Tips on child nutrition after weaning
Once the baby arrives, our main focus is feeding - ensuring they get enough milk, gain weight, and have a sufficient milk supply. But what about when we transition to solid foods? How do we guarantee they receive the necessary nutrients and calories to grow well? We're here to help.
If you breastfeed, use bottles, or do both, there are important points to remember. Let's start by discussing what weaning means.
What is weaning?
Weaning is the term used to describe the process of switching a baby from:
Breastfeeding to formula-feeding.
Breastfeeding, formula-feeding or combo feeding to solid foods only.
When is the best time to wean?
This time is unique to every family and depends on how ready you and your child are to start weaning. There is no right or wrong time to wean, and there's not a specific amount of time to take. There are some times were weaning might not be the best thing to do, or when weaning might be more physically and emotionally challenging for mom and baby, and these are:
Big routine changes such as moving, starting daycare, or other changes in the family dynamics
Stressful times
Social or cultural pressure from family or friends to wean at a specific time just because it is expected
Once we have covered some basic questions, let's talk about nutrition after weaning!
Here are 5 tips for you to optimize your child's nutrition while and after weaning.
Tip #1: Look for a slow transition
Regardless of the type of feeding journey that you've had, either if you're exclusively breastfeeding, combo feeding or exclusively pumping, we need to avoid any drastic changes if possible. This is not only to prevent any drastic change in your child's intake but also in the mother's body. If we're switching from breast milk to formula, or adding formula to an exclusively breastfed baby's diet, we need to make sure that we’re doing a smooth transition. We need to see how our baby's body responds to any diet changes, and we need to protect our body from clogging, engorgement, inflammation and infection. Our body needs to adapt to the changes in our milk supply and adjust slowly to the new routine. While transitioning we need to replace any feed that we are dropping off with something else: either if it's replacing breast milk with formula or with solid foods, it is important that we balance the intake. So, let's take a look at what's going to happen with solids.
Tip #2: Take a look at solid foods and water intake
If your baby's older than 6 months, it is likely that they're already eating solid foods. Although it is important for us to ensure the solids' intake, if your baby's not 1 year old yet, solids won't replace breast milk. At this point we would need to consider introducing formula. On the other hand, if your baby's older than 12 months, we might be able to drop some bottle or breast feeds and replace them with solid meals. The amount, balance and frequency of these meals will become very important. When it comes to solids, balance is the #1 thing that we need to take a look at. At all meals we should be offering at least one high-iron food and one calorie-rich food, as well as veggies and fruits. The quality of the solid foods is always important, but it will become a priority when we start weaning. This is something that needs to be individualized with a 1:1 consultation with your pediatrician and/or feeding specialist.
And, let's not forget water. Water intake is one of the most important things to consider. If your baby is under one year old, this will be covered by formula or breast milk. Some water might be offered in limited amounts after solid meals. For children older than one year old, we should start offering more water on demand, especially while weaning. The same way how we replace feeds with solid meals, we should also replace the hydration part of it. Ruling out hunger and thirstiness by increasing the amount and frequency of meals and water intake is especially important.
Tip #3: Avoid dropping night feeds to quickly or too soon
There's a social and cultural misconception that at a certain age babies don't need night feeds anymore. This is absolutely untrue. Most babies will stop needing night feeds around one year of age, but this actually happens at a unique time for every baby. We do know for sure that infants under one year of age will very likely still need night feeds since they are often one third of their calorie intake. As healthcare practitioners, we shouldn't encourage or recommend dropping night feeds before the baby's first birthday. What happens after the first birthday will depend on the baby's feeding at that moment: how many solid meals are being offered? How much is the baby eating? Are all meals balanced? Is the baby feeding well or having issues? Is the baby breastfed or formula fed, or both? So many things that we need to consider! It is definitely a very individual journey for every family.
Tip #4: Keep it simple
We often think that weaning a baby from the breast means introducing bottles. I'm here to tell you this is very rarely the case unless it's the parent(s) personal choice. For babies older than 6 months, we can easily introduce open cups and straw cups; sippy cups, training cups and bottles are actually not recommended. If your baby's older than one year old, it's very likely that you won't even have to introduce formula, as we mentioned before, so this means that there's no need to even worry about bottles! Try keeping it simple and skip the bottles if they're not necessary. If it is your personal preference to introduce bottles or to continue using them, just consider that by 12-18 months of age, ideally your baby won't be feeding from bottles anymore, as recommended by worldwide experts in oral health and development, since it interferes negatively with oral facial development and it increases the risk of tooth decay.
Tip #5: Take care of yourself
When we are breastfeeding and/or pumping, weaning is not all about the baby, it is also about mothers. While weaning, you'll experience changes in your body, not only physical but also emotional. Have you ever heard about baby blues? Well, there's also something we call the weaning blues. This is basically the mood change that most women experience because of all the hormonal changes going through our bodies while weaning. It is important that we take care of ourselves and look for support, not only professional but also a group of women experiencing similar experiences and supporting each other. Your body is also going to experience changes and it is important that we're also paying attention to it. Preventing clogged ducts and mastitis is important at this stage. Work with a lactation consultant while you're going through these changes. Having a weaning plan will decrease your anxiety about it and prevent any complications.
Weaning is such an emotional stage for us moms. We get mixed feelings about it, it is sometimes a voluntary decision, and some other times it's more something that we have to do but we don't necessarily feel good about it. It is one more stage of motherhood, and our journey will very much depend on the support that we have, on how well we know what to expect and whether we have professional guidance or not.
Allow yourself to trust the process and to trust someone who can help. As moms, we don't have to be experts and know all the things! Googling every single thing often brings us so much overwhelm and anxiety. Relying on somebody, having a village or a support person, will definitely make a huge difference.
At Mamas Au Lait | Lactation, we’re here to help. We'll guide you and support you all the way. Reach out for one on one support. We'll make a plan for you and most importantly, you won't have to figure it out on your own, you'll have a village.
By Paola Vallarino IEP IBCLC CBS.
Mamas Au Lait | Lactation
REFERENCES:
Lawrence, R.A., & Lawrence, R.M. (2005). Breastfeeding: A guide for the medical professional, 5th edition.Rochester NY: Elsevier Mosby. Pp. 22.
Pan American Health Organization. (2003). Guiding principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child.
World Health Organization. (1998). Complementary feeding of young children in developing countries: A review of current scientific knowledge.
Canadian Paediatric Society. (2013). Feeding your baby in the first year. Retrieved from: http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/feeding_your_baby_in_the_first_year
Lisa Daniels, Anne-Louise M. Heath, Sheila M. Williams, et al. Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) study: a randomised controlled trial of a baby-led approach to complementary feeding. BMC Pediatrics volume 15, Article number: 179 (2015).
Medical Review:John Pope MD - Pediatrics & Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Thomas Emmett Francoeur MD MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics. My Health Alberta.
