Wean in 15: Up-to-date Advice and 100 Quick Recipes

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Written in partnership with infant nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed, parents can also find weaning guidance to help get their little one started on solid foods, plus advice on introducing new flavours and overcoming fussy eating. Variety is important too, so you want your baby to be open to a wide variety of nutritious foods. Babies need to develop their palate. Breastmilk or formula is smooth and sweet. So introducing other foods will be a new experience. Think about the different textures and tastes.

So instead of helping your baby acquire a taste for sweet foods, you want to encourage a love for other tastes. Parents should also be getting the whole family involved in mealtimes – even if it’s just adding some finishing touches to a dish, like a few berries on top of some porridge. These little things are so important, as they enable kids to connect with the food in a positive way. So Erin, my wife, for example, would nurse Lily as soon as they woke up, but we’d wait about an hour before feeding her a scrambled egg and avocado mash for breakfast. As their appetite grows, they’ll naturally eat larger portion sizes. So at this point, you can just gradually increase the portion sizes. Who doesn't like a treat every now and then? Joe recommends making a little something from scratch so you can control what you put in. These delicious chocolate and orange popcorn squares are the perfect treats.

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The second method is baby-led weaning, which is where you encourage your baby to eat right away. This means giving him or her finger foods that they can put into their own mouth. So you’d want to use soft foods like well-cooked broccoli, green beans, or asparagus. This method encourages independence. The most important thing for me is role modelling. So, sit down with your baby at mealtimes and eat with her – let her watch you, and then she’ll mimic your behaviour.

The recipe book features 100 different recipes to introduce to baby’s mealtimes, from first foods to tasty dishes that the whole family can enjoy. Yes, I learnt a lot from Charlotte. She coached me through the whole process with Indie, and she was brilliant at giving advice when I was unsure about anything. So you just follow these steps. First, offer your baby some food, see what happens, and then adjust the portion sizes. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower in a little water for 2 minutes. Drain in a sieve or colander, then rinse under cold running water to stop them from going too soft. vp: It’s pretty simple, you just chop up your vegetables, boil it until it’s soft, drain the water out, and then mix it with some new water or your baby’s normal milk or formula, and then blend it until it’s creamy.vp: Well, one way is to nurse him or her at least an hour before mealtimes, or right after mealtimes. vp: So the next step is to go slow and proceed gently. It’s a gradual process, especially in the first few weeks.

kk: Don’t most babies get most of their nutrients from breast milk or formula during the first year? vp: Yes, the research shows that babies who are exposed to a variety of vegetables during the early stages of weaning are much more likely to eat them when they’re older. Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion, thyme and bay leaf and fry for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for a further minute. vp: Great question, the author recommends using a spoon, but there are a few different ways to do this.So some of these include basic things like chewing, swallowing and handling food with fingers and utensils. Others are a little more complex, like having scheduled meal times during the day. Indie loves the broccoli and cheddar tots, they’re really yummy. I tried out most of the recipes on her – she wasn’t a fan of some of them, but she enjoys the majority. thebodycoach.com What advice would you give to parents having difficulty with their kids at mealtimes? vp: Well, first, let’s talk about the goal here. The goal of weaning is to help your baby develop a healthy relationship with food. kk: It sounds like the key takeaway from this book is that by following the weaning journey, your baby can gradually progress from breastfeeding or formula feeding to eating a variety of foods with different flavors and textures. Once they start eating larger meals over time, you can naturally decrease their desire for breast milk or formula. And that this journey is unique for each baby, so as a parent, you can be responsive to their individual pace and needs. Add the coconut milk and squash to the pan and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes or until the squash is cooked through. Stir in the lime juice, spring onions and coriander. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve with Rice.