Is your baby ready for weaning? Signs and considerations
FAQs can be found at the end of the page.
There are few things more exciting than watching your baby grow and learn from the world around them. Weaning is a big milestone in your baby’s development, and while it can feel a bit complex when starting out, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Vhi consultant paediatrician, Dr Caroline Lhopital, chats to us about the best time to start weaning, the signs your baby is ready, and what the three stages of weaning are.
Weaning explained
An important step in all babies and parents’ lives is when the baby stops relying uniquely on milk for their feeding needs. Of course, milk will be their main food for their first year or so, but after six months, milk can’t fully cover all the nutritional needs of a rapidly growing baby!
Weaning is what we call the stage of introducing a baby to solid foods. It should start when your baby is around four and a half to six months old, regardless of whether they are breastfed or formula-fed. It’s a slow and progressive process, but a very exciting one to go through!
If you’re breastfeeding, you don’t need to stop while you’re introducing solid foods to your baby’s diet. When solid foods are being introduced at six months, you can continue to breastfeed (this is known as complementary feeding) up to two years and beyond. Formula fed babies will continue taking bottles until they are 12 months. [1] At this stage, they can usually be swapped to full fat cow’s milk.
When to begin weaning
All babies will develop at different stages, and introducing solids will be guided by both your baby and your healthcare provider. Current recommendations advise that weaning should be started no sooner than 17 weeks and no later than 6 months of age. There are many reasons for this:
Infants younger than four months old have all their nutritional needs covered by milk, and it’s the best adapted food for them. Solid food at that age would harm their gut and kidneys or make them less able to use the milk they’re drinking. They also wouldn’t be able to swallow safely because they can’t yet hold their head properly.
It's just as important not to introduce solid foods to your baby’s diet later than six months of age. At that stage, they are discovering the world around them, so they’ll need more energy for all the extra movement and play they’ll be doing! Milk alone won’t be enough. Also, the stores they were born with, such as iron, are all used up by that age, so new sources of nutrients are needed!
Weaning is also important to help with the development of the muscles your baby will eventually use for speech, their motor functions and even nurturing their curiosity about the world around them.
Signs your baby is ready for weaning
No two babies are the same. Within that ‘ideal weaning window’, some signs will give you a clue of whether your baby is ready to try solid foods. Your healthcare provider can help you make sense of them.
Usually, a baby is ready for weaning when:
- They can sit up, unsupported, and control their own head movements (this will help with the swallowing)
- They pick up toys and put them in their mouths by themselves.
- They show an interest in food, for example they reach out or open their mouths when they see you eating something.
Young infants have a natural response of pushing food back out of their mouths with their tongue. This is a normal body reflex to avoid choking. This reflex should have disappeared before you can proceed with solids.
What solid foods to start your baby on
Weaning takes place over three stages, based on your baby’s age and development:
Stage one is from 17 weeks to six months.
- Begin with foods that are puréed thinly. Vegetables and fruits are perfect for this. Try foods like carrots, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, banana, apple, apricot or peaches. Baby rice is also fine at this stage.
- Including a wide variety (and not just the sweeter tasting fruit and veg) will develop their taste and familiarity with different flavours. Well-cooked meats like poultry and fish (with all bones removed) are also fine to blend into purées.
- This is the best time to introduce foods that can cause allergies (known as allergens), as the immune system is programmed to accept a lot of new things that comes through the mouth at that stage, and babies are less likely to develop an allergy if they meet those foods at that point.
You can make a purée with fruit or veg and add:
- Milk or natural yoghurt.
- Mashed up hard-boiled egg.
- Crushed biscuits or baby cereals.
- A teaspoon of smooth peanut butter.
- Well-crushed nuts or nut butter.
- Mashed up fish with no bones.
Do it one-by-one, one day at a time, with a small quantity at first. If all goes well, you can increase the quantity or start mixing the foods you know your baby tolerates well.
How much food to give to your baby when weaning
Each baby will be different, but the general recommendations for portions are:
- Start off with one teaspoon of one food (blended into a smooth purée), for one of your baby’s meals in the day.
- Over time, build this up to six teaspoons of purée for one meal.
- Then, you can consider a second mealtime in the day.
- Progress this to your baby having puréed food for two to three meals per day, with 5-10 teaspoons at each meal (this will be led by your baby’s appetite).
