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When Weaning Becomes lnevitable

Weaning is the time when your baby
makes a transiiion from breastfeeding
io a cup or botile. Weaning should he
a gradual, natural process, and it
generally works besl. if the mother
lets her baby take the lead. provide
your child with the best nutrition
during his/her first year - the critical
growth period.

right amount of formula tc give

him/her. Mast smali babies, generally
those 3 months old and younge; drink
about 2 tc 3 ez at a feeding. Babies

Do not wean if your baby is going

,through a clingy, needy phase or at
other times af change 0r stress.
Gradual weaning
Thrnk of weaning as a process and not

an event. Be sensitive to your baby,s

feelings as abrupt weanin! can be

traumatic far himlher because nursing
is how helslre gets food, and lsve.
So wean graduaily, *ver a periad ci

several weeks.

Start hy gjr"rins yaur h,ahy ir-rfa*i ft:rinr:la

r:f [:re*st

r:..rilk

*t

ffr:y *fi*

r*guiar {eeriing, ni-*f*rai:ly tirn*s wh*n

your breasts ar'* i*asi ii;il. *r wher: y*r-ir
heby ;*en"rs i*asi intsi.est*e!.
Wait a lew days i:*lci-* ircil i*ave *ut
anothf;!" i:r*astieeij!i:g, ilren c*niinue

tili ir*u i:*ve lc breestfeed *nly **c* a

day Al'l*r a fcw d:iys r:f once-*_cfay

feedings. siei"t sk!pp;ng days i:ei;nreen

hreasife*;"iings tiil ni:rsing is stapp*d
aii*g*the r.

A bottle satisfies your baby,s need to

UEUF

potato, courgette, ash gourd ighia)

Pures of fruits, such as ripe

cooked apple, pea6 or mashed

Solid foods

banana.

Research on infant feeding has shawn

thai solid fonds shouldn't be
intrcduced untii s*metime between

the fourth and sixth months ol life.

Until your baby is 1Z months cld,

breast miik shculd be ihe main source

nutrition as it coniains the right
nourishment yaur baby n*eds.

of

Very first foods

The Ministry af Health recommends

exclusive breastfeeding until ycur

baby is six months old. and states that

solid fcods should not be iniroduced

before the end *f your" baby.s fourth
month (20 weeks) due to the risk of

develcping adverse reaciions lo fcods

and aliergies. lf you feei your baby

needs to start solld food befere six

months, da discuss it with ycur doctor

finsi. This is particularly imporiant if
your baby was bo!-n prernatureiy.

,,,,,,..':.

Pur6es of vegetables such as

carrots. pumpkin, potata, slveet

suck by imitailng nursing.

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One of the first things your baby has

to learn when weaning be6ins is how
io swallow 'non-fluids'. lntroduce one
food at a time sa th*t you can tell if
ycur baby reacts adverselv ts a food.

weighing over 1E pounds drink about

6 oz or more at a feedina.

Cup versus botUe

Timing

insteacl

lf your baby has been receiving oniy

breast milk, you may wonder aboui the

oo
20

n-iree baby cereals (avoid

i, rye and barley in the initial

,&

&

tlr
re next stage

rrom seven to ntne months

'rce your baby is irappy

eaiing fram a

From now your baby's ability to join in

with family meals increases enormously
You should offer him/her a wide range
of foods to fulfill his/her nutrient
requirements, and to get him/her used
to eating different flavors. There are
also fewer foods to avoid,

,con, :ncrease the range

u offer

t*

Pur6es

of foods

ine !ude:

of lentiis *r split peas,

mixed vegetables v!,ith pctataes nr

rice and gr*en vegetahles, such

as peas, cabbage, spinach

Gr

brocccli.

Now's the time to introduce

Experis reccrnmend that you avoid

giv!ng cow's milk *r" m!ik pr*ducis

A vi,lder range
khicl
sabu
brear

!n ad

{ch*ese, y*gurt, fr*ri age fiaisi,

fish end shelJfrsh, soya beans, or
eggs. unill your baby !s atieast cne
year old.

lf

ycr.tr- fan:i!y has a histc;-y of

aflergies, such as eczema, asthma
cr foad aiiergies" yai:r baby shoulci
avaid peanuts and sesame seeds
r.ro to the age of three years.

The risk nf deveioping c*e!!ac

disease is reducea' by avoiding

fcads containing giuten, sueh as

,
I
I
,
t

wheat. rye and barfey-hase** foads.

AvaiC foilaw-an milk until yaur baby

is six months clrl.

Dan't add salt

ar sugan haney

ciher sweeieners to ycur bai:y's

ar

r"ood.

it in 1 part juiee to S parts of

cooied i:oiled water, an# use a
'1

e r feedir,g cup, **t a hottie.

Keeping juice to rnealtrmes helps
wiih irorr absorpticn and reduces
ihe risk cf dan"lage tc emerging

beaker

ieeth.

