How To Introduce Your Baby's First Food

By the time your baby is 4 to 6 months old, you've probably got your nursing or bottle-feeding routines down to an art. As with a lot of things in parenting, however, things are about to change because your child will soon be ready for solid foods (an exciting milestone!). Here's everything you need to know about your baby's first food.

When To Start Your Baby on Solid Food

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says you can start your child on solids between 4 and 6 months, but the answer really depends on your baby. Some babies may be perfectly content waiting longer, while others may be ready to start noshing. The best way to know if your baby is ready for food is to look for signs of eating readiness. Here are some signs that your little one may be ready for solids:

• They can sit upright and hold up their head.
• They are curious, looking at everything around them—especially what you're eating!
• They follow your fork with their heads and may open their mouths to try to take a bite.
• They lost the tongue thrust reflex that automatically pushes food out of their mouth.
• They still seem hungry after getting a full day's portion of milk (eight to 10 breastfeedings or about 32 ounces of formula).

If your baby does not seem ready to eat yet, that's OK. Remember that there's no need to rush this milestone. In fact, it's typically better to wait than to start early (experts say that you shouldn't start solids before 4 months). Most babies are ready to start solids between 5 and 6 months.

How To Introduce Your Baby to Solid Food

The AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, as well as supplemental breastfeeding until your infant turns 1. (Formula is also a great option for parents who can't or don't want to breastfeed.) Introducing solids is more about getting your baby used to chewing and swallowing food than providing any significant nutritional benefit.

When you are ready to introduce solids, think of solid foods as a "bonus" food as the bulk of their calories and nutrients will still be coming from human milk or formula. Give your baby the breast or bottle first thing in the morning, before or after meals, and before bedtime. In the beginning, you'll have to experiment to find what works best for your baby. If they're a big drinker, feed them first with food and then with a bottle. If they're a moderate drinker, try the opposite.

It's important to note that recommended numbers are a general guideline. Caregivers should practice responsive feeding and listen to an infant's cue for hunger and fullness to determine how much to feed them. Additionally, keeping your baby's recommended well-visit checkups will help your provider track if your baby is gaining weight appropriately. The AAP says responsive feeding can also help kids go on to develop healthy eating habits.

As soon as your little one understands the concept of eating and shows interest in mealtime (this usually happens between 6 and 9 months), start them on a routine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If eating together as a family is important to you, it can also be a great way to spend time together during mealtime by having your baby join you at the table. Even if they aren't hungry at times, they'll get used to the idea of eating on a schedule. (That said, never force or pressure your baby to eat; if they aren't interested, just take them out of the high chair and move on.)

"My goal for the babies I care for is to get them on an eating schedule by the time they turn 1," says Sara DuMond, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician in Charlotte, North Carolina. "This means they should eat three meals a day with two to three snacks in between."

But remember: There's not really clear guidance on the exact amount babies should eat—it all depends on their hunger cues and appetite. All babies are different, so let your baby lead the way!

As your baby adjusts to eating solids, know that there may be days when they're more interested in peas and carrots than in the breast or bottle and, on the flip side, there may be days when all they'll want to do is nurse. This is all normal as your baby begins to grow more independent, but for now, they still need their normal day's worth of human milk or formula.

Baby’s First Foods by Age

Gone are the days when bland rice cereal was the norm. Today, there are no hard and fast rules for a baby's first foods. It's more important to offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and meats in any order to get your baby used to different tastes. And if you're wondering, the idea that introducing fruits first means your baby will only want sweets is a myth, so feel free to experiment with all the fruits you want.

Stumped on what solids to start with? Here are some suggestions.

4 to 6 months: Single-grain cereals

The level of iron that's stored in utero drops after birth, and a baby reaches an all-time low at around 9 months. That's why cereals fortified with iron are an ideal early food. Combine 1 teaspoon of single-grain cereal with 4 to 5 teaspoons of human milk or formula.

At first, most of the cereal will end up on your baby's chin. "The point is to get your baby used to a different type of eating," says W. Allan Walker, M.D., director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School, in Boston. "Although it's sloppy and frustrating, you need to go through this process."

Don't force your baby to continue eating if they shake their head no, turn away, or refuse to open up after only one mouthful. And if they seem completely uninterested in trying cereal, wait a week or so and try again. Once your baby is used to swallowing runny cereal, thicken it by using less water or human milk and more cereal.

