When Should I Start Weaning My Baby?

When to wean the baby entirely depends on an individual. If you feel that the baby is completely ready to be nourished solely on external solid and liquid food, you can start weaning her.

Till six months of age, breast milk is sufficient to feed and nurture a baby. After this, mothers are advised to gradually start with outside liquid and solid food. Once the baby completes a year, it is advisable to start weaning her slowly.

While some mothers wean their babies at nine months of age, others believe in continuing breastfeeding till the baby is two years old. There is no harm in both the practices, so long as the baby gets the nutrients required to keep up a healthy weight gain.

How Should I Start Weaning?

Infants can't adjust to external food overnight. So make weaning a gradual process. If done abruptly, it will make your baby insecure and even sick.

Start the process with bland liquids that taste like breast milk. Add external formula, pulps of boiled vegetables and liquid ground rice, one at a time.

During weaning process, if the baby demands breast milk, don't refuse. Doing so will only upset the baby and could have a deep emotional impact.

Your baby may not agree with all external food. So check for signs inconsolable crying, diarrhoea, constipation or gas.

Feed your baby gripe water and plain boiled-and-cooled water at least twice a day to avoid constipation.