Milk & more...

M&B tells how you can make weaning time enjoyable, healthy and smooth for both yourself and your baby

Humans need to eat in order to grow but babies need mums to fuss, fret, fume, and feed so that they become completely human! Nobody said that it’s easy to be a mum. But after enduring the labour pain and lactation worries, caring for your little infant does not seem too bad — that is until you realise that the good old ‘milky days’ must come to an end.

LOST AND FOUND

Weaning is the gradual introduction of solid food in your baby’s diet. Most communities have a ceremony associated with the first introduction of solid food to symbolise the importance of this act of transition. Until weaning is started, the infant is completely dependent on the mother for his survival. Though he continues to grow outside the mother’s womb, the physical bond between the mother and baby is almost intact through the act of breastfeeding. The psychological impact of the change that weaning brings can be remarkable on both the baby and the mother since it marks the growth of the baby as an independent individual with specific likes and preferences. Mothers often feel possessive about the exclusive time that they spend feeding their baby and weaning can come with a sense of loss too. Babies too can become irritable as they struggle with the new feeding process and miss the convenience of a quick and easy breastfeed.