4 to 8 months: Pureed veggies, fruits, and meats

You may have heard that eating fruits before vegetables can cause a lifelong preference for sweet foods, but there's no research to back that up. So it's up to you to determine whether you begin with bananas or carrots—or pureed chicken for that matter.

The AAP also believes that introducing allergenic foods early can reduce the risk of developing a food allergy, especially if your child is at risk. If you have a strong family history of food allergies, talk to your baby's health care provider about the best ways to introduce common allergens, including eggs, dairy, and peanuts. This is especially true for babies with severe eczema, a skin condition that is linked to food allergies. For example, the AAP recommends babies with severe eczema get introduced to peanut products between 4 and 6 months. But it advises parents talk with their child's health care provider.

6 to 8 months: Single-ingredient finger foods

Whether you've begun with purees or are starting solids with finger foods, many babies enjoy experimenting with self-feeding from an early age. Don't offer any hard, raw foods (such as apple slices or carrot sticks) at this point. Make sure fruits and veggies are soft enough to mash with gentle pressure between your thumb and forefinger. Some good examples are cooked peas, small pieces of banana or avocado, or rice puffs.

The shape matters too. Younger babies will be picking foods up with their whole palms, so a mound of mashed potatoes or a wedge of avocado will be easier to handle than smaller foods. Don't put salt or sugar in their food—it's best if your baby learns to like it without the added sodium or sweetener.

9 to 12 months: Chopped, ground, or mashed foods

As soon as your child is able, transition them away from smooth purees. Incorporate more finger foods with textures like yogurt, cottage cheese, bananas, and mashed sweet potatoes. They can also use more iron, so try pureed meats like beef, chicken, and turkey.

Solid Foods To Avoid

Eating solids opens up a whole new world for your baby, but there are some foods that aren't safe for babies to eat. You should avoid giving infants under the age of 1 the following foods:

• Honey: It can cause botulism, a serious illness, if introduced too early.
• Cow's milk (as a drink): Stick with human milk and formula as a primary beverage until your baby is 1 years old. It's fine to use cow's milk in cooking or baking, though. Cheese and yogurt are also OK.
• Choking hazards: Avoid choking hazards such as nuts, seeds, raisins, hard candy, grapes, hard raw vegetables, popcorn, chunky peanut butter, and hot dogs during your baby's first year.

Tips for Managing Mealtime

Mealtime with young kids—and babies especially—can be challenging. Someone's probably crying, wants to be held, or needs a diaper change right as you're trying to prepare food. And then the actual act of eating? Well, let's just say we never knew one small human could make such a mess. As you venture into the world of solids together, here are some tips to make meals a little more enjoyable.

Create a routine

A baby needs focus to eat, so start a routine where you wash their hands, soothe them, and then sit them down to eat. Maintain calmness by turning off the TV and any loud music. "This will help your baby become conscious of eating and learn to recognize when he's full," says Marilyn Tanner, R.D., a former spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Understand that starting solids takes time

It will take time for your baby to feel comfortable with the new sensations that go along with eating—the feel of a spoon in their mouth and the tastes and textures of different foods. "I reassure parents that you might get grimaces and horrible faces," says Laura Jana, M.D., co-author of Food Fights. "My daughter used to shriek when I put a spoonful of food in her mouth. But she wanted more."

Introduce a variety of foods

Most infants enjoy trying new foods, and starting solids is a great time to introduce a variety of items, such as vegetables, fish, and even spicy foods. Offering lots of different flavors and textures early on can help prevent pickiness later.

Prepare for messes

Your baby will likely fling food everywhere, especially if you're practicing baby-led weaning. This is common and doesn't necessarily indicate a dislike. "Getting food into their mouth takes coordination and practice for the baby," Tanner says.

Introduce water, too

The AAP recommends introducing a small amount of water in an open cup with meals around 6 months of age, which can help develop taste for water and fine motor skills.

Watch out for allergies

If your health care provider has advised it or you have a family history of food allergies, give your child only one new food at a time and wait three or four days before trying another to make pinpointing allergies easier.

Keep an eye out for signs of an allergic reaction or intolerance, like a rash, hives, wheezing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, excessive gas, diarrhea, or blood in their stools. Call your provider if you notice any of these symptoms (they can take minutes or days to appear), and go to the ER if the reaction seems serious.

Baby Food Chart for Starting Solids

And last but not least, take a page from our healthy-from-the-start handbook and take the guesswork out of what foods to introduce and when. Print it out and keep it handy for when it's time to start solids. (And in a pinch, it can totally wipe up that mess that's bound to happen too.)