Starting solid foods is an exciting step. The WHO and AAP recommend breast milk or formula alone for about the first 6 months, then adding solid foods while milk feeds continue.
When to start
Most babies are ready at around 6 months. Do not start before 4 months. If your baby was born early, ask your doctor about timing.
Signs your baby is ready
- Sits up with little or no support and holds their head steady
- Opens their mouth when food comes near
- Can move food to the back of the mouth and swallow, instead of pushing it out
- Shows interest in what you are eating
First foods
- Iron-rich foods: iron-fortified cereal, meat, fish, beans, lentils and egg. Iron stores start to run low around 6 months.
- Vegetables and fruit: soft, mashed or as soft finger foods.
- A variety of textures: move from smooth to mashed and lumpy foods over the following weeks.
Allergenic foods
Current advice is to introduce common allergenic foods, such as egg and peanut (as smooth peanut butter thinned or mixed into food, never whole nuts), early in the first year once your baby has started solids. If your baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy, talk to your doctor first.
Foods and drinks to avoid before 12 months
- Honey, because of the risk of infant botulism
- Cow’s milk as a main drink (small amounts in cooking are fine)
- Added salt and sugar
- Whole nuts, whole grapes and other choking hazards
- Juice, which is not needed
Safety tips
Always stay with your baby while they eat, with them sitting upright. Gagging is common and normal as babies learn; choking is silent and needs urgent action, so learn infant first aid.
See what to expect month by month in our 6-month guide and work out milk amounts with the Baby Feeding Calculator.