January 20, 2005

Most experts recommend that the first stage of weaning should start between four and six months. Salima Feerasta gives useful tips on how to feed a newborn

Introducing your baby to solid food can be a stressful experience, but with a little planning it can be a rewarding process for both you and your baby. Experts are divided on the best age to wean the baby but most recommend sometime between four and six months.

Before the age of four months, a baby’s intestinal lining and kidneys are not properly developed to cope with solids. Moreover, if they are introduced before a baby has all the enzymes required to digest the food, the digestive system may be damaged, leading to stomach problems later in life.

Remember that in the first year milk should remain the main food. A baby less than six months should have four milk feeds a day, whilst from six months onwards it is essential to ensure that the baby has at least 18 to 20 ounces of milk daily, including that which is mixed with his food. If your baby drinks more milk than this, it is likely that you will have a tough time getting him to eat solid food.

Once your baby is over four months, able to hold up his head and is showing signs of hunger despite four full milk feeds a day, it is time to introduce solid foods. Baby rice is usually considered the best starter food. It is non-allergenic and can be diluted to a consistency similar to that of milk.

However, once you are beyond baby rice, try not to depend on packet foods for your child. Although they are convenient, they contain added starches which are used to stabilize the foods and achieve an even consistency. These added starches have dubious nutritional value. For example a common starch used is maltodextrin, which is the same substance used to provide the glue for envelopes and stamps.

Moreover, although babies can develop a liking for packet food, it doesn’t taste like real food and therefore your baby will find the transition to real food more difficult. Similarly, bottled food can have a shelf life of up to two years and also contains stabilizers and fillers and should only be used when convenience is absolutely necessary.

While bottled food does taste more like fresh food, it is better to introduce your baby to home-cooked food as early as possible. Invest in a hand-held blender so that you can easily blend food while still in the saucepan. Even in our hot summers, freshly prepared baby food can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

In the first stage of weaning, your baby should be introduced to a variety of fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that babies who are introduced to a wide variety of tastes in the first two months of weaning are less likely to be fussy eaters at the age of one year.

Good foods to try include French beans, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, sweet corn, parsnip, peach, apple, banana and pear. At this stage all food should be cooked, preferably steamed to preserve its vitamin content. Puree the food until it is perfectly smooth and if your baby finds the taste a little strong, add a little formula.

Babies usually find green vegetables less palatable therefore mix them with a little potato or formula milk to make the taste less bland. Similarly, foods like carrots and sweet corn need to be pureed with a little potato in order to achieve a creamy consistency that your baby will like.

However, in these situations keep the amount of potato to a minimum to preserve the original taste. For example, if you puree two steamed carrots with one small steamed potato the result will be creamy, yet will taste mainly of carrot.

Once your baby is over seven months, you can start the second stage of weaning. Introduce lentils, fish, chicken, cheese and even red meat. Wheat can also be introduced at this age as well as raw fruit.

Allergenic foods such as eggs should not be introduced before eight or nine months at the earliest, even later if you have a history of allergies in the family. At this juncture the baby starts to want to chew, so food can be mashed or grated instead of pureed.

Be creative with the meals you serve your baby, and start adding small amounts of garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin from when your baby is about seven months old. This will teach your baby to eat the same food as the rest of the family while providing the health benefits that these spices provide.

Do not add salt, until your baby is over a year old, as this puts unnecessary strain on the baby’s kidneys. If the baby doesn’t like something, try it again after a few weeks but never force feed them. Try to feed your baby at the same time every day, at least two hours after a milk feed so that the baby is hungry enough to want to eat. Above all, keep mealtimes as relaxed as possible so that it becomes a pleasure to teach your baby to enjoy their food.

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