Signs of readiness for solid food
Same as 4 to 6 months
What to feed
- Breast milk or formula, PLUS
- Pureed or strained fruits (banana, pears, applesauce, peaches, avocado)
- Pureed or strained vegetables (well-cooked carrots, squash, sweet potato)
- Pureed meat (chicken, pork, beef)
Pureed tofu
- Small amounts of unsweetened yogurt (no cow's milk until age 1)
- Pureed legumes (black beans, chickpeas, edamame, fava beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, kidney beans)
- Iron-fortified cereal (oats, barley)
How much per day
- 1 teaspoon fruit, gradually increased to 2 or 3 tablespoons in four feedings
- 1 teaspoon vegetables, gradually increased to 2 or 3 tablespoons in four feedings
- 3 to 9 tablespoons cereal in 2 or 3 feedings
Feeding tips
Some doctors recommend that you introduce new foods one at a time. Wait two or three days, if possible, before offering another new food. (Wait three days if your baby or family has a history of allergies.) It's also a good idea to write down the foods your baby samples. If she has an adverse reaction, a food log will make it easier to pinpoint the cause.
The order in which you introduce new foods doesn't usually matter. Your child's doctor can advise you.
Get more detailed tips on how to introduce solids.