Advice on weaning
What is weaning?
Weaning means gradually introducing a range of foods, textures and flavours by moving your baby from milk feeds, to smooth food purees, then on to courser purees until your baby is eating the same foods as the rest of the family.
When do I start weaning?
Health experts agree that around six months is the best age for introducing solids but, if you choose to wean earlier than this, solid food should not be introduced before 17 weeks.
How will I know my baby is ready?
At about six months your baby should be ready to be moved onto a mixed diet. Consider giving solids when your baby starts to:-
- Sit up on their own
- Want to chew and is putting toys and other objects in their mouth
- Look longingly at what your eating and / or tries to reach and grab out
How do I start weaning?
Firstly, allow plenty of time for feeding. Don’t rush or force your baby and don’t worry if your baby spits out as much as goes into the mouth. Make sure your baby is sitting up straight and facing forward – a highchair is best.
Start by offering a small amount of puree or baby rice. Always stir food after warming up (to remove “hot spots”) and check the temperature of the food before giving it to your baby. Some babies take time to learn to eat new foods so be patient. Let your baby touch the food if they want to, and be prepared for some mess!
- Start by offering a few teaspoons of food, once a day.
- Try and give your baby a range of foods and textures to taste.
- Allow your baby to feed themselves, using their fingers, if they show an interest.
- If your baby doesn’t seem to want it, wait and try again later, but never re-heat previously warmed baby food.
- Wait for your baby to open their mouth when the food is offered.
Once your baby is happily tucking into baby rice and smooth purees you can try introducing different flavours and textures into their diet.
Be guided by your baby and the amount they want to eat. If your baby still seems hungry, give them a little bit more.
Progress from offering solid food once a day to solid food at two and then three feeds. As they get older and more mobile you will need to increase the amount of food you give them. It is good to offer them a wide variety of foods that as similar to the foods that you and your family usually eat. Try and include your baby in the family mealtime routine and, if practicable, feed your baby while family members are eating.
What foods should I avoid?
Your baby’s digestive system needs time to adjust to the new diet so it is best to avoid bombarding your baby with too many flavours too quickly. It is also better to avoid introducing foods that commonly cause allergies:-
- Salt – occurs naturally in food but a baby’s kidney cannot cope with any further doses of salt.
- Sugar – do not add sugar to your baby’s meals as this can encourage a sweet tooth and lead to tooth decay. Choose food that has naturally sugar.
- Honey – don’t give honey until your baby is over one year old. Very occasionally, it can contain bacterium which can cause very serious illness (infant botulism).
- Nuts – these can trigger allergies in some children and should not be given in case of choking.
- Low-fat Foods – whether yoghurt, fromage frais, cheese etc are not suitable for babies as fat is an important source of calories and some vitamins that babies need.
For more detailed information on weaning visit: Department for Health
Fresh Organic Baby Food
At Pure we pride ourselves on ensuring that all meals are free from:
- No Added Salt or Sugar
- No Artificial Colours or Flavours
- No Artificial Preservatives
- Non-GM Products
Fresh Organic Baby Food
FREE delivery on all orders of £45 and over.
We currently deliver to the following postcode areas: SA1, SA2, SA3, SA4, SA5, SA6, SA7, SA14, SA15, SA16, SA17, SA18, SA19, SA20, SA31, SA32, SA33, SA34.
Free delivery on orders over £45.00
Holiday Service
Having a Holiday in South West Wales and don’t want to take up your precious time by having to be in the kitchen?
Pure Organic Baby Food can help by offering a holiday service whereby you can pre-order your dishes to arrive at your accommodation on the first day of your holiday!
All you need to do is complete your shopping on-line, fill in the delivery address details with your holiday destination details, and specify a suitable delivery time.
We will contact you to confirm all the arrangement and then sit back, relax and leave the rest to us!