When a child weans, it is important to provide them with the opportunity to explore and learn about foods so they can develop a healthy relationship with food. Weaned Child offers moms of weaned children support for this journey by providing educational materials and resources on their website. We will discuss some ways that you can support breastfeeding moms in your life as well!
The first way is to provide resources. We encourage you to check out our educational materials and resources on Weaned Child’s website that are designed for breastfeeding moms. We also have many printables available in the Resources section of Weaned Child, which can be downloaded for free!
The second way is to ask open-ended questions. This shows interest and gives mothers a chance to speak about their experiences without feeling like they need to defend or justify themselves.
Some examples include: “What foods do you typically offer your child?”; “How does he/she eat around other people?”; “Does she prefer finger foods over different utensils?”
The third way is to provide a clean and simple meal. Weaned Child’s meals are designed for both breastfeeding moms and their weaned child to enjoy together, without making either feel like they’re doing something wrong. We encourage parents to offer these foods as an option at dinnertime or whenever works best for them!
The fourth way is to offer the mothers space if she needs it. We know that many women may feel pressure from society about when and how long they should breastfeed, so providing them with time away would be helpful in easing those pressures and allowing her some much-needed rest before starting dinner again.
A few other ways you can support breastfeeding moms include: offering praise (positive reinforcement) instead of criticism; creating a judgment-free, safe space to breastfeed; and finally offering them a breastfeeding/pumping schedule if they need it.
Finally, we strongly urge everyone not to push food onto children under one. We recommend that all caregivers follow the guidance of infants’ cues when it comes to eating, including letting them eat as little or as much food as they need in one sitting.
We have many more resources available on our website at Weaned Child! We also offer free printables in the Resources section for anyone who is looking for some positive encouragement along their journey.
Many blogs are designed specifically around breastfeeding moms and can be incredibly supportive to women going through this process without judgment or assumption, which can often make a world of difference. First things first: don’t assume anything about what a mother wants or needs unless she directly asks you for your opinion (and even then, tread lightly).
For more information on a Weaned Child, check online.
