Babies’ First Foods: A Journey into Introducing Solids
The information here is strictly educational and not medical advice. It should not substitute professional medical consultation.
Introducing Solid Foods to your Baby
Introducing solids to your baby is an exciting milestone, but it can also be a source of stress for many parents. With an overload of information and advice, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But here's a comforting thought: every family and child is different, and that's perfectly okay! Let's dive into the feeding timeline, when to start solids, what to expect, and the best first foods to introduce.
Before diving in, I want to start by saying this……
Let go of the comparison or expectation that it will be perfect! Also, know that it is okay to do a combination of feeding methods. There is no single feeding method that is perfect for every family.
Is your baby ready for solids?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), U.S. National Institutes of Health, and WHO all recommend waiting until the baby is around 6 months and showing signs of readiness for solids. Additionally, starting solids before 4 months of age can be linked to unhealthy weight gain in both infancy and early childhood. Not to mention the types of foods that are introduced in the complementary feeding period can also contribute to chronic health conditions later in life.
But more important than age are signs of readiness for solids in babies. Some babies may show signs of readiness before 6 months of age, while others may be slightly behind 6 months.
Signs of Readiness for Solids
Most healthy, full-term, typically developing babies show these signs of readiness at about 6 months of age.
Baby can sit with minimal support
Baby has good head control and can hold their head upright and steady while seated for the duration of a meal
Baby can easily pick up and bring objects to their mouth from a seated position
Baby shows an interest in eating. Watches you eat, mouths for food, or leans forward to grab it.
If the baby is unable to hold their head upright, consider waiting to start solids and focus on developmental play including tummy time. Some babies may not be ready for solids until 6.5-7 months old.
Note: If your baby is not yet sitting by 7 months or does not have good head/neck control, consider reaching out to your healthcare provider for additional support.
How to get your baby ready for solids
Is it something that just happens? Should I be doing anything to help?
Yes, and yes! Some babies are going to have a little bit easier run at it than others. However, a good rule of thumb to help your baby become ready for solids (and many other things) is practicing tummy time.
Tummy time for your baby can help their motor skill development and is the precursor of moving the entire body
Good head control in babies is a developmental powerhouse, not just starting solids and eating. It is the precursor to rolling, crawling, walking, and even speech development.
Head and neck stability is crucial for starting solids. Proper head control indicates babies have core and neck muscles and structures that are developed to handle the introduction of foods (solids or purees), amongst other things.
Tummy time can help develop the strength of these muscles!
Tips for tummy time
You can start when your baby is a newborn!
Goal = 2-3x/day for 3-5 minutes. Working up to 20 minutes.
Begin with short sessions, laying the baby on their belly on a firm surface. If your baby resists or doesn’t tolerate it, keep the sessions brief and slowly increase time.
In those early newborn days, tummy time might look like your baby on your chest
Getting started with Solid Foods
Your baby is showing signs of readiness, now what?! Yayyyy! So much fun is ahead on your feeding journey!
Remember, there is no perfect way to introduce solid foods to your baby for the very first time. You might have heard of some general feeding methods including:
Baby-led weaning - where babies feed themselves purees and solid foods.
Responsive Spoon-feeding - instead of the caregiver putting the spoon in the baby's mouth, the spoon is pre-loaded with purees and the caregiver waits for the baby to lean in with an open mouth or grab the spoon to bring it to their mouth.
Combo feeding - a mix of spoon-feeding and self-feeding.
Whichever method you choose, breastmilk or formula still are the primary source of nutrition before the age of 12 months. Solid foods are not meant to replace breastmilk or formula, they simply complement it.
What foods to choose as your baby’s first foods
You’ve probably been told that rice cereal and watery purees are the best foods to start with. However, consider this……commercial baby food contains ingredients like rice, carrots, and sweet potatoes that are naturally high in some toxic metals (arsenic, lead, mercury, etc) and may not be what is best for your baby’s rapidly developing brain or body. (1)
The “best” food for your baby may not be the “best” food for another baby. Aim for foods that are high in iron, protein, calcium, vitamins A, C, D, zinc, and iron which is one of the most critical nutrients during this time.
Also don’t forget to consider which foods your family loves having regularly. It’s important to introduce your baby to your cultural preferences and family rituals. Not to mention the benefits that come from your baby seeing your model the behavior of eating at the same time as them.
When serving your baby’s first foods, try to serve them alongside the rest of the family meal so you can model the skills needed to eat, as well as the enjoyment of family mealtimes.
Ensure you are offering nutrients your baby needs and focus on a wide variety that includes iron-rich foods such as organ meats, lentils, red meats, beans, poultry, nuts, peas, and low-mercury fish.
