Features / 28 March, 2023 / Dr Helen Lawal
What is ‘weaning’?
Weaning is introducing your baby to stable meals, alongside breastmilk, or toddler components, beginning when your baby is round 6 months previous.
It’s a vital milestone throughout the first 1,001 important days of their growth because it teaches infants to maneuver meals round their mouth, chew and swallow, and influences? kids’s consuming habits and well being later in life.
Beginning the weaning journey together with your infant is a extremely thrilling and great time. But analysis from the Start for Life Introducing Solid Foods marketing campaign reveals that half of parents (50%) in England really feel overwhelmed (55%) and confused (46%) by all of the conflicting data on the market on how a lot to feed their baby, and what age to begin weaning (47%).
The analysis additionally discovered that just about half (46%) of parents believed that stable meals ought to be launched at round 5 months or earlier, that means too many infants are being weaned onto stable meals on the fallacious time.
However, assistance is at hand you are feeling extra assured and supported when embarking in your weaning journey. The Better Health Start for Life Weaning Hub is filled with NHS recommendation and has all the pieces you should know in a single place.
Above all, this ought to be an thrilling time. It’s a possibility in your baby to expertise the journey of making an attempt new flavours and for you each to get pleasure from mealtimes collectively.
When to begin?
With a lot conflicting recommendation, whether or not it’s from sources on-line, or household and buddies, it may be tough to know precisely when to begin weaning your baby. The analysis confirmed that just about half of parents are additionally influenced by behaviours that may be mistaken as indicators their baby is prepared, reminiscent of seeing their baby grabbing meals (47%) or meals (43%).
But NHS steerage recommends weaning from round 6 months previous – and there are three key sigs to look out for that may make it easier to spot when your baby is able to start making an attempt stable meals.
At this age, they need to be capable of:
- Sit up and maintain their head regular
- Coordinate their eyes, fingers and mouth to allow them to take a look at their meals, choose it up and put it of their mouth
- Swallow meals, relatively than push it again out
Why is it necessary to attend?
It is so necessary to attend till your baby is prepared earlier than weaning them on to stable meals, particularly as for the primary six months of their lives, breastmilk and on the spot components will present all the pieces that infants want for wholesome development. It is barely round this age when they’ll begin to want stable meals to fulfill their dietary wants.
Waiting till they’re 6 months previous will imply your baby is ready to deal with the shifting meals round their mouth, chewing the correct amount, and swallowing it correctly. Also, they’ll be extra succesful to guide the weaning course of, exploring all of the meals on supply for themselves, and starting to eat their meals independently.
What are nice first meals?
When you begin out in your weaning journey, your baby will solely want a really small quantity of stable meals – so you can begin slowly, by introducing solids as soon as a day, at a time which fits you each. Single fruits or greens are a superb place to begin.
Soft meals, reminiscent of banana or avocado, which could be simply mashed and scooped with a spoon are beneficial to assist infants follow their self-feeding expertise. These are nice choices as their sticky texture makes them good for scooping and are packed filled with vitamins – you possibly can even mash and blend them collectively!
What to supply your baby at 7-9 months previous?
You can then start so as to add extra wholesome fat and protein into their food plan. To guarantee they’re getting adequate vitamins for his or her growth, attempt feeding your baby nutrient wealthy meals reminiscent of avocado, fish, eggs, and cheese.
Remember, it might take 10 tries or much more in your baby to get used to new meals, flavours, and textures. Don’t fear – that is very regular. Be affected person, maintain providing a superb selection and allow them to get used to it in their very own time.
In phrases of allergic reactions, be certain your infant has a attempt of these meals which may doubtlessly set off allergic reactions – reminiscent of: milk, gluten, nuts, seeds, soya and fish. Of course, be certain to take action step by step, and punctiliously. Try totally different substances one by one, in small quantities so to spot any reactions right away. Induction of allergenic meals shouldn’t be delayed past 12 months, as this may occasionally consequentially improve the chance of allergy.
Signs of a meals allergy can embody a number of of the next reactions:
- diarrhoea or vomiting
- a cough
- wheezing and shortness of breath
- itchy throat and tongue
- itchy pores and skin or rash
- swollen lips and throat
- runny or blocked nostril
- sore, purple and itchy eyes
In a number of instances, meals could cause a extreme allergic meals response, which could be very harmful. Call 999 and get medical assist instantly.
For extra data, take a look at meals allergic reactions in infants and younger kids on the Start for Life web site.
What to consider at mealtimes?
