Baby weaning
Published by Bupa's health information team, March 2008. This
factsheet is for parents who would like information on baby
weaning. Weaning is the process of gradually introducing solid
foods to your baby in order to meet their growing nutritional
needs.
What does weaning involve?
Weaning normally begins with you introducing solid foods into
your baby's diet alongside the usual milk feeds. You can gradually
introduce your baby to minced or mashed foods and foods that need
to be chewed. Of course, you may continue to breast or bottle-feed
your baby alongside solid foods for as long as it's comfortable for
you and your baby.
When to start weaning
The Department of Health advises parents to start the weaning
process at around six months. For the first few months of life,
your baby will receive all the nutrition and energy his or her body
needs from breast or formula milk.
However, once babies are six months old, they may not get all
the calories, iron and other nutrients they need from milk alone,
or may require increasingly large or frequent feeds to do so.
Also around this time, your baby loses the tongue-thrust reflex
which means that when you touch his/her tongue, he/she reacts by
pushing his/her tongue forwards. When this reflex disappears, your
baby is able to use his/her tongue to transfer food from the front
to the back of the mouth. It's also about now that your baby will
start to get teeth, hold his/her head up well and sit up better
unsupported, all of which makes eating easier.
So six months is a good time to introduce and then gradually
increase the amount of solid foods you give your baby. Introducing
solid foods earlier than four months isn't recommended, as your
baby may not be able to digest the food properly. If your baby was
born prematurely, ask your health visitor for advice about when to
start.
How to know when your baby is ready for weaning
Don't rush into weaning as a result of pressure from parents or
friends, but be guided by the following signals from your baby:
- being unsatisfied after a full milk feed
- demanding increasing and more frequent milk feeds
- weight gain slowing or levelling out without a period of
illness to explain why
- after a period of sleeping through the night, your baby begins
waking because he/she is hungry
You may also notice your baby showing interest in your food and
attempting to put things in his/her mouth.
If you are unsure or concerned about when your baby is ready to
begin weaning, talk to your health visitor.
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Getting started
There is no right way to introduce your baby to solid foods.
When you see the signs that your baby is ready, you can begin
giving your baby his/her first tastes of food. These tastes are
more a learning experience and shouldn't replace any milk
feeds.
Choose a time that is convenient and when you are both relaxed.
Try giving your baby three or four small teaspoonfuls of food part
way through or after a breast or bottle-feed. Don't be surprised if
your baby doesn't seem to know what to do with the food and it
comes straight back out. Your baby doesn't know how to swallow food
at first, but with luck some of the food will slide down your
baby's throat.
As your baby is used to the bland taste of milk, it's often
advisable to start weaning your baby with a bland texture and a
similar taste. A favourite is baby rice, which is ground rice with
added vitamins and minerals. You can mix the rice with breast or
formula milk, or boiled then cooled water.
You can also give your baby small amounts of puréed fruit and
vegetables, such as cooked apple or pear, carrot or potato. It's a
good idea to introduce one food at a time so that you can tell if
your baby reacts adversely, although this is rarely a problem with
first cereals and vegetables. If your baby seems to tolerate food
well, you can mix baby rice with, for example, apple or carrot
purée. Offer your baby savoury foods as well as sweet at this
stage, so he/she gets used to both. Always check that warm foods
are not too hot before giving them.
Don't force food on your baby. It's quite normal for babies to
eat four or five teaspoonfuls on one occasion and very little the
next.
If your baby is reluctant to start with spoon-feeding, try
gently rubbing a clean finger with a small amount of food on it
over your baby's lips instead. Otherwise you may need to try again
another day, or wait until he/she can hold a spoon.
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Next steps
Once your baby has become used to the tastes of different foods,
you can gradually increase the amount you give your baby and
introduce the food more often and earlier in a feed. Your baby will
also need a drink during and after their food. This can be milk
(breast or formula), boiled and cooled water, or possibly diluted
fruit juice and preferably given from a baby cup with a spout and
two handles.
Over time, your baby's demand for milk will probably reduce and
you can breast or bottle-feed your baby less frequently.
From six to nine months, your baby will probably want to feed
him or herself. Although your baby will need to eat more often than
you do, he/she will gradually come to eat the same variety and
textures of foods that you eat. He/she should eat foods from all
four main food groups:
- bread, other cereals and potatoes
- meat, fish and alternatives
- milk and dairy foods
- fruit and vegetables
Your baby's meals might therefore include: mashed potato, pureed
meat, white fish, pasta, minced or mashed green vegetables, as well
as pieces of fruit such as banana and apple. The Department of
Health recommends including "finger foods" (such as soft
sandwiches, lightly toasted bread or rice cakes) in your baby's
diet as soon as your baby is ready to do so.
