Introducing Solid Foods: When, What, and How

Starting solid foods is an exciting milestone that marks the beginning of your baby's lifelong relationship with food. It can also feel overwhelming, with conflicting advice about timing, methods, and first foods swirling around. This evidence-based guide will help you navigate this transition confidently, covering when to start, what to offer, and how to manage common concerns like allergies and gagging.

When Is My Baby Ready for Solids?

Australian dietary guidelines recommend introducing solid foods around 6 months of age, while continuing breastfeeding (or formula) as the main source of nutrition until 12 months. However, the exact timing should be based on your individual baby's developmental readiness rather than a strict calendar date.

Starting too early (before 4 months) is associated with increased risk of obesity and allergies. Starting too late (after 7 months) may increase the risk of feeding difficulties and iron deficiency. The 6-month mark gives most babies time to develop the necessary skills while ensuring they don't miss the optimal window for food introduction.

Note that waking more at night or seeming hungry after feeds are not reliable signs of readiness—these behaviours are common at many stages and don't indicate a need for solid food.

Purees vs. Baby-Led Weaning: Finding Your Approach

There are two main approaches to introducing solids: traditional spoon-feeding with purees, and baby-led weaning (BLW) where babies feed themselves soft finger foods from the start. Both are valid approaches, and many families use a combination.

Traditional purees allow you to control exactly what and how much your baby eats. They're convenient for on-the-go feeding and can feel less anxiety-provoking for parents worried about choking. The progression typically moves from smooth purees to mashed textures to soft lumps over several months.

Baby-led weaning involves offering appropriately sized soft finger foods and allowing your baby to self-feed from the beginning. Advocates suggest it promotes better appetite regulation, motor skills, and acceptance of textures. It can be messier and requires more trust in your baby's abilities.

Research hasn't definitively proven one approach superior to the other. The best method is the one that works for your family. Many parents offer a mix: purees for efficiency at some meals, finger foods for exploration at others.

First Foods: What to Offer

The advice about first foods has changed significantly in recent years. The old approach of introducing single foods one at a time, starting with rice cereal, has largely been replaced by more flexible, evidence-based recommendations.

Iron-rich foods are recommended as priority first foods because babies' iron stores, accumulated during pregnancy, begin depleting around 6 months. Good iron-rich options include:

• Iron-fortified infant cereal (mixed with breast milk or formula)
• Pureed or minced meat (beef, lamb, chicken)
• Pureed or mashed legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
• Tofu
• Egg (well-cooked)

Beyond iron-rich foods, variety is key. Offer vegetables, fruits, grains, and proteins in different combinations. Exposing babies to a wide range of flavours and textures early may help prevent picky eating later.

Introducing Allergenic Foods

Current Australian guidelines recommend introducing common allergens early—around 6 months, and not delayed beyond 12 months. This is a significant shift from previous advice to delay allergens, which research has shown may actually increase allergy risk.

The common allergens to introduce include: peanuts (as smooth peanut butter, not whole nuts), tree nuts (as nut butters or finely ground), eggs, cow's milk products (in food, not as a main drink), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.

Introduce one new allergen at a time, in small amounts, and wait a few days before introducing another. This helps identify the culprit if a reaction occurs. Most reactions happen within minutes to a couple of hours of eating.

If your baby has severe eczema, an existing food allergy, or a family history of food allergies, discuss allergen introduction with your GP or an allergist before starting.

Gagging vs. Choking: Understanding the Difference

Gagging is one of parents' biggest concerns about starting solids, and understanding the difference between gagging and choking can reduce anxiety significantly.

Gagging is a normal, protective reflex that pushes food forward if it hits the back of the throat before the baby is ready to swallow. The gag reflex is actually located quite far forward on a baby's tongue (compared to adults), meaning gagging happens frequently during early feeding. Your baby will cough, splutter, and may look distressed, but they can still breathe. Gagging helps babies learn to manage food in their mouths.

Choking is when the airway is blocked and the baby cannot breathe. A choking baby may be silent or making high-pitched sounds, unable to cry or cough effectively, and may turn blue. Choking is a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention.

To minimise choking risk: always supervise eating, ensure your baby is seated upright, avoid high-risk foods (whole nuts, raw hard fruits and vegetables, popcorn, whole grapes), and learn infant first aid including how to respond to choking.

Practical Feeding Tips

Feed your baby when they're alert and not overtired—a sleepy baby is unlikely to engage well with food. After their usual milk feed is often a good time, so they're not ravenously hungry (which can lead to frustration) but still interested.

Start with small amounts—a teaspoon or two is plenty in the early days. The goal initially is exposure and practice, not calories. Most of their nutrition still comes from breast milk or formula.

Make mealtimes social. Eat together as a family when possible. Babies learn by watching, and seeing you enjoy the same foods encourages them to try.

Let your baby explore. Food will go everywhere—the hair, the highchair, the floor—but this messy exploration is how babies learn about texture, taste, and how to eat. Resist the urge to constantly wipe their face or hands during meals.

Foods to Avoid

While most foods are appropriate for babies (in appropriate forms), some should be avoided in the first year:

• Honey: Risk of botulism until age 1
• Whole nuts and hard raw vegetables: Choking hazards
• Added salt and sugar: Not needed and can harm developing kidneys
• Cow's milk as main drink: Not nutritionally adequate until age 1 (small amounts in food is fine)
• Unpasteurised dairy: Risk of harmful bacteria
• High-mercury fish: Flake (shark), swordfish, marlin

Trust Your Baby's Appetite

Babies are born with the ability to regulate their food intake. They eat when hungry and stop when full. Trust this innate wisdom rather than pushing your baby to finish a certain amount.

Appetite will vary day to day and week to week—this is normal. During illness, teething, or developmental leaps, babies often eat less. Growth spurts may bring increased appetite. Follow your baby's cues rather than rigid expectations.

If you're concerned about weight gain or food intake, discuss with your maternal child health nurse or GP. But for most babies, trusting their appetite leads to healthy eating patterns.

The Long Game

Remember that introducing solids is the beginning of a long journey with food. The goal isn't perfection—it's laying the foundation for a healthy, positive relationship with eating. There will be rejected foods, mess, and moments of frustration. That's all normal.

Research shows that babies need to be exposed to new foods 10-15 times before accepting them. If your baby rejects something today, offer it again in a few days or weeks. Variety, persistence, and a relaxed approach are your best tools.

Most importantly, try to enjoy this phase. Watching your baby discover new tastes and textures is one of the delights of early parenthood. Take photos of the mess—you'll laugh about it later.