Baby weaning: how to get started with first foods

Messy? Hell yes! But weaning your baby DOES NOT need to be stressful. Introducing solid foods is all about having fun with food while getting your little one used to different tastes and textures. Learn how and when to offer solid foods to your baby, plus get recipe ideas and learn the foods to avoid.

Weaning your baby doesn't need to be an ordeal. While we can't promise there won't be Weetabix up the walls at least once, we can help make it fun for both of you.

To help you start your baby's weaning journey, we’ve put together a guide answering the most commonly-asked questions about introducing solid foods.

And for even more expert advice, health visitor Sarah Beeson MBE shares her weaning top tips: from knowing when your baby is ready for their first foods though to the different weaning methods you can try.

Sarah says: 'Weaning is essential to increase your baby’s energy and meet their nutritional needs. It's an exciting time for you and your baby!'

When should I start weaning my baby?

Exactly when to start giving your baby solids is one of the most commonly asked weaning questions.

Current NHS guidelines suggest you should wait until your baby is around six months old before starting weaning. This gives their digestive system a chance to develop fully, and helps to ensure that they can sit up and swallow food well.

However if you feel your baby is ready for solid foods earlier, talk to your health visitor.

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Sarah says: 'Parents know best. Take the official weaning advice along with your own common sense – that’s your best guide to knowing when your baby is ready for weaning.

'Some babies are ready for weaning early and some babies aren’t. I would say 18-20 weeks is probably early for weaning. But by 26 weeks, you need to be thinking about introducing solid foods.' 

Always talk to your health visitor before offering your baby food if they're under six months, and never give any solid food to a baby who's under four months old.

How can I tell if my baby is ready for solid foods?

Not sure if your baby is ready for solids? Look for the three key signs that your baby is ready for weaning:

• They can stay in a sitting position and are able to hold their head steady.
• They can coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth – so they can look at food, grab it and put it in their mouth all by themselves.
• They swallow their food – a baby who isn’t ready will often push their food back out, getting more around their face than in their mouth.

The following are not signs your baby is ready for weaning:

• Chewing their fists
• Waking in the night when they have previously slept through
• Wanting extra milk feeds

If you notice these signs, you could be forgiven for thinking that your baby is ready for solids. But the NHS says that these are all just normal behaviours for babies, and they don't mean that your baby is ready for weaning. They could, for example, be a sign of a growth spurt instead.

Sadly, there's no evidence that starting solids will help your baby sleep through.

Which weaning method should I use?

There are two weaning techniques you can use, and many parents opt for a combination of both:

Spoon feeding (purees) – this is seen as the the more 'traditional' weaning method, which involves pureeing foods until smooth and then spoon-feeding your baby (or feeding purees from a jar or pouch).

Baby-led weaning (BLW) – this is based on the idea that your baby can feed themselves with finger foods, eating when they're hungry and stopping when they're full. Learn more about baby-led weaning.

Sarah says: 'If you're using hand feeding (BLW) then it depends on the fine motor development of your baby. Some babies may not be ready or have a pincer grip until seven months.'

It's completely up to you which method you choose; there's no evidence that one is better than the other. In practice, most parents end up using a combination of the two.

If you do choose to start with purees though, be sure to move on to chunkier textures by the time your baby's seven months old. This is essential for helping them learn to chew.

First foods: what can my baby eat?

With either weaning method, it’s a good idea to start with soft cooked vegetables or fruit. This could include carrot, sweet potato, parsnip, apple or pear – steamed until soft and either mashed or cut into finger-sized sticks. 

Softer fruits and veg don't need cooking. For example, ripe melon, avocado, banana and peach can simply be cut into sticks and gummed by your baby.

Be sure to cut any small, round foods like cherry tomatoes in half lengthways before giving them to your baby, to reduce the risk of choking.

You can mix purees with baby rice and either spoon-feed, or let your baby have their own spoon (or just their hands) to dab in and lick.

See our weaning chart with suggestions of first foods for your baby from around six months, or check out our baby recipes for more mealtime inspiration.

How much food should my baby eat?

Your baby has a tiny tummy, so they don't need lots of food at first. A few spoonfuls or pieces of food, once a day, is plenty to begin with.

Then you can gradually increase the amount as your baby's appetite grows, moving to three meals a day between seven and nine months.

When you start weaning, try not to worry too much about how much food your baby is eating. They'll still be getting most of their energy and nutrients from breastmilk or formula during their first year.

And if you're wondering how you'll know if your baby is full, Sarah says: ‘If your baby turns their head away and clamps their lips together, they've had enough. Don’t push it – they’ll stop when they've had enough.’

What weaning equipment do I need?

Here’s all you need to start your baby’s weaning journey:

• Bibs, bibs and more bibs – we like these bibs that have a scooped bottom to catch food – see more details here at Boots.
• Highchair
• Plastic mats for under the highchair – we love this grey star patterned mat – see more details here at Amazon.
• Wipes and flannels
• Stick blender (if you’re making purees – some even steam the food, too) – this one by Bosch is great value – see more details here at Amazon.
• Small plastic bowls (ideally with suction pads on the bottom)
• Weaning spoons
• First cup
• Freezer cube trays (for freezing baby-sized portions of puree)

Find the best brands in our roundup of the top weaning buys.

