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Weaning truths and myths

Baby food expert Annabel Karmel answers the most common weaning questions, offering advice on how and when to wean as well as the ideal first foods for a healthy, balanced diet

Do I need to wait until my baby is six months old before weaning?

The advice on what age to start weaning has changed a lot over the years. Until recently, the UK recommendation was between four and six months and the World Health Organisation (WHO) advice was to breastfeed until six months. The recommendation in the UK is now the same as the WHO advice. However, it is important to realise that the WHO advice includes developing countries where breast milk is the cleanest and most readily available food for babies.

Most health professionals agree that research, theories and medical evidence do not necessarily correlate with an individual's experiences. Recent statistics show the majority of people in the UK still start to wean their babies before six months. All babies are different and many are genuinely ready to start having solids earlier than six months.

Most paediatricians agree that the most important thing is to listen to your own baby, know him and read his cues. Your baby is ready to wean if:

• He may still be hungry after a full milk feed
• He may start waking more during the night demanding to be fed
• He may demand feeds more often

The earliest that babies should start on solids is 17 weeks. A very young baby's digestive and immune system is not sufficiently developed before this time.

However, you should not leave it later than six months to introduce solids. Your baby needs to learn how to chew and swallow foods. Chewing food also helps to develop the muscles that are important for speech. If you delay starting solids past six months, your baby may find it difficult to learn the skill.

Go at your baby's pace. Allow plenty of time for feeding when first introducing solids. While sucking is a natural reflex, your baby needs to learn to move solid food from the front of the tongue to the back, to swallow it.

It is more important that your baby gets a good variety of foods in his diet.

Get cooking! Tasty recipes by Annabel Karmel

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