So you're ready to start the journey to solid foods with your baby - excellent! We've compiled some helpful starting points here, to make the transition for you and your little one as easy as possible.

1. Getting started with weaning – let us help
with the essentials!
So you’ve been through the checks in part 2 of our guide, and you’re ready to
start the journey to solid foods with your baby - excellent! We’ve compiled
some helpful starting points below, to make the transition for you and your
little one as easy as possible.
3 square meals? Not at the start
How much your baby takes is less important than getting them used to the
idea of eating. Your little one doesn’t need three meals a day to begin! Start by
timing weaning to suit you both, and gradually you’ll be able to increase the
variety of food and the size of portions. Before long they’ll be eating the same
plate of food as the rest of the family - just in baby-sized portions of course :)
It doesn’t all have to end up in their tummies!
Let your baby play with their food - you should allow your baby to explore
textures and smells - try not to worry about them making a mess at this point
(as much as your surfaces and carpets might argue otherwise).
Our halal baby food pouches minimise the mess at feeding time – they’re also
great for taking on the go!

2. Mess is all part of the learning process - let them explore and don't worry
too much about food finding the mouth initially!
Smile for the little one
No frowning! Always smile - your little one will mirror your enthusiasm and
often be excited to try the food on offer. Don’t worry if the food comes back out
after the initial spoonful - the sensation is a lot different to the action of
sucking milk! On that note, remember to keep feeding your baby breast milk
or infant formula as well but don’t give them whole cows’ milk as a drink until
they are a year old.
What about drinks?
Try to introduce a cup from six months and offer sips of water with meals.
Using a lidded or free flow cup will help your baby learn to sip and is better for
your baby’s teeth.

3. You can dilute pure fruit juice (half and half) for meal times to help increase
iron absorption - but limit their intake of fruit juices so that you remain
mindful of tooth decay.
It’s easy to stay cautious when introducing new foods to your little one - use
the ‘4 day wait rule’ discussed in part 1 of our weaning tips. You can also read
the whole of our guidelines for weaning posts on Facebook.