Weaning your baby from breast milk or formula milk can be exciting, but it can also be a time of great apprehension. Here is some guidance and advice on what to do to make your weaning journey safe and fun. The WHO recommends complementary breastfeeding until the age of 2. Formula milk can also be used instead of breastfeeding, or you can use a combination of breast milk and formula milk.¹

In this article, we will learn some more useful tips on how to help your baby successfully wean from formula or breast milk. You can also click the link here for a quick video on baby weaning. 

Introduction

Baby weaning is the process in which breast milk or formula is replaced with food. So when should I start weaning my baby? The recommended age for weaning depends on several different factors.

1. Baby must be 6 months old²
2. Baby must be able to hold their head up and sit unaided²
3. Baby should be showing interest in food, such as grabbing food off your plate²

Sometimes, a GP or Healthcare professional might suggest weaning early if your baby suffers from reflux or milk intolerance/allergies. If your baby has reached 6 months of age but is not yet showing the physical signs that they are ready to start eating solid foods, then it is suggested that you talk to your Health Visitor or GP so that they can provide additional support. If your baby was born early, before 40 weeks of gestation, then you may find that it takes them slightly longer to be ready to eat solid foods.² However, every baby is unique, and the time that each baby is ready to start exploring food might be different for each family.²

Preparing for baby weaning

Feeding schedules can vary from person to person. But the general idea is to slowly increase the amount of solid food your baby is eating while slowly reducing the amount of breast and/or formula milk. Mixing milk with cooked or pureed vegetables is a good way to introduce your first foods. It’s recommended to try bitter green vegetables first to ensure your baby doesn’t favour sweet foods.⁵  

You may also find that your baby wants to drink milk first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. In this case, they could eat solid foods during the day with some fluids, such as milk and water. Baby-led weaning has been associated with babies being able to tell when they are full better than babies who are spoon-fed.³ For a more extensive list of foods to try, click here. 

Introduction of solid foods

Choosing the first foods for your baby

Good options for first foods include broccoli, spinach and other green vegetables. ³ Fruit and vegetables are then a good choice to follow. As your baby reaches 9 months, you can introduce cheese, meat, and other foods like plain yoghurt. Your baby may find feeding themselves with finger foods chopped into finger-length sections easier. You can also spoon-feed your baby. Wait for them to open their mouth before trying to feed them. You can teach your baby Makaton or baby signing so that you can communicate when they are finished eating.

Tips for promoting eating behaviour for babies

1. Make up some batches of baby food in ice cube trays; food can then be thawed in small quantities to reduce waste
2. Mimic how to use a spoon with a doll
3. Eat together as a family
4. Don’t worry about quantity too much
5. Mix milk with pureed veg and then slowly reduce the amount of milk
6. Gradually introduce new foods one by one

You can use baby-led weaning, spoon feeding or a combination of both. Spoon feeding involves following your baby’s cues and feeding them puree with a spoon. Baby-led weaning involves providing finger foods for your baby to eat and allowing them to decide what and how much they want to eat from the foods you provide them.

Start to try a new food for a few days (for example, a banana) before introducing a different new food to your baby e.g., apple sauce. This is so that you can watch out for any reactions to allergens. For example, try pureed bananas for three days, and then try pureed apples for three days. For some recipe and meal ideas, you can check out the information on the NHS website. 

Common allergens include eggs, fish, wheat, milk, sesame and nuts. Here is a full list of common food allergens. A plan for your first 4 weeks of weaning can be found here.

Foods to avoid

Foods to avoid before 1 year of age:⁵

1. Popcorn - Popcorn is very light in its constitution which means that if it gets stuck in a baby's throat, it is hard to get out again. This may result in choking
2. Honey - Whilst being high in sugar, honey also contains a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum which can be harmful in people with weakened immune systems such as small babies
3. Salt - Food that is high in salt is bad for the kidneys of small children
4. Sugar - Children under 2 years of age do not require excess amounts of sugar
5. Whole nuts - Whole nuts pose a choking hazard, however, crushed nuts can be used, but keep an eye on symptoms of allergies, such as wheezing and swelling of the lips

Developing healthy eating habits

Small spoons and forks are good for encouraging your baby to feed themselves. A teaspoon is a good start if you don’t have baby-specific cutlery. Babies need a balanced diet like adults to gain the necessary vitamins and minerals for growth and development. For more information, here is a link on using the correct type of cutlery and plates.

Babies from 6 months to 1 year of age still need either formula or breast milk in addition to any foods they try.¹¹ This is because the formula and breast milk at this stage still provide vital nutrients for them. After the age of 1, breast milk or formula can either be replaced with cow’s milk, or you can carry on giving follow-up milk.¹¹

Babies still need formula or breast milk until at least the age of 1. Before that, food is just for fun! After the age of 1, you can still give your baby breast milk or formula milk, but you can also introduce unsweetened soy or oat milk cow or goat milk.¹¹

Portion sizes

Keep portions age-appropriate. A 12-month-old baby needs 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks a day. More information can be found here. Just remember that as your baby gets older, they will gradually require more food to maintain their energy levels throughout the day.⁷

Dealing with challenges

Tongue-tie is a common problem in babies in which the bottom of the tongue is connected to the base of the mouth with a shorter than normal frenulum. If tongue-tie is not picked up before 6 months, your baby may struggle to eat effectively. You can ask your GP if you are unsure if your baby may have a tongue tie.⁹

Refusal of new foods can be a common challenge in weaning your baby. A good idea is to re-introduce the same food over a number of different occasions. It may take several different attempts for your baby to try new foods. Don’t force your baby to eat food; just offer encouragement and celebrate if they choose to try something new.

Constipation can be a concern when starting solid foods. In order to reduce constipation, you can try feeding your baby prunes or pear puree. Oranges are also a good choice for reducing the symptoms of constipation in small children.

You should aim to gradually decrease milk intake as you increase the amount of solid food that the baby is eating. You can introduce small open cups and sippy cups instead of baby bottles after the age of  6 months.

Sometimes, your baby might gag on new foods, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are choking. A baby that is choking will be silent, whereas a baby that is gagging may make a lot of noise. Offer water or milk if you think your baby is gagging on new textures. You can offer softer, mashed foods if you are concerned about gagging or choking. You can also cut food in half, such as grapes, to reduce the likelihood of choking. More information on choking during weaning can be found here. 

Mealtime environment and tips

Watching TV whilst eating can sometimes cause people to eat more than they normally would. This can lead to gaining excess weight if consistently eating more than is required. Try to make a comfortable eating environment. Making mealtimes fun can reduce anxiety in young children.¹⁰

Monitoring growth and development

A good way to work out if your baby is gaining enough weight whilst weaning is to weigh yourself with the baby. Then, weigh yourself only and note the difference. If the baby is gaining weight and staying within the same growth percentiles, then this is a reassuring sign that they are eating enough food. ⁶ If you have any concerns over your baby's growth/weight gain during weaning, then you can consult your GP or Healthcare professional. Early weaning before 6 months of age is associated with increased respiratory symptoms⁸ and an increased BMI at 7 years of age.⁴

Celebrating milestones

A fun way to try new foods is to keep a list of all the new foods you have tried and celebrate when reaching 50 or 100 new foods. This can also encourage variety in the food that your baby is trying and enables them to experience lots of different tastes and textures.

Conclusion

Remember, every baby is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to weaning. It's essential to be patient, offer love and support, and consult with a paediatrician if you have any concerns or questions during the weaning process.