At about 6 months of age or later, though sometimes as early as 4 months if a pediatrician recommends it, a baby is ready to start eating solid foods. Introducing your infant to solids is the start of a new adventure in tastes and textures and should be an exciting experience for both the baby and her parents.
Step 1
Start by feeding your baby his normal breast milk or formula.
Step 2
When he has finished his usual meal, mix a few teaspoons of iron-fortified rice cereal with breast milk or formula. This mixture should be mostly liquid, not paste-like.
Step 3
Sit the baby upright in a high chair or in your lap.
Step 4
Using a small rubber-tipped spoon, offer the baby a tiny amount of cereal-liquid mixture. Let him set the pace by touching the food with his tongue or smelling it instead of trying to force him to eat it.
Step 5
Each day, offer him a little more and gradually thicken the cereal as he gains better control over chewing and swallowing. Work up to feeding him 2-3 tablespoons of cereal a day, but continue his regular nursing or bottle-feeding schedule.
Step 6
After at least three days of eating a tablespoon or more of cereal per day, you can start to add other foods to his diet. Start with other cereals, then work up to introducing pureed or smashed fruits and vegetables or commercial baby food. Allow three days between each new food introduction to watch for any allergic reactions.
Step 7
After your baby has gotten used to fruits and vegetables, its time to start introducing finely chopped protein sources, such as chicken or beef, generally at around 7-8 months of age.
Step 8
Once your baby has the hang of eating baby foods, you can start introducing soft table foods, like mashed potatoes, to his diet. This will generally be at around 8-10 months of age.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't limit your baby's food options to your favorite foods. Let him try things that you might not care for so that he can develop his own preferences. If your baby doesn't respond to a particular food, try again another day with that same option.
- Don't introduce honey to a baby until he is at least 1 year of age, since it can contain the botulism toxin that can harm or even kill young babies. Eggs, cow's milk and citrus should also be reserved until after your baby is 1 year old. Seafood and nuts should not be introduced until your child is 2-3 years old to avoid the risk of severe allergies.
Things You'll Need
- Rice cereal fortified with iron
- Commercial baby food
- Mashed or smashed fruits and vegetables
- Finely chopped chicken or beef
