Starting on Solid Foods

Parenting Resources and Community Outreach

Parents are often tempted to introduce solid foods as quickly as possible in hopes that fuller tummies will help babies sleep better at night. But solid foods are not recommended before 4 to 6 months of age for the following reasons:

• Breast milk or formula provides all the nutrients a baby needs to grow.
• Babies are not physically developed enough to eat solid food from a spoon before 4 months.
• Starting solid food too early may lead to overfeeding and excessive weight gain.

When starting solid foods, introduce one new food a day before adding another new food so you can tell what foods your baby may be allergic to or cannot tolerate.

Begin with small amounts of new solid foods, a teaspoon at first, and slowly increase to a tablespoon. Begin with a single-grain cereal mixed as directed, followed by vegetables, fruits and then meats. Infant cereals with iron should be given until your infant is 18 months old. Don’t add sugar or salt to your baby’s food. Avoid honey in any form for your child’s first year, as it can cause food poisoning. Only infants with severe eczema or egg allergy need to worry about screening for peanut allergy before peanut protein is introduced. Talk to your pediatrician if your baby has either of these risk factors. Otherwise, all foods, including “high allergy risk foods” should be introduced when developmentally appropriate before 12 months.

Your baby’s appetite can determine how much he or she eats. As soon as he can sit safely in a high chair, let him begin to feed himself. And be sure to avoid foods that he can choke on, such as hot dogs, nuts and seeds, chunks of meat or cheese, whole grapes, popcorn, peanut butter, raw vegetables, or raisins.