Ask The Expert - Weaning and Solid Foods

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Preethi Rahul explains how to gradually wean a toddler by introducing different types of solid foods.

Preethi Rahul

Registered Dietitian, Diploma in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Graduation in Nutrition, Food Service Management and Dietetics.
Two years of rich experience in the field of nutrition, currently working with a Multinational Corporation
Expertise in the field of Child nutrition and Diabetes
LinkedIn Profile
Contact: via email

Question: My nursing toddler does not eat solid foods. What should I do?

Answer:

Weaning foods need to be introduced in the child’s diet.

Now what do I mean by weaning?

Weaning is the stage when the child undergoes a transition from having only breast milk to semi solid foods; followed by a solid diet.

Need for weaning..

At birth, mother’s milk alone is adequate for the infant. Requirements of all the nutrients progressively increase with the infant’s growth. Simultaneously, the breast- milk secretion in the mother comes down with time. Thus, infants are deprived of adequate nutrients due to the dual factors of increased nutrient requirements and decreased availability of breast milk. Usually, these changes occur at about 4-6 months of age. Hence, promotion of optimal growth in infants, calls for introduction of adequate food supplements in addition to continued breast feeding, from the age of 4-6 months onwards.

When to start weaning..

There is no set rule about the age for weaning. As a general principle six months and above is considered as the ideal age. Weaning is a personal decision. In short, when one or both members of the mother-baby relationship are ready, it’s time to wean.

First foods..

Many of you would be wondering as to what kind of solids to start feeding your child with? It is very important to take food allergies into consideration here. So you have to start weaning foods that are generally least allergic and then move on to more complex ones. Generally foods high in protein are introduced last.

You could start by giving them

Vegetable purees: just boiled carrots, beans, cauliflower, pumpkin, sweet potatoes etc. You need not add sugar or salt. Just boil them and make a puree but it is not necessary to strain it as by straining all the fiber content is lost. Green leafy vegetable water can be provided to infants which will be excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. Green Leafy vegetables are more fibrous than other vegetables and hence can lead to loose motions in infants if not cooked and pureed well.
Try fruit purees next: It could be stewed apples, bananas or mashed pear, muskmelons or pears. Try avoiding strongly citric fruits like orange, berries, pomegranates as they are too strong for the delicate stomach lining.
Move on to cereals: If your toddler has tolerated vegetables and fruits well, move on to cereals. It is best to start with well cooked, mashed rice. Try not to include wheat and refined flours initially as they may contain gluten, which may not suit some children.
Weaning foods based on cereal:pulse combinations will provide good quality protein, adequate calories and other protective nutrients. Since infants cannot consume bulky weaning food in sufficient quantities, energy- rich foods like fats and sugars should be included in such preparations.
Next step is to introduce lentils: Try giving simple ones like green gram and then move on to more complex ones like Bengal gram and rajma (kidney beans) after child completes the age of one.
Finally Egg yolk and meat soup can also be included to increase the protein content in the child’s diet.
At about one year of age, the child should share the family diet.

Amylase rich foods…

Flours of germinated cereals, which are rich in the enzyme alpha amylase, constitute Amylase rich foods. Even small amounts this type of foods liquefy and reduce the bulk of the cereal- based diet.Thus ARF helps in increasing the energy density of weaning gruels and in reducing its bulk as well.
Mothers can add ARF to increase the digestibility of low- cost weaning recipes prepared at home.

How to feed a todder..

Infants cannot eat large quantities of food in one sitting at a given time. So, they should be fed small quantities at frequent intervals (5-6 times a day). The food should be of semi-solid consistency which is easy to swallow. When such semi solid foods are offered initially the infant tends to spit it out. This should not be mistaken as a dislike for that food. The young infant cannot achieve full coordination needed for the act of swallowing, and hence, brings out the food by movements of its tongue. Physiological maturity of swallowing the semi-solid food develops when the food is regularly given every day.

In case child is still fussy about having solids..

This is a period of change for the child and it is quite natural for there to be resistant. Have patience.
Do not get obsessed with a particular food item – avoid it for a few days and then try again.
Do not force-feed the child as whatever little the child has started eating by force, the child would avoid.
Try innovative recipes and ways of presentation so that it will make your child eat better..

Hygiene practices to be adopted while preparing weaning foods

Vegetables should be washed well to remove parasites, pesticides, contaminants before cutting.
At the time of preparation and feeding of the recipes mother should observe proper personal hygiene.
The utensils used for cooking should be thoroughly washed and sterilized.
As feeding is likely to be time consuming, the cup or the plate from which the recipe is being fed to the infant should be kept covered to protect from flies.

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Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

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