Baby-led Weaning: complementary feeding
Some time ago I have been watching through social networks and informing me about this supplementary feeding in the babies.
After investigating and studying it thoroughly I want to share with you what I have learned since it was very interesting for me.
I am the mother of a beautiful boy of almost 4 years old, when I started with the introduction of porridges and purées I thought it would be easy but it was not like that, quite the contrary, an authentic madness. My child never liked puree and is currently very strict when it comes to experiencing new changes in diet that is why this method caught my attention, here they are!
If you have a beautiful baby or you are in the sweet wait it might be interesting to know a little about Baby-led Weaning: supplementary feeding.
What is baby-led Weaning
The baby-led WeaningIt is a gradual method of introducing complementary foods. It could be translated as weaning directed by the baby. It does not have a literal translation into Spanish so it has been called in several ways as complementary feeding on demand and self-regulated feeding. In English this term is used as a synonym of the beginning of the supplementary feeding.
In U.S Many parents already experiment and put into practice the striking method, while in Europe little by little it is gaining ground.
How can we start doing the Baby-led Weaning?
If we want to start introducing this feeding method We must offer our baby food in small pieces and leave them to explore alone, to put them in their mouths and experience their texture and flavor.
There are many parents who do not agree with this new method for fear that children can drown, lifelong from 6 months of age the doctor recommends replacing breast milk and implement food gradually to our little ones. This task is not easy, at first many babies reject the papillas and it is usually a true chaos.
The Baby-led Weaning It allows the child to feel confident, gives them security and allows them to experience the flavor and new textures of the food on their own.
The boy You should be sitting correctly at your table to eat and watch them all the time if we are implementing this method. Give them one by one, so we can see if there are allergic reactions.
It is highly recommended to make vegetables steamed, so that they have a smooth texture and start with foods that they can grab more easily.
At the beginning he will suck the medicines and even they will crush it himself, as he evolves we give him smaller pieces allowing him to improve in the control of the "smart clamp"
Many pediatricians are already recommending it and although the child at the beginning plays with the food, they assure that they can achieve it by acquiring the necessary nutrients and in a more natural way. We should not worry if they eat little at the beginning because they still receive breast milk.
Little by little it is observed that the child eats more and replaces the milk. In my particular opinion I love this process where it is happening very gently and gradually the weaning and in a more natural and pleasant way for both the baby and the mother.
It is important to note that any change you want to implement in the way you feed your baby Tell your doctor since it is a sensitive issue.
Fear of choking
This is the fear of all mothers to experience this method because the food is not crushed and can be choked.
The supporters of Baby-led Weaning they ensure that the chances of getting stuck are the same as with other types of methods. What you need to have some safety guidelines and monitor them at the time they are eating.
The positive is that as the mime child is the one who decides what to eat and the amount and is not forced to take anything to mouth, he will only learn to eat safely.
It is very important to emphasize that each child is different mothers should not be obsessed with any method of feeding.
This task is difficult, patience and understanding is the fundamental pillar in this new stage for the baby, they do not understand and the unknown is often uncomfortable.
We must avoid solid foods such as nuts, start with soft foods and everything as natural as possible.
Some recipes to start doing the baby-led Weaning
First of all it is important to point out that the more natural we make your food, the better. Avoid excess salt and use fresh products.
Carrot and zucchini burger
1/2 zucchini
1 carrot
1 egg
120 gr of bread crumbs (without salt)
5 tablespoons of vegetable milk
Preparation
one: First we preheat the oven to 200º while they prepare the hamburgers.
two: Grate zucchini (with or without skin) and carrot.
3: Beat the egg in a bowl and add milk to taste. It mixes well.
4: Incorporate the vegetables and move gently.
5: Then add the bread crumbs and mix the mixture with well washed hands until a manageable dough is obtained.
6: On the baking tray covered in baking paper, make the hamburger the size you want.
7: Bake between 10 to 15 minutes and they are ready.
Turkey and apple meatballs
250 gr of minced turkey
1 egg
1/2 onion
125 grams of bread crumbs or whole wheat flour
Thyme to taste
Preheat the oven to 180º.
Preparation
one: Chop the onion and the apple very thin.
two: Place the meat in a bowl, the egg previously beaten, the onion, the apple and the thyme. We mix
3: Then add the bread crumbs until you get a compact mass that can be handled with your hands.
4: We form balls with our hands and place it on the baking tray covered by the non-stick stick.
5: Cook 20 min.
There are many recipes that I will bring later, it is important to discuss everything with your pediatrician before applying any method of feeding.
Final tips for making Baby-led Weaning
My main advice on this feeding method it's like I mentioned earlier patience and understanding that we as parents must have at this difficult stage for our children.
one:Forget how much you eat or not:At the beginning they will throw everything away, they will experiment, they will play with the food, remember it is a slow process but if we manage it, it can be very fun.
two:Do not sit the child to eat if you are sleepy: this is extremely important a child with a dream is a irritable, stupid child, when they feel tired they manifest it this way and there if they will not eat anything they will only be frustrated because they can not do what they want to sleep.
3:Ensure that the child is not very hungry before sitting down to eat: This sounds a bit weird but yes, it is better that the child does not have that desperate feeling to eat because he will get angry at not being able to grab the food well and end up crying.
Mamis calm this is a long and difficult process but do not let it become something tedious, on the contrary enjoy with our little ones will soon grow and believe me you will miss all these beautiful moments.