When should I introduce solid foods?

It's a good idea to wait until your baby is six months old before giving her solid food as well as her usual milk.  After that, breastmilk on its own doesn't give your baby everything she needs, in particular iron.

If your baby is bottle-fed, you should give her formula milk which is based on cows' milk for the first six months. This is unless your doctor or health visitor has advised you to give her a different milk.

If you do decide to start your baby on solids between four and six months, don't give her foods she could react to. These foods are:

• cow's milk and dairy products
• anything with gluten
• citrus fruits and juices
• fish and shellfish
• eggs

If you want reassurance, talk to your health visitor or GP. This is especially important if your baby was premature, as she may need weaning at a different time.

 

How can I tell if my baby is ready for solids?

Your baby may be ready to start solids if she:

• Can hold her head up. Your baby needs to be able to maintain a steady, upright position, to take her first foods.


• Sits well when supported. You may have to have your baby on your lap at first. A highchair can be pulled into action a bit later when she can sit up by herself.


• Makes chewing motions. Your baby should be able to move food to the back of her mouth and swallow. As your baby learns to swallow efficiently you may notice that she dribbles less. She may even have a tooth or two.


• Has gained a healthy weight. Most babies are ready to eat semi-solids when they've doubled their birth weight. This may happen before or around their sixth month.


• Is curious about what you're eating. Is she eyeing your meals and reaching out to try foods you're moving from your plate to your mouth?

 

How should I introduce solids?

You may find it easiest to start with simple puréed or well-mashed foods. Try offering your baby one or two spoonfuls of the following:

• Mashed or puréed vegetables, such as cooked carrot, parsnip, potato or sweet potato.


• Mashed or puréed fruit, such as banana, cooked apple, pear or mango.


• Baby cereal (non-gluten) such as baby rice, sago, maize, cornmeal or millet. You can mix these with some of your baby's milk.

 

You can offer food to your baby before or after a milk feed, or in the middle of a feed if it works better. Pick a time that's good for both of you. If the food is hot, make sure you stir, cool and test it on the inside of your wrist before giving it to your baby.

It may take your baby a while to get used to these new flavours. Don't be surprised if she rejects the food or spits it out. Just try again later, or the next day. You can make the food a little blander by mixing it with a few teaspoons of your baby's milk.

At first, your baby may seem to eat very little. Be patient and remember it may take time for her to learn how to eat. As she develops more of a side-to-side, grinding motion, add less liquid to her food so the texture is thicker, with chunkier, soft lumps. This allows your baby to work on chewing, or gumming, and swallowing.

As your baby becomes used to fruits, vegetables and cereal, add a variety of other foods. Then gradually increase the number of times a day that she has solids. By the time your baby is about seven months old, she should be eating solids three times a day. A typical day's intake could include:

• Breastmilk or formula milk.


• Iron-fortified cereal. Check packaging for salt and sugar levels, though.


• Vegetables. These can include potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, spinach and butternut squash.


• Small amounts of meat, poultry, fish, yogurt, hard-boiled egg, well-cooked lentils and cheese. Don't give your baby brie, stilton and other mould-ripened or soft cheeses.


• Fruit.

Remember that your baby's appetite will vary from one feed to the next. Watch out for cues that she's full. If she keeps her mouth shut, turns away, or starts playing with her food, she's probably had enough.