First stage weaning

I HAVE ALWAYS believed that the foods a baby is introduced to during the first stage of weaning help to lay the foundation for healthy eating habits for the rest of his life. Of course, the majority of babies and toddlers will go through fussy spells where they eat less or refuse certain foods. But in general I have found that, in the long term, introducing the right foods at the right age helps ensure that a child will eat a varied diet during the early years.

Since the changes in the recommended age for weaning, I have received thousands of emails and calls from worried parents about how to go about introducing solids. The most confusing aspect for the majority of parents is how, when trying to follow the advice to start weaning at six months, they can introduce such a wide variety of the recommended foods at six months. I am not surprised by this confusion, because it does seem rather daunting to be told that your baby should be exclusively breast-fed for six months, then at six months you should be introducing a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, carbohydrates in the form of cereal, pasta, bread, etc., dairy products in the form of yoghurt, cheese, butter, etc., and on top of all of this, protein foods in the form of chicken, fish and meat, etc.

Because there have been no clear guidelines, other than to introduce these foods from six months on, I have found that many parents have been introducing so many different foods at the same time, that their babies have ended up with severe stomach pains or constipation problems, and sometimes even both. While it is important that all of the foods are introduced from six months of age, it is vital that they are introduced in a way that does not affect or put strain on the baby’s digestive system.

For example, one of the most common problems that I have encountered is that parents exclusively breast-feed for six months, then within a week or two of introducing their baby to different fruits and vegetables they suddenly start introducing harder-to-digest foods such as chicken, cheese and meat. While it is important that these foods are introduced between six and seven months, it is of no benefit to the baby to introduce them before he is used to digesting a reasonable amount of other solids. Overloading his digestive system could result in causing your baby a lot of pain.

In my first stage weaning plans I have ensured that the foods recommended by the DoH are introduced at the right age, and at the right times so that these problems can be avoided.

Because all babies are different it is important that you discuss with your health visitor if your baby is showing the signs of needing to be weaned. I have taken into consideration that some health visitors or doctors are recommending weaning earlier than six months, if they feel the individual baby’s needs cannot be met by milk alone.

The following guidelines will help you establish the right foods at the right age for your baby. Once you have read the guidelines you can then use them alongside the weaning plan that is appropriate for your baby’s age.

 

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