Weaning

Most parents have a major concern when it comes to their infants, the problem of food. The child needs to be fed properly, the parents need to know when to switch the baby to solid foods, when to give milk, liquids etc. Formula milk and breast milk are sufficient for the baby giving it complete nutrition for at least up to six months. They would not be able to digest solid foods until then. After this age however, they can be introduced to solids along with the milk feeding. This gives them the necessary iron and various other nutritive proteins. Once the baby is about 12 months old, it can be made a part of the family meals.

The baby is ready for solid foods when: –

They seem to remain hungry even after feeding them milk.
They tend to get constantly hungry and start demanding more foods.
They start mimicking the adults eating.
Lastly, the baby must be capable of sitting upright

Parents must ensure they take things slow, and not rush the baby into eating solids or nutrients. The must go with the child’s pace, as the child needs to learn how to take in solids, via a spoon, swallowing and many such activities. Care must be taken to keep the baby’s bowls, spoons, and other utensils very clean, and also in preparing the foods for the child. Only as much is required for one feeding must be made as you must not re-use the same food for the next feeding. A bib must always be placed on the child, and napkins kept handy to wipe their messy faces. While the baby eats, always stay close by, to make sure it doesn’t choke.

Once the child shows that it has had enough, don’t try to force more in, and stop until the next feed. Encourage them to cultivate the habit of feeding by themselves, if they show any inclination towards it.

What to do during weaning

In the initial stages of weaning, the child only starts getting used to taking food by a spoon; hence their main nourishment will be from the milk feedings. When starting off the weaning stage, make sure to begin with small amounts of fruits, or pureed vegetables; or try even baby rice, which is made from breast milk. Don’t add sugar or salt in the beginning as these will take some getting used to.

Increase the solid food quantities gradually going from just one meal to three meals in a day. After few weeks you can try out varied tastes and different textures of food to get the baby used to them. Mashing up solids, sieving them and making purees are advisable. Another popular type of baby solid food is fromage frais and yoghurts.

Recommended foods:
The following foods are advised for a baby’s weaning procedure: –

• Salt
• Sugar
• Honey
• Nuts
• Low-fat, high-fibre and low-calorie foods
• Raw shellfish
• Marlins and other similar varieties of fish, etc