The top five questions on weaning
If you’re a parent who is about to start weaning your baby, it’s such an exciting time. You may have lots of questions and may have been given conflicting advice on when to wean, so here are the answers to the top five weaning questions.
If you’re a parent who is about to start weaning your baby, it’s such an exciting time. You may have lots of questions and may have been given conflicting advice on when to wean, so here are the answers to the top five weaning questions.
By Sally J. Hall
What is weaning?
Weaning is simply introducing your baby to food. Babies should have nothing but milk during their first six months (either breast or formula) but from six months, you can start to give your baby their first tastes of real, grown-up food! Though it’s often called introducing ‘solids’ (and sometimes complementary feeding), many parents choose to offer their baby puréed foods at first. This is known as spoon-fed weaning. Others choose baby-led weaning, which involved offering your child pieces of soft food for them to feed themselves. Some parents use a combination of both!
What age is best to start weaning?
The WHO and NHS guidelines say that you should wean your baby starting at six months. At this age, babies have the muscle strength to sit in a highchair and to hold their head up. They also have good enough muscle development in their mouths to be able to hold and swallow food, and the ability to bring food to their mouth using their hands. Importantly, they still need to get most of their nutrition from their milk, which gives all the energy and nutrients they need. There are some cases where you might wean your baby slightly earlier or later (if they were premature or have a health condition, for example) but speak to your Health Visitor about this.
Should I give my weaning baby the same milk?
Yes, it’s important that at first, your baby has the same amount and quality of baby milk, giving them all they need for good health. They will only eat very tiny portions of food at this stage, as little as a teaspoon, so they need to have all the goodness they would usually get from their milk.
How do I know my baby is ready for weaning?
There are signs that your baby is ready for weaning. They should be able to sit up in a highchair or propped in some cushions and should be able to hold their head up well. They should also be able to bring objects to their mouth and to coordinate their hands, eyes and mouth. This helps with bringing food to their mouth. Finally, they should be able to swallow food, rather than pushing it back out with their tongue or spitting it out. You may notice that your baby starts to take notice of what you are eating, even reaching for it. This is great, as babies often learn by imitation, so family mealtimes are ideal for encouraging good eating habits.
What kind of food should I give my weaning baby?
In the early stages, you will start to give your baby very simple, single tastes such as baby rice mixed with their usual milk, or a puréed or soft piece of a single fruit or vegetable. As their tastes become more sophisticated, you can introduce two or three ingredients together and then offer different textures – add lumps into purée or different textured foods – until finally, they are eating the same as everyone else in the house!