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Progressing Through the Weaning Stages 101

●● watching others with interest when they are The types and textures of foods to be introduced
eating at each weaning stage are summarized in Table 4.2.2.

●● seeming hungry between milk feeds or Weaning Stage 1: Beginning solids
demanding feeds more often even though larger
feeds have been offered. Solids may be introduced at any time during the
day that is convenient for the carer and infant. For
Between 4 and 6 months seems to be the best the first few tastes it is best to give some of the milk
time to start solids because from this age infants feed first, then offer first tastes of solids before
learn to accept new tastes and foods relatively offering the rest of the milk feed. Before a milk feed
quickly. infants might be too hungry and thirsty and not
prepared to try anything new, while at the end of
Night-time waking and crying are not their feed they may be too satisfied to bother with
necessarily signs of hunger at this age. Around this anything else in their mouth. As the infant
time sleeping patterns change and some infants are becomes accustomed to solids, he or she can be
more easily aroused and may begin to wake during offered solids before the milk feed.
the night. Many parents hope that weaning onto
solid food will help their infant sleep through the The amount of solid food given should always be
night, but no evidence supports this hopeful as much as the infant is happy to eat. As the infant’s
theory. feeding skills become more adept he or she will
gradually take more and other foods can be offered
Progressing Through the Weaning for one and then two other meals.
Stages
Texture of foods
Weaning is a learning process and infants only A smooth purée or well-mashed food is best for
learn to develop their feeding skills and accept and the first few tastes, offering it from a shallow
enjoy new tastes and textures if they are given the teaspoon or plastic weaning spoon. Parents can
opportunity to try them. A study found that when then make thicker purées or mashed food as the
infants are kept on puréed foods for too long and baby becomes used to taking food from a spoon.
not offered lumps and finger foods by 10 months Some infants may begin with soft finger foods but
they are more likely to be fussy eaters at the age of 3 they should not be restricted to finger foods only
years compared to those weaned appropriately as the infant is unlikely to be able to eat enough to
(Northstone et al. 2001).

Table 4.2.2 Types of food to be introduced at different weaning stages

Stage Age guide Skills to learn New food textures to introduce
1 Around 6 months
but not before 4 Taking food from a spoon Smooth purées
2 months (17 weeks) Moving food from the front of the mouth to Mashed foods
the back for swallowing
3 6–9 months Managing thicker purées and mashed food

9–12 months Moving lumps around the mouth Mashed food with soft lumps
Chewing lumps Soft finger foods
Self-feeding using hands and fingers Liquids in a lidded beaker or cup
Sipping from a cup

Chewing minced and chopped food Hard finger foods
Self-feeding attempts with a spoon Minced and chopped family
foods

Adapted from Shaw and Lawson (2007).