10 weaning principles every parent should know

Principle 1: Start weaning when your baby is 6 months old (180 days)
At 6 months, babies weigh twice their birth weight, and their digestive system is mature enough to digest the starch, protein and fat in foods other than breast milk. The urinary system is also fully functional and can get rid of the waste produced when food is metabolised. So 6 months is the right time to start weaning.

Principle 2: Alongside weaning, keep breastfeeding on demand until 2 years
Breast milk provides valuable nutrients that are easily lacking during weaning, such as calcium. Continuing to breastfeed helps your baby get enough calcium for their needs.

Principle 3: Start with small amounts and increase gradually
At the first meal, give your baby only a small amount of food, about 1 tablespoon per meal. Once your baby is used to it, you can gradually increase the amount at each meal. The amount of food at each feed should match the size of your baby's stomach and their ability to digest and absorb.

Principle 4: Go from runny to thick
Weaning foods should change gradually to suit the development of your baby's teeth and gums. At first, give only runny food, just a little thicker than breast milk; later it should gradually become thicker with small pieces of food – first finely pureed, then finely chopped – and once your baby has enough teeth, they need crunchier, firmer food.

Principle 5: Go from simple to varied
For the first weaning meals, use only one type of food, such as thin rice porridge. Only add a new food once your baby is used to it. Your baby needs to get used to each separate flavour before trying dishes with mixed flavours.

Principle 6: Increase the number of meals gradually
As your baby grows, their energy needs increase, but their stomach is small. In particular, food takes up only ½ of the stomach's volume because of gastric juices. So your baby does not need to eat a lot at one meal; instead, split food into several meals a day to meet their daily needs.

Principle 7: Make mealtimes happy

At mealtimes, your baby should sit at the table, and you should sit and eat together, talk to your baby about the food and show them what to do at the table, such as how to hold a spoon and how to chew... When your baby eats well, encourage and praise them. Never threaten or shout, as this will make your baby more afraid of mealtimes.

Principle 8: Make sure food is prepared hygienically and safely
After 6 months, babies catch infections more easily because the immune factors in breast milk decrease. To reduce the rate of digestive infections, make sure hygiene is ensured throughout food preparation – from choosing and buying ingredients to cooking, storing food and the utensils used to prepare your baby's food

Principle 9: Use foods with vitamins and minerals for your baby if needed
Iron and vitamin A are the nutrients most easily lacking, especially in poorly nourished children. Prioritise foods rich in iron (such as red meat, seafood, beans and pulses...) and vitamin A (such as carrots, pumpkin, eggs, liver...) in your baby's diet.

Principle 10: When your baby is ill, increase fluids and the number of breastfeeds, and give foods your baby likes in a soft form. Once your baby has recovered, encourage them to eat extra to catch up
When babies are ill, their need for fluids increases, especially when they have a fever. So increase fluids by breastfeeding more often and giving your baby extra water. When your baby recovers and feels hungry, give them more at meals or add extra snacks to make up for what they missed while ill.

References:

• Article: Complementary feeding, Therapeutic Nutrition in Paediatrics, Hanoi Medical University

• Article: Weaning, Paediatrics Lectures, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine

• guiding principles for feeding non - breastfed children 6 - 24 months of age , WHO 2005