You are the best judge of when it's time to wean, and you don't have to set a deadline unless you and your child are ready to do so. However, the Department of Health now recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months (26 weeks). If you feel your baby needs to start solids before this, do talk to your health visitor.
Baby food
Babies make the change from requiring milk alone to needing a top-up with solids due to the fact that their stomachs are full after a feed and cannot hold any more milk, yet they still need more calories. Milk is a complete food, but as babies grow they require more calories, so the all-important solids, which contain more calories than milk, are introduced to meet the needs of your baby.
Baby care
A sign that your baby is demanding more is when, at the end of a regular feed, she is still restless and unsatisfied. She may even demand an extra feed during the day or wake up in the night wanting a feed, when she would normally have slept through. She may also take a swipe at your food!
Don’t rush to start feeding your baby solids, and do not be anxious if friends' babies have started on solids before yours has – every baby is different and no one knows a baby better than her mother. If your baby is happy and content with milk until around six months old, continue until the above signs are noticed. If you are in any doubt ask your health visitor or doctor's advice.
What to feed
Baby massage
The best foods to start weaning with are home-cooked vegetables and fruits. Prepare the vegetables by chopping and cooking in a little water until soft and then puree. A good tip is to add a little breat or formula milk to give it a soft consistency and to make the taste similar to what your baby already knows and likes.
Only make up very small amounts as, at first, she will only accept a teaspoon or two. Start with bland-tasting vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, cauliflower or broccoli, and never add any seasoning.
Pureed fruits are also very good - try starting with banana, papaya, mango, stewed apple or pear, never add sugar (just select sweet fruit) and do not sweeten with honey until your baby is 12 months old. By sweetening foods you will give your baby a sweet tooth, which is not a good start.
Start by offering tiny amounts of solids for your baby to get used to this new experience and taste. Never force solids upon a baby - it should be a gentle and enjoyable experience. If your baby refuses the food, forget trying to feed solids for a couple of days and then try again with another pureed food. Do not rush your baby as she is having learn to accept these new tastes and, hardest of all, having to learn how to swallow - all she has done until now is suck.
Lunchtime is often the best time to try with solids as your baby will be alert and usually very hungry. Milk is still a very important part of the diet so continue to give milk as usual along with the pureed foods.
Tuesday
First year baby food
From breastfeeding to weaning, vitamins to healthy eating, Baby care you all the way.
Get info and advice on every aspect of feeding your baby and keeping her healthy throughout those early years.
Baby food recipes
* Early days
* Food worries
* Weaning ways
* Nutritional help
* More on food
Early days
* Breastfeeding
* Breastfeeding problem solver
* Bottle feeding
* Mixing breast and bottle
Food worries
* Food intolerance and food allergy
* Fussy eaters
* Vegetarian babies
* Vegan babies
* Special diets
Weaning ways
* When to start on solids
* Weaning chart
* First foods from 6 months
* Feeding from 7 or 8 months
* Feeding from 12 months on
* Baby-led weaning
* Baby-led weaning recipes for 6 months and 8 months
* Gill Ripley's baby-led weaning video
Nutritional help
* Vitamin supplements
* Mineral guide
* Organic baby foods tried and tested
* Organic recipes
* Recipes for baby
More on food
* Organic baby food on test
* Small bites: food info, issues and recipes
* Find a recipe
* Baby-led weaning recipes : Breakfasts| savouries | puds
* Baby to adult: how to make the food transition
* Good eating habits start young, says food writer Fran Warde
* Drink up! Tips and ideas to keep baby hydrated
Get info and advice on every aspect of feeding your baby and keeping her healthy throughout those early years.
