This can be an exciting and nerve-racking stage for new mums. I was nervous at the start because I didn’t know what to do, but it isn’t so hard. There is no need to rush to get your baby to eat foods around 6 months. The mother’s milk should always be the baby’s main source of food up till the age of 1.
The worldwide recommended age to start weaning is 6 months, so solids are just tasters and not replacements for mother’s milk. For the last generations, we have been taught to feed your baby with food so they can sleep better at night. This can cause the opposite.
Around a hundred years ago, babies would start eating solids around 11 months, but around the 60s & 70s they started introducing solids around 3 months, and now today it’s 6 months. Around the 60s, more and more parents were going back to work, so giving the baby food was ideal, but in turn, this had caused a lot of issues in babies. So 6 months is a healthier age to start.
Give your baby little tastes, not a meal
When giving your baby food, only give them tastes or little bits of food. I had someone tell me ‘If your baby wants more, just give them more’. But that can cause a baby to have constipation as they have never had solid foods before, and their little stomach will have a hard time digesting so much food all at once. So take it easy, take your time, breast is still best. Just think, your baby has been feeding on liquids since birth, and now they have to digest a whole carrot. 1 or 2 teaspoons is enough.
In my experience, I had a lot of pressure from others to feed my baby food from around 4/5months. In turn, it caused server constipation in my first baby. She was in so much pain. Imagine going form watery soft poo to completely hard black rabbit poo. She even had blood, it was so sad. I was then told that she just needed more water!
Looking back, she needed to eat much less, and only taste food. She had bowel issues up until she was almost 2! So take your time as your baby’s stomach begins to grow.
You can start to introduce food from 6 months plus
With my third baby, I was so determined to get things right. I didn’t give him any food until he was 7 months old. He started to taste food that he could chew on, like soft pear, a little banana, etc., a couple of teaspoons here and there. On some days I wouldn’t give him any solids. He had 2 teeth already, so it is ideal to start when they have some teeth. Teeth are there to chew food.
At 8 months I let him try root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, pumpkin, swede, lentils. This would be boiled softly so that he could grab and chew it or I would blend/ mash it down for him to eat. This would be one time in the day, his ‘taster session’.
At 9 months I did the same, a bit of fruit in the afternoon and a bit of veg in the evening. I will let him play with the food too. I would increase the amount of food that he takes bit by bit.
At 10 months I was a little more open for him to try more types of foods like: beans, white potatoes, and bread/wheat. At this age he was eating a little in the morning, afternoon and evening.
Around 11/12 months, He would have 3 meals a day. As he grew, I gave him a little bit more of what he wanted. In turn, I started to breastfeed less. I would only give him a feed before his nap and at night.
My baby didn’t have any bowel issues, no allergies and other issues. Babies will go through the poo change and it will be a little strange for them, but they should not be in pain. They will slowly get used to the change.
When is the best time in the day to feed baby soilds?
It is best to start after your baby has had his milk feed, this is so your baby is not agitated, or too hungry that he might eat too quickly. You want it to be a fun experience for them.
I usually start from lunch time or late morning, when they are awake and alert. As your baby gets older, you can introduce solids in the evening and then lastly breakfast. Having milk to start the day is good for babies, so doing breakfast last works out nicely.
Best foods
Fruits: Pears, cooked apples, banana, mango, watermelon, avocado, apricots
Vegetables: Carrots, broccoli, butternut squash, peas, sweet potatoes, beetroot, cauliflower, swede, pumpkin, beetroot, lentils.
There may be more vegetables I’ve missed, just go for the root vegetables as they are easy to digest. There are also lots of fruits to choose from, but try to avoid citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. Foods to avoid till around 10 months plus
Foods to avoid
Rice foods – you will get rice food in pretty much most of the conventional packet foods on the shelf. Always look at the ingredients. Rice is a major cause of constipation in babies. As babies have no teeth, their bodies find it hard to digest the starch in that food. Even if it’s blended, the starch remains hard to digest.
White Potatoes – white potatoes have a lot of starch, so again they are hard to digest for babies. Sweet potatoes have little to no starch and have a lot more nutrients.
Wheat/bread – Pastas, bread, gluten. Gluten is a binding agent, and babies need to be able to digest the food. If eaten too early, it could cause issues later in life.
Cow’s milk (1 year +) – It is recommended not to have cow’s milk till 1 year for this one. But remember that formula has small quantities of cow’s milk. Try to use your own milk to mix in food if you have to.
With my second baby, I tried to go till 6 months and I was getting a lot of pressure from others to start foods early. I gave my daughter baby rice with formula milk. She developed hives within 5 mins. We took her to the hospital and the doctor said she had an allergic reaction to cow’s milk. Formula has small amounts of cow’s milk. Later in her childhood she developed eczema. This could also be the combination of milk and rice together that didn’t sit well with her gut.
(just to note, my first child had formula from birth due to combi feeding, she had no issues, so every child is different).
High Allergen foods – Peanuts. I don’t know why they say having peanut butter is better to have earlier to avoid developing an allergy. That is false. My daughter had peanut butter around 6 months and today has an allergy to it. Just think, nuts are hard to chew on, how can a baby with no teeth chew on them? Why should we blend them? Just be very cautious.
Strawberries & Kiwi: These fruits can cause a baby to get a rash, so I would wait until they are at least 10 months
Citrus Fruits Like Oranges: Better to give them to babies when they have teeth to chew on the skin. Sometimes citrus fruits can give babies a rash.
Fish & Eggs: This is a tricky one. Some children can tolerate these but others might not. I waited till 10 months.
Just always remember that mother’s milk has all the nutrients, protein, vitamins and minerals. Eating well and having nutrients to support your growing baby is essential. My favorite go-to natural supplements are from WILD NUTRITION. Giving iron-rich food for babies is good, so having lentils and beans in their diet is helpful, but you still have this in your milk.
Going back to work
You can still give your little one breastmilk whilst you return to work. Pumping has been such a helpful asset for working mums. There are a lot of mums that go to work and they pump while they are on their lunch break. Ask your employer to allocate you a private room to pump. You will be surprised by how much milk you can produce in an hour!
If you would like some tips on how to boost your milk supply, check out the blog HERE.
It is also good to get a good pump, CLICK HERE to see my recommended pumps. You can give your stored milk to the caregiver of your baby as well as mashed taster foods in a lunch box. I recommend making your own food rather than the conventional packet foods if your baby is 6 months.
How do I know if my baby is ready for solids?
Baby should be able to sit up unassisted
Be able to hold a toy, a piece of food, a spoon
Can look at you whilst sitting up
Showing that they are interested in trying new foods
If they have teeth, that is a bonus! But can start without teeth, just avoid those starchy foods.
Conclusion
Make this stage of weaning fun for you and your baby, don’t give in to pressure and above all take things slow.
Mama knows what’s best for her baby.
So keep it going mama, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me with any questions you may have.
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