When can you introduce solid food?
Health authorities generally advise introducing solid food somewhere between 4 and 6 months, depending on your baby's readiness. Breast milk or formula remains the main source of nutrition for the whole first year.
Signs your baby is ready
Look for several signs together, not just age: your baby sits with support and holds their head steady, shows interest in your food, opens their mouth when food comes near, and has lost the reflex that pushes food out with the tongue.
Waking more at night or wanting to feed more often is not by itself a sign of readiness, since growth spurts cause the same thing.
Good first foods
Start with small tastes of smooth purées such as potato, carrot, broccoli, apple or pear, or soft finger foods if you follow baby-led weaning. Offer a spoonful or two once a day and increase gradually. Iron-rich foods like meat, fish, egg and fortified porridge become important from around 6 months.
Do not add salt or sugar, and avoid honey before 12 months. Avoid whole nuts, whole grapes and other foods that can cause choking.
Keep feeding milk
In the beginning solids are about learning taste and texture, not replacing milk. Keep breastfeeding or giving formula on demand and let solids slowly take over more meals over the following months. Logging both milk and food in Plumpy helps you see how the balance changes.
Allergens
Current advice is not to delay common allergens such as egg, fish and peanut once your baby has started solids. See our guide on allergy prevention in infants for details.