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... Baby weaning
What is weaning?
Weaning is the process of introducing solid foods into your babys diet in order to fulfil their growing nutritional needs.
What does weaning involve?
Weaning normally begins with you introducing solid foods into your babys diet alongside their usual milk feeds. As your baby grows you can gradually introduce your baby to minced or mashed foods and foods that need to be chewed. Of course, you may continue to breast or bottle-feed your baby alongside solid foods for as long as it is comfortable for you and your baby.
When should I start weaning?
All babies develop at different rates and for the first few months of life your baby will receive all the nutrition and energy his or her body needs from breast or formula milk.
However, from four to six months old your baby may not get all the calories, iron and other nutrients he or she needs from milk alone or may require increasingly large or frequent feeds to do so. At the same time most babies will be able to tolerate semi-solid foods such as baby rice. Introducing solid foods earlier than four months is not recommended, as your baby may not be able to digest the food properly. If your baby was born prematurely, you should calculate the four months from your babys original due date.
Tips for successful weaning
- Make weaning a social experience from the beginning
- Use a plastic spoon as it feels better for your baby and is sterilised more easily
- Give your baby a spoon as soon as he or she can hold one
- 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
- Stick with the same two or three foods for a few days before moving on
- Dont rush a feed time with your baby
- Offer solid foods once or twice a day for the first month - Use a bib and put something down on the floor to catch any mess
- Never put solid foods in a bottle
How will I know when my baby is ready for weaning?
Approximate Word count = 1443
Approximate Pages = 5.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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