Spotting the telltale signs that your baby’s ready for solids
As a rule, the best guide to the right time to wean is by looking at your baby and seeing whether he displays any of the obvious symptoms, such as the following:
- He seems hungry again quite quickly after a big breast- or bottle-feed.
- He seems more restless than usual or starts waking at night even though he used to sleep through.
- He’s interested in your food, makes chewing motions as he watches you eat, or even tries to help himself to what’s on your plate.
- He’s doubled his birthweight.
Don’t start weaning earlier than 4 months, because your baby’s digestive system can’t cope with complex foods. Weaning too early can also increase the risk of allergies in later life. However, leaving weaning until much later than 6 months is also not advisable: At 6 months, milk alone does not provide your baby with enough nutrients, especially because the stores of iron he was born with are depleted.
Tags: baby eatings solids, baby weaning guide, feeding baby solids, signs that baby is ready for solids
Posted in Children's Health
