Watching your baby experience their first solid foods is one of the highlights of being a parent. But while some babies are ready and willing to take bites of “real” food between four and five months, others aren’t interested in eating until closer to six months. So how do you know when your baby is ready for this big new milestone? Here are a few telltale signs.
How Will I Know When My Baby Is Ready for Solids?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting solids at 6 months of age since the only nutrition your baby truly needs is breastmilk or formula. However, between ages 4 and 6 months, many babies are developmentally ready to start trying solids. There are a few signs that your baby is likely ready:
- They can sit up on their own: Your little one should be able to sit with minimal support before starting to try solids. This is important to ensure they can safely swallow and begin self-feed by using their arms.
- Baby has good neck control: The ability to keep their head stable and upright is crucial for the ability to safely swallow. If your baby isn’t able to sit and hold their head up at 6 months, it’s recommended to wait and focus on tummy time and side lying to build up their neck muscles.
- Starts bringing objects to their mouth: If your little one is getting quite good at bringing their toys or even their bottle to their mouth, they’re already working on the hand-eye coordination that is necessary for eating.
- Seems interested in what you’re eating: If your baby can’t take their eyes off of you while you’re eating dinner, or leans forward and opens their mouth as if looking for a bite, this is a good sign that food is interesting to them. Some babies might even surprise you and grab your utensil out of your hand mid-bite!
What Should My Baby’s First Food Be?
When your baby is showing signs they might be ready for solids, it’s time to start introducing them to the big new world of food. And while you might get a lot of information from well-meaning older family members about rice cereals, there’s no rule about what baby’s first food “should” be.
A good rule of thumb is to start with foods that can be easily dissolved with saliva and don’t require true chewing. Mash fruits or cooked vegetables with breastmilk, formula, or water until they’re smooth and easy to swallow. As your little one gets more experienced and begins to develop their pincer grasp (picking up items using their thumb and forefinger), cut soft food into small pieces or very thin slices that won’t get stuck in their airway. Any spherical foods like grapes, tomatoes, berries, string cheese, or sausage should always be cut into thin strips instead of round pieces for this reason.
Let your child try one single food at a time to ensure they don’t have any allergic reactions before moving on to a new food. By the time your little one is a month or two into their food journey, they can eat food from all food groups—fruits, vegetables, proteins, cheese, yogurt—you name it! If you do feed your baby cereal, it’s important to feed iron-fortified infant cereals made from oat, barley and multigrain rather than only rice cereal due to the risk of arsenic exposure.
When your baby is ready to try solids, it’s also a good time to introduce a sippy cup filled with water as part of their mealtime.
What Foods Should I Avoid Giving My Baby?
Your little one should not drink cow’s milk or fortified soy beverages until they are older than 12 months of age. Cheese, yogurt, and other milk products are, however, safe for your baby unless they have a specific allergy. Babies under the age of one should not eat honey due to the risk of infant botulism, and you should never give fruit juice, soda, or sports drinks due to large amounts of added sugar.
What if My Baby Doesn’t Want the Food?
If your baby refuses to eat or constantly pushes their food back out onto their chin, don’t worry mama—this is normal. The amount of new tastes and textures your baby is experiencing can be overwhelming. Don’t force the feeding, and try again in a few days.
To make the feeding experience enjoyable, give very small, easy-to-swallow pieces when possible. Let them hold a spoon or cup to practice feeding themselves, and allow them to get messy. Exploration is one of the best ways to build your little one’s relationship with food.
If you are concerned that your baby is not eating correctly, or is still refusing solids by the time they’re seven or eight months old, it’s important to schedule some time with their health-care provider. Their provider may recommend you to a pediatric dietician or feeding specialist to help them get the hang of eating and enjoying food.
Good luck as you begin your solids journey with your baby—and most importantly, have fun!