The second stage of weaning begins at around 6 months of age and ends at around 9 months. Second stage foods should be of a thicker consistency than stage 1. The aim of stage 2 is to slowly make the transition from thick purées to mashed foods to soft lumps. The meal plan for stage 2 should include three meals per day with each meal consisting of 2 – 4 tablespoons. You can include yogurt, rice, pasta, porridge, and cereals. As proteins, you can include poultry, fish, peas, and beans. You should also introduce soft finger foods at this stage.

Some great examples of soft finger foods include cheese cubes, broccoli florets, cooked soft vegetable sticks made from potatoes, courgettes, or carrots. Soften the texture of these different food options before feeding it to your child by mashing the solids to create a soft but thick purée. Stage 2 is also the stage where you introduce drinks.

You can help him take sips of cool boiled water from a cup or baby beaker at mealtimes or diluted juices to delight his taste buds. You should end each meal by feeding milk. Different children have different likings so trial and error is the right way to find out your child’s preferences. At the end of the second stage, your baby would have learned how to chew lumps, self-feed using hands and fingers, and drink from a cup