Nutrition and Oral Health - NHS Lanarkshire

Weaning
The introduction of solids into the diet (complementary feeding or weaning)
is an important step in a baby’s development. During this stage, there is a
period of rapid growth so it is essential that the diet provides all the nutrients a
baby needs.
The Scottish Government recommends that the age of introduction of solid
foods is around six months for all babies. After six months, breast or formula
milk alone cannot provide sufficient energy for proper growth from this age.
Before the age of six months (26 weeks) a baby’s digestive system and kidneys
are still developing. Research shows that introducing solids too soon can
result in problems such as wheezing or cough, and can increase risk of
asthma, eczema, digestive problems, allergies and obesity in later life.
Weaning from four months was the advice given for a number of years
however the new guidance of weaning from six months is based on more
recent research. Babies should never be weaned before the age of four
months (17 weeks).
During the weaning process babies are learning to accept and enjoy new
foods with a variety of flavours and textures. They may already be finger
feeding some foods but are also learning to take food from a spoon, which is
more difficult than it may sound! At first when introducing food, it is a normal
reaction for all babies to spit food out and screw up their face, but this does
not necessarily mean that the food is disliked. Ideally, the same foods should
be offered on several occasions to allow babies to adjust to the new taste.
Gradually, between six to twelve months, a wide variety of flavours and textures
should be introduced to ensure an adequate intake of all the nutrients needed
for growth and development.
Ideal first foods are:
• Mashed fruit such as banana, stewed apple or pear.
• Mashed cooked vegetables such as potato, carrot, parsnip, turnip or
cauliflower.
• Small pieces of soft fruit or cooked vegetables.
• Toast, bread, pitta bread or chapatti, rice cake or breadsticks.
• Cheese, slices of hard boiled egg, chunks of cooked fish, which can be
picked up.
• Baby rice or other cereal mixed with the baby’s usual milk – (expressed
breastmilk or formula) always in a bowl, not in a bottle.
• Mashed up healthy family foods wherever possible.
How much and how often?
A few teaspoons of well mashed food at one meal a day is enough to start
with. The amount given should be gradually increased over a few days.
Parents should be guided by their baby’s appetite and should encourage their
baby to feed themselves. At this stage milk is still the most important part of
the baby’s diet so the same amount of breast or formula milk should be given.
By the time babies reach the age of twelve months, they should be eating the
12 Eating Well for Babies Under One Nutrition & Oral Health