Starting your baby on solids can be quite a nerve-wracking experience for parents, but it really doesn’t have to be. Your baby’s feeding journey should be fun, exciting, and – like it or not – a messy experience! If you want to know when your baby is ready for solids and how to start your baby on solids, then we’re here to help.
When does baby start on solids?
Your baby will typically transition to solid foods around 4 to 6 months of age, when they’re able to sit unaided. However, it’s important to remember that every baby develops on their own timeline, so you should follow the advice of your preferred medical consultant before you start.
What is self-feeding?
Self-feeding, which is also referred to as baby-led weaning, is a great way to introduce your baby to solid foods as it encourages independence and exploration. Rather than spoon-feeding your baby their first solids, you put chunks of soft food directly on the highchair tray and let them grab the food and feed themselves.
Why choose self-feeding?
Remember that feeding your baby is a very personal journey and you will need to take an approach that you feel comfortable with and have discussed with your child’s doctor. These days, many parents are choosing self-feeding, and here are some of the reasons it might be a great fit for you:
✔️ It encourages your child to recognise when they’re full.
✔️ Your child learns to control how much and how quickly they eat.
✔️ It encourages your child to be less fussy with their food as they discover a variety of flavours and textures (which, as any parent with fussy eaters will tell you, is a massive advantage!).
✔️ Self-led weaning supports the development of your baby’s chewing skills.
✔️ Self-led weaning encourages hand-eye coordination.
✔️ Self-lead weaning develops their fine motor skills.
✔️ It encourages your baby to explore food through senses of touch, taste, sight, and smell.
✔️ Your baby can eat the same foods (in smaller portions and consistencies) as the rest of the family.
How to introduce self-feeding
Remember, this is going to be a messy but very worthwhile process! Firstly, bring your baby’s high chair to the table with you during regular meals so that they feel included and learn to eat what you eat. You can then offer several types of food to your baby. Start with softer, gummable food such as avocado strips. With each meal, continue to offer different foods which they can pick up with their fingers. This will help them learn to gum, chew, and move food around their mouths.
Tips for self-feeding
This is a learning experience for both you and your baby, but there are ways to make this baby-led weaning transition easier for both of you.
1. Keep it soft
The texture of the food will need to be a textured, puree consistency or pieces soft enough to smush, rather than hard or crunchy like raw carrots or apples. Avoid grapes, cherry tomatoes, or large chunks of food that could be choking hazards. Initially, you should start with foods that can be sliced into thick strips so your baby can hold them easily, and from about 9 months the food can be cut into bite-sized morsels.
2. Don’t stop breast or bottle-feeding
You will continue to breastfeed or bottle feed baby at the same frequency for the first year. This is because your baby will still get the majority of its nutrients from breast milk or formula.
3. Offer a variety
You want to expose your baby to a wide range of food tastes and textures to prevent them from being fussy eaters. Ensure the foods range in colours and try to include one high-iron food per meal. A good tip for expanding flavours is to mix different foods with ‘carriers’ such as yoghurt.
4. Utensils can help
Some great baby-led weaning utensils can help on this self-feeding journey. Great examples are Baby Training Spoons by Little Weasel which are easy to grip. You can pre-load the spoon with food and hand it to baby so they can put it in their mouth. This is a great stepping stone to feeding themselves and, over time, they will begin to dip the spoon, gradually learning to scoop as they move towards toddler years. Little Weasel's Embrace the Mess Bib is another great addition that helps families enjoy mealtime without worrying about stains and dirty clothes.
Enjoy this exciting journey with your little one – Little Weasel is here for you every step of the way!
