How to get Ready for Weaning
According to NHS guidance, you should start introducing your baby to solid foods, when your baby is around 6 months old. This includes a variety of foods and textures, alongside your baby’s usual milk.
It is important to note that weaning does not replace milk in the initial months. Your baby has never swallowed food before, imagine having to learn how to chew food for the first time or swallow lumps instead of liquid.
It's a big transition and an exciting one for you and your baby!
When is your baby ready to wean?
Typically, most parents and babies are ready to begin their weaning journey from around the 6-month mark.
According to the NHS, there are 3 main things you need to look out for to know when your baby is ready for their first taste of food, alongside their normal breastmilk or formula.
Your baby is ready to start weaning if they can:
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Stay in a sitting position, holding their head steady
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Coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so they can look at their food, pick it up and put it in their mouth
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Swallow food (rather than spit it back out)
Although most begin weaning at 6 months, it’s important to remember that all babies will be different and the time that they are ready will vary between individual babies.
If you’re unsure whether your child is ready or if you have any concerns, it’s always best to seek specialist advice from a healthcare professional.
What can you do to prepare in advance?
Whilst your baby might not be quite ready to have solid foods yet, this is a good opportunity for you to make sure that you have everything ready for when they are!
Weaning Essentials:
Highchair - Your baby needs to be sitting safely and strapped in, in an upright position (so they can swallow properly).
First cup - Encourage your baby to sip water from a cup with their meals (instead of a bottle). Open cups or free-flow cups (without a valve) help your baby learn to sip and are better for their teeth. Your little one will still be getting most of their fluid intake from breastmilk or formula, and offering water from a cup helps develop their motor skills. In the initial stages of weaning you should give babies cooled down boiled tap water to make sure that this is sterile and safe for little tummies to drink.
Spoons - Soft weaning spoons, usually made of rubber or plastic, are easier on your baby's gums. When starting to wean your baby, it’s likely that they will not have any teeth (or will have very few) in the beginning. When looking at cutlery these should have a soft end, rather than metal, as babies tend to bite down hard with their jaws when putting it in their mouths.
Bowls / Plates - I deally the ones with a suction base, otherwise they're likely to end up on the floor! This is not a necessity, but having a couple of options, with different sections or bright and colourful patterns, just makes meal times a little bit more engaging and interesting for your little ones, and helps them to develop that positive attitude and relationship towards their food. It also means you have backups in between doing the dishes!
Ice cube trays - Very useful for batch-cooking and freezing small portions of vegetable purees, pasta sauces etc. Never microwave these purées to defrost them, as this can cause the uneven heating of the food and lead to hotspots which may burn your baby's mouth.
Bibs and mats - Easy-to-clean plastic or pelican bibs are best in the beginning. In carpeted areas, and for extra reassurance, newspaper / towel under the highchair is a good thing to have on hand for when they throw their spaghetti on the floor!
Messy mat - Or even newspaper under the highchair – handy for messy eaters!
Patience and confidence – Starting a new phase with your little one can fill any parent with lots of emotions. Your little one will feel more confident with trying new foods if you’re confident, too. Take your time, and don’t rush. Being prepared is a good way to help yourself feel more confident. One way to do this might be to create a rough idea of which foods you want to have on hand for your little one to try for the first couple of weeks. If you are worried about anything, always contact your GP or a paediatric dietitian.
We know that weaning can be an overwhelming time, as there’s a lot to think about, but we hope with these tips will help you feel prepared and know what to expect.
This is a time of huge growth and development for your baby, and it’s important to do what works for both parents and children alike. Everyone’s weaning experiences will be different, remember to go at your own pace and try not to compare your journey to other families.
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