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Complementary feeding is defined as the process starting when breast milk alone is insufficient to meet the nutritional requirement of infants, and therefore other foods and lipids are needed, along with breast milk.

When should you start complementary feeding?

• After 6 month of age, it becomes increasingly difficult for breastfed infants to meet their nutrition requirements from human milk alone.
• Therefore, it is the target age for complementary feeding and breastfeeding may continue beyond 2 years.
• If you encounter conditions below, you can consider start complementary feeding at 4 month of age.
• The amount of the mother's milk decreases significantly.
• Babies get tired of the mother's milk but not get sick.
• The baby seems to be underfed.
• The baby shows signs of asking for other foods and is interested in watching the adults eat other foods, reaching out, grabbing and putting foods in their mouth.
• Optimal complementary feeding depends not only on what is fed but also on when, how and by whom the child is fed.
  • Feed infants directly and assist the older children when they feed themselves.
  • Feed slowly and patiently, and encourage children to eat but not force them.
  • If children refuse many food, experiment with different food combinations, tastes, textures and methods of encouragement.
  • Minimize distractions during meals if the child loses interest easily.
  • Talk to children during feeding, with eye-to-eye contact.

►Other guiding principles for complementary-food-making methods, you can see the health education leaflet-Guiding principles for complementary food preparation.