Starting Solids: The Complete UK Weaning Guide (NHS-Aligned)

Starting solids is one of the most exciting milestones of your baby's first year — and one of the most confusing. Purees or finger foods? At 4 months or 6? What about allergens?

Here's everything you need to know, aligned with the latest NHS guidance.

When to start: around 6 months

The NHS recommends starting solid foods at around 6 months. The key word is "around" — some babies may be ready slightly earlier (but never before 17 weeks), and some a little later.

Don't go by age alone. Look for these three signs of readiness together:

1. Can sit up with minimal support and hold their head steady
2. Has good hand-eye coordination (can pick something up and bring it to their mouth)
3. Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (doesn't automatically push food out)

Avoid starting solids based on these common myths:

• "They seem hungry after milk" — extra milk feeds are the answer, not solids
• "They wake more at night" — sleep changes are developmental, not hunger-related under 6 months
• "They're watching us eat" — interesting observation, not a readiness sign

How to start: a practical approach

Week 1–2: First tastes

Offer a small amount of a single vegetable purée (or soft finger food if you're doing baby-led weaning) once a day, usually at lunchtime. Don't worry if they eat nothing — they're learning what food is.

Good starting foods:

• Puréed cooked sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot
• Puréed fruit: apple, pear, mango
• Baby rice mixed with their usual milk

Week 3–4: Building variety

Add more variety. Introduce new foods one at a time so you can spot any reactions. Start moving to twice-daily meals.

Month 2+: Texture and variety

Progress to lumpier textures and wider variety. By 9 months, your baby should be eating family foods with the rest of you (adapted for salt and sugar content).

Introducing the top allergens

Current UK guidance recommends introducing the common allergens one at a time, early in the weaning journey:

1. Peanuts (smooth peanut butter mixed into food)
2. Tree nuts
3. Hen's eggs (well-cooked first)
4. Cow's milk (in food — not as a main drink under 12 months)
5. Soya
6. Wheat/gluten
7. Fish and shellfish
8. Sesame

Introduce each separately with a few days gap so you can monitor for reactions. Most babies tolerate allergens without issue — early introduction actually reduces the risk of allergy.

If your baby has eczema or a known food allergy, speak to your GP before introducing allergens.

Foods to avoid under 12 months

• Honey — risk of infant botulism
• Added salt — kidneys aren't ready to process it
• Added sugar — unnecessary and bad for developing teeth
• Whole nuts, whole grapes, raw apple — choking hazards
• Shark, swordfish, marlin — high mercury
• Cow's milk as a main drink — fine in food, but not as a replacement for breast/formula milk

Tracking weaning with TinyYears

Log every new food your baby tries in TinyYears, along with any reactions. You'll build up a picture of what they like, what they've tried, and any patterns to discuss with your health visitor.

Download TinyYears free →