Best Way to Wean your Baby from Bottlefeeding or Breastfeeding to Solids

Weaning your baby from bottlefeeding or breast­feeding to solids is an exciting time because it symbolizes a tran­sition in childhood. But avoid rushing into this new phase. Milk from the breast or bottle provides all that your baby needs for the first four or five months of life. Some parents are tempted to introduce solids before the age of three or four months in the mistaken belief that their baby doesn’t get enough nourishment from milk alone. However, the introduction of solids too early can be harmful, as your baby’s kidneys and liver may not be mature enough to cope. The sign that your infant should be introduced to solids is her continued hunger despite feeding, or her need to have more-frequent feedings.

Helping your baby learn how to eat solids from a spoon is great fun, and will result in a huge mess! You don’t have to ster­ilize the silverware and bowl, but do keep them clean. Start off by giving your child a very small taste of a baby food (such as baby rice) mixed with her usual milk, from a plastic teaspoon. If she resists this by pushing the spoon away with her tongue, try putting a little of the food onto the tip of your (clean) fin­ger, then put the finger into her mouth.

Your baby has to get used to the new tastes and the new method of feeding. At first, her face might contort into a gri­mace of dissatisfaction; this will soon pass, however, as she quickly adapts. These small amounts of food should be given in conjunction with your baby’s bottle- or breastfeeding. Over a period of weeks, gradually increase the amount of solids. And vary the texture of the solids. Your baby will prefer mashed food to finely chopped foods at first because she doesn’t yet know how to chew, but she’ll learn this skill eventually.

When giving solids, be careful to avoid giving too much salt (your baby’s kidneys are not strong enough yet to process a high level of salt), too much sugar (this will cause unnecessary dam­age to her baby teeth), and nuts (which can easily choke a child under the age of five).