Is your baby ready for weaning? First signs include:
Still seems hungry, even after more milk.
Shows an interest in your food.
Puts toys in mouth.
Is able to sit up without support. (Hipp Organic)
Never introduce solids before their 4th month.
Make all solid foods smooth, mild and runny to start with, gradually increasing the thickness of the puree as your baby gets used to taking solids from a spoon. Don’t worry about giving them too much – they will turn their heads and refuse to open their mouths when they are full. Don’t forget that variety of food is key in order for baby to grow up loving food. (Hipp Organic).
All fruit and vegetables should be washed and peeled. Remove any pips, cores and bruised areas. Cook (or steam) all fruit and veg during the early stage of weaning (to ensure tender), before whizzing in a blender. Banana and avocado can be mashed from the beginning. (Tesco 20 easy steps).
At 6/7 months you should introduce fish, chicken and meat purees. Babies grow extremely fast in their first year and need nutrient-rich, higher calorie foods. In the first year of life a baby’s brain grows rapidly. A large proportion of the brain is composed of fatty acids. It is important to include oily fish such as salmon as it is rich in fatty acids – vital for brain and visual development.
Yesterday Daddy blended what we had for lunch, which was salmon and veg. Jamie seemed to love it, but 5mins later it all came back.....
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in babies and toddlers and the iron a baby inherits from his mother runs out at 6 months. Red meat provides the best source of iron so combine it with root veg to make tasty purees. Chicken is another excellent first meal – it blends well with veg and fruits such as apple and grapes.
Most babies will give foods with lumpier textures a go at 7/8 months. Even without teeth babies can manage lumpy foods. To start, rather than pureeing foods, try mashing or stirring in tiny pasta shapes to make the transition gradual. Encouraging them to chew will help speech development (Tesco) as the muscles used for chewing are also used for speech. Your baby’s coordination may also be improving, so now’s the time to begin introducing finger foods. Small pieces of cooked, mixed vegs and little cubes of fruit are ideal to start with. (Cow & Gate Weaning Guide).
As your baby gradually begins to take less milk and more solid foods, it’s important to make sure they are eating a balanced diet. This means making sure they eat a wide variety of foods from the main 4 groups:
1. Dairy Products like cheese, yogurts, fromage frais and suitable milks.
2. Starch foods like bread, cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes.
3. Fruits and vegetables.
4. Protein foods like meat, fish, chicken, eggs,
Water is the best alternative to milk. If you give juice, make sure it is diluted one part juice to 10 parts water. Introduce a trainer cup at 6 months and aim to have your baby off the bottle by 1 year. (Tesco 20 easy steps) It’s best to put juice in a cup and put only milk or water in your baby’s bottle. (Boots Weaning Q&A). Full Fat pasteurised cow’s milk can be introduced from 6 months in cereal or cooking. Skimmed or semi skimmed don’t contain enough vitamins for children under the age of two.
