When transitioning your baby to solid foods can be a big change. Weaning your baby from breast milk or formula takes patience and understanding. You want to give your little one the best start in life, so here are some tips on doing it gently and slowly. Weaning means gradually introducing different types of food into your baby’s diet. It also means giving up something that is no longer needed.
There are many advantages of weaning as well as several disadvantages for babies who don’t transition early enough. When weaning your baby from breast milk or formula, the sooner you do it, the better for everyone involved! Here are some helpful tips on how to make this transition gentle and gradual:
Start by introducing the new food first thing in the morning.
Your baby has been eating breast milk or formula for a significant portion of her life, so it’s natural that she strongly prefers those foods and doesn’t want to give them up. You can use this initial resistance to weaning your baby into solid foods by feeding her the new food first thing in the morning—before she has a chance to get used to the taste of the old one. Then, with the morning feeding serving as your guide, continue with the new food throughout the day. If you combine it with formula, try to give your baby a little bit every 2-3 hours. If you’re doing breast milk, you can either pump a little bit at each feeding or give your baby a small portion (2-3ml) right before bedtime.
Whatever you do, don’t mix up your feeding schedule! Your baby will learn to associate the new food with the new schedule, and if she latches on to formula or milk, she’ll be even less inclined to accept the new food.
Hold off on solid foods for a week before trying again.
Baby’s digestive systems aren’t developed enough yet to handle solid foods. This is especially important when weaning a baby from breast milk or formula. If you give your baby some solid food too soon, she won’t have enough enzymes to process it, and it will end up indigestible and potentially harmful. By holding off on solid food for a week, your baby will still be eating breast milk or formula, but she’ll have more enzymes to process each bite and be less likely to have any adverse reaction. Once your baby’s digestive system is mature enough for solid foods, she can move on to weaning one step at a time.
Introduce more gradually, alternating between breast milk and solid foods.
Your baby is used to eating a certain amount of breast milk or formula daily. By gradually increasing the amount of solid food you give your baby each day, you will avoid major dietary changes; rather than giving your baby a pureed meal that contains both breast milk and solid food, alternate puree meals with breast milk and formula. To make it easier on your baby, stick to 50/50 breast milk and formula ratios. This will help her transition one step at a time while giving her a stable source of nutrition. For example, if you are weaning your baby from breast milk, keep the ratio at about 75% breast milk and 25% solids. Keeping the ratio even makes you less likely to overfeed your baby with too many solids.
Don’t be afraid to mix up your weaning routine.
When your baby is used to eating only some foods, mixing up your weaning routine can be quite unsettling to her. However, mixing it ensures your baby is still getting all her nutrients—you don’t want her to get bored and refuse to eat! Mixing up your weaning routine can be done in many ways. For example, you can give your baby a small portion of a new food, skip a day or two, or add a new snack, treat, or any combination thereof. In addition, you may want to try something new that your lactation consultant or healthcare provider has recommended, such as cooking with spices or adding avocado to your diet.
Try finger foods as well as purees to build your baby’s repertoire.
Finger foods are a great way to introduce new ingredients and spices into your baby’s diet. When making finger foods, you have much more control over the ingredients that enter your baby’s system. Making pureed finger foods with breast milk or formula ensures your baby gets all the nutrients she needs. In addition, you can add various spices and flavors to add interest to your baby’s meals or let your baby try some new foods that you may have been hesitant to sample yourself.
Gradually introduce more spices and fats into your diet.
You don’t want to shock your baby’s system with a huge change in foods. This is especially important when you’re weaning from breast milk or formula. Instead, you want to gradually introduce new flavors and spices, starting with things your baby is already familiar with, such as fruits. You can also slowly increase the number of fats in your baby’s diet, starting with healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado and working your way up to less-healthy oils such as vegetable shortening.
Conclusion
There is no magic formula when it comes to weaning a baby off of breast milk or formula. There are many benefits of breastfeeding and formula and many advantages and disadvantages of weaning. However, one thing is certain; you want to do it as gently as possible. Weaning your baby from breast milk or formula can be a smooth transition with patience, perseverance, and innovation.