What is weaning?
"Weaning" is one of those words that means different things depending on who is saying it, which causes no end of confusion for new parents reading advice from around the world. Here is what it actually means, and what to do about it.
Two meanings, one word
In the UK and Australia, weaning usually means introducing solid foods alongside milk, what the US calls "starting solids." In the US, weaning more often means stopping breastfeeding. Same journey, different milestone. See baby food names around the world.
When to start (the solids kind)
Around 6 months, once your baby can sit with support, hold their head steady, and reach for and mouth food. Readiness signs matter more than the calendar. See best first foods.
How: purées, finger foods, or both
You can spoon-feed purées, offer soft finger foods (baby-led weaning), or mix the two, all are well supported. What matters is soft, safe textures, no added salt or sugar, and following your baby’s cues.
Milk keeps going
When weaning means starting solids, milk stays the main nutrition through the first year, food is added around it, not in place of it. Ending breastfeeding is a separate, gradual process on your own timeline.
Related reading
See best first foods, baby-led weaning vs purées, and when your baby won’t eat solids.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about starting solids and about your baby’s milk feeds.
Frequently asked questions
What does "weaning" actually mean?
It depends where you are. In the UK and Australia, weaning usually means introducing solid foods alongside milk, what Americans call "starting solids." In the US, weaning more often means gradually stopping breastfeeding. Both are about a transition in how your baby eats; the word just points at different ends of it.
When do you start weaning a baby?
Around 6 months, when your baby can sit up with support, holds their head steady, and reaches for and mouths food. Those readiness signs matter more than the exact date. Milk (breast or formula) stays the main source of nutrition through the first year while solids build up alongside it.
How do you wean, purées or finger foods?
Either, or both. You can spoon-feed purées, offer soft finger foods (baby-led weaning), or mix the two, the evidence supports all of these. What matters is soft, safe textures, no added salt or sugar, and following your baby’s hunger and fullness cues.
Does weaning mean stopping milk?
Not at the start. When "weaning" means starting solids, milk continues as the main nutrition through the first year, food is added around it. When "weaning" means ending breastfeeding, that is a separate, gradual process that can happen much later and at your own pace.
Track it in Yummy Yucky
Log first tries, get nudged through the 3-day allergen watch, and keep every bite in one place you can share with your pediatrician.
Start tracking for freeHow we write these: from widely published pediatric guidance (AAP, NIAID 2017 guidelines, the LEAP study), with sources cited on every page. Pending review by a pediatric professional.
This is general information, not medical advice, and has not been individually reviewed for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.
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