When to Start

Breast milk and formula provide all of the essential nutrients that your baby needs for the first
four to six months. Her immature digestive system is not able to process solids until at least four
months old. Between four and six months, if she is sitting up with your support and able to hold
her head upright and steady, she may be ready for solid foods. Other indicators include
expressing interest in what you are eating and the loss of the tongue-thrust reflex which forces
her to push a spoon away from her mouth with her tongue.
Talk to your babys pediatrician before starting solids. Her pediatrician can evaluate her progress
and development and let you know if it is safe to start introducing more substance to her diet. !f
there are any allergies in the familys medical history, you may be advised to wait until your baby
is a little older if she is not yet six months old.
"ever add any cereal to your babys bottle without your pediatricians explicit instructions.
#ereal can clog the nipple, preventing your baby from getting much-needed formula. $lso, she is
accustomed to the li%uid in her bottle. &he may choke over the varied texture of the cereal grains,
which is dangerous for her.
Introducing Cereal
&tart with a single-grain rice cereal for his first introduction to solids. 'ice cereal will be the
most gentle on his digestive system, which is not accustomed to processing solid foods.
&elect a time when he is wide awake and ready to eat, but not so hungry that he is already fussy.
!f he seems too hungry, take the edge off his appetite with a small amount of formula or breast
milk. $n overly hungry baby is not a patient baby, so introducing something new is likely to be
unsuccessful and frustrating for both of you if he gets too hungry.
(ix ) tablespoon of rice cereal with * tablespoons of formula or breast milk. The end result will
be very loose, which is easiest for your babys first introduction. &it him up in a feeding seat or
high chair so he is upright and secure. !ntroduce a small amount, placing it lightly between his
lips so he can taste it. He may react excitedly and eagerly, or he may be a little less encouraging.
Have patience with him, as this is +ust as new for him as it is for you. ,ou need to learn together
what works for him.
-eed your baby once or twice a day, as his appetite dictates. $s he becomes more comfortable
with the cereal, reduce the amount of li%uid so that it becomes slightly thicker. -eed rice cereal
for at least one week to watch for allergies before you add any fruits or vegetables. $void adding
anything to the rice cereal, especially sugar. &weetening the cereal may serve only to create a
taste for sweets and make vegetable introduction a struggle.
First Foods - When to Add Fruits and Vegetables
There is a lot of debate about introducing fruits or vegetables first. &ome pediatric specialists
claim that introducing fruit first may create a preference for sweeter foods, and recommend
starting with a vegetable. Other pediatricians recommend starting with applesauce and
progressing from there. (ake the selection based on what you think is best for your baby. .ick
one /first foods/ fruit or vegetable and serve it with the rice cereal for *-0 days before adding
anything else. 1atch for any indications of allergies including rash, illness or hives. #all the
pediatrician immediately if you find any indications of an allergic reaction.
$fter the first *-0 day introduction period, select an alternating flavor. -or example, if you start
with applesauce, select a vegetable like carrots or s%uash. 'epeat the *-0 day period, alternating
the new food with the cereal and the first food for more variety. 1atch him for any indications of
allergies before adding another food. 'epeat this as you introduce the entire line of first foods.
$lternating a fruit with a vegetable will help him adapt to the varying flavors without developing
a preference for one over the other due simply to eating so much of it.
1hile you are introducing /-irst -oods/ or stage ) baby foods, your little one should still be
taking 2*-32 ounces of formula or breast milk daily, as this is still his primary nutrition source.
(ost babies at this stage will eat )-2 ounces of fruit or vegetable with cereal at a feeding. ,ou
can feed him once or twice a day. ,ou may find that he adapts well to a breakfast meal in the
morning and then an evening meal with the family at dinner time.
!f he doesnt seem to like a food you introduce, try it again in a few days, or add it to a flavor you
know he likes. !t can take as many as )4 exposures to a new food before he accepts it, but if you
keep trying he will likely come around.
Transitioning to Second Foods and Beyond
1ithin a couple months of starting solids, once you have introduced all of the varieties in the
first foods, your baby may be ready for second foods. The second foods servings are larger to
accommodate larger appetites. Transition to the second foods in the same manner as you
introduced the first foods. $nything that is unfamiliar or contains a new ingredient, introduce it
repeatedly over 3-0 days before adding anything else so you can identify an allergy if there is
one.
By 5 or 6 months, she may be showing interest in finger foods and things with more texture.
7asily dissolvable puffs or Os cereal are a great introduction to finger foods. 1atch your baby
close when introducing foods like this. Third foods include more texture and pieces for her to
learn to chew. 1hen she starts chewing her foods with her gums and showing a preference for
the extra textures, third foods can be the next step, along with table foods if she is interested.
-eed her what you eat, processed into small, soft pieces that she can handle.
!f she seems to struggle with textures, talk with your pediatrician for tips for introducing solid
foods to babies who are averse to texture. This can pose uni%ue challenges, re%uiring some
adaptation of progressions into third foods and finger foods until you find the things that will
work for her.
Making Your On Foods and What !ot to Feed
!f you want to control what your baby is eating, you can make your baby foods at home. Buy
fruits and vegetables then boil them so that they are thoroughly cooked and soft. .uree the foods
in a food processor until they are smooth, adding water when necessary to thin the consistency
for him.
Babies that are under ) year old should never be given cows milk, yogurt, eggs, or fish of any
kind. $void raw vegetables even when introducing finger foods. These are a choking ha8ard.
Other foods to avoid feeding your baby before his first birthday are eggs, honey, raisins, grapes,
hot dogs and nuts. Talk with your pediatrician if you are unsure of the safety of any food you
want to feed him.