Wean in 15

When adults talk about weaning themselves off sugary foods or caffeinated drinks, the idea is that by gradually reducing the consumption of whatever substance they’re hooked on, they can eventually eliminate it from their lives. 

Similarly, when parents talk about weaning their baby off breast milk or formula, it almost sounds as if their bundle of joy has an addiction she needs to kick. 

But this is misleading. In fact, there’s a more accurate, positive, and holistic way of thinking about what weaning really means.

The key message here is: The goal of weaning is to help your baby develop a healthy relationship to food. 

Complementary feeding is a more modern term for weaning. The idea is that when you start to feed your baby solid food, you’re providing her with nutrients that add to the ones she still receives from breast milk or formula. Over time, her consumption of food goes up while her intake of breast milk or formula goes down – until it eventually disappears. At that point, she is “weaned.”

In other words, weaning isn’t just about getting your baby to stop drinking breast milk or formula. It’s about encouraging her to start eating food. That means helping her develop the skills, habits, and attitudes that go into healthy eating. 

Some of these are basic things, like chewing, swallowing, handling food with fingers, and eating with utensils. Others are more sophisticated, like having scheduled meal times throughout the day.

It’s also important for your baby to be open to a wide variety of nutritious foods. For this to happen, she needs to develop her palate. That means she’ll need to go from only knowing the sweet, smooth liquid of breast milk or formula to being accustomed to a variety of textures and tastes – from the bitterness of broccoli to the lumpiness of lima beans, and everything in between.

In other words, weaning is more than just a process; it’s a journey that builds a healthy diet and positive relationship with food. With so much diversity in the world of food groups and cuisines, it’s the job of every parent to help their babies explore, discover, and enjoy what they eat!