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Weaning
a Baby
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by:
Tony Luck
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The best time to wean your baby onto
solid food is at about age 6 months. This is because your baby's mouth
will start to change around that time to help her cope with the
transition. Another guide is to start when baby doubles in weight.
Before then your baby's digestive system and
kidneys are able to cope only with breastmilk and formula. But don't
leave it too late as baby may find it difficult to adapt to swallowing
food, and she will need a balanced varied diet.
What You Will Need
- Bibs - and plenty of them! At first she will
spit out more than she swallows and feeding will be very messy.
- Unbreakable bowls and spoons.
- Lidded containers for storing the food.
- A food processor. You could manage with a fork
and a sieve, but the one thing you won't have plenty of is time, so a
blender will make life easier.
You don't need a high chair, not at this stage
anyway. Baby won't be able to hold her head up until about age 12
months, so feed her while she is in your lap or in a seat that supports
her head.
Foods To Try And Some To Avoid
- Baby rice is usually the first solid for
babies, it has a low protein content and is unlikely to cause an
allergic reaction. Mix with milk (expressed breast milk or formula) to
make the rice easier to swallow. Rice also has the advantage that it
can be mixed with both vegetables and fruit, so after a few days, mix
in a little puréed
potato, vegetable or fruit. You may wish to start with vegetables to
ensure she establishes a taste for savoury foods as well as the sweeter
fruits.
- Foods to try include: potato, carrot, swede,
parsnip, sweet potato; and apple, banana and pear. Cook where
appropriate and purée. If the result
is too dry or lumpy, add milk (breast milk or formula).
- Avoid cow's
milk until she is about 12 months old. Other dairy products like cheese
and yoghurt can be introduced after a month or so.
- Avoid
soft-boiled eggs; nuts; blue-veined cheese; salt; sugar or sweeteners,
including those found in fruit drinks and squashes; bread and pasta;
and rusks.
The Transition
The move from milk to
solid food can take place only gradually. At first, solids should take
the place of one of the milk feeds. Then, over the next 3 or 4 months,
introduce more solid food and cut down on the milk; and chop and cut
food rather than purée after a few weeks.
Vegetarian
If you are vegetarian and
want your baby to avoid meat and fish, this should not be a problem.
The same nutrients present in
meat are also available in other foods and you will be familiar with
what is
required for a balanced diet. However, if you are a vegan, your baby
could miss out on certain vitamins as well as sufficient protein.
Prolong breastfeeding as long as possible, and take expert advice on
any necessary supplements.
Baby's In Charge
Of course no two babies
are the same and there are no rules laid down regarding exact timing.
Appetites vary too and your baby will tell you by her actions whether
she needs to be 'topped-up' with a bottle of milk.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Luck runs a website with advive to new moms and babycare. Included
is the fascinating which
supposedly tells you whether the baby you are expecting will be a girl
or boy.
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