Baby food recipes
* Early days
* Food worries
* Weaning ways
* Nutritional help
* More on food
Early days
* Breastfeeding
* Breastfeeding problem solver
* Bottle feeding
* Mixing breast and bottle
Food worries
* Food intolerance and food allergy
* Fussy eaters
* Vegetarian babies
* Vegan babies
* Special diets
Weaning ways
* When to start on solids
* Weaning chart
* First foods from 6 months
* Feeding from 7 or 8 months
* Feeding from 12 months on
* Baby-led weaning
* Baby-led weaning recipes for 6 months and 8 months
* Gill Ripley's baby-led weaning video
Nutritional help
* Vitamin supplements
* Mineral guide
* Organic baby foods tried and tested
* Organic recipes
* Recipes for baby
More on food
* Organic baby food on test
* Small bites: food info, issues and recipes
* Find a recipe
* Baby-led weaning recipes : Breakfasts| savouries | puds
* Baby to adult: how to make the food transition
* Good eating habits start young, says food writer Fran Warde
* Drink up! Tips and ideas to keep baby hydrated
Saturday
How long you may store homemade baby food
In the refrigerator or freezer.
FOOD IN REFRIGERATOR IN FREEZER
Fruits and vegetables 2 to 3 days 6 to 8 months
Meats or egg yolks 1 day 1 to 2 months
Meat & vegetable
combination
1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
What to do:
1. Wash your hands with hot soapy water. Wash all equipment in hot soapy water, rinse
it under hot water and air dry.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables by scrubbing under cool water. Peel fruits and vegetables
and remove seeds.
3. Remove bones, skin and visible fat from meat.
4. Bake, boil or steam food until cooked and tender.
5. Use the food grinder, blender, potato masher, or fork to mash the food until it is of a
smooth texture. You may also force the food through a strainer. Throw away any
tough pieces or large lumps.
6. Add liquids such as cooking water, breast milk or formula if the food is thick or dry.
7. Do not add sugar, honey, salt or fat to baby food.
FOOD IN REFRIGERATOR IN FREEZER
Fruits and vegetables 2 to 3 days 6 to 8 months
Meats or egg yolks 1 day 1 to 2 months
Meat & vegetable
combination
1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
What to do:
1. Wash your hands with hot soapy water. Wash all equipment in hot soapy water, rinse
it under hot water and air dry.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables by scrubbing under cool water. Peel fruits and vegetables
and remove seeds.
3. Remove bones, skin and visible fat from meat.
4. Bake, boil or steam food until cooked and tender.
5. Use the food grinder, blender, potato masher, or fork to mash the food until it is of a
smooth texture. You may also force the food through a strainer. Throw away any
tough pieces or large lumps.
6. Add liquids such as cooking water, breast milk or formula if the food is thick or dry.
7. Do not add sugar, honey, salt or fat to baby food.
Making your own homemade baby food
Making your own baby food from family foods usually costs less than baby food you buy
and allows the baby to get used to the types of foods the family eats.
What you need:
1. Something to mash or grind the food such as a:
· Food grinder
· Blender
· Potato masher
· Strainer, or
· Fork
2. Good quality food without added salt, sugar, fat or spices. Do not make baby food
from leftovers that have been kept for more than one day.
Friday
Everything You Need to Know About Feeding Your Baby
The Super Baby Food Book contains all the information you'll need to:
* Know when, how, and what to feed your baby and toddler.
* Know how to keep baby food safe.
* Take control of your baby’s nutrition
* Avoid harmful additives and preservatives
* If you would like, make your own baby food
Early days
* Breastfeeding
* Breastfeeding problem solver
* Bottlefeeding
* Mixing breast and bottle
Food worries
* Food intolerance and food allergy
* Fussy eaters
* Vegetarian babies
* Vegan babies
* Special diets
Weaning ways
* When to start on solids
* Weaning chart
* First foods from 6 months
* Feeding from 7 or 8 months
* Feeding from 12 months on
* Baby-led weaning
* Baby-led weaning recipes for 6 months and 8 months
* Gill Rapley's baby-led weaning video
Nutritional help
* Vitamin supplements
* Mineral guide
* Organic baby foods tried and tested
* Organic recipes
* Recipes for baby
More on food
* Organic baby food on test
* Small bites: food info, issues and recipes
* Find a recipe
* Baby-led weaning recipes : Breakfasts| savouries | puds
* Baby to adult: how to make the food transition
* Good eating habits start young, says food writer Fran Warde
* Drink up! Tips and ideas to keep baby hydrated
* Know when, how, and what to feed your baby and toddler.
