Solids Start at Six Months
As babies get older, breast milk alone cannot satisfy all their nutritional needs. Moving on to more solid foods will give them the nutrition they need, helping them develop muscles necessary for chewing and eventually, speech.
Watch for the signs
When your child is 6 months old and can sit up with assistance and hold his head steady, it’s time to start him on solid foods. Talk to your pediatrician about choosing the right time.
Introduce foods gradually
Weaning is the gradual process that begins when you first introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet. Although breast milk continues to be an important food in your baby's diet, the variety and texture of foods he eats can be gradually increased. Iron-fortified infant cereal is often the first solid food introduced to children.
Like you by age one
Your child will still benefit greatly by continuing to drink breast milk until age 1. As he eats more and more solids, breast milk will simply turn into part of the meal or a between-meal snack until you choose to stop breastfeeding. Around age 1, your baby will be able to eat more or less what you do — just in smaller portions.
Introduce your baby to one new food at a time to catch any possible allergies. Let them eat a food for 5-7 days before introducing another food. When he’s ready, you can choose combination baby foods or make your own by blending together brown rice and raisins, chicken and apples or oatmeal and sweet potatoes.
In time, your baby will be able to handle more complex textures like mashed food and eventually chopped table food. He can start eating finger foods at around 9 months.
Be sure to continue to avoid honey until age two as well as any choking hazards.
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