Weaning...

Weaning at Home and Nursery: A Smooth Transition for Your Little One

Weaning is an exciting milestone in your child’s development, marking the journey from milk feeds to solid foods. Whether you're just starting out or moving towards more independent eating, the transition between home and nursery can feel like a big step. But don’t worry—by working together, we can make weaning a positive and stress-free experience for both you and your child!

At Yewlands Day Nursery, we support every stage of weaning, ensuring a consistent approach that aligns with your child’s needs and your family’s preferences. Here’s how you can manage weaning at home and in nursery, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for your little one.

1. Knowing When Your Baby Is Ready to Wean

Most babies are ready to start weaning around six months old, but every child is different. Signs they may be ready include:

✅ Sitting up and holding their head steady✅ Showing interest in food (reaching for it, watching you eat)✅ Losing the tongue-thrust reflex (so they don’t automatically push food out of their mouth)

If your baby is showing these signs, it’s time to start the weaning adventure!

2. Weaning at Home: Building Confidence with New Foods

Introducing solids at home helps lay the foundation for a varied and balanced diet. Here are some tips for getting started:

🍎 Start simple – Offer soft, single-ingredient foods like mashed banana, steamed carrot, or porridge.🥄 Go at their pace – Let your baby explore different tastes and textures without pressure.👶 Offer finger foods – Soft sticks of fruit, veg, or toast encourage independence and develop fine motor skills.💦 Don’t forget drinks – From six months, offer sips of water in a free-flow cup alongside meals.

Baby-led weaning or spoon-feeding? Both are great approaches! You can choose one or combine both, depending on what suits your baby. The goal is to make mealtimes enjoyable and stress-free.

3. Weaning at Nursery: Consistency is Key

At Yewlands Day Nursery, we work closely with parents to ensure a smooth transition from home to nursery meals. Here’s how we support your child’s weaning journey:

👩‍🍳 Healthy, home-cooked meals – We offer a variety of nutritious, age-appropriate meals with a focus on fresh, balanced ingredients.📋 Personalized approach – We follow your baby’s weaning stage, introducing foods at their pace and respecting any allergies or dietary needs.👀 Encouraging independence – Whether using spoons or hands, we support self-feeding and exploration in a safe, supervised setting.💬 Regular updates – We’ll keep you informed about what your child has eaten, their reactions to new foods, and any preferences they’re developing.

What to bring to nursery:If your baby is still having formula or expressed milk, please bring it in a labeled bottle. We’ll also discuss any specific weaning preferences you have so we can match the approach you’re using at home.

4. Common Weaning Challenges & How to Overcome Them

Every baby experiences ups and downs with weaning, and that’s completely normal! Here are some common challenges and tips to help:

🥄 Fussy eating? Keep offering a variety of foods without pressure—sometimes, it takes 10+ tries for a baby to accept a new taste!😋 Prefers milk over solids? Gradually reduce milk feeds (on advice from your health visitor) to encourage more interest in food.🙅 Refusing food at nursery but eating at home? This can happen as babies adjust to new surroundings. We make mealtimes fun and relaxed to help them feel comfortable.

5. Making Weaning Enjoyable for Everyone

The most important thing to remember about weaning is that it should be a fun and positive experience. Whether at home or nursery, the goal is to help your child develop a healthy relationship with food.

✅ Be patient – Every baby weans at their own pace.✅ Celebrate small wins – Even tiny tastes of new foods are progress!✅ Make it social – Eating with others (at home or nursery) encourages babies to try new things.

At Yewlands Day Nursery, we’re here to support your child’s weaning journey every step of the way. By working together, we can make the transition from milk to meals a happy and exciting adventure for your little one!