Weaning | First solids - some guidelines, advice and tips

Signs (look out for a few not just one of them) that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:

Baby can sit up well without support.
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
Baby is ready and willing to chew.
Baby is developing a "pincer" grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth

Let your baby determine how much and how often she wants to eat solid foods!

The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months (and NOT the first 4-6 months):

World Health Organization
UNICEF
NHS
US Department of Health & Human Services
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Dietetic Association
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Health Canada

For a more detailed explanation, please visit Kellymom (aka my Bible :)

Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness

Although babies continue to receive many immunities from breastmilk for as long as they nurse, the greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively breastfed. Breastmilk contains 50+ known immune factors, and probably many more that are still unknown. One study has shown that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 4+ months had 40% fewer ear infections than breastfed babies whose diets were supplemented with other foods. Many other studies have also linked the degree of exclusivity of breastfeeding to enhanced health benefits

Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.

If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy. Gastric acid and pepsin are secreted at birth and increase toward adult values over the following 3 to 4 months. The pancreatic enzyme amylase does not reach adequate levels for digestion of starches until around 6 months, and carbohydrate enzymes such as maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase do not reach adult levels until around 7 months. Young infants also have low levels of lipase and bile salts, so fat digestion does not reach adult levels until 6-9 months.

Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies.

It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies.From birth until somewhere between 4 and 6 months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream.This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also.

Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia

The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby's iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one study (Pisacane, 1995), the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. .

Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.

The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood.

Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.

Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby's diet - they do not add to baby's total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.

Delaying solids helps to space babies.

Breastfeeding is most effective in preventing pregnancy when your baby is exclusively breastfed and all of his nutritional and sucking needs are satisfied at the breast.

Delaying solids makes starting solids easier.
Babies who start solids later can feed themselves and are not as likely to have allergic reactions to foods.






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I have heard people say the funniest things. Here are some of them:

Your baby is on the big side so you should start solids as he seems hungry

Your baby is very small. Perhaps, you are not producing enough milk and should start supplementing with formula or baby rice

Your baby doesn't sleep through the night because the milk alone is not enough - put some cereal in her bottle

Your baby will be a fussy eater if you don't start now giving him solids now

Here in UK, the health visitors all recommend to start with baby rice. Why?
Well, your baby will have less chance of developing an allergy. However, there is hardly any goodness there, just empty calories, so I didn't bother.

In fact, I didn't bother with any processed commercial baby cereals. At about 6.5-7 months I started giving my daughter wholemeal porridge, brown rice, etc.

La Leche League suggests the following order:

Ripe banana, avocado, yam, or sweet potato (they are sweet like breastmilk).

Note: Do not let those foolish people convince you that sweet fruits or veg will turn your baby into a fussy eater since he is only used to the sweet stuff. Remember, your baby already knows many many flavours through breastmilk!

Meats (I gave boiled or stewed beef)

Whole-grain breads and cereals (rather than baby cereals)
It's best to delay wheats until 9 months or even 12, if you suspect any allergies

Fresh fruits (apart from citrus)

Vegetables

Dairy products after 9 months
Guilty here - I started giving my baby a bit of 100% fat natural yogurt with her porridge at 6.5 months. My excuse - I was 2 months pregnant, and my milk was seriously drying up :)

Banana (raw) 25kcal and 0.09 grams per ounce
Avocado (raw ) 46 kcal and 4.21 grams per ounce
Sweet potato (baked) 26kcal and 0.04 grams per ounce
Baby rice cereal
(2 tbs dry cereal prepared in one oz water) 20kcal and 0.24grams per ounce

For comparison:

Breast Milk (mature) 22 kcal 1.15 (average) grams per ounce
Infant Formula 20 kcal and 1.01-1.09grams per ounce

- Eggs (yolk until 9 months, and egg white until 12 months)
- Shellfish
- Nuts
- Cow's milk (until 12 months)
- Honey
- Chocolate, cakes, grown up cookies, etc

Baby-led weaning is a way of introducing solid foods that allows your baby to feed himself - there's no spoonfeeding and no purees.You offer him food in sizes and shapes that he can handle and he feeds himself with his fingers, choosing what to eat, how much and how quickly :)

This idea sounded very appealing to me. However, to my regret, I couldn't follow this method fully. Partially, because I was pressured by certain people that my baby was not eating enough this way and I didn't want to be a bad mum (ladies, you know how they can make you feel sometimes, insecure and helpless).

What I would do is give her mashed banana, sweet potato,etc on a spoon and then leave few finger shunks on her high chair for her to play with.

Even now, at 14 months, I am still feeding her a lot of the times myself.

If I am ever to have a baby again, I will definitely follow this idea.

There are a lot of resources out there on BLW benefits and advice. My favourite are this article and this book:

Weaning has been a learning curve for me. At times it was a challenging business :)
Sometimes you baby will be eager to eat, sometimes she won't. What she loved yesterday, she might hate today.
The main thing is not to stress out. Babies go through growth spurts,teething and mood swings. Don't worry that your baby might not be eating enough.

Once again,remember that milk should be the main source of nuitrition up to 12 months. I know some babies and toddlers that hardly take any solids (they are breastfed) and they are nice and healthy.

Solids are complementary to your milk for the first few months. It's a way for your little one to learn and play.

Have fun!


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