Baby Weaning

Weaning is a natural stage in a baby's development. This is a gradual process of feeding your baby other foods while you continue to bottle or breastfeed.

You can start to wean your baby around six months of age and continue until breastmilk or formula is completely replaced by solid food.

At six months old, your baby should be eating a small amount of solid food once a day as well as their usual breast or formula milk. Solid foods may include: blended, mashed, or soft cooked sticks of parsnip, broccoli, potato, yam, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear.

At seven to nine months old, your baby will be working towards eating three meals a day. Providing a wide variety of foods is important to ensure adequate energy and nutrient supply, such as iron. Babies don't need to have salt or sugar added to their food or cooking water, this is because salty food isn't good for their kidneys and sugar can cause tooth decay. Babies under 12 months don't need snacks. If your baby seems hungry between meals, give them extra milk instead.

At ten to twelve months, your baby should now be eating three meals a day as well as having breast or formula milk. Try to eat together as much as possible, this is because your baby will learn from watching you eat.

At twelve months old, your baby is now a toddler and should be eating three meals a day and may also need two healthy weaning snacks. Snacks could include: fruit, vegetable sticks, toast, bread or plain yoghurt.

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