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Weaning is an exciting time for both the baby and the mother, as it’s a new season in the motherhood journey. It’s fantastic to see the baby who couldn’t hold his head straight a couple of months ago graduating from exclusive breastfeeding or formula and getting ready for solid food, different textures, and a whole new feeding experience. This transition to solids is not seamless; here are the expected baby weaning problems and how to solve them.
When the baby approaches six months of age, solids gradually replace bottle feeding and breastfeeding. The baby may love the new food experience; however, many babies struggle with adapting to the new normal. Whether you’re planning to do baby-led weaning or you’re starting your baby off with pureed food, expect some level of resistance.
Granted, the weaning problems are navigable. However, it would help if you exercised a lot of patience and firmness. The baby may be only a few months old, but they are smart. If the baby realizes that they can outmaneuver you in the feeding process, the weaning will be very difficult.
Related article: Baby Weaning Tips
Causes of Weaning Problems
Several factors may make weaning a little more challenging than expected. Here’s a look at some of those.
Delayed Weaning
If you delayed the weaning for far too long after the recommended six months, the baby might have a problem taking to the solids. Some mothers may delay weaning for several reasons, but it’s good to target starting the infant on solids when they hit the 6-month mark.
Sore gums
If your baby has started teething, their gums may be sore from the little stubs that are struggling to push out of the gums. Sore gums may cause the baby not to want to feed or not want anything out in his mouth except the bottle or the breast. You’ll know that their gums are sore if they bite a lot when breastfeeding and when they try to chew at anything.
A Baby that’s too full
If the baby is still taking too much milk and especially right before feeds, he will not want to eat. Remember, bottle feeding is comfortable and familiar; if they are not hungry enough, they’ll not want to work hard to chew and swallow food harder than they are used to.
Over-reliance on the bottle
The baby may want to hold onto their beloved bottle for a little longer and not like anything else in their mouth. This will not be easy when you introduce spoons.
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Developmental issues
While doctors recommend that you start the baby on solids after 6 months, some dominant factors must be present for the baby to start eating. The baby should hold their head straight and strong without wobbling to the sides. They also should have attained a level of hand-control. The baby’s gut isn’t developed fully before six months, so if the baby had any previous issues with the stomach, ensure that you have gotten the go-ahead for the baby to take on solids. If the baby had congenital conditions that rendered them sickly, they might have a problem with weaning. Check with your doctor on the best time and way to wean such a baby.
7 Common Weaning Problems
If you have already introduced the baby to solid food, here’s what you may already be experiencing.
#1 Baby gags when eating
Weaning babies may gag when you put food in their mouths – a lot. Gagging in itself is not a huge problem; it’s the baby’s system’s way of preventing choking. Gagging as a baby weaning problem may cause the baby to associate eating with bad reflexes and bad feelings and not want to eat anymore.
It’s possible that the gagging may be more traumatizing to you as a mom than it is to the baby. If your baby is gagging, you could be giving them more food than they can handle at once. Reduce the portions on the spoon. Pushing the spoon too far back into the mouth can also lead to gagging. Ensure that you’re not shoving the spoon into the baby’s esophagus.
If your baby is still gagging even after taking these precautions, it could be that the food is too thick. Loosen the food with a little bit of breastmilk or water.
#2 Constipation
Constipation is a significant weaning problem for many babies. As the baby’s stomach gets used to the new consistency, it may run into digestion problems leading to constipation. Give your baby a few spoons of food for the first feeds to give the gut enough time to adjust. Besides, ensure that the baby’s food is soft and runny in the beginning.
Giving your baby foods rich in fiber, such as vegetables, is an excellent way to combat constipation in weaning. If the baby struggles with bowel movements after a particular food is introduced, change the food, give them something else, and then re-introduce that food after a few weeks. Remember to give a weaned baby some water after their feed and don’t stop breastfeeding.
Related article: Understanding baby poop color
#3 The baby doesn’t want to eat
You’re excited about the baby’s first meal and expecting them to gobble it all up like a hungry caterpillar, and then you start the feeding, and the little person doesn’t want any of it! That scenario plays around many homes where babies are being weaned, and it’s a major weaning frustration.
Some babies are naturally poor eaters, which you may tell by how long they would take the bottle before pushing it away. The new tastes and textures will also take some getting used to, and some babies take longer than others to accept rice flour porridge or oats.
Creativity is required for the child who isn’t keen on eating, and baby-led weaning might be the best type of weaning for them. If the baby keeps frowning at the spoon, try giving them easy-to-chew finger foods and scattering them on the feeding table instead of forcing puree down their throat. Ensure that their food is colorful to keep them interested.
