Weaning your baby means introducing them to solid food. The best way to wean your baby is to start them with small amounts of food. When starting off, feed them once a day at a time that’s convenient for you both. Experts recommend weaning your baby at around 6 months because, at this time, babies begin to need nutrients that are not found in breastmilk.
It is also possible for your baby to show signs that they are ready for food. Below are some of them.
- The baby seems to not get satisfied with breastmilk
- They can sit up well
- They are curious during mealtimes
- Picking up food and putting them in their mouth
- They hold food in their mouth and try to chew
When weaning your baby, make sure you include the following food groups
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Starch
- Protein
- Dairy
When weaning your baby, you can take different approaches.
Baby weaning approaches
Baby-led
This is weaning that involves giving your baby finger foods and letting them feed themselves. If you choose this approach, make sure your baby eats a wide variety of foods.
Spoon feeding/ Traditional method
This involves feeding your baby different foods from a spoon. This approach leaves the work of feeding to the mom. The mom introduces solid foods gradually to the baby.
Whichever method you choose, the important thing is that your baby is well-fed.
When introducing your baby to solid food, try out mashed, blended, or cooked food. The following are the best baby foods:
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Yams
- Bananas
- Broccoli
- Butternut
- Cereals
As your baby grows, you can start to gradually introduce other foods including:
- Meat
- Eggs
- Plain yogurt
- Nuts and seeds
Make sure that the food is prepared in such a way that it will not choke the baby. Cut into small pieces or let it be finely grounded.
At around one year, the baby can start to eat what the rest of the family is eating. They will be feeding on small meals and snacks at this stage.
By Beth Mugo
