Baby is already 5 months old. You can see its progress day by day and for some children, this month will be marked by a big milestone: that of the beginning of food diversification! Little by little, your little one will discover new flavors and new colors: the start of a great and beautiful adventure that you will savor together.

At five months, a real rhythm is established: whether it is bottle-fed or breast-fed, baby has taken his bearings and claims his meals at regular times. It gradually passes to four meals a day and drinks an average of 180 to 210 ml of milk per meal (180 ml of water + 6 measures of milk or 210 ml of water + 7 measures of milk).

If you have already started food diversification, you will be able to very gradually increase the quantities of vegetables and fruits, introduce new ones but always with the same line of conduct: one food at a time and one novelty every three days in order to more easily pinpoint the origin of a possible food allergy.

If you haven’t yet started introducing new foods other than milk and your baby shows interest when they see you eating, you can start to diversify your diet. Unless you prefer to wait until next month, so that your baby is over 6 months old.

Either way, your child is moving towards a great pace: breakfast followed by lunch, afternoon tea and dinner – possibly with the introduction of vegetables to the midday meal and a fruit for the snack if the diversification has started. Milk remains its main food, however, and will continue to do so for a long time to come.

Your baby is still exclusively breastfed or bottle fed

If you are breastfeeding your child and it suits you both, do not hesitate to continue because beyond the mother-child bond that you consolidate over the months, breastfeeding can meet all of your baby’s nutritional needs. but also to prevent many infections and diseases by making it benefit from your antibodies. If breastfeeding is exclusive, you can continue breastfeeding until your baby is 6 months old.

If your child is bottle-fed, continue to choose early-stage milk, also known as “infant formula”. This is suitable until your child is 6 months old, or up to a few weeks after the start of his dietary diversification, when the quantities of milk have clearly decreased with the consumption of vegetables and fruits. The first age milks are made from processed cow’s milk to get as close as possible to the composition of breast milk with a rigorous dosage of proteins.

As a reminder, it is strongly recommended not to give cow’s milk to your child before the age of one year, and better yet, before the age of three. Vegetable drinks (soya, almonds, oats, spelled, chestnut rice, etc.) sold in supermarkets in the organic section are also formally discouraged because their nutritional contributions are far too far from the needs of the baby.

Your baby discovers new flavors

Whether you have started dietary diversification or you want to start it, meals should remain a real moment of pleasure and sharing between you and your child. There is no question of rushing the child in his learning and the discovery of new flavors. It is about proposing, without imposing, new tastes, new colors and new textures. In case of opposition from your child during a meal, do not insist on the risk of seeing a more or less lasting systematic refusal set in during the next meals. Remember that there is no rush before 6 months: the idea is to (continue to) take small steps to widen the range of flavors known to your baby. At five months if you have started or if you are starting food diversification, a great novelty will be the introduction of vegetables for lunch and a little fruit for afternoon tea.

At five months, however, milk should remain your child’s main food to meet his nutritional needs, and until dietary diversification is complete – that is, until your child is eating perfectly. varied and balanced. However, when the quantities of vegetables and fruits increase significantly, you can consider switching from 1st age milk to 2nd age milk, a slightly more concentrated milk with more protein, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.

The vegetables

What vegetables to offer?

Most vegetables can be offered at the start of food diversification. Gradually integrate the vegetables one by one and opt for the vegetables that are softest in the mouth and easy to digest:

• Carrots
• Green beans, flat coconut beans
• Spinach
• courgettes
• Broccoli
• Serving
• Leek white
• Beet
• Eggplant
• Pumpkin, pumpkin, buternut squash, etc.

However, initially avoid vegetables that are too high in fiber such as artichoke hearts, salsify, cabbage (cauliflower, red cabbage, white cabbage, kale, etc.) and leek leaves for example.

At what meal?

Offer the vegetables for lunch, or if you work during the day, offer them at the evening meal: you will be more available to observe your baby’s reactions and enjoy this moment.

How to prepare them?

