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Baby being spoon fed

Feeding

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Baby being spoon fed

"What is weaning?"

Weaning is the gradual process of moving your baby from a diet solely consisting of milk (either breast, bottle or a combination of the two) to eating the same food as the rest of the family.

The start of weaning is a major milestone for your baby. It can be a difficult time, as he becomes accustomed to a different way of eating and a whole new range of foods, tastes and textures. Make life easier for you and your baby by preparing meals in advance and being as patient as possible.

"When should I start weaning my baby?"

Very gradually - and with a lot of flexibility, care and patience! When your baby is about six months old (but not before 20 weeks), his digestive system will be ready for foods other than milk – and by that time, your baby will probably be becoming curious about the exciting foods other members of the family are enjoying.

If your little one starts showing any of the signs of being ready for weaning at an earlier age than 20 weeks (waking through the night, demanding feeds more frequently, still hungry after finishing their bottle), have a chat with your healthcare professional. All babies develop at different rates and if your baby is bottle feeding, your healthcare professional might suggest that you change him to an infant milk specially developed for hungrier babies. SMA White* may help mums to delay weaning until the Department of Health’s recommended age of six months.

Father feeding baby

"How do I introduce my baby to weaning?"

Start with baby rice, made up with your baby’s usual milk, and then move on to smooth purées of fruit and vegetables, such as puréed pears, pumpkin, sweet potato or banana. Remember, babies have tiny tummies, so they only need to eat small amounts to begin with.

Until he is a year old, your baby still needs 500 ml - 600 ml of his usual milk or a follow-on milk, such as SMA Progress* every day, which will help ensure he is getting all the nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. SMA Progress is a follow-on milk, suitable from 6 months of age, which is made to provide important nutrients that your baby needs, but in a smaller amount of milk than infant formula, so your baby still has an appetite for food.

"How should I introduce my baby to lumpier foods?"

Once your baby is eating purées, begin to mash foods with different tastes, such as pasta, fish or chicken mixed in a sauce, with a few mashed vegetables. Gradually, try chopping foods instead of mashing before moving on to the next step, finger foods, and, finally, mini-versions of whatever the rest of the family are having. But make sure you don't add salt or sugar to his portions.

Your baby may be able to start chewing soft lumps, such as mashed fruit and vegetables from 6 months, even if he has no teeth. If you delay giving your baby ‘lumpy’ or finger foods, you may find that he refuses to eat lumpy foods as he get older. Chewing also encourages development of your baby’s muscles involved with speech.

"What should my child be eating?"

By the time your child is one year old, he should be eating a good balance of:

  • Fruit and vegetables - fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or diluted juiced (1 part juice 10 parts water).
  • Foods rich in protein, including lean meat, poultry, well-cooked eggs, beans and pulses.
  • Fish is a great addition to a healthy diet but limit oil-rich fish (such as salmon, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna or sardines) to no more than two servings a week for girls and no more than four servings a week for boys.
  • Dairy foods such as cheese, full fat yoghurt and fromage frais (milk is still an important part of an infants diet over one year, and a minimum of 350 ml is recommended after this age).
  • Carbohydrates, including wholegrain bread, pasta, potatoes, crackers and cereals (preferably fortified cereals with extra vitamins and minerals), should be eaten with each meal.
  • Full fat version of foods, not low fat – children need the energy and special vitamins fat provides. Semi-skimmed dairy products can be introduced from two years of age, but only if your child is eating well and thriving.

 

And some foods your child SHOULDN'T be eating…

  • Salt and salty foods (including highly processed foods and crisps) – Don’t add salt to food for young babies as their kidneys are unable to cope. As your child gets older, there is still no need to add salt to their food as it’s bad for them.
  • Sugar - If you want to add a touch of sweetness to your child’s food, add mashed banana, infant milk or breast milk.
  • Sugary drinks such as squash, fizzy drinks, flavoured milk and diet drinks - To avoid triggering a sweet tooth and reduce the risk of dental decay.
  • Honey - Don’t give your baby honey until over a year old.
  • Chopped and whole nuts - Nuts can be given after your baby is six months old but only crushed or flaked, e.g. Peanut butter. Foods containing peanuts should not be given to children from atopic or allergic families until they are at least three years old. Any type of whole or chopped nuts should not be given to children under five years old because of the risk of choking.
  • Caffeine – tea, coffee or other drinks with caffeine are not suitable for babies or young children as they reduce the body’s ability to absorb all-important iron.
  • Cows’ milk as a main drink – Once your baby is a year old, they can be given cows’ milk as a main drink but, until they are two years old, it must be full fat cows’ milk.
  • Goats’ milk, sheeps’ milk or milks based on rice or oats are unsuitable for babies under one year of age.
  • Fish and shellfish, citrus fruits and soft and unpasteurised cheeses should not be introduced until the age of 6 months.

If there’s a history of food allergy in your family, including peanut allergy, or you think your child might have a food allergy, talk to your GP or other healthcare professional.

Unhappy infant in highchair

“How can I stop my child being a faddy eater?”

