Weaning – What You Need To Know

We’ve teamed up with eumom to find out all about weaning – what you need to know.

Weaning is the introduction of solid foods into your baby’s diet. It can be a bit overwhelming especially when you are a first time mom, but it does get easier. Babies actually get all the nutrients they need exclusively from either breast milk or formula milk for the first six months of their life. This is why the general rule of thumb for starting weaning is when your baby is six months old.

According to The World Health Organisation, weaning your baby too early may increase the risk of allergies later on. If your baby seems hungry and they are still not at the six month stage, you can offer them additional milk feeds. It’s also really important that your baby continues drinking breast-milk or formula milk while being weaned. Remember to be extra vigilant when introducing solid food to their diet and never leave them unattended when weaning, so they don’t choke.

Babies sometimes have to be offered food 10-15 times before they will eat it, so if they don’t eat it straight away, don’t panic. Remember not to add salt to your baby’s food, as their kidneys are not fully developed at this stage. Also avoid sugar at this stage and in particular honey, which may have harmful bacteria present. The best foods to start with are the most basic fruit such as: apple, pear and banana. Home made recipes like simple banana puree are great to start with, as you know they are really fresh and you know exactly what’s in them. They also have less preservatives and hidden sugars compared to shop bought purees.

 At eumom, we’re first for parenting, first for moms and we believe the best part of parenting is celebrating memorable moments together. From big announcements, to joyful arrivals, from first steps to first days of school, we are here for you.