When should my baby start eating solids?
When is the right time for your baby to start solids? Is there a wrong time?
When my son was a few months old, I was really excited for him to start eating solids. More than anything, I wanted to be able to share my favorite foods with him and see his reaction. I think raspberries are one of the best fruits, but would he agree?
Some parents share the excitement that I had. Other parents see starting solids as just one more job for them. Regardless of which way you feel, it is important for your baby's health and development that you follow generally accepted medical advice about starting solids.
So what's the right time?
The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends introducing foods other than breast milk and formula at about 6 months of age and not before 4 months of age.
I know, "about 6 months of age" is pretty vague because infants are developing extremely fast at this age. So how do you know if your baby is ready or not today? Some signs that you can use to gauge whether your baby might be ready to start solids:
- One sign is that your baby should be able to sit upright in a chair with while holding their head up in a stable position. Sitting upright when eating is important to reduce the risk of choking.
- Another sign is taking interest in food that other people around them are eating. Let your baby sit at the table when you eat a meal. If they are watching you eat and looking at or reaching for your food, then that is an indication they may be ready to eat.
Why is 6 months the right time?
Up to 6 months, breast milk and formula meet the complete nutritional requirements of a typical infant (with the exception of vitamin D). After 6 months, solid foods help satisfy the requirements for key nutrients such as iron.
Furthermore, there is strong evidence that early introduction of food allergens reduces the likelihood of developing food allergies. For example, the widely cited article from the New England Journal of Medicine Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy by George Du Toit, et al, found that "the early introduction of peanuts significantly decreased the frequency of the development of peanut allergy among children at high risk for this allergy." More recent results such that this approach applies for other allergens as well. Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods and the Prevention of Food Allergy by Brit Trogen, et al, concludes that "the early introduction of allergenic foods appears to be an effective strategy for minimizing the public health burden of food allergy." Because food allergies can cause life threatening reactions, this is an important opportunity for you to improve the long term health and safety of your baby. You can learn more about reducing the risk of your baby developing food allergies on Food Allergy Prevention.
Risks of starting solids early
It is currently not recommended to feed solids to infants before 4 months of age. According to Baby 411 by Dr. Ari Brown and Denise Fields, "Babies who begin eating solid food before four months of age have a one in four change of obesity later in life. Babies who start between four and six months of age have a one in 20 chance." Similarly, Introduction of Solid Foods to Young Infants by Alice Kuo, et al, mentions that early introduction of solid foods may influence "the development of metabolic problems in adulthood". In other words, it is important for the long term health of your baby that you wait until they are at least 4 months of age before introducing solid foods.
Conclusion
Choosing when your baby should start eating solids isn't an exact science but there are helpful guidelines based on medical research. If your baby is developing normally, then they should start solids at about 6 months age and not earlier than 4 months of age. You can use signs of readiness to gauge the right moment within that time window. If your baby was born prematurely or has other medical conditions, please consult with your pediatrician in order to get information that takes your baby's specific needs into account.
My son started eating solids just after he reached 6 months of age. Some of his very first foods were a strawberry (loved it), some avocado (loved it), a piece of orange (hated it), and some greek yogurt (liked it). Even though it took until he was over a year old for him to really share my love of raspberries, starting solids with him was just as exciting and fun as I hoped it would be.
Once your baby is ready for solids, MealAppeal can be a very helpful resource. It is a meal planner designed to help parents easily and safely serve their favorite foods to their baby. Try MealAppeal free for 1 week, no credit card required.