Weaning a baby

It is necessary to introduce new foods because, starting at 6–8 months, milk gradually begins to lose some of its content of certain vitamins and minerals.

By introducing other foods—referred to as “complementary” foods—it is possible to make up for these deficiencies and ensure that the child receives adequate nutrition and, consequently, grows at a healthy rate.

Once complementary feeding begins, breastfeeding should continue for at least 12 months, and even beyond that, depending on what the mother and baby prefer.

When should I start?

It is not advisable to start weaning before the end of the sixth month. Furthermore, before this age, babies are not ready to eat solid foods.

How do I get started?

You can start with the classic “baby food”; some people prefer to begin by offering pureed foods or homemade baby food.

How do you prepare a baby’s first meal?

The base for classic “baby food” is vegetable broth; here is a simple recipe for making it:

Bring a liter of water and seasonal vegetables to a boil in a pot. Boil until the volume of the liquid has been reduced by half; remove the vegetables and use the broth (about 200 ml) to prepare the baby food. The vegetable purée used to make the broth can be added to the baby food.

Important: Do not add salt for the first year of life.

The following ingredients can be added to the vegetable broth:

• A portion of fats: extra virgin olive oil, one teaspoon (5 ml).
• A portion of carbohydrates.
• Rice or corn and tapioca porridge, one to three tablespoons in total.
• A portion of protein: meat or fish baby food (starting with half a portion) or fresh foods (recommended). It is advisable to vary the protein source from the very beginning, alternating between meat and fish, and also including eggs, pureed legumes, and cheese (preferably fresh).
• A portion of fat, extra virgin olive oil, one teaspoon (5 ml).