Signs of readiness for solid food
The following are some guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Your child is likely ready to try solids when he:
- Can hold head up and sit upright in highchair
- Shows significant weight gain (doubled birth weight) and weighs at least 13 pounds
- Can close mouth around a spoon
- Can move food from front to back of mouth
What to feed
- Breast milk or formula, PLUS
- Pureed vegetables (sweet potatoes, squash)
- Pureed fruit (apples, bananas, peaches)
- Pureed meat (chicken, pork, beef)
- Semi-liquid, iron-fortified cereal
- Small amounts of unsweetened yogurt (no cow's milk until age 1)
How much per day
- Begin with about 1 teaspoon pureed food or cereal. Mix cereal with 4 to 5 teaspoons breast milk or formula. (It will be very runny.)
- Increase to 1 tablespoon of pureed food, or 1 tablespoon of cereal mixed with breast milk or formula, twice a day. If you're giving cereal, gradually thicken the consistency by using less liquid.
How to introduce new foods to your baby
- Find tips on how to introduce solids safely and effectively, from recommended first foods to sticking to a schedule.
Feeding tips
- If your baby won't eat what you offer the first time, try again in a few days.
- 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 he 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.
- Print our step-by-step guide to feeding your baby.