Weaning is introducing food other than milk to breast-fed babies.
Usually, it is taken in the context of addition of semi-solid feds to the infant's diet.
The necessity of introducing additional food is caused by the following reasons: • Usually, the quantity of breast milk decreases gradually by the end of 1 year.
• The amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates is adequate to the infant's needs only until 4-5 months.
• Infant's requirements of mineral increase by the end of 6 months, therefore, giving plant foods that are good sources of mineral substances is really important.
• The digestive tract for proper development and functioning needs plant fibers (cellulose that is absent and enzymes of stomach and duodenum increases so additional food can be effectively digested.
• After 4 months, neuromuscular development has advanced sufficiently so pureed solids can be swallowed.
• Chewing of solid is important in proper development of speech organs.
Main rules of introducing solids are as follows; • Single-ingredient foods should be chosen and started one at a time at 2 weeks intervals to permit the identification of food intolerance.
• New semi-solid foods should be given before breast feeding because after breast feeding, the child may dislike the intake of any other unknown food.
• Food must be very soft and easy to swallow and should not be irritable to digestive tract.
• Starting from little dosage (5-10ml) we increase the dose later on to fulfill 1 breast feeding.
• Another type of additional feeding should be given when the child becomes adapted with the previous feeding.
• Additional food must be given with a spoon, not from bottle.
The recommendation for introducing solids for weaning is in three steps: I Weaning- at 6 months give the baby vegetable puree (potato, cabbage, carrot, pumpkin) beginning from 5g (1 teaspoon).
Increase portion of this puree gradually (on 10-15ml daily).
By the end of 4 months the child should eat 150-180ml of it so to fulfill one breast feeding.
After 6 months is 200ml.
II Weaning- at 7-8 months, 5% cereal-based food boiled on diluted cow's milk (milk:water as 1:1) can be given for a baby.
Begin from 5g (1 teaspoon) and increase portion gradually to fulfill one breast feeding in 2-3 weeks.
We recommend to begin with rice given earlier than 10-12 months because they are likely to cause malarbsorption syndrome in infants.
As a rule, it takes 3 to 4 weeks for a baby to adapt with one kind of cereals.
After this period, cereal can be boiled on whole pasteurized cow's milk adding 5% of sugar and 3% of creams.
In nowadays, powdered instant cereal formulas are widely spread because of their convenience for use.
Their advantages are infectious safety, easy preparing and fortifying with iron and vitamins.
In cases, when the child has poor weight gain, dyspeptic stool or signs of allergy, we recommend to give cereal-based food as I weaning.
III weaning- at 10- 1 year, the infant should be given weaning food instead of 18 hours of breast feeding.
These can be: • Yogurt (up to 150-160ml) with soft cheese (30-50g); • Rusk, toast, or bread (30-40g) with warm whole cow's milk (up to 160-170ml): • After 10 months, it can be also cereal-based milk food.
Take note that potent allergens like fish, citrus fruits, strawberries, peanut butter etc, may be started after one year of age as less risk of causing allergies at that time.
Usually, it is taken in the context of addition of semi-solid feds to the infant's diet.
The necessity of introducing additional food is caused by the following reasons: • Usually, the quantity of breast milk decreases gradually by the end of 1 year.
• The amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates is adequate to the infant's needs only until 4-5 months.
• Infant's requirements of mineral increase by the end of 6 months, therefore, giving plant foods that are good sources of mineral substances is really important.
• The digestive tract for proper development and functioning needs plant fibers (cellulose that is absent and enzymes of stomach and duodenum increases so additional food can be effectively digested.
• After 4 months, neuromuscular development has advanced sufficiently so pureed solids can be swallowed.
• Chewing of solid is important in proper development of speech organs.
Main rules of introducing solids are as follows; • Single-ingredient foods should be chosen and started one at a time at 2 weeks intervals to permit the identification of food intolerance.
• New semi-solid foods should be given before breast feeding because after breast feeding, the child may dislike the intake of any other unknown food.
• Food must be very soft and easy to swallow and should not be irritable to digestive tract.
• Starting from little dosage (5-10ml) we increase the dose later on to fulfill 1 breast feeding.
• Another type of additional feeding should be given when the child becomes adapted with the previous feeding.
• Additional food must be given with a spoon, not from bottle.
The recommendation for introducing solids for weaning is in three steps: I Weaning- at 6 months give the baby vegetable puree (potato, cabbage, carrot, pumpkin) beginning from 5g (1 teaspoon).
Increase portion of this puree gradually (on 10-15ml daily).
By the end of 4 months the child should eat 150-180ml of it so to fulfill one breast feeding.
After 6 months is 200ml.
II Weaning- at 7-8 months, 5% cereal-based food boiled on diluted cow's milk (milk:water as 1:1) can be given for a baby.
Begin from 5g (1 teaspoon) and increase portion gradually to fulfill one breast feeding in 2-3 weeks.
We recommend to begin with rice given earlier than 10-12 months because they are likely to cause malarbsorption syndrome in infants.
As a rule, it takes 3 to 4 weeks for a baby to adapt with one kind of cereals.
After this period, cereal can be boiled on whole pasteurized cow's milk adding 5% of sugar and 3% of creams.
In nowadays, powdered instant cereal formulas are widely spread because of their convenience for use.
Their advantages are infectious safety, easy preparing and fortifying with iron and vitamins.
In cases, when the child has poor weight gain, dyspeptic stool or signs of allergy, we recommend to give cereal-based food as I weaning.
III weaning- at 10- 1 year, the infant should be given weaning food instead of 18 hours of breast feeding.
These can be: • Yogurt (up to 150-160ml) with soft cheese (30-50g); • Rusk, toast, or bread (30-40g) with warm whole cow's milk (up to 160-170ml): • After 10 months, it can be also cereal-based milk food.
Take note that potent allergens like fish, citrus fruits, strawberries, peanut butter etc, may be started after one year of age as less risk of causing allergies at that time.