HOW TO WEAN YOUR BABY FROM BREASTFEEDING?
Breastfeeding is the process of feeding the babies with the breast milk. Human milk is the best feeding for the newborn babies and for children up to one to one and half years.
In western countries, many stop the breastfeeding even as earlier as their baby turns one. However, it is not necessary that all do the same practice there also. It's a sort of what I have heard of. Don't take it otherwise.
In countries like India, the elders usually advice to breastfeed up to two years but this is turning up to be a matter of choice as many women are now working women who habituate their babies to bottle feeding..
However, still many Indian women prefer to breastfeed their babies till Eighteen months and that seems to be a fair period of effective breast-feeding.
Whatever be the practice, the main purpose still remains the same: to provide nourishment to the babies.
Human milk is enriched with water, soluble vitamins, some amount of fat and maternal antibodies. These antibodies protect the baby from any illness during first six months of their life. After six months there is a considerable decrease in the antibody level and that's why the pediatricians advice to accustom baby towards the weaning process.
Many couples don't have the exact idea of weaning.
What is weaning?
Weaning is a process of slowly and gradually turning your baby to other food items (suitable for baby)along with the continuation of breast feeding.
Some people misunderstand it and stop breastfeeding their babies abruptly. This may turn your baby undernourished and constipated most of the times. The water present in breast milk maintains the normal fecal consistency.
Constipation remains the major problem when a baby is shifted to foods other than breast milk. Baby cries more often when constipation is there. It can be mistaken for baby colic. See more on Baby colic
To avoid this, one must introduce the new foods in a slow and gradual pattern.
First accustom your baby to liquids such as clear juices, then turn to slightly thick ones such as apple or sapodilla juice.
Similarly feed your baby with semisolid consistency foods like dalia, khichdi, porridge, mashed potatoes and bananas. Only after that use solid foods such as dry biscuit or chapati.
Tips to effective weaning:
If you are the mother who is planning to wean her baby as the baby has completed beautiful six months of life, you must try know and try these useful tips for healthy and effective weaning
- Breastfeed your baby exclusively for six months. This will transfer the much needed nutrition and maternal antibodies to stay away from infections.
- Do not start abruptly for weaning. Take your time and give your baby some time to adjust to the novel foods.
- First liquids, second semi-solids and then solids (soft to eat, not hard..babies wont have enough teeth to chew properly)
- Ensure you are breastfeeding at regular intervals. Though not frequent but that helps a lot to keep your baby hydrated.
- Always practice burping your child after feeding. The baby might swallow more air when feeding with spoon. So it is better to burp after every feed.
- Check for the consistency and frequency of the stools of your baby for the first few days. Knowing whether he poops normally or not, gives you an idea to keep up with the new food introduced or avoid it's intake by baby.
- Keep a note which foods are better tolerated by your baby. Include them, and slowly try to increase the amount served as per baby's feeding capacity.
- If the baby throws off or drools out some foods, try to avoid that or, try some different combinations with the same item.
- For example, a child may not eat salted boiled dal but the same if sweetened with jaggery is appealing to its taste.
- Make your you use jaggery instead of using sugar all the times. Jaggery is said to be more healthier choice.
- Allow your baby time to swallow the food slowly. Only after making sure your baby has gulped food down the throat, feed with another spoon of food.
- Water is also necessary to keep the baby's skin and body hydrated. Use boiled and cooled down water.
- Do not give more warm or cold water anyways.
- Use spoon of small size when first starting weaning. Baby can adjust well with small size spoon feedings.
- Always help your baby upright or in your lap with head end elevated whenever feeding. This prevents from food aspiration into the windpipe.
- Use a clean towel for wiping off the baby's mouth for any extra food or drools.
- Fresh home made curd can serve as a good option of pro-biotics and prevent your baby from getting constipated.
- Thin Buttermilk can also be introduced slowly.
- Introduce your baby to healthy cereals such ragi and millets, besides feeding with wheat and rice. Many mother's feed only rice when there baby is small. But it's good to prepare soft items using rahi flour such as ragi halwa. Ragi dosa and idli.
Weaning can be an interesting chapter of motherhood if you take care and follow all the tips. Stay informed to help yourself and keep your babies healthy.
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Note: This post is for informational and educational purpose only, It is not a substitute to any medical or professional advice or treatment. See your doctor in any case.
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