First of all, don’t blame yourself! And don’t worry – unless, of course, your baby is showing signs of fatigue or is losing weight, in which case you should talk to your GP or another healthcare professional.

Tempt your baby to eat new foods by:

  • In the early stages of weaning, giving your baby half his milk first will take away his initial hunger and may make him calm and more willing to take solids. Then give him the remainder of his usual milk feed.
  • Offering a range of different meals over the week – and adding new dishes every now and again.
  • Giving smaller portions.
  • Rather than putting a new dish in front of your baby, offering a tiny taste on a spoon.
  • Giving your baby lots of praise when he tries something new – even if it’s only one mouthful.
  • Only offering your baby new foods when he’s hungry.
  • Taking a dish away if your baby doesn’t like it and offering an alternative.
  • Making foods look colourful and exciting.

Mum's the word

A few of our best weaning tips…

  • Make a big fuss about giving your baby his own plastic spoon so he realises this is the start of something exciting.
  • Newspapers are vital when you’re weaning your baby – remember to cover as much of the floor as possible.
  • Children’s taste buds change! If your baby doesn’t like something the first time you gave it to him, try again a few days later.

For more information about weaning, contact the SMA Careline* on 0845 776 2900 in UK or ROI on 1800 931 832.

Something Saucy! (from 6 months)

Cheesy sauce dishes

Now your baby’s happy with lumps, why not try sauce? This cheese sauce can be used to make lots of different dishes, such as macaroni cheese, fish with sweetcorn and peas, chicken and broccoli or pasta with carrot and courgette - which can all be puréed, mashed or chopped, depending on the stage your baby is at.

Easy Cheese Sauce

  • 25 g unsalted butter
  • 25 g plain flour or cornflour
  • 250 ml SMA Progress (or your baby’s usual milk)
  • 50 g grated hard cheese (Cheddar or Edam)
  1. Add butter to the saucepan and heat gently.
  2. Once melted, add the flour and stir for 30 seconds.
  3. Take off the heat and slowly stir in the milk.
  4. Return to a medium heat and whisk continuously until the sauce thickens.
  5. Add the grated cheese, stirring until it melts.

Fruit Smoothies (from 6 months)

Bowl of strawberries

Using a hand blender, purée your toddler’s favourite fruit or fruits with 60 ml SMA Progress or their usual milk until smooth.

Scrummy Smoothie Suggestions…

  • 50 g strawberries (washed and hulled) and half a ripe banana
  • 50 g strawberries (washed and hulled) and 50 g tinned pears, in natural juice
  • 50 g tinned peaches, in natural juice, and 75 g raspberries (squeeze through a sieve to remove seeds)
  • 50 g ripe mango and half a ripe banana

Bread and Butter Pudding (from 9 Months - serves four toddlers)

Bread and butter pudding
  • 2 medium eggs (size 3)
  • 250 ml SMA Progress or your toddler’s usual milk
  • 50 g chopped raisins
  • 4 slices brown or white bread, crusts removed
  • Unsalted butter (to grease dish)
  1. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, milk and raisins.
  2. Butter an ovenproof dish and layer in the bread.
  3. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and leave to soak for 10-12 minutes.
  4. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 190°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5.

Check the temperature before serving as it should be lukewarm.

Fish Pie † (From 9 months - serves four toddlers)

Fish pie
  • A knob of unsalted butter
  • 2 medium sized potatoes (washed, peeled and chopped)
  • 50 g frozen sweetcorn
  • 50 g frozen peas
  • 100 g salmon fillet1
  • 100 g haddock (or cod, lemon sole or hake)1
  • 150 ml SMA Progress or your toddler’s usual milk
  • Made-up quantity of Easy Cheesy Sauce
  1. Boil the potatoes until soft.
  2. Once cooked, mash with a little milk and butter.
  3. In a separate pan of boiling water, cook the frozen sweetcorn and peas for four minutes or until tender.
  4. Meantime, put the fish in a pan with the made up Progress†, cover with a lid and poach for five minutes or until the fish is cooked.
  5. Remove the fish from the pan, remove skin and flake the flesh, removing any bones.
  6. Mix the fish with the vegetables and the cheese sauce and pour into a greased ovenproof dish.
  7. Cover with the mashed potato.
  8. Heat thoroughly in a preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes before serving.

Check the temperature before serving as it should be lukewarm.

Tip: For a crispy top, add grated cheese on top of the potatoes before heating in the oven.

† Suitable for freezing (warning: foods which are frozen should be thawed thoroughly before use and must not be re-frozen)

1 Extra Care should be taken as fish may contain bones. Oily fish should be consumed no more than twice a week for girls and no more than four times a week for boys.

Top Tips

The secret of successful weaning? Making meal times fun!
*Trade Mark
IMPORTANT NOTICE: SMA PROGRESS is a follow-on milk for babies over 6 months and is not intended to replace breast feeding.  When used in conjunction with solid feeding, it provides the nourishment essential to a baby’s healthy and sustained growth. 
This information is intended for use only by residents of the UK and ROI