I remember when I was weaning Toby and I didn’t really know what I was doing! I read a few different books but there seemed to be a lot of conflicting advice. With Toby, and with Gabe we waited until they were six months before starting weaning and then combined traditional spoon feeding and babyled weaning. Despite his face in this picture Gabe was actually enjoying this porridge!

To be honest we have pretty much made it up as we’ve gone along and I just followed my instinct and let the boys guide us too. All babies are different of course and what works for one might not be right for another but I know I would have appreciated a brief guide to weaning that I could refer to without having to read tons and tons of stuff to get the information I needed.

As part of their #stresslessweaning programme Babymoov have teamed up with nutritionist Julia Wolman who has provided this feeding to weaning plan for me to share with you.

Age	Starting solids	Milk feeds
First foods – around 6 months or 26 weeks (no earlier than 17 weeks)	Start with 1-2 spoons of smooth puree or mash, or tastes of finger food, once a day. This can be approx an hour after a milk feed if in the morning, or in the middle of a milk feed if mid-morning or afternoon. Once baby is happy with first tastes increase to 6-12 spoons, or more finger foods, once a day. When this first “meal” is going well, progress to twice a day.	All milk feeds should continue as normal during first stages of weaning.   At least 4 breastfeeds or formula feeds are usually required per 24 hours.
“Stage 2” 6-9 months	Continue as above with 2 meals, moving to 3 meals a day by around 7 months. Once baby is having 3 meals per day, offer dessert at lunch and supper. Progress to thicker mashes and then soft lumps, and offer spoon fed babies soft finger foods at every meal. Increase variety of foods* offered so that baby’s diet includes meat, chicken, fish, pulses, eggs, bread, pasta, dairy [*unless otherwise advised by clinician]	Once baby is having 3 meals per day, gradually drop ONE milk feed. Usually this is the mid-morning feed.   At least 3 milk feeds are usually required per 24 hours.   Night feeding (i.e. after 7pm) should stop now.
“Stage 3” 9-12 months	Continue with 3 meals per day, plus healthy snacks if baby wants (and if it fits in with naps!)   NB. There are no set portion sizes so be guided by your baby. Start with small amounts and offer more if baby wants it.	Gradually drop another milk feed – usually this is the afternoon milk.   By 12 months babies should be having just early morning and bedtime milk, i.e. 2 feeds per day.

 

Of course we all know that babies don’t always like to stick to a plan (I know Gabe hasn’t got the memo about night feeds ending between six and nine months!) but hopefully this will give you an idea of where to start.

If you have any questions about weaning, or perhaps about when you should be thinking about dropping milk feeds then please do pop them in the comments and I’ll pass them onto Julia.