* Know how to keep baby food safe.
* Take control of your baby’s nutrition
* Avoid harmful additives and preservatives
* If you would like, make your own baby food
Early days
* Breastfeeding
* Breastfeeding problem solver
* Bottlefeeding
* Mixing breast and bottle
Food worries
* Food intolerance and food allergy
* Fussy eaters
* Vegetarian babies
* Vegan babies
* Special diets
Weaning ways
* When to start on solids
* Weaning chart
* First foods from 6 months
* Feeding from 7 or 8 months
* Feeding from 12 months on
* Baby-led weaning
* Baby-led weaning recipes for 6 months and 8 months
* Gill Rapley's baby-led weaning video
Nutritional help
* Vitamin supplements
* Mineral guide
* Organic baby foods tried and tested
* Organic recipes
* Recipes for baby
More on food
* Organic baby food on test
* Small bites: food info, issues and recipes
* Find a recipe
* Baby-led weaning recipes : Breakfasts| savouries | puds
* Baby to adult: how to make the food transition
* Good eating habits start young, says food writer Fran Warde
* Drink up! Tips and ideas to keep baby hydrated
Finger Foods for baby
By around 7 to 8 months you can introduce finger foods. Your baby may find it easier to pick up food with his fingers than use a spoon at this stage. These finger foods can be made out of anything that’s not too sloppy to cut. Here are some ideas:
* Slices of bread or toast. Press the bread firmly with a rolling pin before toasting or cutting into fingers to make sure that no crumbs or lumps will fall off
* Strips of pitta bread, nan or chapati
* Fingers of pizza
* Cubes of cheese, or a pile of finely grated cheese
* Peas
* Cooked pasta in sizes and shapes your baby can pick up
* Cooked vegetables
* Chunks of dessert apple or finely grated apple
* Slices of carrot, celery, cucumber
* Tiny sandwiches with fruit or savoury filling
Note: you should always stay with your baby when he’s feeding himself in case he chokes. Usually, babies will cough or spit food out if they cannot swallow it. Occasionally you may have to pat him on the back or put your finger in his mouth to remove a piece of food.
Your baby and family meals
At this stage your baby can join in more and more with family meals. Seat him at the table in a highchair, perhaps with a cloth underneath to make clearing up easier.
You might need to give him his main evening meal rather earlier than you have yours - a baby cannot wait until 7 o’clock for his tea, unless he has a substantial snack in the afternoon. And some babies are asleep by 7pm!
Similarly, some older babies need an early lunch, at around 11 or 11.30am, and then have a post-lunch nap. Trying to keep a baby awake to fit in with your meal time is unfair and not very productive. However, even if you are not eating yourself, do sit down with him at the table and chat to him while he is eating.
Many families compromise, and eat together when they can, at the weekends and on holiday. You’ll find it is easiest to be fairly flexible, and to expect your baby’s routine to change from time to time.
* Slices of bread or toast. Press the bread firmly with a rolling pin before toasting or cutting into fingers to make sure that no crumbs or lumps will fall off
* Strips of pitta bread, nan or chapati
* Fingers of pizza
* Cubes of cheese, or a pile of finely grated cheese
* Peas
* Cooked pasta in sizes and shapes your baby can pick up
* Cooked vegetables
* Chunks of dessert apple or finely grated apple
* Slices of carrot, celery, cucumber
* Tiny sandwiches with fruit or savoury filling
Note: you should always stay with your baby when he’s feeding himself in case he chokes. Usually, babies will cough or spit food out if they cannot swallow it. Occasionally you may have to pat him on the back or put your finger in his mouth to remove a piece of food.
Your baby and family meals
At this stage your baby can join in more and more with family meals. Seat him at the table in a highchair, perhaps with a cloth underneath to make clearing up easier.
You might need to give him his main evening meal rather earlier than you have yours - a baby cannot wait until 7 o’clock for his tea, unless he has a substantial snack in the afternoon. And some babies are asleep by 7pm!
