5 Signs Your Baby is Ready to Start Weaning

Weaning is an important stage in your baby’s development – getting it right, at the right time, will ensure baby gets the right nutrients and know-how to support their continual growth. But how do you know when your little one is ready to start weaning onto solid foods?

1. Baby can hold his/her head up 

Baby needs to be able to keep their head steady, and move it from side to side.

2. Sit upright independently

This may be sitting in a high chair or booster seat on a chair with their back supported, or being held while sitting on your lap – either way baby needs to be able to sit upright with a straight, clear passage from mouth to stomach.

3. Curious about what you’re eating

This might be eyeing up your dinner, or reaching out to grab something from your plate!

4. Good co-ordination

Baby needs to be able to look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth, all on their own. 

5. Baby can swallow food

If they aren’t ready, baby will push food back out with their tongue.

Even when you start to see signs that your little one might be ready to start weaning, experts recommend that breast milk or infant formula is the sole source of nutrition for infants until around six months. Until then, your baby will get all the nutrition they need from milk. Research shows you shouldn’t introduce solids before 4 months (17 weeks), as baby’s gut is not yet sufficiently developed to deal with foods other than breast or formula milk, as it is more susceptible to sensitivity and infection. It’s important that baby is a healthy weight when you start weaning - most babies double their birthweight by around 6 months.