Another Barrage of Tips on How to Wean From Breastfeeding
Mothers have one common problem – and that’s is how to wean from breastfeeding. Many women think that it is difficult to wean a baby from the healthiest feed he will have in his entire life. Breastfeeding has been recommended to be done exclusively for the first 6 months of your baby’s life because all the nutrients he needs for those first months can solely be had from breast milk alone. It has even been advised by the World Health Organization that breastfeeding be done for at least the first year of baby’s life, and not to be limited to that as well (can be done even after age 2 and beyond).
Yes, breastfeeding is good for the baby, especially since it continually cements a special bond between a mother and her child. But we have to remember that eventually, our baby will grow into a toddler and then into a child. Breastfeeding cannot last forever, although because of the nutrients alone, we would actually want it to. Weaning your baby off of breastfeeding is eventually going to happen, whether we like it or not. And your baby grows up so fast, that you sometimes don’t realize it until you see him passing through his milestones – his first smile, rolling over his tummy, his first crawl, his attempts to stand up and walk, etc.
Weaning can be put off, but only for so long. So here are some more tips to help make your baby’s transition a hassle free one:
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Make sure that he is ready to be fed solid foods. There are certain factors you have to consider before deciding to put your baby on a solid diet. He has to be able to sit on a chair (of course, on a chair with back support and a seat-belt) – meaning that his backbone has slowly developed into a harder consistency, and not as pliable as when he was just born. Also, he should be able to swallow without gagging. (A baby has a gagging reflex which indicates that he is ready to try swallowing something more thicker other than milk.) Having some teeth would be a plus. He should be able to hold his head upright. These are the indicators that your baby may now be ready for something solid.
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Start with baby food that still looks like milk. It is understandable if a baby won’t be able to relate to a mashed potato just yet. Since you’re just starting him out on something “solid”, iron-fortified baby food or cereal is usually the perfect one for the job. Make the first batch runny by adding some water or breast milk. Refrain yourself from putting it in a bottle – we want him to see that we are feeding him something that looks like milk, but really isn’t. If you put it in a bottle and offer it to him, it defeats the purpose of weaning him in the first place.
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Do not rush feeding time. Your baby’s new feeding should have a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, the air filled with the joy of exploration and discovery. Feeding him his food like there’s no tomorrow doesn’t foster the said environment. So go as slow or as fast as your baby wants it. After all, he is the boss during his feeds.
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Let them eat what you are eating. If your baby is just being weaned into solids, then you may probably notice him eyeing what you’re eating. As long as there isn’t salt and honey in it, then try giving him some of what you have. (Salt taken before a year old may destroy the kidneys and parts of the digestive system; honey, on rare cases, lead to infant botulism, a full-body paralysis.)
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Always give water at the end of each meal. Water is a life giving substance. Giving it regularly to baby at an early age will make him get used to it as a staple for every meal. Most people who were given water when they were still in infancy usually drink the required 8 glasses of water a day as adults.
How you wean your child into solids will mold how he eats when he grows up. Give him some variety – introduce him to new food every once in a while so that he doesn’t become a picky eater when he grows up, and also for you to be rest assured that he will grow up to be a fine product of you, your husband and society. |