Similarly, some older babies need an early lunch, at around 11 or 11.30am, and then have a post-lunch nap. Trying to keep a baby awake to fit in with your meal time is unfair and not very productive. However, even if you are not eating yourself, do sit down with him at the table and chat to him while he is eating.
Many families compromise, and eat together when they can, at the weekends and on holiday. You’ll find it is easiest to be fairly flexible, and to expect your baby’s routine to change from time to time.
What to avoid your baby
* Citrus and berry fruits
* Soft cooked eggs
* Soft ripened cheeses
* Nuts (including peanut butter)
* Salt
* Sugar
* Strong spices
Avoid low-fat or fat-reduced dairy foods. These aren’t harmful to your baby, but they don’t pack in as much suitable nutrition. Babies need calorie-dense foods, and they benefit from the fat-soluble vitamins present in whole yoghurt, full-fat cheeses and other products.
Remember: the advice to choose low-fat foods is directed at adults - not babies and young children.
Choose unsweetened foods as far as you can for your baby, as relying on sugary foods can encourage his natural preference for sweet foods. Too much sugar can damage your baby’s delicate emerging teeth and may be bad for his long-term dental health.
Drinks
The healthiest drinks for babies are water, milk (formula or breast, see above), or very dilute pure fruit juice (one part juice to five parts water). Offer well-diluted juice with meals as it aids iron absorption and is a valuable source of vitamin C.
Fruit juice needs to be diluted because the acid in the juice can erode the enamel on the teeth. Give juice with, or after, meals when the protective saliva in your baby’s mouth will help restrict decay. Never give juice in a bottle, as the slow sucking will ensure that your baby’s teeth are bathed in sugar for long periods, leading to decay. Babies of five months and over can start learning to use a spouted cup.
Avoid squashes and other drinks with added sugar altogether, as they are particularly bad for your baby’s teeth.
Different textures
By seven months most babies are capable of tolerating lumps and different textures, and it’s a good idea to begin to offer them food that is less smooth. That way your baby gets used to the feel of normal, family food and it helps his tongue and mouth develop. This is also important for later speech development.
Instead of sieving food, simply mash it and gradually reduce the amount of milk or water you add to it, so the puree becomes thicker.
* Soft cooked eggs
* Soft ripened cheeses
* Nuts (including peanut butter)
* Salt
* Sugar
* Strong spices
Avoid low-fat or fat-reduced dairy foods. These aren’t harmful to your baby, but they don’t pack in as much suitable nutrition. Babies need calorie-dense foods, and they benefit from the fat-soluble vitamins present in whole yoghurt, full-fat cheeses and other products.
Remember: the advice to choose low-fat foods is directed at adults - not babies and young children.
Choose unsweetened foods as far as you can for your baby, as relying on sugary foods can encourage his natural preference for sweet foods. Too much sugar can damage your baby’s delicate emerging teeth and may be bad for his long-term dental health.
Drinks
The healthiest drinks for babies are water, milk (formula or breast, see above), or very dilute pure fruit juice (one part juice to five parts water). Offer well-diluted juice with meals as it aids iron absorption and is a valuable source of vitamin C.
Fruit juice needs to be diluted because the acid in the juice can erode the enamel on the teeth. Give juice with, or after, meals when the protective saliva in your baby’s mouth will help restrict decay. Never give juice in a bottle, as the slow sucking will ensure that your baby’s teeth are bathed in sugar for long periods, leading to decay. Babies of five months and over can start learning to use a spouted cup.
Avoid squashes and other drinks with added sugar altogether, as they are particularly bad for your baby’s teeth.
Different textures
By seven months most babies are capable of tolerating lumps and different textures, and it’s a good idea to begin to offer them food that is less smooth. That way your baby gets used to the feel of normal, family food and it helps his tongue and mouth develop. This is also important for later speech development.
Instead of sieving food, simply mash it and gradually reduce the amount of milk or water you add to it, so the puree becomes thicker.
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