Lottie
New Member
The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding until your baby is six months old. After six months, breast milk alone doesn't provide your baby with enough nutrients, in particular iron, so other foods are needed.
Waiting until six months to introduce solid foods into your baby's diet will help minimise the risk of her developing adverse reactions to foods and allergies. This is particularly important if you have a family history of allergies, as the incidence of adverse food reactions, allergies and coeliac disease does decrease if you delay weaning until this time.
However, as a parent, you need to decide what's best for your baby. If you feel your baby needs to start solids before six months, do discuss it with your health visitor first. This is particularly important if your baby was born prematurely.
The Department of Health states that solid foods should not be introduced before the end of your baby's fourth month (20 weeks). If you do decide to wean your baby onto solids before six months, there are a number of foods that need to be avoided, such as those containing gluten, eggs, cheese, fish and shellfish. Read our article for more information. The usual triggers for starting weaning are that your baby still seems to be hungry after a good milk feed, that she wakes at night having previously slept through and that her weight gain is slowing down.
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Waiting until six months to introduce solid foods into your baby's diet will help minimise the risk of her developing adverse reactions to foods and allergies. This is particularly important if you have a family history of allergies, as the incidence of adverse food reactions, allergies and coeliac disease does decrease if you delay weaning until this time.
However, as a parent, you need to decide what's best for your baby. If you feel your baby needs to start solids before six months, do discuss it with your health visitor first. This is particularly important if your baby was born prematurely.
The Department of Health states that solid foods should not be introduced before the end of your baby's fourth month (20 weeks). If you do decide to wean your baby onto solids before six months, there are a number of foods that need to be avoided, such as those containing gluten, eggs, cheese, fish and shellfish. Read our article for more information. The usual triggers for starting weaning are that your baby still seems to be hungry after a good milk feed, that she wakes at night having previously slept through and that her weight gain is slowing down.
Source