Starting solids is a big, exciting milestone — and it can feel like a lot of pressure to get right. The good news: there’s a wide, forgiving window, and your baby will lead the way more than you’d expect. Here’s when to begin and how to do it safely.
When can babies start solids?
Most babies are ready for solids around 6 months — and not before 4 months. That four-month floor matters: a younger baby’s digestive system and swallowing aren’t ready yet, and starting too early offers no benefit.
But age is only half the picture. Babies develop at their own pace, so it’s the readiness signs, not the calendar, that tell you it’s time. Watch for all of these together:
- Sits with little or no support and holds their head steady.
- Good head and neck control — a must for swallowing safely.
- Shows interest in food — watching you eat, reaching, leaning in, opening their mouth.
- Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex — the automatic pushing of food back out with the tongue.
If your baby isn’t showing these signs at 6 months, that’s usually fine — keep offering and check in with your provider. If you think your baby is ready before 6 months, talk to your provider first.
Does my baby still need milk after starting solids?
Yes. Breast milk or formula stays your baby’s main source of nutrition through about 12 months. In the beginning, solids are in addition to milk, not a replacement for it. Early “meals” are really about practice — learning to move food around the mouth, taste new flavours, and enjoy the experience — not about filling a tummy.
Expect tiny amounts at first: a few spoonfuls or a couple of nibbles. Milk feeds continue as before, and solid amounts grow gradually over the following months as your baby gets the hang of it.
Purées or baby-led weaning — which is better?
Both approaches are fine, and many families happily mix the two. There’s no single “right” way.
| Approach | What it looks like | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth purées | Spoon-fed, starting smooth and slowly getting thicker and lumpier | Easy to control amounts; still progress the texture over time |
| Baby-led weaning | Baby self-feeds soft finger foods from the start | Builds self-feeding skills; offer soft, graspable pieces |
With purées, the key is to progress the texture — don’t stay on smooth purée for months, or your baby misses out on learning to chew and manage lumps. With baby-led weaning, the key is that foods are soft enough to squash between your fingers and cut to a safe shape. Whichever you choose, let your baby set the pace and never rush a mouthful.
What are the best first foods?
Offer iron-rich foods early. A baby’s iron stores start to run low around 6 months, so iron is the nutrient to prioritise from the first meals. Good iron-rich first foods include:
- Iron-fortified infant cereal (mixed with milk to a smooth or soft texture).
- Well-cooked, puréed or soft meat and poultry.
- Mashed beans, lentils and tofu.
- Cooked, mashed egg (also a key allergen — see below).
Round these out with soft cooked vegetables and soft or mashed fruit. There’s no need for salt or sugar, and variety over the weeks matters more than any single “perfect” food.
How do I introduce allergens safely?
Guidance has shifted in recent years: rather than delaying them, introduce common allergens early — often from around 6 months — and one at a time. The common allergens to work in include peanut (as a smooth butter or powder, never whole), egg, dairy, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts (ground or as a butter, never whole).
A simple, careful way to do it:
- Introduce one new allergen at a time, a few days apart, so you can tell what caused any reaction.
- Offer it earlier in the day, not right before bed, so you can watch your baby afterwards.
- Once a food is tolerated, keep offering it regularly — that ongoing exposure is part of how early introduction helps.
Watch for signs of a reaction such as hives, swelling, vomiting, or trouble breathing. Allergens are exactly the area to follow your provider’s advice on, especially if your baby has eczema or there’s a family history of food allergy — they may suggest a specific plan.
Gagging vs choking: how to feed safely
Many new eaters gag, and it can be alarming — but gagging is normal and protective, not the same as choking:
- Gagging is loud. Your baby coughs, sputters, or pushes food forward, and is still breathing. It’s how they learn to manage food and move it away from the airway.
- Choking is silent. The airway is blocked, with little or no sound, and your baby can’t cough effectively. This is an emergency.
To keep mealtimes safe:
- Always supervise — stay with your baby for every meal, and keep them sitting upright.
- Never prop a bottle or leave a baby alone with food.
- Avoid choking hazards: whole nuts, whole grapes and cherry tomatoes (quarter them lengthwise), hard or raw chunks, popcorn, and anything round, firm and bite-sized.
- Skip honey before 12 months — it carries a risk of infant botulism.
Learning infant first aid, if you can, is worth it for the peace of mind alone.
Where to go from here
Starting solids is a gradual, messy, joyful process — follow your baby’s cues and let it unfold over weeks, not days. To plan meals and track new foods as you go, try our baby feeding planner, and if you’re juggling solids with milk feeds, our guide on how often to feed a newborn puts the milk side in context.
This article is for general information only and isn’t medical advice. For guidance on when and how to start solids, introducing allergens, or any concerns about your baby’s feeding, your healthcare provider is the best person to ask.