Charlotte Stirling-Reed

New Campaign To Promote NHS Advice On Introducing Babies To Solid Food• Research led by OHID finds 40% of first-time mums introduced solid food before their babies are 5 months old• NHS official advice recommends solid food should be introduced around 6 months alongside breast milk or formula• New campaign backed by Dr Zoe Williams and nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed aims to promote NHS advice and bring awareness of resources to support first-time mumsParents will be better supported to safely introduce their children to solid food following the launch of a new campaign from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).Weaning is a key milestone within the first 1,001 critical days, influencing children's eating habits and their health later in life and improving babies' abilities to move food around their mouth, chew and swallow.The campaign will promote NHS advice on weaning and tackle confusion around how to introduce solid foods. The official NHS guidance recommends solid foods should be gradually introduced from around six months – alongside breast milk or infant formula.If a baby is showing these three signs, it means they're ready for weaning:• Stay in a sitting position, holding their head steady• Coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so they can look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth• Swallow food, rather than push it back outBy around 6 months of age, infants are usually developmentally ready to accept foods other than breast (or infant formula) milk.The introduction of solid foods or infant formula before 6 months can reduce the amount of breast milk consumed and is associated with greater risks of infectious illness in infants. Giving solid foods to breastfed infants before six months may also reduce breast milk intake without increasing total energy intake or increasing weight gain.The campaign comes as new research by OHID found 40% of first-time mums introduced solid food by the time their baby is five months old, earlier than the NHS recommendation of around six months, and almost two-thirds (64%) say they have received conflicting advice on what age to start weaning.Health Minister, Maria Caulfield, said:"The first 1,001 days are crucial for development and impact a child's health for the rest of their life."Every child should have a solid foundation on which to build their health and I am determined to level up the opportunities and support for all children, no matter their background or where they grow up."This campaign will ensure parents have the support and confidence to introduce their babies to solid food and ensure they have the opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential."The campaign includes an online Start for Life Weaning Hub featuring tips, advice guidelines from the NHS all in one place for ease to better support parents and reduce confusion and is backed by experts, including GP Dr Zoe Williams and nutritionist and author Charlotte Stirling-Reed.The Start for Life Weaning hub also contains over 120 healthy and easy to prepare recipes and meal ideas which cover every step of the weaning journey, such as blueberry porridge and fish curry.With more than 1 in 4 (27.7%) children being overweight when they reach school age, the Better Health Start for Life Weaning campaign will play a crucial role in supporting parents to get their child's diet right at the earliest stage, encouraging healthy food variety and developing good food habits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.