The Ultimate Guide to Starting Solids for Your Little One

Introducing solid foods to your baby is a major milestone that brings excitement, but also a lot of questions. Knowing when and how to start solids can help your little one develop healthy eating habits and enjoy mealtimes. This guide covers everything you need to know about starting solids, from timing to food choices and feeding tips.

Pureed carrots in a small bowl with baby spoon

When to Start Solids

There are certain skills to watch out for that would tell you that your baby is ready for solids. These skills, which are listed below, typically come between 4-6 months. It's also important to remember that introducing solids complements milk or formula feeding; in their first year, babies are predominantly getting their nutrition from milk or formula. The introduction of solids is important for them to practice their oral motor and chewing skills as they grow, but it's not expected of them to get most of their nutrition from solids in their first year. Hopefully, that helps relieve any stress that you may feel regarding solids and mealtimes!

Look for these signs that your baby is ready to try solids:

• Sits up with good trunk and head control with minimal support

• Shows interest in food when others are eating (e.g., they're watching what you're doing at the table, watching how food moves from your plate to your mouth, etc.)

• Reaches out with their hands and attempts to grab food to bring towards their mouth

  
  

Starting solids too early can increase the risk of choking, while starting too late might delay important developmental skills. If you are unsure, consult your pediatrician or a feeding therapist for personalized advice!

Choosing First Foods

Begin with simple foods that are easy to mash, munch, and digest. Both purees and baby led weaning (BLW) are appropriate. There is no "right" way of starting solids because every baby is different! My general recommendation is to try a mix of both and see what your baby's interest is in. It's also completely appropriate to offer purees one day and soft solids the next, depending on your baby's acceptance that day. Common first foods include:

• Pureed vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, or broccoli

• Mashed fruits such as bananas or avocados

• Oatmeal mixed with breast milk or formula (you can add mashed fruits to this, too)

• Spears of steamed vegetables or soft fruits including carrots, bananas, or cooked apples

• Dissolvable snacks such as dissolvable puffs and teethers

  
  

In terms of frequency, feel free to introduce new foods every day! Consistent exposure to different tastes and textures will help your baby explore a variety of foods.

It's important to avoid honey during your baby's first year. Also, avoid choking hazards like whole nuts, popcorn, or raw vegetables.

How to Prepare and Serve Solids

Texture matters! It's important for your baby to explore a variety of soft textures so that they have opportunities to practice their oral motor and chewing skills. As mentioned above, you can offer purees in addition to BLW as you introduce solids to your baby.

Here are some examples of how you can prepare and serve first foods:

• Blend cooked vegetables or fruits

  • I like to combine liquids that compliment the food (e.g., broth for veggies, breast milk or formula for sweets like cooked/soft fruits)

  • As your baby becomes more comfortable and familiar with these new tastes and textures, you can decrease the amount of liquid that you add to thicken the texture

• Prepare thicker, lumpier textures (e.g., oatmeal with mashed berries, or lightly blended soup with soft vegetables)

• Cut vegetables and fruits into spears and steam or cook them (e.g., carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, pears)

• Mash steamed vegetables or cooked/soft fruits with a fork

• Pressure cook or prepare moist, soft, tender strips of meat that your baby can hold and munch on

• Mash an avocado or soft fruit and put the mash on a dissolvable puff or teether

  
  

Offering solids alongside continued breastfeeding or formula feeding ensures your baby gets enough nutrition during this transition, while giving them consistent and ample opportunities to practice the oral motor skills needed for chewing and swallowing.

High chair tray with pureed sweet potatoes and baby spoon

Encouraging Healthy, Stress-Free Eating Habits

Starting solids is not just about practicing oral motor skills for chewing; it’s also about building a positive, stress-free relationship with food. Here are ways to encourage healthy habits at the table:

• Offer a variety of flavors and textures to expand your baby’s palate; this is a new skill and will take time, so consistency is key

• Encourage your baby to self-feed with their fingers and baby-friendly utensils! Babies learn by watching and imitating, so model it for them

• Eat together as a family to model eating behaviors

• Serve small spoonfuls and allow your baby to explore the food; it's going to be messy and that's okay (and encouraged!)

• Keep mealtimes relaxed and positive, avoiding pressure to finish the food

  
  

Patience is key. Some babies may reject new foods initially, but keep offering them without pressure. If they reject a new food, decrease any pressure to eat the food by showing them how to poke, mash, and play with the food and give your baby opportunities to copy you. Repeated exposure often leads to acceptance.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Introducing solids can come with hurdles. Here are common issues and how to handle them:

• Refusal to eat: Try offering different textures or flavors, and offer food at different times of day. Be consistent in modeling how to explore (e.g., poking, mashing, mixing) and eat the food; babies learn by watching and copying!

• Messy eating: Expect spills and messes as part of learning. Not only do we want them to learn how to chew, but we also want to increase their ability to self-feed using their fingers. Use bibs and easy-to-clean surfaces.

• Constipation: Increase liquid intake and offer high-fiber fruits and vegetables. Consult your baby's pediatrician if problems persist.

• Allergic reactions: Watch for rashes, vomiting, or swelling after new foods. Seek medical advice immediately if symptoms appear.

• Gagging: Gagging is completely normal and expected! Your baby is trying a new texture and taste for the first time. Gagging is a natural reflex that keeps food from going down the wrong way. However, if gagging persists, consult your baby's pediatrician or a feeding therapist.

When to Seek Additional Support

Remember, every baby is unique. What works for one may not work for another. However, here are some signs that a referral to a feeding therapist is warranted:

• Frequent gagging 1 month after introducing solids

• Frequent or ongoing vomiting

• Frequent coughing with solids or liquids

• Difficulty transitioning to open and straw cups

• Not showing signs of hunger/fullness

• You find yourself using other strategies to get your child to eat (e.g., screens, bribery)

• Growth concerns

Starting solids is a journey filled with excitement and anticipation for both you and your baby. By paying attention to readiness signs, choosing nutritious foods, and fostering positive mealtime habits, you set the foundation for a new milestone! I hope this guide was helpful. However, if you have additional questions or concerns, feel free to leave a comment or contact us via the contact form or by email. We are happy to help as you and your baby navigate this new and exciting journey to solids!