How do I start weaning?

Follow these seven steps to get you ready for your baby's first tastes of solids


Step 1 - Check that your baby is ready to wean

OK, sounds easy. But how can you be sure it's time to start giving solids? First, there are the Government guidelines:

  • The Department of Health recommends that you wait until your baby is 6 months old before you start weaning.
  • Never give solids to a baby under the age of 17 weeks

However, as we know, all babies are different, and so there are also visual signs to look out for, including:

  • Having good neck and head control
  • Sitting well when supported and able to sit in an upright position when held on your lap
  • Reaches out to grab objects and puts them in her mouth
  • Started making chewing motions
  • Watches you eat and looks like she'd like some of your food

If you think your baby is ready before 6 months, talk to your health visitor or doctor before starting.

Step 2 - Think about which weaning method you want to use

There are 2 different methods of starting solids:

  • Spoon feeding - start with purees that gradually change texture, introducing finger foods between 7-8 months
  • Baby led weaning - starting straight away with solid food, missing out purees, and most importantly letting your baby take the lead on food and involving your baby in eating when you eat

Which way is most popular?

Baby led weaning has become very popular in the last few years, while spoon feeding is the traditional way. We find the majority of mums still make purees but introduce soft finger foods right from the start - what some call the Mix Method. When we asked 500 mums, nearly two thirds (60%) did purees only at the beginning, 31% did a mix of purees and finger foods, while 9% did pure BLW.

Step 3 - Check you have the right feeding equipment

You don't have to re-kit out your kitchen, in order to introduce solid food. We believe there are 4 essential products:

  • chair for your baby to sit upright in
  • plastic/unbreakable bowls
  • plastic spoons
  • bibs

Of course, there are other useful weaning products, which can make your life easier and less messy - such as a mess mat, blender, freezer portion trays, travel highchair and storage pots.

Step 4 - Decide what time of day to start

It's up to you what time you start weaning, and will depend on what type of weaning you're doing. Experts are agreed that it's best to start when your baby isn't desperately hungry. Your baby (and you) need to be relaxed. If your baby is anxious for a milk feed and you offer a spoonful of puree or a soft vegetable chunk, your baby is likely to be confused and frustrated.

Parenting expert Gina Ford, in her top-selling Contented Little Baby Book of Weaning, recommends in the first week, you introduce the first taste of solids at the mid-morning feed, after giving your baby half a milk feed first.

If you're doing baby led weaning, you're encouraged to start when your baby is keen to eat some of your food - so most likely at lunch or tea time.

Remember, at the beginning of weaning, your baby is still getting most of his nutritional needs from milk.

Step 5 - Think about where you'll feed

Although your baby needs to be able to sit well when supported, you may find that feeding on your lap gives your baby more support right at the beginning. If you'd rather she got used to a highchair straight away, choose one that's suitable for her stage of development: a comfy, padded chair with a recline function and a big tray may suit her best at this point.

Step 6 - Choose first foods

At the very beginning, if you're spoon feeding, give foods that don't have very strong or bitter tastes, such as sweet potato, butternut squash or apple. Some mums like to use baby rice mixed with breast or formula milk, as the very first taste of solids. This is fine as a halfway house, but baby rice is very bland and it's good to move on after the first day to introduce foods with different flavours.

If you're doing baby led weaning, choose soft fruits (banana, melon) or softly baked vegetables (carrot, broccoli).

What are the most popular first foods?
We asked 412 mums which first food they gave their babies...

  • 21% Apple
  • 14% Banana
  • 6% Porridge
  • 5% Pear
  • 4% Sweet potato
  • 2% Potato
  • 33% Other

Step 7 - Make your baby's first food

5 quick steps to making a puree

  • Wash and scrub the vegetables or fruit you're using.
  • Peel and chop into chunky pieces.
  • Put the pieces into a thick-bottomed saucepan and cover with water.
  • Boil until the pieces are soft.
  • Strain off the cooking water and keep it. Puree the softened fruit or vegetables with a blender. Add some of the cooking water to make the puree thinner if desired.

5 quick steps to making soft roasted vegetables

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.
  • Choose from a range of root vegetables, such as carrot, sweet potato, parsnip or swede. Wash vigorously, peel or scrape and cut into long chunks.
  • Peel and de-seed a pepper, then chop into chunky sticks about 1.5cm wide.
  • Spread the root vegetables out on a greased baking tray and brush them with the olive oil until evenly coated. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Then add the pepper sticks and continue roasting for a further 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.

Step 8 - Start slowly and go at your baby's pace

"Start with just one meal a day," says GP Dr Philippa Kaye. "This is because when you start weaning, most of your baby's nutritional needs will still be met by breast or formula milk."

Mums' experiences of starting to wean

"We started a week ago and so far my little one has had carrot, sweet potato, normal potato, apple, parsnip and banana. I'm going to stick with fruit and veg for the first month then start to introduce fish and bready bits."
Maxs Mummy

"We started weaning my son at 6 mths. He loved tasting and experimenting but it didn't look like any food was really getting eaten, it was just him learning how to use his mouth. He's now 7 months and has started to eat and swallow properly as evidenced by his nappy deposits!"
Luloo

"My LO was given puree carrot for the first time last night, she screamed when the portion was finished. I had to give her another half portion, she absolutely loved it. I felt quite mean when I stopped feeding her. I am currently giving her 2-3 days of the same food as I slowly introduce her to new flavours/tastes, so with carrot again I'm sure tonight's dinner time will be fun."
Nicola