When to start weaning
The NHS recommends starting weaning at around 6 months. Never start before 17 weeks (4 months). Look for these three signs of readiness:
- Can sit up and hold their head steady — essential for safe swallowing.
- Can coordinate eyes, hands, and mouth — reaching for food and putting it in their mouth.
- Can swallow food — rather than automatically pushing it out with the tongue (the tongue-thrust reflex).
Teething, showing interest in your food, or waking more at night are not reliable signs of weaning readiness.
Baby-led weaning vs purees: which is right for you?
Puree weaning
Traditional approach: smooth purees introduced on a spoon, gradually becoming lumpier. Gives you control over nutrients and portions. A hand blender and ice cube trays for batch cooking are the key tools. Good for parents who want structure.
Baby-led weaning (BLW)
Skip purees entirely — let baby self-feed with soft finger foods from the start. Encourages independence, self-regulation of appetite, and exposure to different textures. Messier, but many parents love the simplicity of just offering family foods (appropriately prepared).
Combination weaning (most popular)
Many UK families do a mix: some purees for convenience (especially homemade or pouches for travel), some finger foods for exploration. This is perfectly safe and the most flexible approach.
Weaning equipment you actually need
Must-haves
- High chair with 5-point harness — the foundation of safe weaning. See our top high chair picks.
- Long-sleeved bib — covers arms and clothes; essential for BLW especially. A waterproof or silicone bib is easiest to wipe clean.
- Soft-tipped weaning spoons — gentle on gums and teeth. Start with shallow, small spoons.
- Suction bowl or plate — prevents baby from launching their bowl. Strong suction bases are worth the extra cost.
- Sippy cup or open cup — introduce water from 6 months. The NHS recommends a free-flow cup (no valve) over a valve sippy cup. See our top sippy cup picks.
Helpful but not essential
- Splat mat — protects your floor from the inevitable mess. Plastic-backed fabric mats or silicone mats are easiest to clean.
- Hand blender or food processor — for batch cooking purees. An immersion blender (e.g. Bamix or Kenwood) is sufficient.
- Ice cube trays with lids — freeze puree portions (roughly 2 tablespoon-sized cubes per serving). Silicone trays make releasing cubes easy.
- Baby food pouches — useful for travel or convenience, but shouldn't replace home-cooked food as a staple.
- Snack containers — for on-the-go snacking as weaning progresses. See our top snack container picks.
What to feed first
The NHS recommends starting with:
- → Soft cooked vegetables: carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli
- → Soft fruits: banana, avocado, ripe pear, soft mango
- → Starchy foods: baby rice, soft cooked pasta, bread
Introduce one new food every 2–3 days so you can identify any reactions. Introduce common allergens (eggs, peanuts, wheat, dairy, fish, sesame, soya, shellfish, tree nuts) one at a time from around 6 months.
Never add salt, sugar, or honey to food for babies under 12 months.
Ready to start weaning?
See our top high chair picks — the most important piece of weaning equipment.