The Monkey Tree

Weaning is the process of getting babies used to food other than breast milk or formula milk.  Babies have to learn a whole new way of eating when they are weaning, it is quite different from drinking milk and it is a gradual process with lots of messy mistakes along the way. Joe Lindo health visitor explains.

Ideas about weaning have changed over the years; weaning methods for children born in the 60’s and 70’s where quite different to those of today, fresh cow’s milk was introduced a lot earlier, often at 6 months and children were offered all types of food to start of their weaning process. They also started the weaning process much earlier and even up to a decade ago health professionals advocated the weaning process could be started at 4 months (16 weeks).

When should I start weaning?

The Department of Health in 2003 printed guidelines recommending that breastfeeding or giving your baby formula exclusively for the first six months should meet all your baby's nutritional needs but it should be remembered that not all babies develop at the same rate.  It is important that you don't wean your baby too early (before 20 weeks), because your baby's digestive system and kidneys will be too immature to cope with solid food.

There are some signs to watch for that will help you as parents/guardians know if your child is ready for the weaning process:

• Can sit up
• Shows interest in solid food
• Demanding feeds more frequently
• Appears to still be hungry even though you have tried increasing milk feeds for a few days
• Wants to chew and may have teeth
• Waking at night for a feed having previously slept through

Your child does not have to display all of the above signs but a number of these signs in your child are a good indication that the time has come to start the weaning process.

So let’s start

The first solid foods you give to your baby should be bland cereals but not cereals containing wheat.  The early introduction of wheat along side things like gluten, eggs, fish/shell fish, liver, citrus fruits (including adult undiluted fruit juices), soybeans, celery, dairy products, soft and unpasteurised cheeses may cause your child to develop food allergies in the future.

Finely ground rice (baby rice) mixed in with breast milk or formula milk is an ideal way to start the weaning process.  Start the process very slowly with a few teaspoons of pureed food between milk feeds; at this stage, the solid food does not replace breastfeeds or formula milk feeds.  Your baby has to learn to cope with a new way of feeding.  Taking food from a spoon is more complicated and requires different tongue movements than breast or bottle-feeding, instead of the milk going directly to the back of the mouth and being swallowed the food now has to move from the tip of the tongue to the back of the mouth and then swallowed, this accounts for why so much of the food given in the early days of feeding tends to end up over the babies face remember this is a big change and takes time. Some babies learn more quickly than others, so be patient and go at your baby's pace.

Even after your baby starts eating a mixture of different foods, it is still really important to continue to give plenty of milk, most health professionals suggest that your baby has at least 1 pint a day either as breast or formula up to at least a year.  This can take any form therefore when your baby has breakfast mixed with milk or has yoghurt as a snack or a milk pudding for afters this can be included in the total volume.  It is not recommended however that babies be given cows milk before they are a year old (this milk should be full fat not skimmed or semi-skimmed); research has shown that babies need higher quantities of iron in their diet and there is not enough iron in cow’s milk if it is given to your baby as their main drink.  The formula milk market have now developed follow on milks for babies aged 6 months and over which contain additional iron however if your child has a good and varied diet consisting of vegetables, fruit and age appropriate meat and fish then they should gain the necessary iron without you having to by follow on milks.  There is nothing however stopping you from supplementing your babies diet with vitamin drops (from 6 months on) which will help meet your baby's additional iron needs.

A few tips about weaning

• Always make sure the food is not too hot by testing it yourself.
• Use a plastic spoon as it feels better for your baby and is sterilised more easily.
• Make weaning a social experience from the beginning.
• Start with bland foods and make them almost as liquid as milk.
• Give your baby one taste at a time, that way you will know better which they prefer and can detect any adverse reactions.
• Use a bib and put something down on the floor to catch any mess.

Things to avoid

• Salt: Don’t add salt to your baby’s food both breast and formula milk contains salt. When cooking for the family add salt after you have taken out your baby’s portion.
• Sugar: Don't add sugar to sweeten food add mashed banana, breast or formula milk.
• Squashes, fizzy drinks, flavoured milk and juice drinks are unsuitable for babies as they contain sugars.
• Tea and coffee are not suitable drinks for babies or young children. They reduce iron absorption and if they have sugar, can cause tooth decay.
• Don't feed hot spices in the first 12 months.
• Honey should be avoided until 12 months, in rare cases it can lead to infant botulism, smooth peanut butter until 12 months or 3 years if allergies run in the family, whole nuts until 6 years (due to the dangers of choking).
• Low-fat foods may be good for you the adult but not suitable for your baby. Fat is an important source of calories and some vitamins therefore low-fat yoghurts, fromage frais, cheese or spreads should be avoided.
• Never put solid foods in a bottle.

Babies can choke on foods so be careful with hard foods such as raw carrot sticks, large slices of apple or small round foods such as grapes. Care should also be taken with fish with bones and also foods with skin such as sausages.  Foods should be cut into small manageable pieces and babies should never be left alone

The next stage

After about 7 months old your baby should be eating a mixed diet, with a variety of foods.  Tins or jars of baby food are readily available and very convenient, however preparing your baby's food yourself is cheaper and you can monitor what goes into the meal, also your baby will get used to eating like the rest of the family.  You can prepare larger than necessary quantities of food and freeze small portions, ice cube trays or small plastic containers are commonly used (they need to be sterilised first) and this process can save time and effort.

If you are or were a ‘fussy eater’ feed your baby things that you are or were not to keen on.  When using manufactured food ensure that you check the ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates.  Check that seals on cans and jars have not been broken and choose foods that do not contain added sugars or sweeteners; buy gluten-free and egg-free food for babies under six months old.

If you intend to give your baby a vegetarian or vegan diet then you need to ensure that they are receiving a good balance of different food types. Iron is important but can be more difficult to obtain from a vegetarian diet some types of iron are found only in red meat.  Ensure vegetarian sources of iron such as pulses, green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereal are given every day along with foods or drinks containing vitamin C to help your baby absorb the iron.  It can be difficult for you baby to receive all the important nutrients when following a vegan diet and it may be necessary to seek advice from a qualified dietitian to help with putting together a balanced diet.

If your baby is premature you need to seek advice from your GP or health visitor as to when to start the weaning process.

Your baby’s development from breast or formula milk feeding to sharing in the family meal is one of the first stages of growing up; encourage it but don’t force it let it happen at its own pace and most of all both of you enjoy it.