By 12 months, solid foods will be the main part of what your
baby eats, with breast or formula milk making up the balance.
When preparing foods for your baby, avoid adding additional
flavours such as salt and sugar as babies can't cope with excess
salt or sugar in food and don't need it.
Always store, handle and prepare food hygienically to prevent
germs and infection.
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Foods you shouldn't give to your baby
There are foods that you are advised not to give to your baby
for the first six to eight months, as they have been known to upset
a baby or cause an allergic reaction. These include:
- nuts and seeds
- shellfish
- exotic or citrus fruits
- eggs and egg products such as custard
- cow's milk
- foods which contain gluten
- soft and unpasteurised cheeses
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Dealing with difficulties
Meal times should be a relaxing and pleasant experience. One of
the main causes of difficulties is weaning your baby too early.
Always be prepared to continue breast or bottle-feeding if your
baby refuses any solid foods. It's also quite common for your
baby's likes and dislikes to change abruptly.
Sometimes, your baby may become uncooperative or turn away from
food. This may be a one-off because he/she doesn't like the taste
of the food or he/she has eaten enough. Pressuring your baby to eat
will only mean he/she develops an unhappy association with
mealtimes and food, which will take a great deal of time and effort
to reverse. So if there is a problem, relax and try again a few
days later.
However, if you have persistent difficulties, it could be the
beginning of a battle of wills. This can become increasingly severe
as your child senses your frustration. If you find yourself in this
situation, try stopping giving your baby solid foods or go back to
bland foods and remove the heightened tension before you try
again.
Putting your baby in situations where he/she will see other
children of his/her age eating solid foods may help. If not, he/she
is likely to tire of milk and bland foods quite quickly and will
probably be happy to accept tasty finger foods before taking to
solid meals again.
Most difficulties with weaning can be resolved by patience,
understanding and a lot of positive encouragement. Your health
visitor will normally be able to offer you new ideas and techniques
to deal with occasional difficulties. If the problem persists and
begins to affect the healthy development of your baby, then arrange
to see your doctor. He or she will be able to examine your baby to
exclude possible medical causes and give you further advice.
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Further information
To see one our General Practitioners, please call our appointments
department, alternatively you can arrange to see our Paediatric
Dietician.
Sources
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Baby weaning Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, September 2008.
This section contains answers to common questions about baby
weaning. Questions have been suggested by health professionals,
website feedback and requests via email.
Which foods are good to introduce in the first few weeks?
Answer
Popular first foods are baby rice mixed with your baby's usual
milk, and fruit and vegetable purees.
Explanation
Weaning is a new experience for your baby. As well as tasting
new flavours, your baby will need to learn how to swallow, which
uses new muscles.
To make this easier, you may want to begin with bland baby rice
mixed with your baby's usual milk. You could also try:
- cooked and mashed vegetables, such as carrots, parsnip, swede,
yam, potato, sweet potato, butternut squash and courgette
- mashed fruit such as banana or avocado
- cooked and mashed ripe apple, pear, mango and papaya
- baby cereals that are free of gluten, including baby rice or
maize flour, mixed with baby milk
It's good to introduce one food at a time so if your baby has a
bad reaction, you can tell which food caused the problem.
Mash up home-cooked family foods for your baby as much as you
can. Make sure you don't add salt or sugar to your baby's portion.
This will get your baby used to the foods you eat, and may make the
whole weaning process easier.
Let your baby try feeding him/herself as soon as he/she shows an
interest. Use pieces of soft fruit or vegetables small enough for
your baby to pick up (finger foods).
Sources
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Should I cut down the size of milk feeds as soon as my baby
starts weaning?
Answer
No. In the first stages of weaning, your baby will still get
most of his/her nutrition from breast or formula milk.
Explanation
When you first introduce solid foods, you will give your baby
just a few teaspoons of solid food before or after his/her usual
milk feeds. Your baby will still get most of his/her nourishment
from breast or formula milk.
As your baby begins to eat more solid foods over the next few
months, he/she will start to want less milk. Once your baby is
eating plenty of solids a few times each day, you may want to cut
out a milk feed.
