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Difficulty Weaning

During the first few months of life, your baby is using the vitamins, minerals and nutrient stores they acquired from mum during pregnancy, the most important one being iron. At around 4-6 months your baby has grown, their requirements have increased and their vitamin and mineral stores will start to become depleted, therefore, milk or infant formula can no longer provide all the nutrients and energy that your baby needs.

The weaning period begins at 4-6 months to provide the extra calories and nutrients your baby or child needs, whilst training the muscles required for speech and eating.

Some babies experience difficulty during the weaning process, this can be caused by many different reasons. Weaning your baby can be quite an anxious process for some parents, particularly is children begin to show aversive behaviours towards solids. The Kids Feeding Team can help ensure each child is provided with the nutrients to thrive whilst supporting the child and reducing family anxiety.


Video testimonial: Difficulty Weaning

The weaning period should not be delayed beyond 6 months because your baby may not be receiving the energy and nutrients they need to grow and develop adequately.

If your baby is having difficulty weaning we can help. To book an assessment please contact us.

Chloe with hand in mouth

What are the symptoms of difficulty weaning?

Difficulty weaning is a common problem parents have with their baby. Your baby may be refusing purees, finger foods or solids and you are worried they are not getting enough energy and nutrients to grow and develop to their full potential. Symptoms of difficulty weaning are:

If your baby has one or more of these symptoms described, they could be showing signs of difficulty weaning. The Kids Feeding Team are able to support your baby through the weaning process and can help promote confidence and reduce anxiety around the weaning process, without the need for multiple healthcare appointments. Dietary conditions and problems are not always treated unless the severity starts to severely affect their growth or development. Talk to our dietitians to see what you can do to help overcome any difficulties with weaning start to affect your baby’s growth and development.

Albie feeding himself with mum and saffron either side

What are the causes of difficulty weaning?

The causes of having trouble weaning your baby is unknown but research shows that delaying the weaning process longer can increase the difficulties of the baby accepting solid foods. If you're struggling with the weaning process and unsure what foods to give them.

What do you assess for weaning difficulties?

Weaning difficulties itself is not a diagnosis, however, it can be an outcome of another condition or it can be the start of a development of picky or fussy eating behaviours. Our dietitians can assess, support and treat you and your baby through their period of weaning to ensure their feeding difficulty does not develop or worsen, whilst ensuring they are receiving all the nutrients and energy they require to grow and develop normally. Our speech and language therapist will assess and monitor your baby’s swallow to ensure it is safe and effective. They will also be able to identify which food textures and liquid thicknesses your baby will be able to safely consume.

Zakariya with Saffron holding him

What is the treatment for difficulty weaning?

Our specialist paediatric therapist have a breadth of knowledge and experience in supporting and treating difficulties with weaning before they can worsen and lead into worse conditions such as malnutrition and developmental delay. At the Kids Feeding Team, we offer a multidisciplinary assessment of dietitians and speech and language therapists to assess your baby who is having trouble with weaning. The speech and language therapist’s role is to ensure your baby’s swallow is safe and the muscles used to swallow are developing and being used effectively, while our dietitians monitor their nutritional intake and can provide a plan to offer an increased variety of foods and textures to ensure they grow to their full potential.

If you think your baby is struggling with weaning or their swallow and they require help from our multidisciplinary team then contact us or book an assessment.

Make a referral

To refer a child to our services this can be done online, or by calling 0161 820 8262 or emailing office@kids feedingteam.co.uk

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