Need advice?

Our health visitors and nursery nurses are online Monday to Friday evenings to answer your queries on feeding, sleep and child health.

Ask our experts now

Safe weaning

From food preparation through to hygiene, there are lots of ways to keep your baby safe while they eat:

Gagging and choking

A recent study found parents' biggest fear when introducing solid foods is a baby choking.

And according to St John Ambulance, 80% of parents admitted they wouldn't know what to do if a baby or child was choking.

Here's how to tell the difference between when your baby is gagging and choking:

How to tell if your baby is gagging

Gagging is a natural reflex designed to stop your child choking. According to St John Ambulance, signs your baby is gagging include:

• Watering eyes
• Coughing, retching or vomiting
• Tongue pushed forward or out of their mouth

How to tell if your baby is choking

Choking happens when food or small objects block your child's airway. According to St John Ambulance, if your baby is choking they may:

• Be silent, not making any noise or making odd noises
• Suddenly become very distressed
• Be unable to cry
• Be unable to breathe

Sarah recommends all parents watch this video so you know what to do if your baby chokes.

Cooking safety tips

• Never refreeze something once it’s been defrosted.
• Never reheat any food in the bowl that your baby leaves, as saliva contains bacteria that will multiply – throw out any uneaten food at the end of each meal.
• Always heat food until it is piping hot and then let it cool down before feeding. Test it carefully, particularly if you used a microwave, as hotspots can occur.
• Baby food should be cooled quickly and either stored in a fridge for a maximum of 24 hours or frozen.

Food preparation and storage tips

If you start weaning your baby under the age of six months, you need to be far more diligent about sterilising feeding equipment like spoons and bowls (another good reason to hold off for as long as you can).

After six months, there is no need to sterilise spoons and other feeding utensils (bottles excluded).

It’s important to always wash your hands carefully before you prepare any meals for your baby and wash their hands, too, before allowing them to eat finger foods.

Always cut any small, round foods (such as cherry tomatoes and grapes) in half lengthways, to reduce the risk of choking.

Foods to avoid

Never give the following foods to babies under one year old:

• honey
• whole nuts or peanuts (ground nuts and nut butters are fine)
• salty foods (like bacon, sausages, crisps, ready meals and takeaways)
• foods or drinks with lots of sugar (including fruit juices and smoothies)
• certain cheeses (Cheddar and soft cheese are fine, but avoid mould-ripened soft cheese like brie and camembert, ripened goat's milk cheese, soft blue-veined cheese like roquefort, or cheeses made with unpasteurised milk)
• rice milk
• raw jelly cubes
• raw shellfish
• shark, swordfish or marlin
• caffeinated or fizzy drinks

Learn more about the foods and drinks to avoid, and why they're bad for your baby.

7 tips for stress-free baby weaning

You know all the basics for weaning your baby. Now try these seven tips for making the introduction to solids as smooth as possible:

1 Don’t get hung up on weaning ‘spreadsheets’

... of what your baby has and hasn't tried, or how much they've eaten. Remember, your baby is still getting most of their nutrition from breastmilk or formula. Weaning is about letting them explore food, and try new tastes and textures.

2 Time it right

Your baby doesn’t need three meals a day at first. Once a day is enough to start with and it doesn’t have to be lunchtime. Choose a time of day when both you and your baby are relaxed and they're not too tired or too hungry.

3 Keep mealtimes fun

Create a happy, relaxed atmosphere and don’t worry if your baby doesn’t eat anything. Instead, give lots of praise and smiles for anything they do put into their mouth.

4 It doesn’t have to be home-made

There’s an unwritten rule that babies follow: the more time you’ve spent preparing a meal, the less likely they are to eat it! So give yourself a break and invest in some pouches or jars for when you’re out and about or short on time at home.

5 Keep trying

Try new foods several times. Just because your baby rejects banana the first time doesn’t mean they don't like it. It’s all new to your baby and those different tastes takes a while to get used to, so keep trying. Research shows that it can take as many as 10 tries for a baby to decide they like a new food!

6 Don’t encourage a sweet tooth

Most babies will happily wolf down fruit, but it’s important to develop their taste for savoury foods early on. This will help to avoid your baby becoming a fussy eater as they grow. Try mixing vegetable and fruit purees, and gradually increasing the amount of vegetables.

7 Eat together at meal times

Would you want to eat alone, in the middle of a room, with people starting at you? Nope, us neither. So show your baby how this eating business is done. Bring the highchair up to the table and make mealtimes a sociable, family occasion.

What about allergies?

There's no need to avoid giving your baby common allergens. In fact, research suggests that, the earlier babies eat certain foods (after six months), the less likely they are to develop an allergy!

It's always a good idea to leave a day or two between offering new foods that could cause an allergic reaction. That way, if your baby does have a reaction, you'll know which food caused it.

These are the common foods that can cause an allergic reaction:

• milk
• eggs
• peanuts
• nuts
• seeds
• soya
• fish and shellfish
• gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye)

So once you've offered one of these foods to your baby for the first time, leave it a few days before offering another one.

Want more weaning tips? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other parents in our forum:

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Need advice?

Our health visitors and nursery nurses are on line Monday to Friday evenings to answer your queries on feeding, sleep and child health.

Ask our experts now