The Best Tips For Weaning Your Baby
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Weaning is one of the biggest changes your baby will go through. This big change can be stressful and confusing for both of you, so it’s important to know how best to go about it. With these tips, you can make the process go as smoothly as possible and know what to expect.
Take It Slow At First
Introduce solid food into your baby’s diet slowly. Start with one serving a day. Think about when you’re going to start feeding and choose a time when you and your baby both feel relaxed. Remember that this is a big change for you too, and make sure you understand what happens when you stop breastfeeding.
The last feed of the day is not a good time for solid food, as you will both be tired. In the early morning, your baby might be too hungry, so around a feed in the mid-morning or at lunchtime is often the best time to try.
Make Sure Baby Isn’t Full
Start with half a milk feed and then offer some solid food, so your baby isn’t too hungry or too full. Make sure your baby also isn’t angry that you’ve taken away the breast or the bottle!
Make It Easy To Eat
Start with something easily digestible, like baby rice. Mix it with your breastmilk or the formula that you use so that your baby recognizes the taste. Move on to more tasty options, like pureed apple, pear, sweet potato, or carrot.
Remember That Solid Food Is Brand New
Don’t worry if your baby holds food in their mouth or spits it out. Solid food is a new experience for them and they will need to get used to the feeling of food in their mouth. Sucking is a natural reflex, but swallowing solid food is something that babies need to learn. When a baby sucks, they push their tongue forward, so it’s normal for food to be spat out.
Offer New Tastes One At A Time
At first, offer one or two new tastes every couple of days. Once your baby is happy with these, introduce a new food, and then start mixing different foods together to make tasty purees.
They Won’t Like Everything
If your baby really doesn’t seem to like a particular taste, don’t force them to eat something that they really don’t like. Don’t give up either. Wait for a week or two and then try introducing the food again. Your baby’s tastes are changing and developing day by day, and they might like it later on.
Give Yourself A Break
If you are finding it hard to keep up with all the hours of chopping, cooking, and pureeing, remember that there are lots of great, healthy ready-made baby foods available from the supermarkets that you can combine with homemade foods. This can also be a good way to introduce your baby to tastes that you hadn’t thought of. Baby food is clearly labeled so it is easy to choose the right stage for your baby.
*This article is based on personal suggestions and/or experiences and is for informational purposes only. This should not be used as professional advice. Please consult a professional where applicable.
