Getting started (wean)
Put away the dinner plates – you only need to give a tiny spoonful or two to begin with. The idea is to get your baby used to the taste and texture of solids to begin with, not to fill him up on them. Before you start, take the edge off your baby’s appetite by giving him a little of his usual milk. Sit him in a highchair or on your lap and offer him a spoonful of the food you have chosen – puréed vegetable or fruit are good first foods – mixed with a little breast milk or formula – the food ought to be warm and runny. Put a tiny amount on the spoon and into your baby’s mouth. It’ll probably all come back out, but keep trying. As you do so, give him lots of eye contact, smile, chat, and tell him how tasty it is. If he turns his head away or gets upset, stop – he’s had enough.
If your first attempts go badly, don’t panic! Try again the next day, but be prepared to back off and leave it a week or so if your baby’s really reluctant. There’s no point in force-feeding him. For now, his usual milk is more than adequate to keep him full up and healthy.
Posted in Children's Health
