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The government has launched a new campaign to support new parents in weaning babies, after a survey found that half of parents in England were confused about how much to feed their baby and what age to start weaning.
The survey, conducted by Censuswide, found that parents often received conflicting information on both points, prompting the government to make the guidance more clear.
When should babies be introduced to solid food?
The online weaning hub states that babies should be introduced to solid foods at around 6 months. This gives your baby time to develop so they can fully cope with solid food.
Until this point, your baby can get all the energy and nutrients they need from breast milk or infant formula alone.
Babies should be gradually introduced to solid foods and fed breast milk or formula alongside to begin with. To begin with, this should be just a small amount of solid food once a day.
Vegetables and fruits that are blended, mashed or soft cooked should be introduced one at a time, and parents should ensure they do not add salt or sugar to the food, as this can affect kidney function and cause tooth decay.
The amount and variety of food groups can be increased over time, and parents should ensure they include vegetables that aren’t so sweet (such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach) to help the baby get used to a range of flavours.
What are the signs a baby is ready for solid food?
There are three clear signs your baby is ready for solid food which usually appear together. These are: your baby can stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady, they can coordinate their eyes, hands and found and pick up food and put it in their mouth, they swallow food rather than spit it out.
The NHS notes that chewing fists, wanting extra milk feeds and waking up more than usual in the night are not signs that your baby is ready for solid foods. These are normal baby behaviours that are not necessarily a sign of hunger.
The survey found that around half of parents are influenced by these factors and often mistakenly introduce solid foods too early when their baby is not yet ready.
75 local family hubs to be created across England
To aid parents who need further advice, the government is also creating 75 family hubs, backed by more than £300 million of government funding.
The hubs will ensure all parents and carers can access the support they need at the time they need it, and will also offer advice on topics like allergies, food hygiene and avoiding choking.
Introducing a variety of food groups at an early age creates healthy eating habits at the earliest stage, and the government hopes this new campaign will therefore help to reduce childhood obesity rates. Currently, one in four children are overweight when they start school.
Minister for Primary Care and Public Health Neil O’Brien said: “The first 1,001 days are crucial for a child’s development and weaning can influence a baby’s eating habits and their health later in life.
“This campaign will ensure parents have the confidence to introduce their babies to solid food at the appropriate time and provide practical advice and a support hub to ensure their diets include a wide variety of foods.”