Weaning
As your baby approaches 6 months, you might be looking forward to getting your baby started on solid food, you might be feeling anxious about it, or maybe a bit of both. Either way - just be prepared for it to be messy!
There’s loads of advice out there about how best to start weaning, and you may have lots of questions. Your baby will have individual nutritional needs based on many factors including their age, weight, and how active they are!
If you have any concerns or questions about specific aspects of your child’s diet and nutrition you should contact your child’s dietitian. They will be able to give advice that’s right for your baby.
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When should I start weaning?
Weaning a baby with CF starts at the same time as for any other baby – this is usually around six months. Some babies may be ready a little sooner than this, but weaning should not be started before 17 weeks of age.
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How will I know my baby is ready?
Some signs that your baby is ready for weaning might include:
- Your baby is able to stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady.
- They can coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so that they can look at the food, pick it up and put it in their mouth.
- They can swallow food. Babies who are not ready will push their food back out, so they spread more round their face than they put in their mouth.
Remember, weaning your baby early is not recommended and has been linked to increased risk of infections and food allergies.
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Do I need to do anything differently?
If your baby is pancreatic insufficient, meaning they need help digesting food, weaning is just like weaning a baby without CF – you’ll just need to make sure your baby has enzymes when they move on to foods that contain fat. Your CF team will make sure you have everything your baby needs.
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Top tips from dietitians
- Allow plenty of time for feeding. Rushing can make it less enjoyable for you and your baby!
- Don’t worry if your baby doesn’t like a new food. Leave it and try them again another time. Babies like foods that are familiar, and it can take many tries before they know if they like a food or not.
- Offer foods the rest of the family eat, at family mealtimes, either mashed or chopped up, as soon as your baby can manage these textures.
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Here to help
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