Weaning Guides

Plain-English guidance on starting solids, safely and at your baby's pace.

• When Is My Baby Ready to Start Solids?

  The three developmental signs that show a baby is ready for solid food at around 6 months, the behaviours often mistaken for readiness, and what the first weeks of weaning look like.

• How to Introduce Common Allergens Safely

  When and how to introduce peanut, egg, dairy, wheat, fish, and sesame — one at a time, and what to watch for.

• Baby-Led Weaning vs. Purées (or Both?) — How to Choose

  Baby-led weaning or purées? The real pros and cons, whether you can skip purées entirely or mix both, how to switch, and what the evidence says about choking and iron.

• Choking vs. Gagging — What's Normal, and What Needs Action

  How to tell a baby's normal gag reflex apart from real choking, what to do in each case, the NHS first-aid steps for babies under one, and how to lower the risk at every meal.

• How Much Should a 6-Month-Old Actually Eat?

  Rough portion guidance by weaning stage, and why appetite matters more than the amount on the plate.

• Foods to Avoid Before 12 Months, and Why

  The specific foods and food shapes that aren't safe for babies under one, with the reasons behind each.

• How to Introduce a New Food, Step by Step

  The single-ingredient method for trying a new food — and why it makes tracking allergies and preferences much easier.

• Signs of a Food Allergy vs. a Food Intolerance

  The practical differences between an allergic reaction and a food intolerance in babies, and when each needs medical attention.

• Weaning Textures by Stage — Purée to Family Food

  How food texture typically progresses from smooth purées to chopped family meals, and how to know when to move on.

• What to Do When Your Baby Refuses Solids

  Common reasons babies push food away, and practical ways to respond without turning mealtimes into a battle.