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Introducing your baby to solid foods
Weaning can be a bewildering process, so Hilary Pereira guides you through the do's and don'ts of first foods for your baby
Government advice changed again in 2003, leaving mums - especially first-timers - confused about what to do for the best. The latest recommendation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is endorsed by the Government, states that babies should not be weaned until they are at least 26 weeks old. Introducing solid foods before this time makes them more susceptible to allergic conditions such as eczema.
Research findings also suggest that breastfeeding exclusively for at least 26 weeks helps to protect babies from gastro-intestinal bacteria, which cause illnesses such as diarrhoea.
Hungry babies
Some babies, however, seem dissatisfied with breastmilk or formula alone at a much earlier stage. Maddy Ieriti, Senior Paediatric Dietitian at Barts & the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, puts the latest advice into perspective for mums with particularly hungry or underdeveloped babies: 'It's imperative that each child is seen as an individual, and if a child's growth is faltering, then earlier weaning should be considered,' she advises. 'Also, breastfeeding mothers should receive appropriate nutritional advice and supplementation where necessary to ensure their breastmilk is nutrient-dense.'
Seek advice from your GP or health visitor before embarking on early weaning. This way you can get professional guidance based on your baby's overall growth pattern and any other special factors.
Maddy Ieriti also points out the importance of speeding up the weaning process if you do wait until 26 weeks, as a baby of this maturity will be ready to accept a greater variety of foods and textures than a four-month-old would have been: 'To ensure normal feeding progression and nutritional adequacy, it would be wise to decrease the length of time you offer only pureed foods, and move on to mixed mashed meals and finger foods by nine months,' she says.
Is your baby ready?
Your baby is probably ready to try solid foods if he shows some of these signs:
- He seems hungry after a feed, but refuses more milk
- He wakes more often for night feeds
- The time between feeds gets shorter
- He sits up in a highchair and shows interest in what's going on at the table
- He grabs at the food on your plate
- He simulates chewing and makes appreciative noises as he watches others eating
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