What to feed when weaning your child

It can be very tempting to rush into the kitchen and start cooking exotic combinations of fruit and vegetables as a start to the amazing world of solid food, but in reality you should probably hold back on the purées you make to a single ingredient, which will mean you can establish how crowd pleasing each new kind of food is with your baby. There will be time for more extensive dishes later on.

Use organic fruit and vegetables where available as they will be additive-free and tasty. Home-made meals are much less expensive than store-bought jars, so it is worth investing a bit of time every few days cooking up some purées. You can always put them in the freezer and heat them during the course of the week.

First off, it might be best to give your baby half of his usual breast feed before trying his first taste of solids. That way, he won’t be too hungry, nor will he be too full. Try to pick a time when he is not too fractious and try to establish a routine by feeding him at the same time every day. To begin with, you might want to sit him on your lap.

In the beginning he will most likely only eat a teaspoon or so, you can offer him more, but when he loses focus it may be best to feed him the rest of his breast.

Children need to learn how to swallow, (hence the regurgitation anddribbling that turns yourself, him and the surrounding area into a large mess) so be patient. In the first couple of weeks, you should become accustomed to your lovingly home made fruit concoctions being unceremoniously spat out as your little one figures out how to chew.

If your child does not show interest in solid food, then may be to leave it for a bit longer before giving it another bash. Maintain the normal breast feeds and perhaps try something a bit simpler, formula and pudding rice or puréed potato for example. He might not like the strong taste of the weird new food that you are giving him. No matter what, your baby will gradually enjoy eating.

If you would like more tips on <a href="http://stopbreastfeeding.net/blog/introducing-solids-to-your-baby">introducing solids</a> or meal ideas for when you are weaning, please visit my <a href="http://stopbreastfeeding.net">blog</a>.