We wean our babies onto solid foods for three main reasons – they are no longer able to get enough nutrients such as calories and vitamins from breast or formula milk; they need to be integrated onto family meals; and they need to be encouraged to chew as this helps the development of muscles used for speaking.

Until recently it was recommended that weaning start between 4 and 6 months of age. However, new guidelines have been produced encouraging parents to delay weaning until 6 months of age if possible. This is to help reduce the risk of developing food allergies and intolerances and because by 6 months the digestive system and the muscles in the mouth are better developed to cope with solid food. Your baby will let you know when they are ready to start weaning. They may start to wake in the night after previously sleeping right through; they may still be hungry after a good milk feed; they may start to demand feeds more often.

Starting out

Your baby has only ever had milk feeds and so will be unfamiliar with the new texture of solids. It is important to make first weaning foods up to a runny, smooth consistency. Suitable first weaning foods include baby rice, pureed vegetables such as carrots, potato, parsnip, avocado, and pureed fruit such as apples, pears and bananas.

Give the first taste of solids at a time when your baby is most alert. Give a small amount on the end of a spoon in the middle or at the end of a milk feed. That way, you can satisfy your baby’s immediate hunger and if they don’t like the solids a whole milk feed isn’t ruined! Establish your baby on one solid ‘meal’ a day then gradually increase to three ‘meals’. Introduce new tastes every 2-3 days. All babies progress at different rates – it is important to go at your baby’s pace.

If you have started weaning before 6 months there are some foods you should avoid giving your baby. These are listed below:

• Cow’s milk and products made from cow’s milk
• Eggs
• Citrus fruit such as orange juice
• Fish and shellfish
• Nuts and products containing nuts
• Salt
• Sugar
• Foods containing gluten (from wheat, rye, barley and oats)

From 6 to 9 months

If you have been able to delay weaning until 6 months you should find your baby will progress to thicker and more lumpy textures more quickly than a baby weaned at 4 months as their mouths are better developed. Aim for mashed or minced food as soon as you are able. It is important to ensure that your baby eats a wide variety of different foods to appetite to ensure they are getting adequate vitamins, minerals and calories for growth and development. After 6 months you can introduce:

• Foods containing cow’s milk (but avoid giving cow’s milk as a main drink)
• Foods containing gluten such as bread/toast as finger food, rusks, weetabix
• Eggs
• Fish
• Meat

Continue to avoid shellfish, citrus fruit, nuts, salt and sugar.

Include meat, fish or eggs at at least one meal each day.

Finger food can also be introduced from 6 months old. These encouraged your child to use muscles for chewing and will help with teething. At first it is important to avoid foods which may break leaving hard lumps in the mouth which may cause your child to choke. Try soft cooked carrot, toast, melon and banana.

Once they are able to cope with lumps try cheese, breadsticks, peeled apple slices.

From 9 to 12 months

By now your child should be on 3 minced or chopped meals a day and fitting in with family mealtimes. They will be getting more active and will probably need bigger meals and some snacks between meals. Suitable snacks include:

• Fruit
• Yogurt
• Breadsticks
• Toast
• Fruit buns/teacakes

Avoid biscuits as these encourage a sweet tooth; avoid crisps and savoury snacks as these are far too salty for young children.

What about milk feeds

To begin with your baby will still be getting most of its nutrition from the milk feeds you are giving. As the amount of solids increase they will need fewer milk feeds but of bigger volumes. Young children need about 1 pint (20 fl. oz.; 500ml) of milk each day.

Vitamin supplements

If you are still breastfeeding your child after 6 months or if your baby has less than 500ml (1 pint) of formula milk each day then you should give vitamin A, C and D drops. Discuss this with your health visitor.

Encourage your child to have a wide variety of foods to ensure they are getting enough of the other vitamins and minerals.

Iron can be a particular problem in young children. To ensure that your child is getting enough iron try foods such as meat, egg, dark green vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals, dried fruit, bread, beans and pulses (avoid tinned varieties with children under 1 year old).

Drinks

Breast milk is the best drink for under ones. Infant formula milk can be given as an alternative until at least a year of age. After a year cow’s milk can be given. Apart from milk, water is preferred for extra drinks. Under 6 months cooled boiled water should be given to bottle fed babies; breast fed babies should not need anything other than breast milk.