Weaning is an important milestone in the development of young children. This is the stage when children begin to get used to food outside of breast milk, while learning chewing, swallowing and absorbing many new flavors.
According to Dr. S Satyamanasa Gayatri Vinay, leading consultant - Pediatrics, SRM Global Hospital, Chennai (India), the appropriate time to start weaning is usually when the child is about 6 months old. At this time, the child's nutritional needs increase and breast milk no longer fully meets the daily energy needs.
Children are ready to start weaning when they can hold their head and neck firmly, sit with support, know how to put their hands in their mouths and begin to care about food. The digestive system at this stage also develops more to receive new foods.
Experts recommend starting with soft, easy-to-digest and low-allergy foods. Some suitable options include rice porridge, oatmeal porridge, millet porridge or iron-fortified cereals for young children. In addition to cereals, parents can let children try mashed bananas, steamed sweet potatoes, or mashed carrots. These are soft, easy-to-eat foods that provide many vitamins and minerals necessary for development.
Some combination dishes such as tofu porridge, ground rice with tofu, or soft rice dishes can also be added after children are used to the first foods.
Doctors should note that each type of food should be introduced separately for a few days to monitor the child's reaction. This helps parents easily recognize if the child is allergic or has indigestion to a certain food. In the early stages, weaning food only plays a nutritional supplementary role, not completely replacing breast milk. Therefore, the child still needs to continue breastfeeding or use appropriate milk according to needs.
Experts also recommend not adding salt, sugar or honey to food for children under 1 year old. Some foods such as beverage cow's milk, whole grapes, hard grains or processed foods should also be limited because they may cause choking or are not suitable for a weak digestive system.
During weaning, parents should feed children when comfortable, avoid forcing them to eat or distracting them by phones and TVs. Keeping the meal atmosphere light will help children cooperate more easily. When children grow older, around 8-9 months old, you can gradually increase the crudeness of food by letting children try chopped vegetables or mashed food that is still crude. This helps children practice chewing and get used to many different food textures.
Dr. S Satyamanasa Gayatri Vinay said that weaning at the right time, choosing suitable foods and maintaining positive eating habits can support children to develop healthily and form good eating habits later.
