Starting solids in the UK: when and how

Oct 10

4 min read

Smiling baby in a pink bib sitting in a highchair with a few pieces of soft green vegetable on the tray

The first spoonful of anything is a big moment. It is also usually followed by a face of total betrayal, most of the food on the bib, and a small amount on the ceiling.

Starting solids, also called weaning or complementary feeding, is one of those milestones that comes with a lot of opinions. This post sticks to what the NHS says, clearly marked as theirs, and then the practical bit: keeping track of what went in and how it went.

When to start

The NHS says introducing solid foods should start when your baby is around 6 months old. The World Health Organization also recommends starting solids at around 6 months.

If your baby was born prematurely, the NHS advice is to ask your health visitor or GP when to start, rather than going by the calendar.

The three signs your baby is ready

The NHS lists three signs that, together, show a baby is ready for solid foods. Your baby can:

Stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady.
Co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth, so they can look at the food, pick it up and put it in their mouth.
Swallow food, rather than spit it back out.

NHS signs your baby is ready for solids: they can stay sitting up and hold their head steady, look at food, pick it up and bring it to their mouth, and swallow food rather than pushing it back out. These usually show up together, around 6 months

The NHS also lists things that are often mistaken for signs of readiness but are normal baby behaviour: chewing their fists, waking in the night more than usual, and wanting extra milk feeds. It adds that starting solid foods will not make your baby any more likely to sleep through the night, which is worth knowing if that was part of the hope.

First foods

The NHS suggests starting with single vegetables and fruits, mashed or as soft cooked sticks, such as parsnip, broccoli, potato, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear. It recommends including vegetables that are not sweet, like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, so your baby gets used to a range of flavours.

From there, the NHS describes moving from smooth or mashed food to lumpier textures and finger foods as soon as your baby can manage them. Finger foods are best cut into pieces big enough for your baby to hold in their fist, with a bit sticking out.

A few things the NHS says to avoid, which are worth having in one place:

No added salt or sugar, including stock cubes and gravy.
No honey until your baby is over 1 year old, according to the NHS page on foods to avoid giving babies.
No whole nuts for children under 5, because of the risk of choking. Nuts can be offered crushed or ground.

The NHS advises cutting small round foods such as grapes, cherries and cherry tomatoes into quarters.

For introducing foods that can cause allergic reactions, there is a separate post: introducing allergens without the fear.

Milk is still doing most of the work

This is the part that takes the pressure off. The NHS says your baby will still be getting most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or first infant formula at the start, and that breast milk or formula should be their main drink during the first year.

The NHS says cows' milk shouldn't be given as a main drink until 12 months, though it's fine to use in cooking from around 6 months.

So in the early weeks of solids, how much goes in matters far less than getting used to the idea of eating. A day where they eat three peas and throw the rest is a perfectly good day.

Why a simple record helps

Weaning adds a new stream of small details to a life that already has plenty. Which foods have they tried? How many times has broccoli been offered? Did they actually eat any of it? Was the rash on the day of something new, or the day after?

None of that is worth stressing over in the moment. It is worth writing down in a few seconds, because a few weeks in, nobody remembers.

The details that tend to be useful:

What they had, and roughly what texture.
How it went. Keen, not keen, mostly wore it.
Anything you noticed afterwards, that you might want to ask about.

In Littles, solids are logged alongside milk feeds, sleep and nappies, so first foods, textures and reactions all sit in the same day as everything else. If you are introducing allergens, those have their own place in the allergies section.

Nappies will change too

Once solids start, nappies usually change, sometimes dramatically. Colour, texture and smell all shift. Most of it is completely expected, and there is a post on how many wet nappies a baby should have with the NHS guidance on what to keep an eye on.

When to speak to someone

Your health visitor is the best person to ask about weaning your own baby, including when to start, how it is going, and anything that is worrying you. Please speak to your health visitor or GP if:

your baby was born prematurely, or has any health condition, before you start
your baby has eczema or a known food allergy, before you introduce foods that commonly cause reactions
your baby seems to be struggling with textures, or you are worried about choking
you have any concerns about weight gain or feeding

The NHS says to call 999 if your baby ever shows signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips or throat or difficulty breathing.

Littles is free to download, and logging feeds, sleep and nappies stays free for as long as you want it.

Your baby's own 24 hour sleep needs, and the rest of the analysis screens, are part of premium. Two weeks free to try, then £6.99 a month or £50 a year.

Sources: NHS guidance on your baby's first solid foods, foods to avoid giving babies and young children, and drinks for babies and young children; World Health Organization guidance on complementary feeding.