The Better Health Start for Life Weaning Hub is filled with NHS-endorsed mealtime watchouts, reminiscent of choking hazards and methods to arrange meals security.
Remember to at all times keep shut and maintain watching to your baby throughout meals to ensure you may also help them in the event that they attempt to devour extra meals than their physique is prepared for. Start for Life’s major recommendation to stop choking is to attend till your baby is 6 months previous to start weaning, and to feed them the correct portion on the proper time. Keep exploring their starvation alerts and by no means pressure them to eat. Allow them to go at their very own tempo, to deal with the meals and begin to feed themselves once they’re prepared.
Make certain you permit the meals to chill after which check it your self to ensure it’s the correct temperature earlier than giving it to your baby.
Meal concepts: Start for Life Weaning Hub!
If you’re starting your weaning journey and wish some meal concepts, The Better Health Start for Life Weaning Hub has so many recipes so that you can select from and experiment with! For infants starting from six months all the best way to 12 months, and past, there are recipes to go well with everybody!
Visit the web site for extra data on the when, why, and what of weaning, high ideas and loads of scrumptious recipes to discover! Some of the recipes we love at My Baba embody:
Breakfast for 7-9 months:
Egg and mushroom cups
Serves: 8 parts
Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to fifteen minutes
Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
Eggs, mushrooms and parsley oven baked and served with toast and tomatoes. This fast and simple recipe could be loved for breakfast or lunch.
Ingredients
- 5 medium eggs
- 4-5 mushrooms
- 5g parsley (1 tbsp, chopped)
- 3 cherry tomatoes (1 portion)
- 1 small slide wholemeal bread (1 portion)
- 1 tsp vegetable oil unfold (1 portion)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Beat the egg. Roughly chop the mushrooms and parsley.
- Add the mushrooms to the overwhelmed egg, then divide combination evenly between 8 non-stick (or evenly oiled) muffin tray holes.
- Sprinkle every cup with parsley.
- Bake for 10 to fifteen minutes, or till golden, and the eggs are cooked by way of (not runny).
- Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp water and the quartered cherry tomatoes in a small saucepan. Heat gently for two to three minutes, stirring typically, till the tomatoes are comfortable (if the tomatoes begin sticking, add a little bit water). Then put aside.
- Turn the breakfast cups onto a rack and permit to chill a little bit.
- Toast the bread, unfold with vegetable unfold, then lower into fingers.
- Serve one breakfast cup with the toast, mashed tomatoes and a spoon.
Main (savoury) for round 6+ months:
Butterbean goulash with cooked inexperienced beans
Age: 6+ months
Serves: 25 parts (approx.)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Suitable for vegetarians: Yes
A tasty butterbean dip (puree) with cooked, comfortable inexperienced beans! This recipe makes sufficient for the entire household to get pleasure from collectively, or you possibly can freeze in smaller parts for a useful meal on busy days.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, peeled
- Half medium inexperienced pepper, deseeded
- 2 mushrooms
- Half medium carrot, peeled
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 can butterbeans, no added salt or sugar, drained (240g)
- Half tbsp paprika
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (400g)
- 150ml water
- 25g (1 heaped tbsp) inexperienced beans, washed and ends trimmed
Method
- Chop the greens and the garlic.
- Heat the oil in a pan and add within the onions. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the pepper, mushrooms, carrot, garlic, beans, paprika, canned tomatoes, and water – stir nicely. Cover and simmer for half-hour, stirring often.
- In the meantime, steam or boil the inexperienced beans for five to six minutes till comfortable.
- Once cooled a little bit, mix or mash the goulash till easy (however with comfortable lumps). Serve with the inexperienced beans as a finger meals.
Snacks for 12+ months:
Cheesy English muffins & cucumber sticks
Serves: 2 parts
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Suitable for vegetarians? Yes
Toasted English muffins with a tasty layer of cream cheese and cucumber sticks on the aspect – an ideal mid-afternoon snack in your baby.
Ingredients
- 4 thick cucumber finger sticks, washed & halved lengthways
- 1 English muffin, halved
- 30g full-fat cream cheese
Method
- Toast or grill the muffin till golden brown, then unfold the cream cheese evenly.
- Serve with the cucumber sticks.
- Any leftover cucumber will make a terrific snack for older kids and different family members too.
Images: Start For Life, Weaning Hub.
Article by Dr Helen Lawal.
Dr Helen Lawal is a Doctor, TV Presenter, Health Coach and mom specialising in Women’s Health, Lifestyle and Nutrition. Helen brings each a medical and private perspective as a mom who has skilled the weaning journey.
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