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Sickly babies do not eat well; if the baby is lethargic and fussy, the food refusal may be happening because they are unwell. Get them checked for infections that may be taking away their appetite.
Related article: Way to Deal with the Loss of Appetite in Babies
#4 Food, food everywhere, but not a drop in his mouth
If your feeding table and dining room look like a war zone during meals, welcome to the club. It’s not surprising to have food everywhere, including on walls, yet the baby hasn’t put a single drop of the puree or a piece of the finger foods in his mouth.
Babies love to play and experiment with food as their hands explore the various textures there are. It’s not bad, but it can be a weaning setback if the baby uses all his meals as play-dough. Don’t discourage the baby from playing with his food; try to encourage him to put some of it in his mouth. If the food is runny and impossible to collect, give him finger foods that he can throw on the feeding table but still pick up and eat.
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Don’t make the dropping and picking seem fun; the baby will get the cue and throw more. If the playing continues to intensify, take the food away and try again after a while. Although this is not a chief baby weaning problem, it can be frustrating and irritate an already fatigued and irritable mother.
#5 New Food? No, Thank You!
Your baby may not be a poor feeder per se but still vehemently oppose the idea of new food. Babies who were perfectly comfortable with the bottle and breast may suddenly get fussy when you are introducing a new food. It’s likely that you have an assertive little human who doesn’t like changes very much.
The solution for a baby who doesn’t seem to want new food is to give them food combined with something they already know and love. Do not rush the baby, or he will associate eating with undue pressure and stress. Give the baby a variety and see what draws their attention, and then allow them to eat that. With time, the baby will get used to the new normal, and that will be one more weaning problem solved.
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#6 Baby Doesn’t Like Vegetables
The baby- against-vegetables fight dates all the way back to the beginning of time, and it’s not about to end soon – but mama, don’t give up. Many babies are known to frown at vegetables, and some weaned babies won’t even take pureed vegetables.
Give it to them though, some vegetables don’t taste so great, and when you’ve been feeding on delicious breastmilk for six months, broccoli sounds like a terrible idea. To deal with such a baby, give them better-tasting vegetables such as steamed carrots and parsnips. Combine their vegetables with sweet fruits such as bananas and apples, chopped into small, chewable pieces.
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If the baby is on puree, make them puree from delicious foods as well, such as apples. After the first few weeks of trying out single food items for the baby, give them a fruit ad veggie puree to give the vegetables a punch.
Related article: Parenting Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easier.
#7 Baby Reacting to Certain Foods
Food reactions during weaning can be very frightening for any mom, even one who has weaned a baby before. When the baby takes on eating other foods, there are chances that they will react to some of them. You will know that your baby is reacting if they get a skin breakout after eating or if they seem to get a tummy upset. Some infants break out in hives while others get skin rashes on various parts of the body, but majorly on the face.
Some reactions are severe and may be medical emergencies, while some are mild. Treat any reaction that affects the baby’s breathing with urgency. You may not know that the baby will react to a particular food if they haven’t eaten it before. For this reason, it’s advised that you give the baby one food item at a time to help you know what they are reacting to if they do. Also, be cautious with the foods that other family members are allergic to.
You should also start weaning with foods that are known to be highly hypoallergenic such as baby rice and lentils. Give them fruits such as avocado as well since they are least likely to cause a reaction.
Related Article: Common Baby Ailments and How to Treat Them
Foods to Avoid when Weaning
Some baby weaning problems can be avoided by simply knowing what foods to avoid. Do not give babies younger than one year these foods:
- Honey
- Raw Eggs
- Salt
- Sugar
- Spices
- Some types of seafood, such as shellfish
- Cow’s milk
- Foods low on fat
- Beverages such as coffee or tea
Some of these foods, such as eggs and cow’s milk, are highly hyper allergenic and will most likely cause allergic reactions and eczema in weaning babies. Others, such as honey, have bacteria that can cause severe infections in the baby.
Please note that the baby’s system is still very much underdeveloped; they will not filter spices such as salt well, while other herbs may cause colic and tummy upsets. Use natural spices such as ginger and cumin instead.
Read more: Managing Colic in Babies: Life-Saving Tips for New Moms
Conclusion
Baby weaning problems are part of the weaning process, and although they are expected, they shouldn’t take over your weaning process. Weaning a baby isn’t easy, but getting there prepared with all the information and realistic expectations makes the process much easier to handle.
Despite these problems being common among many babies, no two babies are exactly alike. Approach the weaning of your baby with their individuality in mind and let them guide you on what they like best.
What next?
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