Weaning
- Process of introducing solid food into your baby's diet
Starting solids at the right time is important for your baby’s health
and development. The Department of Health recommends breastfeeding for the
first 6 months, although every baby is different and you need to find the
right time to introduce solid food to your baby.
What Is Weaning?
Weaning is the process of introducing solid foods into your baby's diet
alongside their usual milk feeds. As your baby grows you can gradually introduce
your baby to pureed or mashed foods and foods that need to be chewed. Foods
that can be offered to begin with are baby rice, pureed vegetable and pureed
fruit. Depending on your baby’s needs you may need to continue to
breast or bottle-feed your baby while introducing them to new foods.
When Should
Weaning Start?
All babies develop at different rates and for the first few months of life
your baby will receive all the nutrition and energy his or her body needs
from breast or formula milk.
From four to six months old your
baby may not get all the calories, iron and other nutrients he or she needs
from milk alone or may require additional, larger or more frequent feeds.
At this time most babies will be able to deal with semi-solid foods such
as baby rice. Introducing solid foods earlier than four months is not recommended,
as your baby's digestive tract is unable to digest complex foods; trying
to introduce solids too early will put an unnecessary strain on the kidneys.
For baby’s that are born prematurely, the four to six months should
be calculated from your baby's original due date.
What are the
signs which show that the baby is ready for weaning?
There are some signs that your baby is ready to be weaned, but again don’t
forget every baby is different so don’t feel pressured to wean, your
baby will let you know when they are ready. Things to watch out for:
• Baby is not satisfied
after a full milk feed and wants more and increasing number of milk feeds
• He or she has control of their head movements
• Baby is trying to put things in his or her mouth - they are ready
to try new tastes
• His or her weight gain slows or levels out without a period of illness
to explain why
• After a period of sleeping through the night your baby wakes in
the night and is hungry
Weaning Tips
• Use a plastic spoon (they are easier to sterilize than metal), preferably
with a soft tip.
• Start with bland foods with the same consistency as milk. Offer
solid foods once or twice a day for the first month – so baby can
get used to the change in
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