Some babies might take more than one teaspoon at their first spoon-feed and other babies might take a couple of days to get the hang of it, and that’s totally okay. Don’t insist or force your baby, just try again later. The same applies if they refuse a food ─ don’t insist, just try again after a few days. Remember, at that stage, breastmilk or formula would still represent the main part of their feeding anyway!
Stage two is between six to nine months.
- Your baby is now a pro at purées, and they’ve discovered lots of different foods, so it’s time to introduce them to new textures and flavours. Use the foods you’ve already introduced in stage one, and add things like breads, porridge, rice, pasta, cheese, yoghurts, smooth nut butters, peas, beans, lentils, and pasteurised cow’s milk (added to food rather than drank). You can now try thicker purées, well-mashed food, and soft finger food. You’re aiming for three meals a day, with two to three snacks in between meals.
- It’s a good idea to encourage your baby to get involved in the feeding process; let them pick up and feel the different foods and feed themselves. Be ready for all the mess! But this will be great fun for your little one. If you’re doing complimentary feeding, always offer the solids to your baby before milk, or they’ll most likely fill up on milk and their appetite will be affected. Your baby will be perfectly fine to try drinking water from a beaker cup now.
Stage three is between nine to 12 months.
- By now, your baby can mostly eat whatever your family meals are, adapted for them ─ without any added sauces, gravies, salt or sugar.
- You can let your baby try harder finger foods, lumpy or chopped foods and a mix of two textures in one meal. Foods like well-cooked pasta, unsalted crackers, mango slices, banana slices and strips of chicken are suitable for this.
- When it comes to portions, be led by your baby’s appetite, but general guidelines say three meals a day of four to six tablespoons, with two to three snacks in between meals.
- You might notice that your baby drinks less formula at that stage or even refuses it altogether and that’s perfectly okay. They don’t need it as much, and their calcium needs can be covered by other forms of dairy such as cheese or yoghurt.
Baby-led weaning
Baby-led weaning means letting your baby feed themselves with their fingers, rather than you spoon-feeding them from a bowl (sometimes referred to as spoon-led weaning). It’s up to parents which type of weaning they want to go with, and whether they want to do a combination of the two. It’s normal to be worried about choking with baby-led weaning, but research shows there isn’t an increased risk of choking with baby-led weaning compared to spoon-fed weaning. It is important to stay with your baby as they eat, whether they’re spoon fed or not.
If you’re opting for baby-led weaning, make sure your baby is getting a good mix of foods, vitamins and minerals. The only time you shouldn’t let your baby feed themselves during weaning is the first time they try an allergen (such as milk, eggs, nuts, fish, shellfish). Read my blog, ‘A guide to introducing allergens during weaning’ for more details on introducing allergens while weaning.
This is such a fun time for you and your baby, and another great way to bond as your baby discovers the world of food! Weaning practices vary widely across cultures. What I’ve discussed above are useful guidelines for weaning, and your baby will also guide the process with what they’re ready for and how much they need. Remember, your healthcare provider is always on hand to answer any questions you might have along the way.
FAQs about baby weaning
What is weaning and why is it important?
Weaning is the process of introducing solid foods to your baby’s diet while gradually reducing their reliance on milk. It’s important because, after six months, milk alone can’t meet all your baby’s nutritional needs. Weaning also supports development of motor skills, speech muscles, and curiosity about food.
When should I start weaning my baby?
Experts recommend starting weaning between 17 weeks and 6 months of age. Starting too early can harm your baby’s gut and kidneys, while delaying beyond six months can lead to nutritional deficiencies and slow development.
What signs show my baby is ready for solid foods?
Your baby may be ready for weaning if they can sit up without support, control their head movements, show interest in food, and have lost the tongue-thrust reflex that pushes food out of their mouth.
What foods should I start with when weaning?
Begin with smooth purées of vegetables and fruits like carrots, broccoli, apples, or bananas. You can also introduce well-cooked meats, baby rice, and allergenic foods such as eggs and peanut butter in small amounts, one at a time.
How much solid food should I give my baby during weaning?
Start with one teaspoon of purée once a day and gradually increase to several teaspoons per meal. Over time, aim for two to three meals per day, adjusting portions based on your baby’s appetite.
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