When the baby is born and is 4 to 6 months old, weaning food is started. When is the right age to start weaning? Also, what should I pay attention to when feeding? Learn about the weaning period, which is the time when babies adapt to new foods, and learn about the precautions for each weaning period.
When to start weaning
Babies are born and grow up eating only formula or breast milk, and at some point they start weaning. When is the best time to start weaning? Weaning begins at about 4 to 6 months, if early, from 4 months, usually from 5 to 6 months. My first child started weaning at 4 months on the advice of a doctor. The first child, who was born at 2.66 kg, did not eat much breast milk or formula, so she gained more slowly than other children her age. I was worried, but at the hospital where I received an infant checkup, the doctor said it would be better to start weaning food quickly, so I started from the 4th month. At 4 months, she was worried that her digestive system might not have developed yet, but since she started with thin rice, she would eat it well. If your baby does not eat well with breast milk or formula, it may not be filled with enough nutrients, so it is good to start weaning after hearing the opinion of a specialist. 4 months may feel a bit early, but 5 months is also the time to start safely, and around this time, it is good to start by looking at the baby’s reaction. If you are interested in what mom and dad are eating, show curiosity about the food on the table, and pretend to open your mouth to eat when you bring food to your mouth, it would be good to consult with a specialist to pull the start time. However, regardless of this reason, if you start weaning too early, it can be too much for your baby, so it is good to start when you can sit upright with strength in your back and chew.
Concentration by weaning period
Weaning is divided into four stages. The early stage is 4-6 months, the middle stage is 7-9 months, the late stage is 10-12 months, and the complete stage is 13-15 months. The initial weaning food should have few particles and a very thin consistency so that it drips down. It is also the stage where babies who are fed formula or breast milk experience weaning food for the first time, so it should be adjusted to a slightly diluted level at a similar level. Mid-term weaning food has small lumps and is 5 times the concentration of porridge. It’s time to get used to lumps to some extent. Late weaning food has larger particles than the middle phase, and is three times the concentration of porridge that drips when dropped with a spoon. It’s time to get used to the lump and train yourself to chew food. Finished baby food is about the same consistency as jinbap. It is in the stage of getting used to rice to some extent, but it is not yet fully developed, so it is good to boil the rice and cook the side dishes well for digestion. It is good to start with one ingredient in the early stages of weaning food so that you can feel the taste, and in the middle and later stages, it is better to mix two or three or more ingredients to taste various things. Also, when you first start weaning, it is good to start with little liver and gradually change to a low-salt diet after the completion period. If you get used to salt from the beginning, it is not good for your health, and it is because you get used to the taste of salt, not the original taste of food. During the weaning period, it is necessary to allow the baby to experience various tastes so that the baby will grow up as a child who does not have a sense of rejection and does not have an unbalanced diet in contact with various foods even after the completion period. In addition, when weaning, it is important to start with the help of parents at first, but gradually help the baby to taste the food he wants and enjoy the process of eating.
Baby food precautions, allergy test
When a baby who has been fed only formula or breast milk starts weaning, she is introduced to a variety of foods. At this time, the body’s reaction to the food that the baby is experiencing for the first time should also be observed. In particular, allergy tests are required for food ingredients that cause allergies, such as egg yolks and peanuts. Peanut allergy is so serious that it causes breathing difficulties in severe cases, and it is difficult for parents to know the reaction to the allergy. Usually, when doing an allergy test, lightly apply it to the skin or taste it in small amounts to check the reaction with a time difference. It is better to do an allergy test in the morning on weekdays. This is because it is easy to go to the hospital immediately if something goes wrong with the baby. Allergic reactions include itching, sneezing, swelling, vomiting or diarrhea, and if your lips or eyes swell, you should go to the hospital quickly. If you are concerned about severe allergies, it is better to do an allergy test at a hospital rather than testing with food. Another precaution when weaning is to match the food well. Food has good compatibility and bad compatibility. If you mix food with bad compatibility for weaning food, the effect on the baby can be greater, so be careful. If you are a mother who is starting weaning for the first time, it would be good to refer to the diet by referring to baby food books.