The process of weaning is surrounded by myths. We’ve got grandma telling us that babies need to be weaned at three or four months in order to sleep through the night, then reports suggesting we’re giving babies a lifetime of health problems if we do it sooner than six months. So what is the truth?
Many babies continue to wake up at night, which can be exhausting for parents. If this is the case with your little one, once the weaning process is underway make sure you give him a nutritious evening meal that contains a carbohydrate, a protein, and a vegetable. Protein, in particular, takes a long time to digest and may help to keep your child satisfied for a longer period of time if he is waking up due to hunger.
The development of teeth doesn’t mean your baby is ready for solids. Some babies cut their first milk teeth around four months, which is early for weaning, while others show no signs of teething until well after six months.
It’s often suggested that underweight babies benefit from early weaning; however, research shows that continuing with milk feeds encourages your baby to reach his optimum weight as initial foods (fruit and vegetables) are often low in energy.
The previous advice was to delay introducing allergenic foods to reduce the risk of allergy. There is now excellent evidence that introducing eggs and peanuts from six months may reduce the risk of these food allergies. In 2015, doctors at King’s College, London, found that children with a history of eczema who ate products containing peanuts from the ages of four and 11 months had a 70 per cent reduced risk of developing an allergy to peanuts compared with children who ate them for the first time when they were older. However, if there is a high risk of food allergy (see here), get your baby allergy tested before you do this.
Cutting out whole food groups is dangerous. Dairy is an important source of calcium, vital for teeth and bone growth. It’s also a good source of protein. Wheat is a source of gluten, which can cause problems in a minority of babies (see here), but it is also a great source of carbohydrates, B vitamins, and fibre. After six months, it’s a healthy addition to your baby’s diet. As for meat, there are few other such readily available sources of easily absorbed iron.
Check your baby’s nappy for foods that come out whole – for example, peas and sweetcorn. This is a sign your baby is not developmentally ready for these foods, so you need to help by chopping, mashing, or puréeing them so that the nutrients are more accessible to his body. Passing food through the digestive system is hard work and undigested foods use up energy without providing any benefit to your baby.
“ Sally and Tom, 6 months
I put off weaning Tom for a week because I couldn’t bear the thought of him taking that first big step towards independence. Although it seems silly now, I felt emotional at the thought that he would no longer be solely dependent on me. I love breastfeeding, and we both found it hugely comforting. Solid food seemed so clinical and it was a big reminder that our lovely feeds would at some point end. I was also a bit nervous about giving him the right foods – I’m really keen on giving Tom the best start in life and making sure he’s getting all the nutrients he needs to be strong and healthy. But in the end weaning was a huge success and he eagerly took to his first tastes. For our first purée, I chose organic sweet potatoes with a little expressed breast milk. At least I know he’s getting the best there is! ”