Weaning!

Pediatricians across the world advocate for six months of exclusive breastfeeding. Your baby's gut is not well developed before six months and most babies can only sit up without support or strain by their sixth month. It is important that the baby is able to sit first to minimize the risk of choking.

I looked forward to to the day our six months would be up so that I could start weaning my son. Little did I know what lay ahead. I was fortunate enough to have established my baby's allergies before we got to weaning so I was careful not to introduce anything he would react to. When you start weaning ensure:

Utensils

Baby's utensils should be in a separate set of utensils from the utensils the rest of the family using (Preferably BPA free). Clean them separately in warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly. ( You can sterilize using sterilizers safe for baby e.g. Milton's liquid or tablets). Wash baby's utensils immediately after use to avoid contamination.. make sure you also store the utensils in a separate clean dry container or rack. 

Food

Introduce one food at a time. To allow your baby to get used to the taste and also to be sure the baby is not allergic to the food. Introduce something new after four days. If you decide to do uji(porridge ) which is a very healthy option, use one ingredient in the flour first and once you establish the baby is not allergic to an ingredient please don't do more than two ingredients in your flour until baby turns 1 yr old to avoid taxing your little one's gut. My son embraced Uji heartily but eating food was a problem. He threw up anything I fed him and I got really frustrated at the start. (I will talk about the solutions later ) 

Frequency.

At the beginning feed, the baby small portions start by twice in a day as you build up to more times   During the day. Starts your feeds at 8 and be done by 6 pm. Please keep in mind that babies are different some babies feed better than others and vice verse. Watch your baby carefully and follow their cues. Don't force them to eat.


Consistency. 

Purée the food or fruit into a fine consistency. This will help the baby to be able to swallow easily. You will change the consistency as the baby grows.

Cooking method

It is best to bake the baby's food before you puree it however it is not mandatory to do so. You can steam the food. You will change the cooking method as your baby grows. 

Food preparation

prepare food just before cooking as foods or puree it. Vitamin C and some B vitamins are gradually lost once the food is cut, cooked, exposed to the air and pureed. The more processes fruit and vegetables undergo, the more nutrients they'll lose. 

Storage

It is important that you prepare the baby fresh food or fruits. However, you can Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use them up within a day( some people say longer) I Preferred to be safe than sorry and opted not more than 24 hrs of refrigeration. You can also freeze leftovers in ice cube trays or similar devices. After the cubes are frozen solid, remove them and store in plastic freezer bags. Fruits and vegetables frozen this way will last six to eight months. Meat and fish will last one to two months.

When it comes to making purees use a blender after you have cooked the food. If you don't have a blender, don't worry just mash the food and pass it through a strong sieve using a spoon to press it out. Eventually, as your baby grows older you can opt to use a fork to mash the food so as not to puree it too much. Avoid acidic fruits at first as they may cause your baby irritation..

Don't add sugar to baby's food. it is unhealthy at that tender age. remember to steer clear of honey when the baby is under one year old. Make your baby a healthy nutritive snack. make fruit ice cream without additives. Please don't feed your baby on junk, sugar, frozen food or hot food. Always check the temperature of food before feeding your little one.