When to start weaning

You may spot signs your baby is ready to try solid food when they’re around six months old.

Is my baby is ready to wean?

All babies develop at their own pace. Looking for these three signs together is a better way to know when your baby is ready:

They can stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady.
They can co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth to look at food, pick it up, and put it in their mouth by themselves.
They can swallow food. Babies who aren’t ready will push it out with their tongue.

Babies don’t need teeth to start weaning. Once they’re able to chew, their gums will be hard enough to mash soft or ripe foods. At first, they may be more interested in squeezing, licking and sucking food to find out how it works.

This advice was written by our experienced Parent Talk coaches. Parent Talk is a free online service for parents and carers, provided by the charity Action for Children. For more advice, message our parenting coaches with our online chat.

When to start weaning

Is my baby is ready to wean?

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