It’s probably about a million times that healthcare professionals have told you that exclusive breastfeeding up to six months is absolutely essential. He’s probably been doing it very religiously even in the middle of the night. If you chose not to or couldn’t, you were possibly reminding yourself to sterilize the bottle and have the water ready. Either way, you are standing. Suddenly there comes a day when your baby, who has been staring at your plate all these days, pounces on your plate and grabs a handful. Yippee! You’re ready for solids! Well, baby-led weaning is that simple and from my personal experience I would attest to it. On the one hand, this way you are not in a rush to introduce solids and you run the risk of food allergies. Also, the jury on when is the right time to wean your baby on solids is almost always outdoors. So why not leave it up to nature and let your baby decide when he wants to eat and not just drink? Just remember, just like adults, every baby is different and develops on his or her own schedule and not yours. It is much easier to feed the baby when it is ready and it is less stressful for you. It is said that unless the “tongue push reflex” goes away, that is, the reflex that makes them push everything out of their mouth, they may not be ready for solids. Also, they are usually ready when they can sit without support.
My son started showing an interest in food when he was about five months old, and with two weeks to go to six, I started offering him solids or semi-solids to be more precise. Health visitors said the goal should be to allow him to have family meals before his first birthday. Being goal oriented was very helpful in planning my strategy. I am going to share some of my wisdom and experience with you.
As a new mother, she wanted to be perfect at what she did for him. I used to consult so many different websites and books on weaning, what to give and what not to give. If I had to go through most of them, there would be no way I could even think about achieving my goal. Based on all of that, here are the key things I did, thought or felt that can help you …
1. Try to stick to the four-day rule, especially if there is a history of food allergy in your family. What this means is that if you are introducing the potato to your baby, do it for four days in a row and don’t give him any other new foods at the same time. This will help you watch for any allergies, as it sometimes takes a couple of days for the allergy to appear. If you give it too many new things, it will be difficult to find the allergen.
2. Don’t worry too much about how much your baby eats. Nutrient requirements for the first year of life are said to come from milk and food is more of an instigation of habit. Remember, try not to reduce the amount of milk so that your baby will eat more until at least one year of age.
3. There are always days when they simply refuse to eat and there are also days when they devour anything.
4. As your child grows, he develops the ability to chew food better. This means that the texture of the food must vary. Start with purees, then go to puree and then chunks. Call me lazy, but I didn’t puree vegetables except peas and beans. All the rest I would boil / steam and make a pulp by mashing with a spoon. I usually mash every banana bite I have in my hand and feed him.
5. Introduce the spices slowly. Most spices, especially those used in Indian cuisine, are beneficial for the body. Cumin, for example, helps relieve congestion and also aids in digestion.
6. Unlike adults, fat is good for babies, especially because of their rapid brain development. Use ghee, butter, oil in moderation. Give yogurt, cheese, etc.
7. Usually after the 26 week mark, the green signal is given to give almost any food such as fruits, vegetables, meat (although we are vegetarian). Of course, it is up to you to take allergies into account.
8. Start with one meal a day at a time when you are not very tired, sleepy, or in a bad mood. Don’t rush and don’t get distracted. Try to explain what you are eating, what are the benefits, how it was prepared. This way, both of you will focus on the food. You eat a spoonful in front of him and say things like ‘yum yum’. Gradually increase food to two, then three.
9. Variety adds flavor to life, even your little one’s life. Try to add as much variety of flavors, vegetables, fruits, etc.
10. Some say that since babies naturally have a sweet tooth because we are born with more taste buds for sweets, it may be a good idea to introduce vegetables first, otherwise they may never like them. I did not face this problem and almost alternated fresh vegetables and fruits. For the same reason, I never added sugar to his diet. However I add a pinch of salt. They say that their kidneys are not fully developed and therefore avoid salt and sugar. There is no point not adding salt and giving him a bag of potato chips when he’s a toddler as that will only make him want more chips and harm his body. I want you to develop a taste for a balanced diet.
11. Try not to give too much jarred food. Processed food is not good for adults, leave it alone for babies. It also becomes difficult to keep them away from those foods and eat homemade foods. I used to buy some jars for travel and emergencies. Also, I used to first taste vegetables or fruits in a jar, look for allergies, and then prepare them at home.
12. Your baby is your best guide. Don’t panic and don’t get frustrated, they’ll pick you up easily.
13. You cannot expect your baby / toddler to eat fruit when you are eating potato chips. Lead by example.
Like I said, I have shared most of my lessons learned here and I hope this is a good starting point for you. It’s a long journey, not always fun, but you will get there eventually. Remember, your goal is to get your child off to a healthy start. Your quality of life, health, and longevity largely depend on how well you establish your eating habits. Childhood obesity is on the rise everywhere and juvenile diabetes rates are also said to be on the rise. It can help your child, so let’s do it.