Whatever vegetables are chosen, they should be cooked in water, steam or under pressure in a pressure cooker. They will then be finely mixed into a puree first before being simply ground and then crushed. Never add salt.

Vegetables can be spooned or offered in a bottle, mixed with milk. However, remember to change the pacifier to facilitate the flow.

How much ?

The craze for vegetables varies from baby to baby: some will be curious to discover new flavors, others will need more time to embark on this new adventure. No matter what your child’s temperament, there is no real quantity to achieve. Just start with a few scoops – usually one to two – and gradually increase the amount as your child wants. However, limit yourself to 60g per meal, which is the equivalent of a small jar.

Starchy foods

Which starchy foods to offer?

Regarding starches, it is possible to introduce them at the start of food diversification, in addition to vegetables to thicken and soften the purees. But there is nothing mandatory: you can start by serving 100% vegetable purees to your child.

If you want to add starchy foods, first opt ​​for lump-free textures like:

• The potato that you will mix
• The sweet potato that you will mix
• The polenta that you will mix directly with the vegetable puree

Some pediatricians recommend starting with gluten-free starchy foods. However, avoid legumes – also called “pulses” – during the first year because they are very rich in fiber and not easily digestible: lentils, split peas, chickpeas, white and red beans.

How to prepare them and at what meal?

The starchy foods will always be well cooked – even overcooked at first – then finely mixed and mixed with the vegetables.

How much ?

For purees, preferably prepare a mixture composed mainly of vegetables. Then, you can incorporate half of the starchy foods into your baby’s puree and thus mix 50% starchy foods and 50% vegetables.

The fruits

What fruits to offer?

Again, the majority of fruits can be offered. Prefer fresh, seasonal and ripe fruits because in addition to being much better for your baby’s taste buds, they are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants! Here are the fruits with which you can introduce your baby from the start of food diversification:

• Apple
• Fishing
• Pear
• Nectarine
• Apricots
• banana

Nuts are however strongly discouraged because of the risk of false routes and allergies: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts.

At what meal?

The fruit can be offered as a snack, in addition to the bottle or breastfeeding. If your baby refuses milk after tasting the fruit, simply reverse the order: start with milk and end with compote.

How to prepare them?

The fruits, at first, will always be peeled, cooked and finely mixed in compote, after having been washed, pitted or seeded, of course.

They can be spooned into a very smooth compote. To do this, consider presenting your baby with the spoon that you have chosen for the start of diversification so that he becomes familiar with this new object: he will discover it, bring it to his mouth and play with it. Do not use a traditional teaspoon or even a teaspoon: be sure to choose the soft plastic or silicone spoon to protect your child’s fragile gums.

How much ?

Fruits are generally very popular with children because of their sweet flavor. But again: no rush because the important thing is to awaken baby’s senses and his curiosity. Start with a few scoops and limit yourself to around 60g at first.

Here’s an example of a typical eating day for your five-month-old. Of course, the quantities are given for information only, and should be adapted according to their appetite.

• Morning:

Breastfeeding or bottle of 180 to 240 ml of 1st age milk (180 ml of water + 6 measures of milk or 210 ml of water + 7 measures of milk)

Optional (only in case of food diversification): vegetable puree with a spoon (from a few spoons to 60 g) or vegetable broth diluted in the bottle + 1 tsp. to c. oil (ideally: mixture of 4 oils: Sunflower, Rapeseed, Oléisol, Grape seeds)

• Midday :

Breastfeeding or bottle of 180 to 240 ml of 1st age milk (180 ml of water + 6 measures of milk or 210 ml of water + 7 measures of milk)

Note: vegetables can be mixed in the bottle. In this case, think about changing the pacifier.

Optional (only in case of food diversification): fruit compote: from a few spoons to 60 g

• To taste :

Breastfeeding or bottle of 180 to 240 ml of 1st age milk (180 ml of water + 6 measures of milk or 210 ml of water + 7 measures of milk)

• Dinner:

Breastfeeding or bottle of 180 to 240 ml of 1st age milk (180 ml of water + 6 measures of milk or 210 ml of water + 7 measures of milk).