When To Wean Baby
Feeding your own baby is the biggest pleasure any mother can have, but this pleasure remains pleasure only if it’s done for a limited time. Often mothers get tired of breastfeeding their babies. They, simply look for some ways to stop feeding the baby with the mother’s milk, but the baby doesn’t really accepts this decision of the mother so easily. So, we thought of sharing some useful information with you about when and how should you wean your baby, an essential part of newborn care.
When to wean your baby?
Though the doctors prescribe breastfeeding for at least 6 months, no one other than the mother knows best when her baby needs to be weaned. Breastfeeding becomes a problem especially for working mothers, and they wonder whether they are doing justice by weaning their baby off their own milk and when exactly should they start weaning their baby. Mentioned below are some tips about when to wean the baby:
* For working mothers, weaning can be started somewhere between 4 to 6 months, but it is not recommended before that for house mothers as well as working mothers.
* After 6 months, mothers should start weaning their babies, else the baby won’t accept anything else except mother’s feed.
* After 6 months, mother’s feed is not sufficient for the iron requirement in the baby, so the baby should be given food other than the breast-feed.
How to wean your baby?
Some mothers know that when should a baby be weaned but they don’t know how to do that, so answering to this important aspect of newborn care, we mention some useful tips about how to wean your baby:
* Try out with soft and mildly flavored foods.
* Do not give the baby food containing lumps, as your baby won’t be able to swallow it.
* Try to feed the baby with not too hot food.
* Try giving the baby food that can be easily taken in with a spoon.
* Always give small feeding portions to the baby, as the baby is not habitual of having anything else than the mother’s feed, so his body may not digest large quantity at once.
How to ensure baby’s diet after weaning?
Many mothers feel guilty of depriving their babies with their feed after weaning, but they should not be, as this is one thing they have to do one day. Moreover, it is good for the health of the baby, who needs more food after 6 months that cannot be supplied alone by mother’s feed. Ensuring baby’s diet after weaning is another worry that bothers many mothers. So, we thought of mentioning a list of food items that you need to include in your baby’s diet ensuring he gets a proper diet after weaning:
* Cereals, Breads and Potatoes.
* Milk and dairy products like curd and cheese.
* High carbohydrate foods like beans, peas, butter and oil.
* Fresh fruits, fruit juices, vegetables and soups.
* Nuts, honey, cow’s milk.