Introducing solids at 11am

Follow the suggested times for feeds, but instead of giving all of the milk first at the 11am feed it is important that you only give half of the milk, so that your baby is hungry enough to accept the solids. Continue to reduce the time he is on the breast before he has his solids by 2 to 3 minutes every couple of days. If your baby is formula-fed, then reduce his feed by 30g (1oz) every couple of days. Within 7–10 days you should have reached a stage where he is taking a very short breast-feed, or around 90ml (3oz) of formula, before his solids. You should still offer him a short breast-feed or a couple of ounces of milk after his solids. However, if he is looking for more milk, this is an indication that you need to increase more rapidly the amount of solids you are giving him.

Continue to decrease the milk he is taking at the 11am feed, until he is happy to start with his solids at lunchtime. Once he is taking 4–6 cubes he should have cut the amount of milk he is taking after the solids until he is only taking a few minutes on the breast or a couple of ounces of formula.

Once he reaches this stage you should then start to introduce small amounts of protein at lunchtime. Begin by replacing two of the vegetable cubes with two cubes of one of the simpler protein meals, such as chicken casserole, lentil casserole, etc. Continue to replace a cube of vegetables each day with a cube of the protein meal, until his lunch consists of a complete meal from one of the protein recipes. Once you reach this stage any top-up milk should be replaced with a drink of well-diluted juice or cool boiled water from a beaker (cup with lid).

 

Introducing solid food

• When to wean
• Early weaning
• Which foods?
• Preparing and cooking food for your baby
• First stage weaning
• Weaning guidelines
• Early weaning at 4-5 months
• Introducing protein at 6 months
• Introducing solids at 6 months
• The 10pm feed
• Introducing solids at 11am
• Introducing solids in the evening
• Weaning plan at 4-5 months (Download PDF)
• Weaning plan at 5-6 months (Download PDF)
• Weaning plan at 6-7 months (Download PDF)

Quick links to important information