GUIDE TO STARTING SOLIDS
IS YOUR BUB READY TO MOVE ONTO SOLID FOODS? ANNABEL KARMEL REVEALS THE SIGNS – AND FALSE ALERTS – THAT YOUR LITTLE ONE IS READY
Introducing your baby to solid food can be exciting, but also nerve-racking. In this edited extract from her new book, Weaning Made Simple, baby feeding guru Annabel Karmel shares her top advice for when to start weaning your bub.
WHEN TO INTRODUCE SOLIDS
Put simply, around 6 months of age. Of course, some babies will show signs of being ready before, but ‘around 6 months’ is the age advised by the World Health Organisation. Babies should never be weaned before 4 months (17 weeks) as their digestive systems aren’t mature enough to cope with food at this point.
1 SIGNS THAT YOUR BUB IS READY
She’s sitting up and supporting her own head. This doesn’t have to mean sitting up completely unsupported, just as long as she can sit up for 3-5 seconds on her own. This is why a highchair will be your most important piece of weaning kit as it will provide that additional support for her feet, bottom and back while eating.
2 SHE HAS DEVELOPED HAND-TO-EYE COORDINATION
She needs to be able to coordinate food and direct it into her mouth. Is she trying to stick her fingers, fists and everything in sight into her mouth? That is a good sign she’s mastered this skill.
3 SHE IS SHOWING SIGNS THAT SHE HAS LOST AN EARLY BABY REFLEX CALLED TONGUE-THRUST
This is a protective reflex to help prevent babies from choking. As soon as something foreign is put on your baby’s tongue, the tongue-thrust reflex means she will try to push it out of her mouth. This reflex is likely to have disappeared by 6 months, meaning she is better able to move food from the front to the back of her mouth and then swallow it. Not all babies lose this reflex by 6 months, but when weaning starts, it is likely this will soon disappear.
RED HERRINGS WAKING MORE AT NIGHT
There is no hard evidence to suggest that sleep is a factor affected by weaning. And it’s a myth that full babies sleep through the night (sorry, folks!). There are all sorts of reasons why your baby may be waking through the night. She may need a feed, she may want your comfort and reassurance during the night, or she may benefit from a more consistent bedtime routine to help her settle. Teething can also upset your baby’s routine and sleep pattern.
WHEN SHE IS STILL HUNGRY AFTER A MILK FEED
This is more likely to be down to a growth spurt. Learning a new skill requires additional energy. Sometimes this could be a mental development and you might not see any noticeable changes other than that she has increased appetite because she needs fuel. Sometimes parents think their baby needs food but actually she needs more milk. Giving your baby food when she is not developmentally ready can lead to gastrointestinal problems and can be linked to anaemia.
FIST CHEWING
This is a phase called mouthing and lots of babies tend to do this. Their mouths are highly sensitive and they learn through sensations in their mouths which helps prepare them for solids. This is why you will find her putting toys or fists in her mouth – to get that feedback from those sensations.
WHEN SHE SEEMS MORE INTERESTED IN FOOD
Babies are instinctively curious about the world around them and will naturally show signs of being interested in what you are eating. That doesn’t mean that they are necessarily ready for solids.