Starting the weaning process can be an anxious time, especially for first time parents. It is generally recommended that babies start weaning from around 6 months of age, but it’s important to remember that every baby is different, so some may be ready to start weaning slightly earlier, whereas others may be slightly later.
At first, weaning is less about giving your baby full meals, but instead introducing them to new foods, tastes and textures. Babies will continue to get the majority of their nutrition from milk up until their 12 months old, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Starting weaning can be a big concern for many parents and there are a lot of things which can be stressful, but the more you learn about weaning then the better prepared you will be. If you’re ready to introduce your baby to solid foods, but aren’t sure where to start, then here are some top tips for a successful weaning journey.
How To Know When Your Baby Is Ready For Solid Foods
Most babies are ready to start weaning from around 6 months. You will know that your baby is ready to start weaning when they start to show clear signs and, when they appear together, you know that your baby is ready to start their weaning journey. These signs are:
- Staying in a sitting position and holding their head steady
- Coordinate their hands, eyes and mouth to look at, pick up and put food in their mouth
- Swallow food, rather than spit or push it back out of their mouths
Remember, just like smiling, crawling and sitting up, babies reach these milestones at different times and go at their own pace. Milk will remain the main part of your baby’s diet, so try to avoid rushing these things. The first months of weaning are all about experiencing new flavours and getting used to textures of foods. It’s all new for your baby, so take their lead.
Foods To Start Weaning With
There are plenty of foods which you can start your weaning journey with. Pureed, mashed and soft-cooked fruits and vegetables are good to start with as they get your baby used to the flavours and colours of different foods, but it’s important to remember that foods should be cooled before eating. In the first week or so, start weaning with vegetables to get them used to the taste.
Milk is sweet and babies have a natural preference for sweeter foods, so by introducing them to vegetables first, you’re allowing them to get used to the tastes and flavours. Continuing with veg throughout their weaning journey will make them more likely to accept vegetables as part of their diet as they grow up. Starting with vegetables such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots and parsnips are all good choices and they are rich in vitamins. Start by giving your baby small portions of pureed vegetables to get them used to feeding themselves and then, as they age, you can start introducing them to lumpier purees, or chunkier portions.
Babies also love finger foods and by giving them chopped up bits of food, you’re allowing them to start working on their fine motor skills as they learn to pick up foods and put them into their mouths. Foods such as chopped up peaches, melon, banana and avocado are all packed with flavour and are soft enough for your baby to eat easily. As they become more confident, other good examples of finger foods are pitta bread, cooked vegetable pieces like carrots, broccoli and cauliflower, cubes of cheese and cooked pasta shapes.
Make Mealtimes Inclusive
When it comes to weaning, it’s all too easy to just put all your focus on your baby and their eating habits. Instead, bring your baby to the table and involve them in your meal. Baby led weaning is a hugely popular weaning approach and is all about offering your baby different foods to try.
As you’re eating together, you can give your baby little bits of your meal to try too and make it more of a family meal. You don’t even have to offer them parts of your meal if they have their own, but by them sitting with you during mealtimes, they will pick up on your eating habits and will encourage them to be more adventurous with trying new foods in the future.
Remember, as well as making mealtimes inclusive, you should also try to make mealtimes fun, too. Your baby will pick up on your vibes, so if you’re anxious, stressed or distracted at mealtimes, then your baby may replicate these emotions. Try to make mealtimes free from distractions and take things slow and steady. Don’t try and rush through meal times as this could cause your baby to develop some negative eating habits, or cause them to gag more frequently.
What You Need For Weaning
Weaning shouldn’t be an expense, but there are some things that will make weaning much easier. A highchair will make weaning much easier, as that means your little one will be at table height with you, as well as supported during mealtimes. It also gives them a tray for them to eat from and use as a base for their weaning journey.
Weaning bibs will protect your little one’s clothes from the mess and spills of weaning and cut the messy clean up job in half afterwards. Baby-friendly cutlery is usually made from soft plastic or bamboo, which is gentler on gums, and plates and bowls after often perfect sized for weaning portions.
Batch cooking is a great way to save time when your baby is weaning and reduces cooking time every day. One great tip is to use ice cube trays to store purees and mash when your baby starts their weaning journey and at meal times, all you need to do is pop out a few cubes and warm them up in the microwave – simple!
What foods should be avoided when weaning?
When starting your baby’s weaning journey, it’s recommended that you avoid foods that are high in fat, such as sausages, bacon, ready meals and crackers. Food that is high in sugar should also be avoided, as well as foods in saturated fats, including crisps, biscuits and cakes.
You should also avoid giving your baby honey until they are over 1 years old. Not only is honey high in sugar, but it can also cause a serious illness called infant botulism – a rare bacterial infection. Cheeses made from unpasturised milk should be avoided due to the risk of listeria, as well as raw shellfish. If you give your baby eggs, then make sure that they are produced under the British Lion Code of Practice (stamped with the Red Lion stamp of approval) as they are considered very low risk for salmonella and are safe for babies to eat cooked. Whilst nuts should be avoided until your little one is 5 years old, but peanut butter is safe to introduce as part of your baby’s diet from 6 months old.
Salt should be avoided and shouldn’t be added to your baby’s food, as it can damage their kidneys. You must also be careful as to how you present foods to your baby, as babies can choke and gag on food that is cut too big. Cut small, round foods such as cherry tomatoes and grapes into small pieces and remove stones and hard pips from fruits, as well as ensuring all bones are removed from meat and fish.
Know The Difference Between Gagging and Choking
One of the biggest worries for parents when it comes to weaning and especially baby led weaning is the concern over gagging and choking. Gagging is a perfectly normal part of weaning and is to be expected. It is the natural way in which your baby’s body protects itself from choking and your baby’s gag reflex is quite far forward in their mouth, which further protects them from choking. Coughing, gagging and expelling foods is common during the first few months of weaning, after all, your baby is learning a new skill and getting used to eating solid foods takes practice.
When a baby is gagging, they will make loud noises, gurgle and splutter, whilst making gagging noises. Their tongue will thrust forward and they will likely expel (or spit up) the food which they were eating. It is normal for babies to vomit up their food, too.
Choking, on the other hand, is a sign that your baby’s airway is blocked and needs immediate attention. A piece of food has partially or fully blocked their airway and their gag reflex hasn’t successfully forced it out. Choking means that your baby is in danger and this could be life-threatening. If your baby is choking, then they will be silent or quiet and they’ll have trouble coughing, or simply won’t be able to cough at all. They will also have trouble breathing.
If your baby is choking, then they will need immediate assistance from you. You can remember the difference between gagging and choking by using this rhyme “Loud and red, go ahead. Silent and blue, they need help from you”.
