Weaning usually takes place at six months of age and, as parents, we want only the best for our children and what better start in life can we give them than the foods that we offer? Those first mini-spoonfuls of ultra smooth baby puree mark the start of a new and exciting stage in a baby's development. At the beginning, we need to teach a baby to sip and swallow rather than to suck. This is quite a different relfex and one that takes time to learn; it is only once this has been mastered that food can become important nutrition.