Weaning a baby is more than a nutritional milestone; it’s a delicate dance of love, patience, and discovery. This transitional phase requires more than a cookbook, where a baby moves from exclusive breastfeeding to exploring new foods. It calls for intuition, preparation, and a willingness to embrace the mess and magic of nurturing a tiny human.
George Kamau, a consultant nutritionist at Halcyon Healthcare, has guided countless parents through this journey. “Weaning should not be thought of as the introduction of solid foods. It’s introducing anything other than breast milk,” Mr Kamau says.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, a fact that Mr Kamau ardently supports. “Breast milk offers all the nutrition a baby needs. In an ideal situation, it’s best to feed directly from the breast, as this allows the mother to observe subtle cues and behaviours. These cues, whether it’s how a baby latches or the way they fuss help build a bond and provide invaluable experiential knowledge. But when the six-month mark approaches, signs of readiness for weaning start to show. You’ll notice the baby biting at things, putting objects in their mouth, or suckling their thumb. These are signs that they might be ready to try something new,” he tells Lifestyle.
When weaning your baby, Mr Kamau says, a parent should not seek to give the baby large amounts of food. “A baby will take anywhere from 50 ml to about 100 ml of milk per feeding, which is very little, and they will do that maybe eight times in a day. Therefore, they are working on a 500 ml volume of food for 24 hours at the maximum. Therefore, when transitioning to other foods, we are not now beginning to think of voluminous amounts of food.”
As parents introduce their babies to new foods, Mr Kamau emphasises caution and patience. “You want to be aware of how the food was prepared from start to finish so that in case the baby shows signs of an allergic reaction, you can pick it up very fast and know that they are reacting to a certain meal.”
Mr Kamau says that weaning is a feedback process. “You introduce something, and the baby tells you, through their reaction, how they feel about it. The journey typically begins with liquids that mimic the texture of breast milk. Vegetable soups, coconut water, and bone broths are ideal first foods,” he says suggesting that for hesitant eaters, it will be good to blend a teaspoon of coconut water or broth into expressed breast milk. “Next comes the purees, that is the smooth foods like porridge or mashed potatoes. As the baby adapts, semi-solids like guacamole or mashed pumpkin can be added. It’s important to introduce one food at a time and observe how the baby reacts. If they reject it, try again. It can take up to ten attempts for a baby to accept a new flavour,” Mr Kamau advises.
Dealing with an allergic reaction
Babies will often react differently to some foods and some may develop an allergic reaction to some food. Mr Kamau says that a mild allergic reaction to a certain food is not a sure sign that the baby should stop taking that food. “When introducing new foods, you can expect to see some allergic reactions. If the reaction is not too grievous, you may want to try giving the baby the same food again to see if the reaction will still be there or if it will wane off. However, if the allergic reaction is severe, then that may be reason enough to stop at the onset. This is why it's important to be able to tell how the food arrived on the plate of the baby, who fed them, and how much they have eaten. In this way, you're able to pick all these details so that even if it requires the need for a physician to intervene, as they're probing how it came about, you're able to be very detailed so that even the diagnosis is very precise,” he says.
With the festive season here with us, there is bound to be a lot of travelling, eating out and family gatherings. Mr Kamau cautions that this season is not the time to try out new meals on your baby.
Consultant nutritionist at Halcyon Healthcare George Kamau speaks during an interview on December 2nd 2024 at Nation Centre building in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation
“Are you going to a restaurant? Carry food for your weaning baby. Do not offer your baby food from a restaurant because you do not know how it was prepared. In case there is an allergic reaction or an adverse effect, you wouldn't know what to point at. So because of that, let the baby eat food that you can account for from beginning to end,” he says.
“Stick to foods your baby is familiar with. Carry food from home, especially if you’re attending parties. It’s better to be safe than risk an allergic reaction or upset stomach. When relatives insist on feeding your baby, make sure that they know they can only feed your baby, the food that you have prepared. It is best to sit by and watch as they feed the baby. When you are in an environment that is outside your baby's comfort zone, you don't want to introduce new foods at that time. You want to give them the meals that you know they are least fussy about. Weaning is a period of a lot of patience.”
That said, weaning your baby doesn’t have to feel like you are walking on eggshells forever. Mr Kamau says that a caregiver should gradually introduce the baby to foreign food even food prepared outside. “You want your baby to be comfortable with food prepared outside by the time they are four years old and about to join school. Don't introduce a lot of things at once. Introduce one item, and work with it for three, or four days. Maybe in two weeks, introduce two items. There's no need to rush,” he says.
Developing a healthy eating habit
A baby’s reaction to food right from the onset plays a role in determining how the baby will relate to food growing up. Mr Kamau says that it is essential to ensure that the baby develops a healthy relationship with food. “Your baby should associate mealtimes with joy and comfort, not a time when they have to cry. Consistency is key. Establish a routine, with meals served at the same time and in the same setting every day. Create a positive atmosphere around food. Let them play with their food. Messiness is part of the process, it helps them explore and feel comfortable around food,” he says.
Mr Kamau strongly discourages using food as a reward. “Do not promise your child food as a reward for doing something. Food is for nutrition, not entertainment. Instead of saying, ‘Eat this, and I’ll give you a biscuit,’ offer non-food rewards like playtime or a trip to the park.”
Just like an adult, babies are prone to choke sometimes. This can be a source of alarm for any parent, particularly a first-time mom. Mr Kamau advises that when a baby chokes, do not panic. “Weaning is not without its hurdles. Choking can happen, but it’s manageable. If it occurs, lie the baby face down on your lap, feet slightly elevated, and give gentle taps between their shoulder blades. Make sure that your knuckles are placed on the baby’s back before you start tapping the back. This helps ensure that you are using very minimal force. If this does not work, you want to invert your baby on the other side and perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). By this time there is cause for alarm and you should rush the baby to the hospital.”
Simple recipes to get you started
For parents wondering where to begin, Mr Kamau offers two simple, nutritious recipes:
Vegetable Puree: Boil starchy vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, or sweet potatoes. Blend them with breast milk or bone broth for a smooth, nutrient-packed meal.
Mashed Potatoes with Broth: Bake or boil a potato, mash it, and mix with vegetable soup or breast milk. Adjust the texture based on the baby’s stage of weaning.
Weaning is a milestone, a transition filled with learning for both baby and parent. Kamau reminds caregivers to approach the process with grace. “It’s not a race. Allow your baby to explore, experiment, and develop their preferences. Ultimately, it’s about preparing your child for a lifetime of healthy, happy eating,” says Mr Kamau.
