What is weaning?
Weaning your baby from the breast or the bottle starts from about
4-6 months. From about 4-6 months old, your baby needs more iron
and other nutrients like Vitamin D and Vitamin C that milk alone
cannot give. The idea of weaning is the process of gradual introduction
to a wide range of ‘non milk’ foods so that by age of
one, your baby will be joining in family meals.
When do I start weaning?
Weaning is a transition form breast milk or formula milk to solid
foods. It is divided into the following stages:
- Stage 1: Babies are usually ready to start on solid foods between
4-6 months.
- Stage 2: 6-9 months.
- Stage 3: 9-12 months.
Begin
with smooth textures, mashed, minced, chopped, finger foods and
finally family foods.
Stage1: From 4-6 months:
During the first couple of weeks of
weaning, your baby needs to learn that foods have different textures
and taste, and that it doesn’t come in continuous flow.
You can start off with:
-
Baby should be still having 600ml of breast or infant formula
milk daily.
-
Starchy foods: Initially cereal is used such as baby rice or sago
(sabudana).
-
Mashed, pureed, starchy vegetables are also suitable e.g.- potato,
carrot, sweet potato, yam (suran). Try combining some of these
foods together.
-
Vegetables and fruits: soft cooked pureed vegetables and fruits
are suitable e.g.: apple, banana, pear, mango and chickoo. (Do
not add sugar)
-
Non fibrous vegetables e.g. cauliflower, pureed spinach, lauki
(bottle gourd, dudhi)
Remember:
1. The aim is to get the baby used to taking food from a spoon-Start
with teaspoonful (quantities will be
small) and milk will still
be major sources of nutrients)
2. Foods should be not be salted or sweetened.
3. Don’t press food on your baby-If the food doesn’t
seem to be wanted, wait and try again another day.
4. To try the food after a milk feed or in the middle of one
5. If food is hot, you make sure you stir it and test it again
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Last updated on 16-10-2003
