Weaning At 4-6 Months

You can start weaning your baby from 4-6 months, however if you are weaning your child at 4 months, food progression have to be slower, basically introducing a new food every 3-4 days, so as to observe whether your baby is allergic.

But if you are weaning your child at 6 months, you can progress much faster since around this time they need more iron fortified food and milk alone is not enough to satisfy their hunger.

If there is any family history of allergies, its best to wait till your baby is 6 months before attempting weaning.

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How Much Do They Eat?

For the first time having their new food, they'll probably only have a couple of teaspoons.

For babies below 6 months, stick to a few teaspoons, cause food is just for taste for him now. Milk is the most important thing to him, so giving him too much will result in him cutting back on his milk and not getting enough nutrients.

For babies above 6 months, let your baby tell you how much they want to eat. Of course, try to gauge when its really too much.

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How Much Milk Do I Have To Feed Him?

For babies below 6 months, there shouldn't be any decrease in the milk intake that he is drinking.

For babies above 6 months, try to start his semi-solids at lunch. And for his milk feed at lunch, give him half of it first, then feed him the few teaspoons of purees, then give him the rest of the milk if he wants. By 7 months, he should have eliminated his milk feed during lunch and only having a meal. Reduce the amount of milk and increase the amount of semi solids that he is having to achieve this.  

They still need to have at least 600mls of milk a day.

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First Stage Weaning (4-6 mths)


Here are the foods that you may want to start with first.

• Pear Puree
  

• Apple Puree
  

• Carrot Puree
  

• Sweet Potato/Potato Puree
  

• Green Bean Puree
  

• Peach Puree
  

• Cauliflower Puree
  

• Broccoli Puree
  

• Mango Puree
  

• Peas Puree
  

• Avocado Puree
  

• Cereals - Rice, Barley, Oat

Its very very simple making purees!  
 

First, you need to have a blender. I would prefer using the blender, cause its easier to make the purees. There are those baby food makers selling at BHG but for first stage weaning babies need to have foods that are really fine and smooth blended and its hard to achieve that with those baby food makers. You can get those when your baby is 7 months and older, when he needs to have foods with slightly a little more texture. I would make a huge amount and then store them in the freezer, cause its hard to blend the little amounts that baby is having at first.

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Storing Purees

You can get ice cube trays , try to find those with a cover so as to prevent the germs in the freezer contaminating the baby's food. Scoop the cooled purees into the ice cube trays and freeze in the fridge. When its done, pop the cubes out and store them in air tight plastic bags. When its time for his meal, use the microwave or stove to heat it up. 

Test before feeding it to baby to make sure its not too hot.  


 

An important note: Foods have to be cooked if you are serving to babies below 6 months. Or if you've just started weaning your baby. Raw fruits can only be taken after 8 weeks of weaning for babies over 6 months.   


 

For the purees, peel the skins if there is, remove any seeds or core inside (Green Beans don't have to). Then cook in boiling water till soft. Put the food in the blender, and blend it till its very fine and smooth. You can add in the water that you use to boil the food to get it to a smoother consistency.

 Remember that its your child's first foods, so you don't want to choke him.

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How To Start

Start with rice cereal first, as its least allergenic. You can add formula or breast milk into the cereal.

For babies below 6 months, give him a few teaspoons and only try a new food after 3-4 days. So that you can make sure he's not allergic to it.

For babies above 6 months, depends on how much your baby is willing to eat, you may try a new food in 1-2 days.  

 

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You may mix the food once baby has tried and he's not allergic to it. Like for example, you can add the purees into the rice cereal, or carrot potato puree, or cauliflower and sweet potato puree. 

Try to give more vegetables than fruits as you don't want to encourage a sweet tooth. You may give fruit juice too, but try to give them after their meals, as it may take their appetite off eating.

They can try some meat or fish, but seriously, blended meat or fish is damn disgusting, although I've tried for Tyler before. Fish is easier to blend cause its soft, meat will be a bit tough. I let Tyler tried more of that only when he starts to learn to use his gums to chew a little.  

Don't always give them smooth and fine food, when they're 7 months and older, they can start trying out food with a little more texture. Don't underestimate their gums, its very effective in chewing foods too! If you are constantly giving them fine and smooth purees, then they'll never learn to use their gums to chew. But of course observe and you'll know when its ok for them to 'upgrade'!

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Porridge

Porridge you don't have to start so early. Cause there's no nutrients in white rice. Rice cereals are better cause they have lots more nutrients in them, and convenient too!


I started Tyler on porridge only at 8-9 months, and even now, I don't give him porridge for his every meals. Sometimes I'll give him noodles, macaroni, or pasta too. Imagine having to eat porridge for all your meals, boring right?

   

Before he had his porridge, he's usually having fish cause like I told you meat is super hard to blend. And its hard for them to chew too!! That is why he's always having a fishy smell, haha...  

 

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Remember that when you are feeding your baby for the first time, be smiley and happy. Make it a nice experience for him.  

Don't force him to eat, or else he may not try anymore! If he refuses to eat the food, try again in a few days time.  

Be positive, that's the key!

 

So, I've try to write all that I can remember, if there is anything else feel free to ask me alright?