Oitru* fruits, such as *ranges and

sweellime lmeusambi).

figgs which are well qoaked, fish

and shelifish can be adcJed to the

I
I

21

!*ntils. Aim for one serving of

pratein-rich food a day.

Nui butters are fine for babies

r*,ho

den't have a family history of

allergic diseases. Use unsalted
smcoth irersions. or make your own.

rry products, such as frorn age

is, yogurt and cheese. Although
.r should wait uniil one year to
roduce cow's milk as a drink. it
in cooking or in your
fast cereal, so make a
e to add to vegetables

*f sweet or
cereal pur*es tc cne a day, and

Try to !imit the nunrLrer

al!'Jays include a ve6etable puree.

Giadualiy rnake the food a thicker
ccnsistency.

other protein-rich foods in hislher

diet - lean red meat, poultry and

,'

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.+
From 10 months

rot,rr'E (cr gcat's or

sheep'si milk as a mai* diir:x te a
child beiaw one year.

I Don'i give

Meals should be more adult-fike now.

They should be chopped or minced

and fcllour a tws-to-three nreai a day
paitern alcng w!th one or trruo snacks
and 500-S*fi mll17-20 oz *f breasi

,l

rnilk or formula milk. At this stage your

bahy sh*uld be having:

y.
,r.

.,
,l

Three or four servings of starchy

faods, sueh as khiehri. r!ce, daai.
dalia, or potatoes, a day.
One serving cf meat, fish, eggs, cr
two of pufses {ientils, peas, beansi
or nut buttei"s.

Cne ta two servings of che*se,

lrom age fnais ci" yoguri as well as
br*astmilk cr formuia milk.

Sktmmed and serni-skimmed milks.

low-iat spr*ads, yogurts and
reduced-fat cheese. Alrsays offer

your beby the fuil-fat versions as

they need the calories

t*

adei a liiile

tea ia bahy's i:cit!c" The iannin in

tea !r:tedei"e* i,vith iron absorption,
a*d the carfeine it contains is r"ist
recornmended for chilcii-en.

.t

Avrid giving f;'uii scuashes cr diei

drinks to yslit' baby. Artifie iai
swseteners are nat suiiable f*r
babres and young children

rr.

* i"isk
of faod poisoning, such as scft
mould-ripened *heeses {brie,

,qv6ld foods which may carry

can.l*mbert)" liver p*te, and softboiied cr raw eggs.

Sometimes mothers are forced to

wean suddenly when they become
seriously ill, have to leave town on

Up ta the age of at ieast two, fat is an

impariant sc{Jres of energy for your

there are some measures you can take

to minimize your discomfort due to

baby, so fuli-fat versicns of milk,

eheese, yoguri and fromage frais are
impartant. Sy the time helshe !s five
years old, cniy about a third of hislher

unreleased milk:

;t

snergy shautd be pravided by fei.

How much fiber?
too

babies and ycung chiidren. These can

fill up a srnall tummy. lf your toddler

regularly eats pulses and !entils as

part af a vegetarian diet, make suie
ihat helshe h*s some chapaihis, rice,
bread, and pasta a* rn/ell.

lf yau have questions abaui your

baby's ciiet, ask your baby's daciar for
inf*rrnaticn about your baby's nuirition.
Tips on successful weaning

.l
;|
.L

if ycu *ffer your baby some

*r enjayable aciivities in

Have farrnule,juice. or finger foods

ready as a drslr'action.

i\iear naptin':e, rvhen your baby is

used ia nursing, take himlher out in
a ba*kpaek sr stroiiei or go for a
ear ride.

22

Apply cold packs to your breasts.

Take a mild pain reliever

of us is unique

make the best choices for your baby,

yourself, and your family. Best wishes
as you learn to breastfeed togethen

pla*e cf nursing^ F*r exampie:

J.

Wear a firm-fitting bra day and night.

Your hopes and dreams, your ways of

mdthering your baby, are unique to
you. Please use this booklet and other
sources of information to help you

alternatives

,1.

builds, express just enough mllk

by hand or with a breast pump to

Each one

Ybu can make the weaning process

easier

When the pressure in your breasts

decrease the pressure. Don't express

much though.

many whole gr=in foods and pxises far

Avoid lhe temptatlon

Sudden weaning

toddlers have?

-l

,!

nurse.

other emergency. lf you know you

won't be returning to breastfeeding,

Be cautiaus about intraducing

farmula rnilk.

Get help around feeding times to

distract the baby from wanting to

personal matters or business, or some

How much fat should babies and

What should babies below one year

avoid?

Try to have minim*|, if any, sali,

sugai; hcney and artlfieiai s'"ve*teners. Tr!, a***r*n'nn desserts
'#ith mashed banane *r a purrle
cf steiqed dr"ieci irr"rii if p*ssibie, *r
use expresseei brea*tmilk 0r

J.

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Age, (months)
Carver J et ai. The relationship between age and the fatty acid composition of cerebral
cortex and erythrocytes in human subjects. Brain Res Bull. 2001

Adult