12 tips to start weaning the right way

Our grandmothers, not knowing the modern science of nutrition, relied on tradition and common sense. Despite this, their children have grown up, albeit sometimes with some nutritional deficiencies which may have caused them health problems in adulthood.

Today we know that a correct and balanced diet is important for the health of our children right from conception: therefore it is advisable not to blindly rely on the “trends of the moment” and on those who propose “extreme” methods, decidedly rigid or on the contrary, who rely too much to personal perceptions and abilities, but evaluate the situation always starting from the observation of our child and adapting modern scientific knowledge.

Weaning is the gradual transition from liquid to solid nourishment and from exclusive food (milk) to a wide range of foods with different tastes and compositions.

As we mentioned in the previous article, the WHO (World Health Organization) suggests that the weaning process should start after the 6th month , as breast milk or artificial milk ensures optimal growth until then given that energy expenditure of the child is less than when he starts to move.

Furthermore, one of the main purposes of weaning is to provide an adequate supply of iron , it is therefore advisable to integrate the diet of milk only with foods that contain sufficient and easily assimilable quantities such as meat and fish.

What is important to remember is that there is no real calendar . There are babies who show an interest in solid foods before six months, and others who maybe still at six months are not ready to start tasting new foods. Observation and flexibility mean that parents can adapt the modality to the needs of the little one . The only precaution is not to suspend weaning once it has begun, or rather not to give up demoralized by some waste, but to try different flavours.

Breastfeeding during weaning

One variable that plays a particular role in the growth pattern appears to be the maintenance of breastfeeding through weaning . In fact, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months with the introduction of complementary foods at around 6 months is associated with lower rates of obesity. Therefore, if possible, breast milk should be supplemented and not eliminated, because it supplies high quantities of very long chain fatty acids, because it supplies immunological and enzymatic factors and because it helps to maintain optimal protein intake by avoiding an excess.

The introduction of new foods, in addition to responding to the varied nutritional needs, also satisfies the need for the child to explore the surrounding world as widely as possible, therefore also through the relationship with a different range of foods and above all new ways of intake of the same. Therefore weaning must be a process welcome to the infant, and must take into account the character, behavioral and developmental characteristics of each individual child . In other words, weaning must not be imposed but must be proposed and supported, gradually, flexibly and patiently.

How to start weaning on the right foot

1. Observe the child and try to understand if he shows desire and curiosity towards food;
2. Don’t rush, but be constant when you decide to start;
3. If possible, do not make weaning coincide with other “transition” periods , such as entering the nursery or the mother’s return to work;
4. Don’t get nervous , try to be calm, the state of mind of those offering the food is important;
5. If the baby doesn’t finish his meal, don’t worry, the baby is able to self-regulate . You too try to adjust with the quantities so as not to leave too much food; it can be frustrating for you and the little one and it’s not a race anyway;
6. The high chair can be the environment that the child recognizes as a “food environment”, before and after eating you can play, while it is better to focus on the food during it, so don’t try to distract the child so that he eats without realizing it to be able to say that “he finished everything”;
7. Do not try to stuff your child quickly, the spoon should never be too full and should only be brought to the mouth when he has swallowed the previous bite
8. Acceptance of new flavors is important. For this reason it is good to re-propose any rejected foods after a few days, without fear or anxiety. Acceptance of a new flavor in children up to 5 years often occurs only after five to ten exposures (spaced apart in time);
9. Let the baby touch the food with his hands, it’s a way to bring the food to his mouth and to discover the new food by touch. However, it must not become a game;
10. If the proposed food is refused, do not offer the breast or the bottle of milk immediately, try to wait a little time and propose something else only when the baby is calm;
11. Don’t delay the start of weaning too long by hiding behind false fears or for fear that the baby will abandon the breast, recent studies have highlighted how iron deficiencies after the sixth month can reduce the baby’s learning ability and reduce the immune response to due to an energy and protein deficit;
12. More flavors while breastfeeding promote a weaning full of new foods . So there are no foods you shouldn’t eat because they give milk a bad taste: the opposite is true! The more “tastings” the child will do starting from weaning, the fewer his neophobias will be when he grows up. One more reason not to delay the introduction of new foods.

Finally, remember that the greatest example at the table is you parents, so first of all read, learn and understand how to eat properly and do it, your children are watching you more than you think.

In the next article we will talk about weaning again and I will offer you some indications and a brief guide that can be useful for those who want a conscious, serene and flexible approach.