Weaning is meant to be messy. Most of the first food ends up on the floor, in their hair or smeared on the dog, and that's exactly how it should be. In the early weeks it's about tastes, textures and practice, not how much goes in. Milk is still doing the heavy lifting.
When to start
The NHS advises starting solid foods at around 6 months. Until then, breast milk or first infant formula gives your baby everything they need (apart from vitamin D for some babies).
Look for the three signs. Your baby is ready when they can:
- sit up and hold their head steady
- look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth by themselves
- swallow food, rather than pushing it back out with their tongue
Some signs are often mistaken for readiness. Chewing their fists, waking more at night or wanting extra milk are all normal baby behaviour, and don't mean they need solids yet.
What to offer first
Start small. A few teaspoons or a couple of pieces, once a day, is plenty to begin with. Many parents offer it before or after a milk feed when baby isn't too hungry or too tired.
Go for vegetables first. Single vegetables and fruits, like parsnip, broccoli, sweet potato or pear, are a good start. The NHS suggests including less sweet vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, so your baby gets used to a range of flavours, not just sweet ones.
Keep going. It can take lots of tries before a baby accepts a new taste. A screwed-up face isn't a no. Offer it again another day.
A screwed-up face isn't a no. It's just a first try.
Allergens: introduce them early, one at a time
Foods that can cause allergic reactions, including peanuts, hens' eggs, foods containing gluten and fish, can be introduced from around 6 months. Offer them one at a time and in very small amounts, so you can spot any reaction. Peanuts should always be given crushed, ground or as a smooth nut butter, never whole. If your baby already has eczema or a known food allergy, talk to your GP or health visitor before you start.
Foods to leave out
- Salt and sugar. Don't add them to your baby's food, and watch out for stock cubes and gravy, which are very salty.
- Honey. Not until after their first birthday.
- Whole nuts and hard foods. No whole nuts, and no hard raw carrot or apple, which are choking risks.
- Round foods whole. Cut grapes, cherry tomatoes and similar foods into quarters, and remove pips, stones and bones.
Gagging is normal, choking isn't
Gagging is a normal part of learning to eat. You might see watery eyes, their tongue pushing forward and some retching, and then they carry on. Choking is different and is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sit them upright and never leave them alone with food. A baby first aid course is well worth doing before you start.
Drinks and vitamins
Milk stays the main drink. Breast milk or formula is still the main drink for the first year. Cow's milk can be used in cooking from 6 months, but not as a main drink until 1.
Introduce a cup. From around 6 months, offer sips of water from an open or free-flow cup with meals.
Check vitamins. Breastfed babies, and babies having less than 500ml of formula a day, should have a vitamin D supplement from birth, and vitamins A and C from 6 months to 12 months.
When should I start weaning my baby?
The NHS advises starting solid foods at around 6 months, when your baby can sit up, pick up food and swallow it.
What are the best first foods for a baby?
Single vegetables and fruits such as broccoli, parsnip, sweet potato and pear are good first foods. Include less sweet vegetables so your baby gets used to different flavours.
When can babies have peanuts and eggs?
From around 6 months, introduced one at a time in small amounts. Peanuts should be crushed, ground or smooth nut butter, never whole.
Is it normal for my baby to gag when weaning?
Yes. Gagging is a normal part of learning to eat. Choking is different, so always stay with your baby while they eat.
Keep reading
- Baby-led weaning or purées? How to choose (and why you can do both)
- Out of this world weaning
- The cheekiest weaning gadgets for every little rascal
- Meet Presti 3-in-1: the highchair that grows with your child
This article is general information, not medical advice. If your baby was premature, has a medical condition or you're worried about allergies, speak to your health visitor or GP before starting solids. See the NHS guide to your baby's first solid foods.
If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.
Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.
In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.
Choosing supplements for your fertility journey
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
