Balancing introducing solids with milk feeds

When should I introduce solids to my baby?

At 6 months, your baby will still be getting most of their nutrition from breast milk or formula.

As you introduce solid foods, continue feeding with breastmilk or formula until at least 12 months of age.

You can start to introduce solid foods at around 6 months of age when:

• your baby can sit up with support and has good head control
• your baby shows interest in eating, for example, watching and reaching out when they see food

Even though some babies show these signs from an earlier age, continue to offer your baby breastmilk or formula if they appear hungry. This is usually all they need until around 6 months of age. It's recommended that you don't introduce solids before 4 months of age.

How should I introduce solid foods into my baby's diet?

Start feeding your baby solids once a day. Your baby will take only small amounts of solid foods at first. Try one teaspoon at first of pureed vegetable, fruit, or rice cereal, in between milk feeds.

From 6 to 9 months of age, continue to give your baby breastmilk or formula first, then try solids after the milk.

From 9 months of age, you can give solids first, then breastmilk or formula. This allows for your baby to naturally transition to solids by around 12 months of age.

At around 8 to 9 months of age, try giving your baby solids as part of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Introducing water

Continue breastmilk or formula through the first year of life while foods are being introduced. From around 6 months of age, you can try small amounts of cooled, boiled tap water out of a sippy cup.

Which foods should I offer my baby first?

It's best if your baby's first foods are rich in iron, such as:

• iron-fortified baby cereals
• meat
• poultry
• fish
• cooked tofu
• legumes such as lentils, beans, or chickpeas

You can introduce foods in any order and at a pace that suits your baby, family and cultural background, as long as some foods servings contain iron.

Your baby's first foods can be smooth, mashed or have soft lumps.

Choose from the 5 food groups.

Vegetables and legumes

Give your baby cooked and pureed or mashed:

• pumpkin or carrots
• potato or sweet potato
• peas
• broccoli or cauliflower
• zucchini

Over time, you can keep the texture chunkier.

Then introduce vegetables that are cooked but not pureed.

Fruit

Give your baby stewed and pureed:

• apples
• pears
• peaches
• apricots
• berries

Your baby might also like to try mashed ripe banana.

Gradually introduce pieces of cooked fruit, banana, peach and grated raw apple.

Avoid larger pieces of raw apple; babies can choke on them.

Grains and cereals

Give your baby fortified infant cereals (e.g. rice cereal) to start.

Move to cooked rolled oats, wholegrain breakfast biscuits or thick infant cereals.

You don't need to add sugar or honey. Avoid offering cereals with chocolate or added sugar.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, tofu

Meat, fish, poultry eggs, legumes, tofu should always be pureed when you start introducing solids.

When your baby accepts this, offer them bite size pieces of:

• chicken
• minced meat
• flaked fresh or canned fish (in spring water)
• mashed tofu
• mashed legumes
• scrambled or mashed boiled eggs

Don't add salt. Also, avoid processed meats, as they contain a lot of salt.

Milk, cheese, yoghurt

Formula should be used only until your baby is 12 months old. Then small amounts of cow's milk can be added to foods such as porridge. It's recommended to continue breastfeeding until at least 2 years of age.

You can melt grated cheese in mashed vegetables.

Choose yoghurt without added sugar. Add fruit for extra flavour.

If your family doesn't use animal products, your baby may need a vitaminB12 supplement. Discuss this with your doctor.

What drinks should I be giving my baby?

After 12 months of age breastmilk, water (clean tap water or bottled water) and full-fat cow's milk should be the main drinks you offer your baby.

Keep breastfeeding for as long as you and your baby like, until 2 years of age and beyond.

Switch from formula to full-fat ordinary cow's milk after 12 months. Offer your baby a cup to drink from rather than a bottle. Your one year old should be exclusively drinking from a toddler cup.

From about 12 months of age, you can give your toddler calcium-fortified rice milk and oat milk if you want to. But be aware that these drinks don't have enough protein and vitamin B12 for your baby's needs. Your baby will need to have plenty of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, yoghurt, or cheese to make up for what they're not getting from cow's milk.

Your child doesn't need toddler milk products.

How much should I feed my baby?

Your baby will grow at different rates at different times. Their appetite can vary, even from day to day.

Babies don't know what to eat but they know how much. Provide wholesome, healthy unprocessed food choices. Follow your cues baby's cues; babies tend to turn away or lose interest once they've had enough to eat.

How do I know that my baby is getting enough food?

Breast milk or formula are the main sources of nutrition for the first year of life. To start with, your baby will only have very small amounts of solid food, only a teaspoon or two. Gradually your baby will build up to about one meal a day.

Over the next 6 months your baby will increase their food intake to 3 meals a day as well as snacks and drinks. It is important to offer your baby breastmilk or formula first before solid foods. That way, you can be sure that they are getting their most important food first and can be relaxed about trying solid foods.

Finger foods and self-feeding

By 9 to 12 months of age, most babies enjoy finger foods. Finger foods are foods they can hold themselves.

Some babies also like to hold their own spoon at that age. It will be messy! But learning to feed themselves is important.

By 12 months, your baby can eat the same healthy food you serve your family, but without large amounts of hot spices.

Foods to limit or avoid when introducing solids

There are some foods and drinks you should limit or avoid giving your baby:

• coffee and tea, herbal drinks are not recommended
• fruit juice
• honey, until 12 months of age (to prevent botulism)
• processed foods and sugar-sweetened drinks
• raw or runny eggs (bacteria in raw eggs can be harmful to babies)
• unpasteurised milks

Low-fat milks are not recommended in the first 2 years of life. Goat's milk, sheep's milk, soy milk, coconut milk and almond milk should also be avoided before the age of 2, unless your doctor recommends them.

Avoid small, hard foods such as whole nuts and uncooked vegetables until 3 years of age. These can be choking hazards.

Seek help from your health care professional if you are worried about your baby's eating or development.

Resources and support

For more information about when and how to start your baby on solid foods, see the Parenting South Australia website and the Royal Children's Hospital website.