My 13 month old has no desire to be weaned...She has slimmed down a little. How can I be sure she gets enough to eat besides the milk? - Sally, TX

It’s great that you’re thinking about the balance of nutrients in your toddler’s diet.  Breast milk feedings provide a broad range of vital nutrients to your tot, so rest assured that feedings that last through the second year are normal and beneficial as long as both parties involved are comfortable.  However, after the first year, breast milk alone is not sufficient to meet the nutrient needs of your growing and developing toddler.  Feeling like your tot might not be eating enough when weaning is a commonly shared concern among parents.  ‘Slimming down’ at this age is usually normal – make sure you’re seeing your pediatrician regularly so he/she can track your toddler’s growth.  As you continue to breast feed, your breast milk composition changes to meet a toddler’s needs (the body is a truly amazing thing).  Milk from women who breast feed for more than a year has been found to contain increased total calories and fat – so your toddler might be taking in a smaller volume of breast milk, but still getting adequate calories and fat with breast milk and table foods combined.  Of course, choosing complementary foods wisely increases your chances of getting more nutrients into a toddler in a smaller volume of food (and anyone who regularly feeds a toddler knows, more food ends up in the surrounding area than in your child’s tummy).  Now that you’ve introduced foods one by one and know what your toddler generally tolerates, possible allergies, etc. you can get creative with food combinations in order to maximize nutrients while weaning.  Stir fruit purees and nut butters (wait until at least age two to introduce highly allergenic foods like nuts if you have a family history of allergies) into yogurt to boost the nutrient power; top meat, fish, poultry with vitamin C-rich fruit to boost iron absorption; add brown rice or quinoa, or pasta made from these grains, to soups or purees, etc.  There are some great tips for doing this provided with each flavor description of Tastybaby foods!  A great way to feel more confident that you’re providing adequate nutrients through food, in addition to breast milk, is to choose foods that efficiently provide the major categories of nutrients important to toddler’s growth and development. 

Protein: Growth and development of every major structural component in the body. 

  Efficient sources: Meat, fish, poultry, tofu, beans, nuts/nutbutters, quinoa

Iron:  Brain and motor development. 

          Efficient sources: Red meat, iron-fortified cereals, lentils, pumpkin seeds, kidney               beans, quinoa [Bonus: Serve with vitamin C rich foods to increase iron absorption]

Zinc:  Metabolism, immune system, blood sugar, genetic regulation, overall growth.

          Efficient sources: Crimini mushrooms, beef, lamb, squash, peas, broccoli, asparagus,
          yogurt, pumpkin seeds

Calcium: Bone strength, nerve and muscle function, blood clotting.

Efficient sources: Whole milk yogurt, whole milk, turnip greens, spinach, blackstrap molasses, cheese, sesame butter (tahini), almond butter

Vitamin A: Immune system, eyesight, cell growth.

Efficient sources: Carrots, spinach, kale, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe,

winter squash, Brussels sprouts, prunes, peas

Vitamin D: Growth and activity of cells, disease prevention, bone and tooth health.

Efficient sources: Wild salmon, cod, egg yolk, whole milk, some whole milk yogurt (check the label), shrimp. 

Fat:   Brain development, healthy skin.

Efficient sources: Avocado, oils, nut butters, fatty fish, whole milk, whole milk yogurt

Fiber: digestive health and regularity.

            Efficient sources: Whole grains, fruits and veggies, beans

Work these foods into your toddler’s favorites.  Here are some examples of Tasty and efficient meal ideas:

·         Bollywood Baby (protein + vit A) with pumpkin seed butter (zinc + protein + fat) or tahini (calcium + protein + fat) stirred in

·         Quinoa (fiber+iron + protein) and blackstrap molasses (iron) stirred into plain yogurt (calcium + protein + vitamin D)

·         Sweetie Pie (vit A) with almond butter (calcium + fat + protein) stirred in

·         Yogurt (calcium + protein + vitamin D) with almond butter or tahini (calcium + fat  + protein) or peanut butter (protein + fat) stirred in

·         Bangos-topped (vitamin C) ground grass-fed steak (iron + protein)

It’s also really important to remember that breastfeeding provides benefits to your toddler beyond nutrients – like a feeling of safety through closeness to you.  So, providing that closeness, without feeding, can help assure your toddler that while breast feedings might become sparse, that closeness and safety is always in abundance.