Weaning is the term used for a baby transitioning from breastfeeding to eating food.
Weaning a baby who is breastfed should be led by the child as they slowly change from getting their nourishment from milk, to getting it from food. It is most natural to wait till the child is past the 24 month mark before considering completely weaning, as is recommended by the World Health Organisation.
Weaning should be done slowly starting from when the baby first shows interest in food
Watch for cues from your child. Quite often you will notice while sitting at the dinner table with the family, at around 6 months of age, the baby will reach for something brightly coloured. It is usually a fruit or vegetable. If the food is appropriate (soft and not a choking hazard) give the baby a small taste. That’s usually all they will want at that time. They are still experimenting.
They may start reaching for food at every meal after that, or they may not be interested which means that breastmilk is still enough for them.
Generally its recommended that you wait till after 1 year old to introduce foods that are common allergens such nuts, soy and dairy. Eggs should be introduced slowly and starting with the yolk first before trying the white a few weeks later. Keep a look out for rashes and other reactions no matter what new food you introduce to your child.
A young child will often take quite a few months to get into a habit of eating enough variety of foods for a balanced diet, so it is essential to continue with breastfeeding to provide a consistent source of the vital nutrients that your baby needs.
Here are some examples of soft, appropriate foods to start your baby on. Cut them into small pieces than can be grasped in the baby’s fist. It important to start this after 6 months, as younger babies have a harder time digesting foods other than mothers milk.
Raw- banana, avocado, peach, strawberries, other berries, grapes (cut in half), mango, pawpaw, plum, tomato.
Cooked lightly-broccoli, peas, beans, carrots, pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, cauliflower, spinach, silverbeet, beetroot, soft meats such as strips of chicken thigh, fish, or organ meats like liver.
It’s important to remember that babies will continue to breastfeed long after they have begun solid foods. If you follow the baby’s timetable and let them wean as they go, it is easier on you as your body will naturally adapt to producing less milk, whereas quitting all at once can make the baby feel very clingy and upset, and may cause mastitis in the woman who no longer is emptying her breasts properly.
Cutting the foods into small chunks about the size of a long chip or french fry, and letting the baby pick them up with their hands is the best way to start. Young babies do not have developed pincer muscles in their fingers which are needed for holding a spoon or fork. They can only pick things up in a clenched fist at this point. Allowing the baby to pick things up and put them straight into the mouth helps them to develop hand eye co-ordination.
Other benefits of allowing your baby to feed themselves this way are:
-they get to participate in family meal times
-they benfit from a wider variety of foods especially fresh fruit and vegetables
-they tend to be less picky as eaters later on and continue enjoying fruits and vegetables.
Around the age of six months babies may need more iron in their diet. If so this could be a good time to try out this new and exciting world of food.