Weaning or complementary feeding, also known as introducing solid foods while continuing breastfeeding, is a crucial phase for infants. Parents often wonder, “When to start weaning?” as they navigate this transition. In this comprehensive guide, we will address this common query and provide insights and guidelines on determining the appropriate time to start weaning for your baby.
When to start weaning for babies?
The decision of when to start weaning your baby and introduce solid foods can be a confusing and overwhelming one for many mothers. With conflicting suggestions from family, friends, and doctors, it’s crucial to rely on well-founded recommendations backed by extensive research. Through extensive research on this issue, I have compiled the following evidence-based recommendations to help you navigate this important milestone and make an informed decision regarding when to start weaning.
Recommendations on When to Start Weaning
According to the guidelines set by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), it is generally recommended to begin weaning around 6 months of age. This timeframe aligns with the readiness of your baby’s digestive system and nutritional needs.
Recent studies have revealed that introducing a variety of food varieties between the 17th and 27th week of life can potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including allergies and coeliac disease. This highlights the significance of gradually introducing diverse foods within this specific time window.
It’s important to note that your pediatrician may have differing opinions from the aforementioned guidelines. Ultimately, the choice of when to start weaning is yours and should be based on your baby’s individual needs and developmental readiness.
Research conducted by the AAP has shown that introducing solid foods before 4 months of age carries a higher risk of obesity later in life. Therefore, it is strongly advised to avoid starting weaning before the 4-month mark. Instead, beginning the weaning process between 5 and 6 months, as recommended by the AAP, allows your baby to reach important developmental milestones and reduces potential health risks.
How to know my baby is ready for solids
- Baby can hold her head. Head control milestone is achieved by the end of 3 months.
- The baby is able to sit upright with or without support.
- The baby can move the tongue in and out but does not push the food out.
- Makes chewing motions.
- When you are eating, she puts out her tongue and watches closely your hand and mouth.
Precautions to be taken while feeding solids
- Always feed the baby sitting upright, never feed with baby lying flat on its back.
- Use soft-tipped spoon so that it does not injure the tender gums of the baby.
- Before making the baby food, take caution to sterilize all the equipment and utensils.
- Baby Food Maker are available in the market which is easy to clean and sterilize.
- To provide more calories, the food should be thick in consistency, so that it stays in the spoon without running off.
- Consume the food within 2 hours of preparation, any left over should be discarded, and fresh food should be prepared for the baby’s next meal.
You can check out the Monthwise Diet chart for each month.
Check out our complete Guide on Starting Solids for your baby
You might also be interested in our detailed guide on High Chair vs Booster Seat.
Happy Weaning
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The article is based on the views of the author and it is the sole discretion of the reader to implement it, the author does not take responsibility for it.
References
# – 2013 Sep-Oct;41(5):337-45. doi: 10.1016/j.aller.2012.08.012. Epub 2012 Dec 31.The timing of introduction of solid food and risk of allergic disease development: understanding the evidence.
Sansotta N1, Piacentini GL, Mazzei F, Minniti F, Boner AL, Peroni DG.
#- http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/89/6/1105
photo credit: jeff.snodgrass via photopin cc photo credit: Turkinator via photopin cc
Hi Doctor,
Your emails and charts are of great help. Thank you so much.
My baby is now 5 months+ so i started giving apple puree from past 2 days and now i have query like how much scoop of formula milk powder can i put in the puree? Yet now she was exclusively on mothers milk
Hi,
Please check with your pediatrician about the formula quantity dear. We don’t recommend solids before 6 months completion, unless your pediatrician gives green signal 🙂
hello doctor
my daughter completes 6 month by march 9. she is 5.5 kg in weight. what food shall i give to increase her weight? i am giving brown rice powder from past 1 week!, what else shall i give to increase weight?
Hi Shazara,
Since your little one is 6+ months you can start with solids. And there are many foods that are available which will help in gaining weight some of them are Milk, Banana, Sweet Potato, Peas, Peach etc. You can find out more in our blog.
