When do infants start solid foods

This allows your baby time to learn how to swallow solids. If your baby cries or turns away when you feed her, do not make her eat. Go back to breastfeeding or bottle-feeding exclusively for a time before trying again. Remember that starting solid foods is a gradual process; at first, your baby will still be getting most of her nutrition from breast milk, formula, or both.

Also, each baby is different, so readiness to start solid foods will vary. NOTE: Do not put baby cereal in a bottle because your baby could choke. It may also increase the amount of food your baby eats and can cause your baby to gain too much weight.

However, cereal in a bottle may be recommended if your baby has reflux. Check with your child's doctor. Whether you decide to make your own baby food or buy premade baby food, you have many options. However, keep the following in mind:. Look out for any reactions. There is no evidence that waiting to introduce baby-safe soft foods, such as eggs, dairy, soy, peanut products, or fish, beyond 4 to 6 months of age prevents food allergy.

Check with your child's doctor about how and when to give peanut products. Be sure to include foods that provide iron and zinc, such as baby food made with meat or iron-fortified cereals.

If you feed your baby premade cereal, make sure it is made for babies and is iron fortified. Baby cereals are available premixed in individual containers or dry, to which you can add breast milk, formula, or water. Within a few months of starting solid foods, your baby's daily diet should include a variety of foods, such as breast milk, formula, or both; meats; cereal; vegetables; fruits; eggs; and fish. Once your baby can sit up and bring her hands or other objects to her mouth, you can give her finger foods to help her learn to feed herself.

To prevent choking , make sure anything you give your baby is soft, easy to swallow, and cut into small pieces.

Some examples include small pieces of banana, wafer-type cookies, or crackers; scrambled eggs; well-cooked pasta; well-cooked, finely chopped chicken; and well-cooked, cut-up potatoes or peas. At each of your baby's daily meals, she should be eating about 4 ounces, or the amount in one small jar of strained baby food.

Limit giving your baby processed foods that are made for adults and older children. These foods often contain more salt and other preservatives. If you want to give your baby fresh food, use a blender or food processor, or just mash softer foods with a fork. All fresh foods should be cooked with no added salt or seasoning. Although you can feed your baby raw bananas mashed , most other fruits and vegetables should be cooked until they are soft.

Refrigerate any food you do not use, and look for any signs of spoilage before giving it to your baby. Fresh foods are not bacteria-free, so they will spoil more quickly than food from a can or jar.

NOTE: Do not give your baby any food that requires chewing at this age, or any food that ca n be a choking hazard. Foods to avoid include hot dogs including meat sticks, or baby food "hot dogs" ; nuts and seeds; chunks of meat or cheese; whole grapes; popcorn; chunks of peanut butter; raw vegetables; f ruit chunks, such as apple chunks; and hard, gooey, or sticky candy. When your baby starts eating solid foods, his stools will become more solid and variable in color. Because of the added sugars and fats, they will have a much stronger odor, too.

Peas and other green vegetables may turn the stool a deep-green color; beets may make it red. Beets sometimes make urine red as well. If your baby's meals are not strained, his stools may contain undigested pieces of food, especially hulls of peas or corn, and the skin of tomatoes or other vegetables. All of this is normal. Your baby's digestive system is still immature and needs time before it can fully process these new foods. If the stools are extremely loose, watery, or full of mucus, however, it may mean the digestive tract is irritated.

In this case, reduce the amount of solids and introduce them more slowly. If the stools continue to be loose, watery, or full of mucus, talk with your child's doctor to find the reason. Alarming as it might seem, if your baby gags during her first encounter with any kind of food, her reaction is normal. When a baby gags, it's a sign that she has either taken in too much food or pushed it too far back in her mouth.

In either case, the gag reflex is what helps her get that food all the way out of harm's way and, usually, all the way back out onto the bib or tray in the process. Make sure your baby is sitting upright in her chair, offer manageable servings and be sure to learn the difference between gagging and choking:. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.

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Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. Introducing Solid Foods to Your Baby. Medically Reviewed by Marvin Resmovits, M. Medical Review Policy All What to Expect content that addresses health or safety is medically reviewed by a team of vetted health professionals. Getty Images. It's dinnertime! Find out when your baby is ready for solid foods, plus the best ways to introduce solids.

Back to Top. In This Article. Feeding Baby Solids Safely. Continue Reading Below. Read This Next. View Sources. American Academy of Pediatrics, Starting solid foods , October American Academy of Pediatrics, Tips for picky eaters , September Baby Feeding.

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