4 or 7 days rule for new food? Correct answer: both.
With regard to the diversification of the baby’s diet, there are some aspects that any mother should take into account. One of them is the number of days to “test” newly introduced foods.
If diet diversification begins before 6 months, the term indicated by doctors is 7 days for each food. That’s because babies so small are more prone to digestive problems and allergic reactions.
After 6 months, the term indicated by most doctors is 4 days for any new food introduced into the baby’s diet.
Allergic reactions usually occur fairly quickly – sometimes even half an hour after the meal. But sometimes they may appear even in 3 or 4 days. Digestive problems can also occur after several days.
By choosing the 4-day schedule, you can immediately identify and remove the food that caused the allergic reaction or digestive problem.
A variation of introducing new baby foods that already have 6 months could be the following:
– Days 1-4: Food A, from 1 teaspoon to 10 teaspoons, depending on the baby’s appetite
– Days 5-9: Food A + Food B in progressive amounts
– Days 9-12: Food A + Food B + Food C in progressive amounts
and so on until we introduce most of the food.
Respect for the diversification scheme becomes even more important for babies whose family has a history of food allergies. Knowing it is very important and great help in avoiding “problem” foods for the new family member.
The rule for the number of days is closely related to the rule of food intake. If you enter a food every 4 days, it will be much easier to identify a possible unpleasant reaction.
Another important aspect is the time of day when you enter the new food. It would be good to be in the morning or at noon. Thus, in case of any problems, the baby will be able to receive medical help much faster than at night. At the same time, you will have a greater chance of avoiding sleepless nights because of the discomfort of the baby.
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