocked in your arms. You can also try methods of training yourself to sleep independently, but you need to assess the degree of readiness of the baby.

Baby food

The next important point in the daily routine is nutrition. It consists exclusively of mother's milk or an adapted formula; it is too early to introduce complementary foods to a child at 3 months. If the toddler is bottle-fed, then the intervals between meals should be about 3 hours. This is the optimal time for the mixture to be completely absorbed, otherwise the stomach and other digestive organs will be overloaded.

Determining a feeding schedule while breastfeeding is more difficult, since it is impossible to know the exact amount of food eaten. In addition, the composition of milk changes to suit the baby's needs. Recommendations from pediatricians are radically different. Some advise to feed according to a schedule with a break between feedings of 3 hours, others insist that the baby should be applied to the breast on demand.

If the baby is fed exclusively on breast milk, then it will certainly not be easy for him to withstand such a period, because it is absorbed faster than formula. As a result, hunger occurs earlier. If you limit your baby’s food intake, you may experience increased anxiety and slow weight gain.

At this age, the baby begins to produce the hormone melatonin. It has a calming effect and causes drowsiness, thereby increasing the duration of uninterrupted sleep. When exposed to light, the hormone is destroyed, so it is recommended to turn off even the night light at night.

Feeding on demand has its disadvantages. An infant does not always understand when he is full, so he is capable of overeating. As a result, his tummy hurts and even signs of allergies appear. In addition, if a toddler is often and briefly attached to the breast, then there is a risk that he receives only liquid foremilk, and does not have time to reach the more nutritious hindmilk. As a result, digestive problems also begin.

There is no clear answer to the question of how to feed a breastfed baby. It is necessary to approach this individually, taking into account the needs of a particular baby.

Optimal mode

An approximate daily routine for a 3 month old baby might look like this:

• Beginning of the day: waking up, washing, feeding – 7.00–9.00
• First sleep – 9.00 – 10.30
• Wakefulness, which includes feeding and playing - 30 - 12.30
• Second nap – 12.30 – 14.30
• Wakefulness: eating, active activities, communication with parents – 14.30 – 16.30
• Third sleep – 16.30 – 18.00
• Quiet games, food, swimming – 18.00 – 20.00
• Night sleep – 20.00 – 7.00

Of course, this is a very rough daily routine. The child may get up a little earlier or later. Often he retains 4 more, rather than 3, naps during the day. But based on this time, it will be possible to build an optimal regime for the family.

Walks and hygiene procedures

The daily schedule is formed around naps and feedings. But your waking time must be used correctly. The daily routine of a 3-month-old child must include hygiene procedures, massage, gymnastics, and games. Walking is also important. They can be combined with sleep; the baby will have a good rest in the fresh air. You need to walk with your baby every day, preferably twice a day. The duration of the walk is from an hour or more. Of course, if weather conditions permit. In severe frost it is better to stay at home. But if there is a balcony, then you can wrap the baby well and lay him there.

After waking up from a night's sleep, the baby should be washed. Most likely, he will have to be fed before this, because a 3-month-old baby does not know how to wait. It is better to do hygiene procedures when the baby is in a good mood. It is recommended to use boiled water for washing. After moistening the cotton pad, you need to wipe the baby’s face, paying special attention to the cheeks to remove any remaining saliva and milk. You also need to wipe your eyes, using a separate clean disk for each. If necessary, you need to clean the ears with a cotton swab. Soft wipes are used to clean the nose: they do not injure the delicate mucous membrane if the baby suddenly twitches.

You may need to wash your baby several times throughout the day. This procedure must be performed when the child poops. It is also advisable to wash the baby with water without using soap at each diaper change.

A 3 month old baby's daily routine includes bathing. Most often it is carried out in the evenings, shortly before bedtime, thereby setting the baby up for rest. But you must take into account the baby’s reaction. Most children relax from warm water, fall asleep faster and sleep well. But some babies become overexcited, then it is recommended to postpone bathing until the first half of the day.

They bathe babies in a special baby bath; it is convenient to use a stand for this. Bathing in a large bathtub with a children's circle may be more beneficial. It allows the child to move freely, and therefore get tired, which has a positive effect on the quality of night sleep. You just need to remember about safety: even if the baby is in a circle, he cannot be left alone for a moment.

Games and massage

Massage and gymnastics are carried out after morning procedures or before evening swimming. The set of exercises includes stroking and bending the arms and legs. By three months, babies often make attempts to roll over onto their tummy. It is worth doing exercises that will help them with this.

Games are extremely important for the proper development of children, because this is how the child learns about the world. For toys, it is best to use rattles with a long rounded handle: it is easy for the baby to grasp. For some time, the little one can occupy the developmental mat. It is useful to give the baby rags of different textures.

Communication with parents is also important. By the third month of life, the child recognizes mom and dad, smiles and gurgles. He likes to play peek-a-boo when adults cover their faces with their palms. You need to talk to your baby more, sing to him, read and recite poems.

A properly organized daily routine will benefit both the child and the parents. To create a routine that is comfortable for everyone, you need to take into account the baby’s biorhythms and his needs. Then the baby will be able to develop normally and grow healthy.