My baby’s weaning stage 1: 4+ months

Getting started

When to get started

Weaning is a big change for your baby and they’ve got a lot to learn. It’s important to wait until you’ve noticed the signs that they’re ready for weaning. The Department of Health recommends weaning should start from 6 months and definitely no sooner than 17 weeks. If you’re thinking of starting to wean because they’ve got a bigger appetite than usual, try our suggestions for what to do when your baby is still hungry after a milk feed. They may just be going through a growth spurt!

How to get started

Baby rice is a great first weaning food because you can make it with their usual milk for a familiar taste. This makes the transition easier and your baby will be more accepting of the unfamiliar feeling.

To begin with, try your baby with a teaspoonful or two to ease them in gently. Then build this up gradually with more feeds a day. It’s a good idea not to try and introduce food to your baby when they are too hungry - as they will get frustrated, or too full when they won’t have room for the extra feed. The ideal time is when your baby has had half their usual milk.

Nutrition

No single food can give your baby all the goodness they need. Once they’ve started weaning, you can gradually start to give them more variety to make sure they get a good balance of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals that will help them grow up healthy and happy!

A good way to give your baby a balanced diet is to start their day with a breakfast cereal suitable for babies – low in salt and sugar.  Include lots of different vegetables in their main meal, and give your baby a dessert packed with fruit and dairy.

Texture

Smooth purées, roughly the consistency of double cream, are ideal for learning how to swallow solid foods. Apples, pears, carrots and sweet potato are all easy to cook and blend. Be sure to peel them first though to get rid of any tough skin.

Taste

You can introduce your baby to new, gentle tastes, such as pumpkin, carrot and other vegetables before moving onto meals. Just cook them as you normally would but without any sugar or salt.

Foods to avoid

At this early stage, there are a few foods to avoid – ones they may develop an allergy to. Until your baby is 6 months old, it’s best to steer clear of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Eggs and fish should also be avoided until 6 months. Peanuts should be avoided until 3 years of age if there’s a history of peanut allergy in your family.

A nutritious start with Cow & Gate

Cow & Gate Baby Balance is our range of nutritious baby foods, made specially for each important stage of your baby’s development. Cow & Gate Baby Balance Stage 1 foods are made with gentle tastes and a smooth texture to get your baby started with weaning.

First baby foods are easy to make at home, too. Take a look at our recipes for stage 1 to find out how.