Planning To Wean? Here’s Everything You Need
From age guidelines to the best first foods and feeding products that will make your life easier, our guide to introducing solids has you covered…
Am I the only one who gets super-excited about watching the expression on my baby’s face as I spoon that very first mouthful of mush into her mouth? I’ve done it with three kids and it never gets old. But if you’re like I was, you have a ton of questions about when and how to wean.
Let’s start with some basics…
What is weaning?
Weaning is the gradual process of introducing a baby to solid food while cutting back on milk feeds. When your tot no longer receives any breast milk or formula, they’re considered fully weaned.
When should you wean your baby?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life. Around six months, solids should be gradually introduced because your baby will no longer be receiving enough iron from your breast milk or formula. You can continue to breastfeed in addition to feeding your child solids until they’re 12 months old – or longer if you wish.
Signs that your baby is ready for solids
Before you whip out the food processor and start pureeing everything in sight, look for these signs of readiness.
Your baby should:
- Be about six months old (but no younger than four months)
- Be able to sit when supported and hold their head up
- Show an interest in food
- Open their mouth when you offer them food on a spoon
- Have lost their tongue-thrust reflex (which causes them to push food out of their mouth with their tongue)
Top tips for introducing solids
When your baby seems ready to chow down, try these tips for feeding success:
- Give your baby a little breast milk or formula first to open their appetite.
- Start with half a teaspoonful of puree, and gradually increase to one or two teaspoons over the next few days.
- If your baby cries or refuses to eat, try again another time.
- You can start with baby rice cereal or any other mushy food (such as mashed avocado or banana). There’s no evidence that starting with sweet-tasting fruit will turn your baby off other foods.
- Watch your baby for cues that they’ve had enough, such as keeping their mouth closed or turning their head away from the spoon. Don’t force them to eat more because this could teach them to overeat.
- There’s isn’t any evidence that waiting to introduce foods such as peanuts, eggs, dairy or fish will prevent food allergies. If you have a family history of food allergies and you’re concerned, speak to your pediatrician.
- You can give your baby soft finger foods as soon as they can sit upright and bring their hands to their mouth. Good choices include pieces of banana, well-cooked veggies and soft pasta.
- You can start offering water in a sippy cup with meals. The AAP advises against giving babies juice before 12 months of age.
Curious about Baby-led weaning?
The best feeding products for babies
When choosing feeding products to wean your baby, the number one thing you want to consider is what the product is made of. When heated, materials like melamine and low-grade plastic can potentially leach harmful materials (BPA, BPS, PVC, Phthalates to name a few…) into your baby’s food. That’s why we like to opt for things like silicone, bamboo, stainless steel or high-grade plastic.
You’re also going to want to choose things that are easy to clean, designed to minimize mess (because oh yes, there’s a mess!) and are durable enough to carry them through their toddler years or be passed down to another sibling or friend.
At The Tot, we always make sure anything we use or recommend has passed The Tot Test. This means that we’ve reviewed third-party testing and asked in-depth questions for every single product we sell! Click here to learn more about the ingredients we caution and why.
Below are all of our favorite Tot Tested and approved baby weaning products!
Avanchy La Petite Essential Set
Made of organic and sustainable bamboo and 100% food-grade silicone, Avanchy’s La Petite Essential Set comes in a range of bright and playful colors! Suitable from 6m +, it’s the perfect starter set for introducing solids.
Avanchy La Petite Essential Set
$33.99
Available in more colors
Olababy Five-Piece Baby Feeding Starter Set
Made of medical-grade silicone, this genius five-piece feeding set includes an ergonomic parent feeding spoon, a training spoon, and a SteamBowl that can be used for heating and serving all-in-one.
Parents love that the suction spoons can stand upright (preventing mess), while babies love that they double as teethers for sore gums!
Olababy 5-Piece Baby Feeding Starter Set
$50
The Tot Feeding Sets
With so many parents wanting guidance as well as tried & trusted products, we worked with a childhood nutrition specialist to create age/stage-appropriate booklets of helpful advice and feeding tips to create The Tot Feeding Sets.
Once your baby has reached Stage 3 Solids, you’ll love having our handy booklet of recipes and feeding tips as well as our go-to non-toxic meal time products.
The Tot Feeding Sets: Stage 3 Solids – Self Feeding (9 – 12m)
$109
EXCLUSIVE
Olababy Transitional Set
Mastering a sippy cup can be a tricky endeavor! Luckily, Olababy has a simple transitional set that easily guides baby from bottle to cup with ease.
Olababy Transitional Set
$39.95
Available in more colors
Mushie Silicone Bib
The answer is yes, you need a catch-all bib! You also want one that is silicone and dishwasher safe! We love the silicone bibs from Mushie because they come in a wide range of prints and colors AND have an adjustable neck that allows it to grow with your tot.
Mushie Silicone Baby Bib – Lilac Flowers
$12.99
Available in more prints and colors
Mushie Silicone Baby Bib – Retro Cars
$12.99
Available in more prints and colors
Mushie Silicone Placemat
One common theme with weaning is mess! Since food doesn’t always stay in a baby’s mouth or bowl, we highly suggest having a Mushie Silicone Placement or two on hand!
Mushie Silicone Placemat
$14.99
Available in more colors
ezpz First Foods Set
As your baby gets more and more independent, you can try a set like the ezpz first food set. Consisting of silicone cutlery that’s just the right size and a tiny cup, they’ll be a bruncher in training in no time!
ezpz First Foods Set
$34.99
Available in more colors
Avanchy Bamboo Stay Put Suction Bowl & Baby Spoon
Your tiny tot will love eating yum-yums out Avanchy’s beautiful bowl and spoon set made from biodegradable bamboo and food-grade silicone.
Avanchy Stay Put Suction Bowl & Baby Spoon
$19.99
Available in more colors
Stokke Clikk High Chair
The Clikk is designed with a removable tray, adjustable footstep and removable straps, making it suitable from 6 months to 3 years with no add-on purchases necessary.
Stokke Clikk High Chair
$169
Available in more colors
GATHRE Mini Mat
Of course we’re not done talking about mess! As parents who’ve had one two many splats of mashed potatoes between our toes, we’re hear to tell you that you want to have a solid splat mat like this one from GATHRE!
GATHRE Mini Mat
$46
Available in more colors
BEABA Babycook
This incredible baby food steamer allows you to prepare and reheat fruits, vegetables, meat and fish for babies and toddlers in a matter of minutes. Goodbye, pots and pans!
BEABA babycook – Macaron Edition
$149.95
Available in more colors
Continue exploring
- What We’re Reading: Flame Retardants and Your Child’s Health
- Looking for expert nutrition and feeding advice for your tot? Want the best products bundled in one place? We’ve got you covered with The Tot Feeding Sets!
