1. Your baby is ready for food because they watch you eat
Your baby is watching you like a hawk while you eat. But that doesn’t mean that they’re ready to start solids. When you think about it, your baby is interested in everything you do. That’s how they learn about the world around them.
But are they ready to start wearing makeup because they love playing with your blusher brush, or are they prepared to start driving the car when they grab your keys?
Having an interest in your food is a good thing. It will help your baby in their weaning journey. And it’s one crucial reason I always recommend family meals for weaning (when practical).
But being interested in food and your food isn’t a reliable sign that your baby is ready for food.
So, what is a reliable sign that your baby is ready for solids?
Well, there are three reliable signs, which should occur together at around six months of age.
Your baby has good head control
Your baby can sit with no or minimal support
Your baby can grab objects and bring them to their mouth.
You're good to go when your baby shows these signs of readiness!
Want to know more about when to start weaning your baby? Check out this blog post - signs your baby is ready for weaning.
2. You need lots of equipment to do a good job with weaning
Babies are big business, with many weaning gadgets heavily marketed to parents, especially first-time parents. But what equipment is valuable, and what’s a waste of money?
Essential equipment for weaning
Suitable highchair, preferably one with a moveable footrest.
Spoons - short handled spoons are ideal.
Suction bowl - it’s vital that your baby gets up close and personal with their food. But many parents are reluctant to put a bowl of food on their baby's tray if they think they’ll hurl it off the tray. This is where a good suction bowl is invaluable.
Bibs or Coverall - Weaning is and should be a messy business.
Open cups, straw cups without valves, or free-flowing flowing beakers - so you can help your baby develop a mature sip and serve water with meals.
A waste of money!
Spoons with built-in thermometers
Baby food machines - they work but often result in babies eating ‘baby food’ for far too long rather than parents adapting their food to make it suitable for their baby.
Baby Weaning Recipe Books can be nice for inspiration, but I’ve seen many parents overwhelmed with the feeling that they need to make elaborate meals for their baby three times a day. Your baby doesn’t need a different type of pancake each morning for breakfast!
3. You must buy ‘special baby foods.’
Weaning is simply getting your baby to learn to like adapted family meals. There’s no need to buy special baby foods. Although occasionally using some for convenience is fine.
Foods marketed to babies are often costly. For example, a 200g box of baby porridge is €3.99, while a 750g box of own brand Ready Brek (a well-fortified, low salt and low sugar option) is €2.10.
Want some ideas on how to pimp up your baby’s Ready Brek? Check out this blog with 7 days of simple baby breakfast ideas that you can easily share.
4. Baby-Led Weaning is in, and Spoon-feeding is out!
This debate over which approach is best can get heated online. However, although baby-led weaning is very popular (and with some good reason), there’s no evidence that it’s superior to traditional approaches to weaning. There are pros and cons to both finger foods and spoon feeds. The philosophy and advice I give to parents in my Ready, Steady, Wean Course is to keep an open mind and enjoy the benefits of both approaches.
You can be ‘baby-led’ regardless of whether you’re offering your baby finger foods food from a spoon, or both by following these general principles:
Always feed your baby to appetite rather than prescribed portion sizes
Offer modified family foods (as spoon feeds or finger foods) rather than preparing 100% special baby recipes or offering shop-bought baby foods.
Eat together with your baby when you can
5. Lots of babies have peanut allergies, so introducing peanuts is scary.
The top three food allergies in babies under 12 months are cow's milk (this includes formula milk), eggs and peanuts. However, the prevalence of food allergy in Irish children is 4.45%. So, there’s a high chance that your baby WON’T have a food allergy such as peanut allergy.
Research in recent years shows that early introduction to allergens like peanuts helps to reduce the risk of your baby developing an allergy. So, introduce your baby to peanuts early in the weaning process. And certainly before your baby’s first birthday.
If your baby is at high risk of allergy, i.e. has moderate to severe eczema or another food allergy, talk to your doctor before introducing it at home.
As whole or chopped peanuts are a choking hazard, the easiest and safest way to introduce peanuts is by using smooth peanut butter. We use the ‘slow and low’ approach. This means initially adding a small amount of peanut butter to your baby’s usual porridge or vegetable mash/puree and working up to more significant amounts over a week or two.
Interested in learning more about introducing alergens? Check out this blog post that gives a step-by-step guide to introducing allergens.
About the Author
Caroline O’Connor is a registered paediatric dietitian, lactation consultant, mum of four and founder of Solid Start. She has over 20 years of experience working with babies, toddlers, children and families. Caroline is passionate about sharing professional advice on food, feeding and nutrition through baby weaning and feeding toddler online courses and one-to-one consultations on a range of feeding issues.