With doubts, a few fears, and a bit of emotion, the time for weaning arrives for everyone. It’s a highly anticipated change for parents, who often feel unsure about the best way to approach the transition from milk to solid foods. Timing, methods, portions: there are many questions to answer on this topic. With this article, we aim to clear up any doubts and provide you with the information you need to face this important change with confidence, both in your little one’s routine at home and in your own.
Weaning: when is the best time to start? And how?
The transition from liquid feeding—breast milk or formula—to mixed feeding, which also includes the introduction of solid or semi-solid foods, follows specific timelines that aren’t necessarily tied strictly to a child’s age.
The World Health Organization recommends continuing exclusive breastfeeding until about 6 months of age, which is when children are usually weaned. However, it’s important to note that it does not specify an exact age at which children should start weaning, because many factors help determine the right time for this transition. These factors relate to the child’s developmental level and may therefore vary from child to child.
digestive maturity (usually around 4–5 months),
trunk control, which must allow them to maintain an upright position,
the disappearance of the sucking reflex.
Last but not least, it’s important to understand whether your child shows interest in food. If there’s no interest at all, it may not be the right time yet: it’s better to wait a little and try again. This means that no one can tell you better than your little explorer when it’s time to move on to so-called complementary feeding . If your child, sitting in the high chair with you at the table, shows interest in what they see, the moment may be the right one.
Children, in fact, tend to imitate what their parents do in order to learn. If, at some point, they lean forward to try to grasp what’s in front of them with their little hands, it’s not because they want what you have, as is often mistakenly thought. It’s simply their way of signaling that they want to actively participate in the meal: they want to do what their points of reference do.
Weaning or baby-led weaning?
While baby-led weaning has gained popularity, many families still prefer traditional weaning. But let’s start by clarifying the difference between the two approaches:
The various categories of foods (cereals, legumes, meat, fish, eggs) are introduced into the diet one at a time, following a detailed schedule that is usually provided by the pediatrician.
The reason? To check that there are no allergenic components for the child .
Usually, the first foods are liquid, mostly broths and purées. Gradually, as the weeks go by, certain types of foods are added, followed by solid foods—initially very small in size, like baby pasta—and then progressively larger.
There are no rules, either regarding the order of food introduction or the size of portions. The child should be free to taste what the parents are eating, and the parents must rely on their child’s ability to self-regulate .
Of course, it’s important for parents to follow a healthy diet, so the child can eat nutritious foods rather than junk food.
It is also necessary to offer the child foods in specific shapes , such as a stick rather than a round slice, for example, to reduce choking risks.
The right choice? There isn’t one. Every child is unique, and every family has dynamics that are often best supported in different ways.
However, the World Health Organization says: « There are no defined methods and menus to start weaning (another way to indicate weaning) for children between 6 months and 3 years. Interaction should be encouraged between the family's preferences, the pediatrician's recommendations, and the socio-cultural and traditional context to help the child develop their own taste and personal food choices within the framework of a healthy diet ». The WHO also adds an additional clarification: « There are various foods that can be offered to the child as the first solid food, setting aside the criterion of the gradual introduction of foods based on their allergenicity. ». In a sense, it rejects traditional weaning.
Despite this, many pediatricians still recommend a schedule for introducing foods, and many families welcome this approach.
What matters is the result: a curious, healthy approach to food—both a discovery of food itself and a wonderful phase for the whole family to experience—certainly not a source of stress.
Complementary, not substitute, feeding
The introduction of solid foods , whether it’s a blended pear or macaroni, needs to happen gradually , while your little one continues to drink milk, whether breast milk or formula. The term complementary feeding is also used to indicate weaning because your little one will likely continue to be fed both milk and solid foods for quite some time.
How can you tell whether they’ve eaten enough, or whether they might be eating too much? Experts agree that the best approach is to observe your child’s behavior and trust their ability to self-regulate.
Day after day, your little explorer will try new foods—sometimes even rejecting them—and will continue to ask for the breast or bottle until they naturally begin to prefer solid food to fill their tummy. The important thing is not to force them, but to offer food in a positive way even after they’ve rejected it—perhaps a few days later—gently, and maybe giving them the chance to touch it with their little hands so they can have physical contact with the food, not just taste it.
And for you parents, no stress: there are no “correct” portions to give, especially at the beginning, and no fixed schedules to enforce. The only thing that matters is that your little one enjoys discovering and, through eating, takes another small step toward the world of “grown-ups”.
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