What is Weaning? FAQs answered!

Weaning, an important part of baby care means the gradual replacement of breast milk with formula or soft foods. To wean means the passage from one relationship to another without loss or detachment from the relationship. Here are a few FAQ’s and their answers that would help mothers make weaning an easy and gradual process.

When should premature babies be weaned- according to their due date or actual birth date?

Premature babies should be weaned according to their birth date and not due date; they should be weaned between 5 to 8 months, but not earlier than 6 months as their digestive system do not mature before it.  All babies are different; your health advisor or GP could give you the best advice.

Is it advisable to wean before 6 months if babies are always hungry, watch the family eat and wake up at night?

NHS advices weaning at 6 months and not later as the baby’s iron supply depletes beyond this point. You know your baby best; ensure that you wean your baby only when he/she is able to keep one’s head still and sit upright without support in a highchair to pick up food themselves and put it in their mouth without help and swallow. Make weaning easy and relaxed by weaning after 6 months when the baby can take and swallow food.

How many meals should be given to a 6 month old? How should meals be fitted in and around bottle feeds?

Start off solids by giving it after the first milk, before the post lunch feed and at dinner time before the last feed and bath time.  Be led by your baby and he/she will soon make it clear if they are interested in food or not during these times. However be forewarned that the amount of food they eat initially would be just the size of a fist with more often a substantial food ending up on the floor.

When it is ideal to stop bottle feeds and how should I reduce them?

Your health advisor would be able to advice you based on health issues and weight gain of the baby. A rule of the thumb would be to reduce milk at mealtimes once the baby is eating well, gradually dropping mealtime’s milk feed altogether. At 6 months give your baby water in a cup or free flowing beaker and gradually switch to giving milk and water by cup when he/she is 12 months.  This ensures that the baby doesn’t get into routine of comfortably sucking the bottle teat.

My baby is unable to tackle the anti-spill as well as the free-flowing cup- she is unable to get any out or just drenches him! When should he start using the cup rather than the bottle?

The same problem is faced by other parents also; your baby needs help. He will soon learn how to take proper gulps of milk/water and be pleased with oneself. 

When can my little one join in with the family for meals?  

As long as you do not add salt or cook with honey, the little one can join in the family meals. Also ensure that the food is not very hot before you put it on the high chair tray. Some babies at 6 months are self-feeders though they are messy with foods like lasagna. 

Please suggest some breakfast, lunch & finger dinner ideas?

Some good breakfast ideas could be toast fingers, Organix porridge, slices of boiled egg, banana, pancakes and yogurt.

Most kids love scrambled egg, cheese sandwiches, falafel, beans on toast, and strips of pitta bread with hummus and beetroot dip.

Dinner would be great with fish pie, homemade fish fingers, chicken strips coated in egg and a little flour and baked, cottage pie, meatballs, potato wedges, jacket potatoes, lasagne, fritters, noodles and fish pate too.

What is baby led weaning (BLW) and the ideal age to start it? Should it be used in place of regular weaning or alongside?

Baby Led Weaning (BLW) means popping down a few pieces of food on the high chair tray and allowing the baby to pick them up and gnaw on them; it involves no purees or spoons and the baby feeds oneself.  The ideal age to start is 6 months; it suits some babies though it is a bit messy and you may have to spread a large piece of easy to wash fabric under the high chair.

How to tempt a 7 month baby that is not interested in food? 

Do not be over-anxious and show it to your 7 month old; he/she would catch up on your anxiety. Try to tempt your baby with some fritters and Organix baby biscuits that little ones can hold easily. Make mealtimes a play experience and pop blueberries, melon wedges, cheese cubes and scrambled egg down on his tray and let him/her to have a play. This could take the pressure off and make food more of a fun experience.

When can cow’s milk be given in place of formula to a baby?

Cow’s milk can be given to babies above 12 months; it must be whole milk till they are 2 years old.

What are the signs that my baby may have intolerance to certain foods?  

Food intolerance or ‘delayed allergy’ shows up as eczema, reflux, poor growth, crying in pain during/after eating, constipation and/or diarrhea after having a certain food. Make a food diary of everything your baby ate and when he/she had an allergy and consult a GP.

Some babies refuse to switch on to more lumpy food from purees. How to encourage them?

Some babies tend to have a stronger gag reflex than others and may fear lumpy food. If your baby is over 7 months try offering finger foods like Organix Carrot Stix or pieces of soft fruit like melon, pear, banana, blueberries, and kiwi. Giving scrambled egg that is of an inconsistent texture though soft may also help.

What are the best weaning foods? 

Some of the popular foods to start weaning your baby with are baby rice and simple purees of apple and pear and mashed up banana. Going down the BLW route, you could try pieces of avocado, banana and pear and mild cheese. Most babies differ in their taste and preferences and may take some time to accept a new flavor.

Does weaning with fruit give a child a sweet tooth in later life? Should I stick with vegetables?

It would be best to stick to variety while weaning a baby; you could offer a savory course, followed by a fruit, followed by yogurt.

How much of each food group should my 11 month be eating?

It is best to give your baby food that contains a lot of fiber like whole meal bread and pasta, brown rice and bran-based breakfast cereals; this can fill up their small tummies and leave less room for other foods. Bran also prevents important minerals from being absorbed from the diet, so give your baby different varieties of starchy foods. However avoid giving only wholegrain foods till your child is 5 years.

How long should I sterilize feeding equipment?

There is no need to sterilize weaning spoons and other feeding equipment once the baby is 6 months; however bottles, teats etc for feeding milk have to be sterilized till 12 months.

What is to be done if my baby keeps gagging after every few spoonfuls? 

Do not worry if your baby gags after the first few spoonfuls; some babies have a strong gag reflex and may do so if he/she has had enough. Give small amounts as solid food is heavier than milk and could lead to a feeling of fullness.

Will a 5 month baby suffering from reflux and posse ting be helped by weaning? Any advice 

You could take the advice of your health advisor or general practitioner; some babies are helped by cots elevated a bit at the head and by avoiding overly fatty foods, oranges, apples, bananas, tomato based stews/foods and chocolates. Some mothers feel their baby’s reflux has been helped by weaning.

My 6 month baby is chewing at everything including his feeding spoon. Is teething and weaning are a great combination? What should I do?

The pain of a baby while teething can be very well understood; try bypassing the spoon and offer your baby foods like pieces of pear, melon, toast with unsalted butter, cheese, carrot fritters and weaning flapjacks that he/she can pick and gnaw. This will offer relief from teething pain and also provide nutrition to the baby. 

Hope you had a good question-answer session on weaning of babies. Happy Weaning!!

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