They say 6 months is the right age to start your baby on solids, but I think it should be down to the parent if they think it’s a good idea to start earlier. Emily is 17 weeks old and for the best part of 2 weeks she’s taken a great interest in food, our food. What we’re eating, how we’re eating it and constantly licks her lips and makes sucking noises staring at me when I eat or drink anything. I tried a few weeks back, a few vegetables mixed with her formula but banana was the only thing she liked and was more interested in the spoon than the actual food itself, but fast forward a few weeks and she’s ready to go again. How so? Baby porridge. It’s like a godsend and a great place to start in the weaning process. Emily loves it.
The NHS say babies shouldn’t start weaning till they’re at least 6 months old but it must be noted that although they’re a governing body, these are guidelines, because you as a mother knows best. Famed nutritionist Annabel Karmel said in an interview with the Telegraph back in 2011, that parents should take the official advice with a pinch of salt.
Attacking the guidelines, she said: “In a developed country like the UK where we know about sterilising milk bottles and preparing food in a hygienic way, there’s no real risk of weaning before six months.
“Simple foods are absolutely fine,” she said, recommending fruit or vegetable purees.
Some babies would be ready to wean sooner than others and she argued that, when it came to deciding, mum knew best…..
But Mrs Karmel said: “I think as a mother you kind of know what your baby needs. You are best placed to understand.”
My mum started me on solids at 3 months, mainly with jars, but 31 years ago no one knew how much sugar and salt in food was good or bad for babies. For me I refuse to use jars because how can a jar be kept on the shelf for a long period of time without some form of crap in it. Something’s not right there and I love cooking so wouldn’t dream of it! Emily’s diet is formula all the time but in the past few days it’s included apple baby porridge and fruit pots. Ideally I would have preferred sticking to mashed veg but Emily isn’t keen. Maybe it’s too early for the single pieces of veg at the moment and I will, at some point go back to exploring them but in the meantime the Boots baby porridge is a messy winner!
When did you start weaning your baby? Did you stick to the guidelines or go with the flow?
Missy, Me & Him 