Apart from these food products, your little ones weight can be improved by using our products too. You can check out some of our weight gain products in our shop website. You can visit our shop with the below given link.
https://goo.gl/MgzCkE
Hi doctor, my son going to complete 5 mnths on august 7, what liquid food shal i start for him??
Hi Aiswarya,
If your little one has completed 5+ months age and your pediatrician has informed you to start solids, then for a 5+ months old child you can start giving chawal (rice) ka pani, Dal ka pani etc. For more recipes to be given to your little one. Check out the below given link
Link : https://goo.gl/JHHjuM
Hello doctor ,
Firstly a big thanks to you for putting up this site with so much valuable info!
This is a blessing for many new mothers.
My little one was born at 36 weeks with 2 kg birth weight, now she is 4 months old and weighs 6 kgs was fed only on mothers’ milk so far. Her neck is almost stable and she feeds for about 5-7 minutes once in 2.5 hours average.
She had been sucking thumb for sleeping and hunger and chews on all the fingers vigorously ?
Can I give her one spoon pulungal arisi kanji now between feeds jus to introduce her to the taste and slowly start fruit/ veggie purées and Ragi kanji when she is 5 months old ?
Am confused about the portion and frequency of the food charts.
I am from Madurai too, do you do any consulting or have a walk in store ?
Thanks and Best wishes !
Start soups like dal soup after baby crosses 5 months and then introduce purees and porridges after 6 months
now my baby is 6.5mnth old…wht i give for teething trobles??pls suggest me dctr which madicine
now my baby is 6.5mnth old…wht i give for teething trobles??pls suggest me dctr
Hi ..my baby is now going to complete 5 month on 7 th of June he will be turning to 6+ .. so please suggest what can be the first solid food to be given …. and it’s time to start cerelac so which is to be given ( rice or wheat ) . Thanks
Dear Dhara,
You can start with dal, rice it is better to start with homemade baby food rather than store bought ones
Hi. My daughter will complete 5 months on Feb 05. I have started lentil rice soup from the last 2 weeks once a day only (one small katori).now what are the next steps,meaning should I continue giving once a day ? Any other food in can introduce from your recipes or should I wait.please suggest.
Also, my baby was healthy with good weight gain but the last 10 days she had loose stools almost 10 times a day .she was active and continued her normal routine due to which doctors did not give any medications to stop her stools. They said it could be because of teething or climactic changes.
I am just worried how to get her weight back.
Dear Namrata,
I think it is too early to start on solids meals. you can wait till 6 months completion to start other foods,
Hi
My baby was born on june 6, completed 4 months.
Her birth weight was 2.7. Now she is 5.6 kg
Please suggest if i can give her raw banana kanji
Dear Ashwini,
You can give Raw Kerala Banana Powder Kanji
Hello doctor. .
My son is 4month old now..whether I can feed him cerelac?
Hi priya,
Please wait till 6 months completion to start solids
Hi doctor, I made his 3.5 months vaccine. So from when shall I wean him.he was born on march 20th.
Hi dharani,
You can wean him after 6 months after September 20
Hello Doctor, U said that Always feed the baby sitting upright , never feed with baby lying flat on its back. but my baby is 5.5 month old. she is not able to seat properly. so in what position should i feed her.
Hi Varsha,
You can try a high chair
An interesting read, especially for a mother of a 6 month old. I have introduced semis to my LO and I do try to expose his budding taste buds to a variety of food items. But, I prefer giving him bland stuff, e.g. mashed potato with no salt, cow’s milk with no sugar. Is it the right way to go about it?
Oh! and btw, I blog on motherhood/parenting.
Yes, you can give bland food as long as your little one likes it, btw I am not in favour of giving cows milk to babies less than 1 year old.
helping me.. next is guide step by step towards weaning
Any query, Watsapp me Sugandh