The first year of your child’s life can feel like it passes incredibly quickly, and they change a lot during those twelve months.
Around 6 months into their lives, you need to start thinking about weaning your baby away from milk and onto solid foods.
This process is known as weaning, and it can be a difficult time for you as a parent as you work to understand what your baby wants to eat and teach them to have a healthy relationship with food.
Weaning your baby is important, both for their health and their social skills, so you need to make sure that you take the time to consider how you’re going to go about it.
Here are some tips to help first-time mums understand the importance of weaning and create a process that works for them and their little ones.
Get Everything You Need Before You Start
Before you start the process of weaning your child onto solid foods, you should make a plan and map out everything you need. While some items, such as plastic cutlery and a food processor, might already be in your cupboards, others might not be. For example, specialist weaning bibs are vital for keeping your little one clean and dry and catching any fallen food. If you don’t already have any handy, then check out the selection of stylish weaning bibs from Totsi. You’ll then be able to find a selection of bibs to keep your child’s clothes safe from spills and dribbled puree.
Ask For Advice
While there is no hard and fast way to get a baby to eat solid foods, you can ask for help from mums who’ve been there before. These might include your own mother, as well as members of any baby groups you belong to who have kids of a similar age. While their experiences will be different from yours, they might have some useful advice, and you can learn from any mistakes they’ve made in the past. Also, asking others can make you feel more confident and give you the support you need during this sometimes challenging process. If you’re unsure or worried about your baby’s wellbeing during the weaning process, consult your doctor or health visitor.
Choose The Right Foods
When you start weaning your baby, you need to make sure you choose the right foods. Heavily processed meals or foods with too much salt or sugar in them can be bad for your child’s health. Equally, some more solid items, such as toast, might be a choking hazard to babies that are just starting to enjoy food. Learn about the best foods to wean your baby on and start making batches of anything that’s a particular favourite.
Keep Adapting And Offering New Foods
Sometimes, babies can be fussy, especially when they first start tasting solid foods. So, don’t get downcast if your child seems to hate everything you give them. It might take time for them to adjust to the taste and texture of different foods, so keep adapting and giving them new items. Eventually, you’ll find something they love, and they’ll soon have a healthy appetite.
Weaning your baby isn’t always easy, particularly for new mums, but it is a vital part of their development. By taking advice and using these tips, you can make the process more straightforward and enjoyable for you and your precious little one.
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