Motherly Love Digi-Mag Autumn 2022

BABIES NUTRITION
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BABIES NUTRITION
Until 6 months of
age milk feeds
are a priority
and solids are
a supplement. After this
solid feeds become more
important and should
be offered before milk
feeds. Watch out for signs
of readiness between 4-6
months. These includeshowing
interest/grabbing
at your food, more
frequent night waking due
to hunger or decreasing
periods between day feeds
due to hunger.
Do expect milk
intake to decrease as food
volume increases. If your
baby doesn’t want to eat
one day think about why
this could be – are they
teething, tired, unwell, full
up from big milk feeds?
Always respect your baby’s
appetite and don’t push
them – they’ll probably
be back on their food the
following day.
Each baby is
different so there are no set
rules and certainly not one
right way of approaching
introducing solids. This
is merely a guideline until
you find your feet.
Weaning begins with
single fruit or vegetable
purées. When you do
introduce them, do so
one at a time and in small
amounts so that you can
notice and pinpoint any
adverse reactions. Firstly
try foods you know your
baby is fine with, then
leave three days before
you try the next new food.
Gradually introducing
NUTRITION IS IMPORTANT SO KEEP THESE THREE PRINCIPLES IN MIND
• Choose foods as close to nature as possible – so minimal processing,
additives or added ingredients. Pretend you are living off the land –
what would you have access to and use these as starter foods.
• Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains as unrefined as
possible
• Don’t be afraid of protein foods like eggs, groundnuts, fish and other
animal meats. Early exposure (between 5-7 months of age) to these
protein-rich foods can actually decrease the risk of allergy to these
foods.
foods in this way makes it
easier to identify adverse
reactions.
Start in the
morning when your
baby is not tired and
grumpy preferably after
the first nap of the day.
Start by offering 1 to 3
teaspoons of vegetable
or fruit and increase the
volume per meal, if the
baby finishes it. Appetites
vary considerably from
meal to meal and to other
babies, so be careful not
to compare with the next
child or try to force your
baby to eat more/finish the
meal.
Let your baby
play with their food and
generally explore what
they’re eating. A lot more
may come out than goes
in but this is all part of the
process. They may reject
certain flavours initially
but babies may need to try
foods over and over again
before they accept them,
so don’t be disheartened.
You’re laying the
groundwork for a broad
palate later on.
Once your little
one has got the hang of
eating some solids you
can start to get more
creative. Think about
flavour combinations often
found in soups or simple
comfort food dishes. You
can start to add meat and
fish as well as eggs and
dairy as long as there are
no allergy issues. Speak to
your Health Practitioner
if you’re concerned about
any food allergy.
Even if you’re not
hungry, or in a rush,
always try to sit and eat
something with your baby
at each meal as they learn
from what they see. You
don’t have to eat a lot,
and it doesn’t have to be
the same food – though
research shows the same
colour food as theirs can
be helpful!
We all belong to a culture
and our own households
have a culture. Culture
determines many things
and especially when it
comes to food preferences.
It might be the way food is
chosen and prepared. The
way food is eaten and what
foods are avoided all have
an influence from culture.
Food preference also plays
a role. So introducing your
baby to solids is a delicate
dance between cultural
norms, personal choices
and good nutrition.
* Sharing food is one
of life’s pleasures. Join
your baby in their new
adventures with food.
Try not to worry too
much what or how much
actually goes into their
mouth. Experiment with
combinations – some
work better than others,
but there is no right or
wrong as they all offer
different flavours and
MOST IMPORTANTLY – RELAX!!!
nutrients. If you give
them plenty of choice and
variety, the rest will take
care of itself, sometimes
sooner, sometimes
later. Ultimately, you’re
preparing your baby to
eat with you throughout
their childhood and to be
comfortable and confident
to explore the world of
food for themselves. This
is just the beginning. ■
“
Introducing your baby to solids
is a delicate dance between cultural
norms, personal choices and good
nutrition. ”
Try to resist keeping little hands away from the bowl as
your baby will love to explore the food through touching
and playing with it (as messy as it may be!)
Offer finger foods alongside spoon-fed meals
wherever possible, as self-feeding will help develop your
baby’s dexterity/ fine motor skills, as well as the muscles
they need for chewing. Get your baby used to the idea of a
cup from six months by letting them play with it outside of
mealtimes – when it is empty!
When spoon-feeding your baby have two spoons to
hand – one for baby and one for you. Let them practice
feeding themselves, and whilst they are having a go with
their spoon be ready to load up the next, then swap!
It’s very normal for babies to refuse foods that
they have enjoyed eating before. This can be extremely
frustrating but whatever you do don’t give up trying – keep
on offering refused foods as the repeated exposure will pay
off eventually.
We all belong to a culture and our own households
have a culture. Culture determines many things and
especially when it comes to food preferences. It might be
the way food is chosen and prepared. The way food is eaten
and what foods are avoided all have an influence from
culture. Food preference also plays a role. So introducing
your baby to solids is a delicate dance between cultural
norms, personal choices and good nutrition.
Motherly Love issue 2
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