No parent wants to face a difficult decision with their child, especially not a young baby. Having a baby that isn’t taking to weaning as easily as you would have hoped can be a stressful time for the both of you. You may begin to lose hope that your baby will ever take to solid foods, but there are some ways you can make it easier for both you and your baby.
Try a Small Distraction
You don’t want the sole focus on the interaction to be about the solid food. There can be a lot of pressure on your baby if you’re trying to make them only focus on the food on the spoon.
It may be a good idea to provide a positive distraction for your baby, such as their favourite toy, playing with them, or having someone else play with them —like another parent —to create a supportive atmosphere that isn’t about forcing new food.
Include a Wide Range of Food Textures and Tastes
You don’t want to stubbornly try the same jar of food all the time. To make weaning more interesting for your baby and to discover what they really like, always be sure to mix it up as much as possible.
Get the Right Equipment
There are certain items you can buy to make the process easier and tidier. Switching to solid foods can be extremely messy, which means anything you can do to decrease mess and improve both your baby’s and your own comfort will be an advantage.
You can try a weaning bib with full sleeves, like these from Bibado, which catches fallen food and prevents clothing stains, and you can fit a proper highchair to your kitchen table to have the right spot for your baby to sit.
Also, make sure you stock up on weaning plates, dishes, cups, jars, and spoons, so you have everything you need.
Don’t Get Too Concerned Over Mess
Part of the weaning process may be your baby accepting certain foods but a lot of it ending up over their face! If you’re too preoccupied with trying to wipe between every bite, it may interrupt the process. Take care of the mess later, and in the moment just focus on helping your baby take to the solid food.
As mentioned in the point above, there are always cleaning supplies and protective bibs you can buy to help.
Don’t Suddenly Stop Breastfeeding
Weaning your baby shouldn’t be about an immediate switch to solid food. It’s a good idea to take it slow and gradual, by replacing a breastfeed with solid food if you can. Weaning should be when your baby is ready, so if it doesn’t seem like they’re ready to stop all breastfeeding, it isn’t a good idea to put too much stress on it.
Let Your Baby See You Being Positive
As a final thought: it’s important for your baby to think that the solid food experience is a good one. Smiling, using a positive tone, and laughter can all help, even if your baby is taking their time accepting solid food.
Disclosure: This is a a collaborative post.
