A baby’s arrival into our world begets loads of happiness and unprecedented love. It’s an overwhelming emotion especially for the new mother when she sees her bundle of joy that she has nourished in her womb for nine months. Nature assists in further nourishing the infant for the next six months through the mother’s milk. The baby has doubled its birthweight by then. And if nourished well will treble its birth weight by his/her first birthday. And there is nothing more gratifying than to see the miracle of the baby’s rapid growth. At six months begins every mom’s dilemma of weaning the baby. The nitty-gritties of what to fed, when to feed and how much to feed can be very confusing.
The choices she makes can have long lasting effects which carry on right through the baby’s adulthood. A fussy 2 year old may sound cute, a three year old still on mashed & bland food still may be okay for some, but unknowing creating an adult whose choice is limited for example to only to a few foods like potatoes and peas, can be a mothers and later a wife’s nightmare. Eating at home and out of home becomes a tedious job by it-self let alone its long term repercussions on health. So beginning weaning correctly from the onset is a huge responsibility but if done well from 6 months to the first birthday will be the best investment for the baby’s life- long wellbeing.
In earlier days self-selection based on our innate wisdom ensured healthy diet choices. A research in the 1920’s by Clara Davis studied the spontaneous choices of infants (6-11 months old) from 34 simply prepared foods like e.g. steamed vegetables, fruit juice, milk etc. The only factor governing the babies’ choice were their appetites. Caretakers were trained not to encourage or discourage while the child ate. The infants were in superb health.
But today, times have changed. We live in a food-rich environment. Ready to eat foods are sweeter, saltier, rich tasting or more colourful which thereby manipulates our taste buds. Familiarity is developed by what the family eats. Also, the first few years of a baby’s life, they are learning at a rapid speed from their environment, hence this is an golden opportunity for the parents to sit back and re-evaluate their food choices because knowing or unknowingly, the baby picks up our eating habits be it good or poor.
Tips for Weaning (for Indian sub-continental families):
- Meal times should be happy times and not a power tussle to feed “enough” of food.
- Feed the baby at a definite place and without the TV, cell phones or any other gadgets in the background
- Ideally try to seat the baby in your lap at the dining table and later on, use a high chair
- Schedule at least one meal a day with the whole family at the table
- Have light conversation and avoid serious discussions
- If the baby wants to self-feed encourage it though it may be messy
- Do not exhibit your likes or dislikes in the baby’s presence
- Complimentary feeds are in addition to the mother’s milk
- Introduce only one food at a time using a teaspoon
- Too many choices or mixing foods initially may confuse the child. Allow the baby to register new foods
- An infant may need time & several attempts to accept a new food so patience is the key word. Please do not force feeding, reattempt after a fortnight or so
- The WHO recommends 2-3 meals per day for 6-8 months old, by 9-11 months increase to 3-4 meals a day and by 12 months,3-4 meals per day should be aimed for. Along with a fruit as a snack option.
- Mother’s milk should be continued in between the complementary meals
- Well-cooked and mashed and strained vegetable soups using tomato,/carrot/spinach seasoned with a blob of butter and strained fresh fruit juices like sweet lime ,orange may be introduced upto 1-2 teaspoons twice a day
- Begin with porridges made of rice / wheat flour/ragi flour/mashed potatoes in milk or beaten curds. Add some butter or ghee and season minimally with salt.
- Custard & kheer made with the above foods can also be introduced
- You may also introduce split, de-husked yellow dal (mung dal) ,cooked and mashed as a soup with butter for taste
- Move on gradually from liquids to mashed foods at around 7 months of age
- Give combinations of steamed and coarsely mashed vegetables like peas and carrots
- Coarsely mashed banana/stewed apple/pear; mashed khichri ,semolina or wheat atta sheera, upma without chillies, mashed idli.
- Introduce soft solids at around 8 months, bread (Chapatis or phulkas soaked in curds/dal/milk but not mashed. Give bite size pieces of idlis, soft dosa, dal-rice with added vegetable without mashing. You may introduce boiled egg yolk
- Commercial weaning foods may be used occasionally during travel for convenience but do add soft fruits if possible to add taste.
- Home-made foods prepare the child for sharing meals with family and also develop a feeling of belonging
- Encourage the child to self-feed but never leave the baby unwatched.
- Children under two may choke on nuts, raisins, popcorn, big chunks of raw vegetables or hard foods.
- Check the temperature of food especially if you have microwaved the recipe
- Use attractive bowls and spoons to motivate the baby
- Consult a paediatrician if the child is not eating normally and is not playful as usual.
Eventually by the baby’s first birthday, he/she would be able to enjoy a variety of home foods except very oily and very spicy foods. You can pat yourself on the back for you are bang on creating a well-adjusted healthy individual ready to take on the world. And what more can be an apt first birthday gift for your precious loved one. Signing off by wishing all new parents and your babies many” happy meals” together.