Your baby will still need a minimum of 500ml to 600ml (about a
pint) of breast or formula milk until he/she is a year old. You
should stick to breast or formula milk until your baby is at least
one. Only introduce cows' milk as a drink after this.
Sources
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Do I really need to wait until my baby is six months old before
starting weaning?
Answer
The Department of Health recommends that about six months old is
the best time to wean your baby. You should never begin weaning
before four months.
Explanation
Health experts agree that weaning should begin at six months.
Before six months, your baby's digestive system is still
developing, and giving solid foods may increase the risk of
allergies or infection.
By six months, babies' digestive and immune systems are stronger
and they will have changed physically so they are able to eat solid
foods. They can sit up in a high chair, hold up their heads and
move food about in their mouths.
It's likely your baby will become hungrier than usual before six
months when they have a growth spurt. You don't need to start
solids if this happens. Extra breast or formula milk will be
enough.
If you're bottle-feeding your baby, try giving more milk at each
feed. If you're breastfeeding, you can feed more often.
If you're still considering introducing solids before six
months, speak to your GP or health visitor first. The Department of
Health warns that babies should never be given solid foods before
they are four months old.
Sources
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Why are we advised not to give babies certain foods?
Answer
There are some foods that you're advised not to give your baby
because they carry a risk of infection when your baby is still very
vulnerable. Some foods may also cause your baby to develop an
allergy. There are a variety of health reasons for minimising
certain other foods.
Explanation
You shouldn't give your baby certain foods before he/she is six
months old because they have been known to cause allergies or make
babies ill. These include:
- cows' milk or milk products (such as cheese, yogurt, fromage
frais) - full-fat cows' milk may be used in recipes but you
shouldn't give it as a drink until your baby is a year old
- nuts and seeds
- foods containing wheat or gluten (including bread, flour,
pasta, some cereals and rusks)
- eggs
- fish or shellfish
- soft or unpasteurised cheese
- soya beans
- citrus fruits
There are certain other foods that you are also advised not to
give your baby. If you or other members of your close family have
food allergies, you should discuss weaning with your healthcare
provider.
- Salt is hard for a baby's young kidneys to cope with.
- Sugary foods can lead to your baby developing a preference for
sweet foods, described as a "sweet tooth". They may also cause
tooth decay of your baby's first teeth.
- You shouldn't give your baby honey until he/she is at least
one. Honey can contain a bacterium that may cause a very serious
illness called botulism.
- Giving your baby nuts may cause him/her to develop an allergy.
Your baby could also choke on them.
- Don't give your baby low-fat or 'diet' foods. Unlike adults,
babies need a lot of calories and nutrients in a small amount of
food. So it's good to give them full-fat dairy foods and minimise
low-calorie or high-fibre products.
Sources
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What other foods should I introduce and when?
Answer
For the first month or so after you start weaning your baby
stick to simple mashed or pureed foods. After your baby is seven
months old and once he/she seems ready, you can start introducing
your baby to a wide variety of foods, and include lumps in it. By
10 months of age, your baby can have two or three meals a day of
chopped or minced foods.
Explanation
The weaning process can be split into four phases: first foods,
more foods, seven to nine months and 10 months.
You can start more foods once your baby is happy eating a few
teaspoons of mashed fruit and vegetables at one of their usual milk
feeds each day. Try adding some extra pureed foods, such as:
- rice, pasta or noodles
- lean meat, chicken or fish
- lentils and split peas
- green vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, peas and
cabbage
- full-fat dairy products, including yogurt and fromage
frais
Increase how much solid food you give your baby in response to
his/her appetite. Gradually progress from giving solids at one to
three feeds a day.
Between seven and nine months, it's good to feed your baby:
- two to three servings of starchy foods a day, including
couscous, bread, breakfast cereals, oats, potatoes and millet
- citrus fruits
- one serving of protein-rich food - as well as meats and
lentils, your baby can now have well-cooked eggs, fish and
shellfish
- finger foods, such as cooked green beans, lumps of cheese,
banana and soft pear
By 10 months, your baby should have two or three meals a day,
with one or two healthy snacks, such as fruit or toast. It's good
for your baby to eat the same food as the rest of the family but
chopped up. These meals should be made up of:
- three or four servings of starchy foods
- one serving of protein-rich foods
- one serving of full-fat dairy products (as well as the usual
breast or formula milk)
Sources
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This information was published by Bupa's health information team
and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been
peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general
information only and does not replace the need for personal advice
from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: September 2008