The Weaning Survival Guide - 7 Tips to Help You Be a Wean Queen!

Weaning is an exciting milestone on a baby’s journey to exploring and eating different foods, but it can be a challenging process to navigate alone. Renowned dietitian and Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos partner, Mbali Mapholi, has shared some helpful advice for parents to ensure the transition is a positive one.

“Weaning is a gradual transition from an all-milk diet to solid foods, allowing your little one to explore new textures, flavours, and essential nutrients needed for growth and development,” explains Mbali. “The goal is to nurture a love for wholesome foods while ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience for both you and the baby.”

Starting from around six months, she explains this is when the baby’s nutrient needs increase beyond what breast milk or formula can provide: “This is also an important time for oral and motor development as your child learns to chew and swallow safely, as well as preparing the muscles for speech development. It’s also important to introduce a variety of foods to help prevent fussy eating later on.”

Mbali’s 7 Weaning Tips

1.    Start simple: Begin with soft, single-ingredient foods such as mashed banana, avocado, or cooked carrots.

2.    One food at a time: While you want to introduce a variety, it’s best to introduce new foods every 3 to 4 days to monitor for allergies or sensitivities. This also helps to get the baby used to the new food before introducing the next one.

3.    Iron-rich foods: Include iron-fortified cereals, blended meats, spinach, and lentils in your baby’s weaning diet to meet their iron needs.

4.    Make mealtimes fun: Offer finger foods for self-feeding, and let your baby explore textures and embrace the mess! Always watch baby when eating so you are ready to intervene if they choke or react to certain foods.

5.    Avoid salt and sugar: Babies’ kidneys and taste buds aren’t ready for added salt, and sugar can encourage an early sweet tooth. It helps not to add any salt and sugar at the start.

6.    Hydration matters: Breast milk or formula remains the primary fluid for hydration and nutrients, but you can offer sips of water with meals in an open cup to promote independent drinking. Avoid fruit juices as these are often high in sugar, which is not good for young children.

7.    Introduce herbal teas: Rooibos teas, like the Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos tea range, are naturally caffeine-free and safe for little tummies, and a good addition to your weaning journey, without any added sugar or honey. Variants with added Vitamin C are recommended for children over one year old.

“While Rooibos tea mustn’t replace your baby’s milk intake, it’s a great hydration option on the weaning journey,” explains Mbali. “Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos range is naturally sugar-free but has a naturally sweet flavour which makes it a great beverage option for children over six months who are being weaned.”

She said some of the benefits of Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos include:

• Rooibos is gentle on digestion as it helps soothe sensitive stomachs which can ease colic discomfort.
• Rooibos contains natural antioxidants, supporting immunity and overall well-being
• Rooibos can be served warm or cold, making it ideal for summer refreshment or winter comfort.
• Rooibos has no artificial additives, preservatives, or caffeine, so it’s safe for little ones from six months onward.

Mbali’s 3 Tips for Incorporating Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos

1.    Use Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos instead of water as a base for baby’s porridge or mix it into purees for a gentle, naturally sweet flavour.

2.    Add fresh fruit to Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos that has been cooled to add extra flavour. If serving in a cup, remove any fruit pieces that may cause choking before serving to your child.

3.    Freeze Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos into an ice tray. Once frozen, ice cubes can be rubbed onto baby’s gums to ease teething-related pain.

“Weaning should be a fun, stress-free experience that encourages healthy eating habits from the start. By introducing a variety of nutritious foods and safe hydration like Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos, you’re setting the stage for a happy, well-nourished little foodie,” concluded Mbali.

The Laager Tea4Kidz Rooibos range is naturally caffeine-free and sugar-free, and offers a variety of flavours, including 2 with added Vitamin C for even more health benefits. Note that variants with added Vitamin C are recommended for children over one year old.

For more expert-backed weaning tips, meal ideas, and guidance, visit www.joekels.co.za and follow @Tea4Kidz on Facebook or @LaagerRooibosTea on Instagram. Laager Tea4Kidz can be purchased from all major supermarkets, as well as online at www.joekels.co.za. Follow @UrbanDieititan on social media for more dietary tips and inspiration from Mbali Mapholi.