Three in 10 parents feared their child was ‘behind’ when weaning – because they would spit things out, throw food or refuse to self-feed.
A poll of 500 parents who have introduced solids to their child in the past five years found 32 per cent couldn’t help but compare them with others when it came to mealtimes.
Of those who were left concerned their baby was falling behind, 48 per cent did because their child would cry when they were given food and 47 per cent said their child would rarely swallow it.
Others said their children simply refused to put solids in their mouth (46 per cent), would rather have milk (42 per cent) and wouldn’t try new things (40 per cent).
The research, commissioned by Aldi, found while 45 per cent of parents found the overall weaning experience exciting, the same percentage described it as stressful (45 per cent).
Leading children’s dietitian, Lucy Upton, who has partnered with the supermarket to help empower parents on their weaning journey with simple tips and low-cost recipes [https://www.aldipresscentre.co.uk/aldi-teams-up-with-childrens-dietitian-to-create-simple-weaning-recipes-for-parents/], said: “Weaning can be overwhelming and stressful for lots of parents.
“But the truth is, most of the pressure they feel comes from external factors, like comparing ourselves with others or trying to take on lots of conflicting advice – and it’s rarely anything to do with our children.
“The best thing parents can do is keep it simple - trust your instincts and focus on what works best for you and your baby, not anyone else.”
While 63 per cent said they enjoyed seeing their baby develop and trying new foods (62 per cent), 40 per cent felt pressured to stick to a strict feeding schedule.
A third (34 per cent) felt they had to feed their child a certain number of new foods, with the average parent introducing four ingredients a week.
Others made weekly meal plans (46 per cent) or printed off a checklist of foods to work through (33 per cent).
The research also found one in four (26 per cent) didn’t feel confident when weaning, and as a result, half (51 per cent) questioned if what they were doing was right.
After comparing themselves with other parents, 44 per cent felt they had to encourage their baby to self-feed or give them three meals a day (44 per cent).
Other common struggles included knowing how much to feed their little one (41 per cent) and sourcing suitable recipes (38 per cent).
And 39 per cent worried about giving their baby enough variety of flavours, with 37 per cent not knowing what foods to introduce first and 33 per cent left confused by conflicting advice.
Lucy Upton added: “The weaning journey can be both exciting and intimidating for parents.
"We’re hoping to show how, with a handful of simple, affordable ingredients, you can create a variety of healthy, balanced dishes that help little ones explore new flavours, textures and experiences at their own pace.”
In hindsight, 37 per cent of parents wished they had been more relaxed about the weaning process, even though, at the time, 28 per cent felt very unprepared for it.
Overall, 39 per cent of the parents polled, via OnePoll, found the milestone difficult, just behind teething (43 per cent) and potty training (41 per cent).
Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer at Aldi UK, said: “Weaning is an exciting milestone, but for many, it can also feel overwhelming – especially with the pressure of getting it ‘right’.
"That’s why we’ll always do what we can to support parents every step of the way.
"By partnering with Lucy to offer expert-backed recipes, we hope to make it simpler for families to feed their little ones with confidence – without compromising on great value and quality.”
