Stage 1 – up to 7 months – First Tastes

Lots of information for that first stage of weaning

Should I be giving my baby omega-3 supplements?

There are currently no official guidelines regarding omega-3 supplements in the UK. You can ensure your baby gets a good intake of omega-3 by giving them two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily, 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.

You can choose a formula enriched with omega-3&6 LCPs such as SMA Follow-on Milk or SMA Toddler Milk.

When can I give my baby adult-style breakfast cereals?

Adult type cereals such as porridge and wheat biscuits can be given from 6 months. Make sure that the cereals you offer are fortified with iron and vitamins and also make sure they have no added sugar or salt certainly for the first 12 months, then only a little after that.

I have heard that you can add cereal or rusks to a baby’s bottle to start weaning, is this true?

Adding solids to a baby’s bottle is no longer recommended as it can easily lead to a baby choking, due to the lumpy nature of the mixture. Pureed solids should be introduced using a spoon, starting with smooth textures and gradually progressing to thicker ones. Never add any food to the milk in your baby’s bottle or beaker.

I have started my baby on solids but they cry between each mouthful, should I stop?

It is quite natural for your baby to cry between mouthfuls to start with as up until now your baby has been accustomed to their food coming as a steady stream of milk and now it is interrupted as the spoon goes in and out. Your baby will soon get used to the new way of feeding.

My baby is trying to suck their thumb between spoonfuls, why are they doing this?

Your baby is used to sucking continuously to get their milk, and has to learn about spoon-feeding gradually. Sucking their thumb between spoonfuls, is just a way of continuing the sucking they are used to at milk feed times and is quite common. Gently prise your baby’s thumb out of their mouth with lots of smiles and encouragement, they’ll soon get the hang of it

I’ve heard that strawberries can often cause an allergic reaction in babies, should I avoid giving them?

Strawberries can very occasionally cause an allergic reaction in babies and children. The reaction is usually very mild and often just affects the mouth where the food has touched. There is no need to avoid giving strawberries beyond the six month recommendation for starting weaning.

I have tried offering my six month old baby water, but they have rejected it, should I try offering fruit juice?

Unless the weather is very hot or your baby has a fever or is very active, you will probably find that breast or infant milk will meet all of their fluid requirements in the first 6 months of life before weaning starts. So your baby just may not be thirsty! Once weaning has commenced you can offer cooled boiled water from a cup with meals and in between. Most babies will drink water if they are thirsty, but will often drink juice just because it tastes nice, which may ruin their appetite for their more nutritious solids and make it harder to encourage them to drink water later.

I often go out with my friends at lunchtime, what can I take for my baby that is easy to prepare?

At the start of weaning when you are feeding your baby purees, you are slightly more limited than later on. Unless of course, you know that where you’re going will have a microwave; then you can take some of your homemade frozen puree with you. If not then you can take foods which you can puree on the spot such as a ripe banana or avocado. As your baby progresses onto finger foods, food on the go becomes much easier. You can take a selection of finger foods such as cubes of cheese, pitta bread, raw fruit and vegetables. If out and about keep everything you need for your baby chilled in an insulated bag with a frozen ice block in it.

Do I need to use special recipes for my baby?

There is a whole array of special recipe books for babies and toddlers that you can buy. As long as the family meals you are making are healthy then many of them can be adapted slightly so you can use them for your baby too. This has the advantage of minimising the time you spend in the kitchen and also gets them used to the flavours of family food.

I don’t have much time to cook? How can I make homemade foods for my baby?

There are lots of healthy nutritious foods you can make for your baby that don’t require hours of preparation. Make sure you cook wisely by making meals that the whole family can eat and make sure your cupboards and freezer are stocked with healthy ingredients you can make quick meals with. Nowadays a lot of canned produce has little or no added salt or sugar so can be very convenient. You can mix some tinned salmon with some frozen mashed potato and peas as a quick main meal for example and open a can of peaches in their own juice for pudding.