At around 6 months you will be thinking about introducing solid foods to your baby. Some people may need to do this a bit earlier, but you should never wean before your baby is 17 weeks old, and even then you should discuss it with your health visitor.

The reason it is best to wait until 6 months is so that your baby’s digestive system has time to build up and they will be able to digest solids better, also they are more immune to allergies.

Also at 6 months old most babies are able to sit up with support, control their heads and move food around their mouths.

Offer your baby food before or after one their usual milk feeds.

The first thing you can try is mixing a teaspoon of one of the following with your baby’s usual milk (breast or formula):

• Pureed vegetable- such as carrot, butternut squash, sweet potato etc
• Pureed fruit – cooked apple, pear, plum etc
• Cereal( not wheat-based) such as baby rice

As solid food becomes a part of your baby’s diet, it is important to offer a range of different foods

Foods to avoid with babies are:
• Salt- this is because a baby’s kidneys can’t cope, so don’t add it to any food you make and always check the labels of any foods you buy.
• Sugar- Sugary foods and drinks can encourage a sweet tooth and could lead to tooth decay when teeth start coming through.
• Honey- This could contain a type of bacteria that produces toxins in babies’ intestines.
• Nuts- giving whole nuts could cause choking and could cause a nut allergy
• Fish- avoid giving raw shellfish to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
• Eggs-don’t give raw or lightly cooked eggs to babies make sure both the white and yolk are solid.

When you first start weaning it is best to be relaxed and patient and prepare for some mess!!! So best invest in a lot of bibs and a floor cover.

You will need to get a high chair and this way baby can sit at the table with you and be included in family mealtimes. Here at kiddiecare.com we stock many different types of highchairs.

Advice