If you are feeling stuck on some ideas, grab our Bite Sized Recipe Bundle which includes 50 recipes with modifications on how to serve to a baby or toddler while still being a meal the whole family can enjoy!
Fun tip: for slippery or hard-to-hold foods (like avocado), you can try rolling the slices in some ground flax seed to make it easier to grip. Our favorite is Tiny Sprouts Superseed Boosters for added nutrients to support brain health, digestion, and gut health. Use Code: CIERRA10 for 10% off
How to balance milk feeds when starting solids
I want to start with saying, every baby is going to be so different when it comes to timing of milk and solids. Your baby may not fit into an exact mold of what is described here or what you see online and that is OKAY!
Starting out at 6 months
Aim for one solid meal per day. You can decide which meal of the day works best for you. That might be breakfast before you head off to work, or it might be dinner with the whole family.
I would recommend introducing the Top 9 Allergens in the morning if possible so you can observe your baby for a few hours. It’s also okay if you can’t do this in the morning.
By 9 months
Slowly add a second meal per day and then a third by 9 months. The goal is trying to get them on a consistent schedule by 12 months so they start to naturally consume more solids.
By 12 months
By 12 months, you may consider adding in 2 snacks (you may do this before 12 months if your schedule and time and interest allows).
Timing milk feeds with solids:
From 6-9 months, offer milk first and wait about 45-60 minutes after milk to offer solids. This allows you to prioritize their milk feedings but still allow them to come to the table hungry (but not HANGRY).
At 9 months and up you can start to offer some meals before milk, and “top off” with milk as needed.
Reminder: baby’s primary source of nutrition is breastmilk or formula from 6-12 months, but solids are a NECESSARY complement.
If the timing of it all feels overwhelming to you, or you want an idea of what a schedule could look like for your baby, or even some example meals with appropriate modifications for baby, check out our Bite Sized Recipe Bundle. It contains 8 Sample Feeding Schedules from 6-12 months giving you a framework for timing of meals, bottles, and sleep. The Recipe Guide also includes 50 simple, family-friendly recipes that allow you to have confidence in your feeding journey with your little one. Not to mention it is also sprinkled with Bite Sized Bits of education, serving tips, tips for reducing mealtime stress, and navigating picky eating.
Get the guide here : Bite Sized Recipe Bundle
A Personal Note
Introducing solids to my first baby was a challenge. Despite my 10+ years of experience as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, I found myself overwhelmed. But with time, we found our rhythm. By the time my second baby came along, our family dynamics had changed. Balancing a toddler, a full-time job, and household chores meant less time for homemade baby food. Yet, we adapted and found a new balance that worked for us.
Let Go of Comparison and Perfectionism
It’s crucial to remember that every child and family is unique. What works for one may not work for another, and that's okay. There’s no single perfect feeding method. Embrace the journey, experiment with different approaches, and find what suits your family best.
All in all, never forget that YOU are the expert in your own child. Do what feels right for your family, talk to your provider, and remove the pressure for it to all be perfect!
If you are looking for additional 1-on-1 guidance on what to feed, how to feed, when to feed, establishing feeding goals and a plan that works for YOU and your child, click here to learn more how Bite Sized Wellness may be able to help you!
Learn More here!
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Medical/General: The content, information, opinions, and suggestions listed here have been created with typically developing children and babies in mind. The information here is generalized for a broad audience. The information here should by no means be used as a substitute for medical advice or for any circumstance be used in place of emergency services. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices. If your child has underlying medical or developmental differences, including but not limited to prematurity, developmental delay, sensory processing differences, gastrointestinal differences, cardiopulmonary disease processes, or neurological differences, we strongly recommend you discuss your child's feeding plan with the child's doctor, health care provider or therapy team. By accessing this site and the information in it, you acknowledge and agree that you are accepting responsibility for your child’s health and well-being. By using and accepting the information on this site, the author (Cierra Crowley) is not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions discussed. It is important to talk to your child’s pediatrician or medical provider to start anything new or make any changes.
Affiliation: this page contains affiliate links from which I can earn small commissions (at no additional cost to you).
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Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, What’s in my Baby’s Food? 2019.
Bouhlal S., Issanchou S., Chabanet C., Nicklaus S. ‘Just a pinch of salt’. An experimental comparison of the effect of repeated exposure and flavor-flavor learning with salt or spice on vegetable acceptance in toddlers. Appetite. 2014;83:209–217. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.032
Wardle J., Cooke L. Genetic and environmental determinants of children’s food preferences. Brithish Journal of Nutrition. 2008; 99(1): S15-S21. doi: 10.1017/S000711450889246X
