Newborn Care: 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.
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