lucy-upton-weaning-guide - Flipbook - Page 2
Welcome to your baby's first steps into the wonderful world of food! Starting solids
marks a significant milestone in your baby's feeding journey, filled with mess,
excitement, and, for many parents, a bit of nerves and apprehension. This
comprehensive guide addresses most parents' key questions about weaning and
offers practical advice to ensure a successful start. It also highlights essential
nutrients and foods to include in your baby's diet and discusses the role of cow's
milk during weaning. But first, let's share 10 top tips for successful weaning, many
of which are explored in more detail throughout this guide.
1. Know When to Start - There are many myths about when a baby is ready for
solids, but the current advice is to introduce them around 6 months of age.
Specifically, when your baby shows developmental signs, they are ready to
start learning to eat. Like other developmental milestones, each baby reaches
this stage at their pace.
2. Off to a great start - Offer first tastes of foods, such as vegetables, to get
started. From there, build in different foods like fruits, iron-rich foods,
starchy carbohydrates, milk and dairy products and healthy fats
3. Be consistent - Offer solids regularly, but remember that babies might not
eat much initially. Keep trying new foods, as babies may need to taste a food
several times before they accept it, especially textures and flavours they are
not used to!
4. Offer plenty of variety – Babies are primed to learn about food and develop
eating skills during weaning. Aim to provide a variety of foods, gradually
introduce new textures, and explore a range of flavours. This helps your baby
develop a broad palate and reduces the likelihood of food rejection in the
future. It also supports their health, including the growth of their gut
microbiome.
5. Let them learn! - Whether you're doing traditional or baby-led weaning, let
your baby explore food at their own pace and have some options to feed
themselves. Allow them to play with and interact with their food, which helps
develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Learning to eat doesn't
just mean eating, so embrace the mess!
6. Introduce key food groups. As you start broadening your baby's diet, keep
balanced family meals in mind and aim to incorporate various food groups
and nutrients together, moving from combinations to mini meals.
7. Milk and more - cow's milk can be introduced into your baby's food from
the start of weaning, combined into foods and meals, but not as a drink.
Focus on full-fat (whole) milk to help meet your baby9s high requirements
for energy and fat.
8. Introduce Allergens - Proactively introduce common allergens (such as
peanuts, eggs, and milk), especially before 12 months of age. Early
introduction has been found to help prevent allergies later on. If your child
already has a food allergy or eczema, consult a health professional for
personalised advice.
9. Trust your baby to lead and take the pressure off. Babies are very attuned to
their bodies and listen closely to their feelings of hunger and fullness. Follow
your baby's cues to trust their appetite: Offer more food if they show signs of
wanting it and stop when they show signs of being full. Be patient with
progress. Each baby will progress through weaning at their own pace.
