How do you know when to start solid foods?
How do you know when to feed your baby table food?
How do you know when to wean her from the breast or bottle?
Babies learn to eat step by step.
Many babies are ready to start eating mushy foods from the spoon at age 5 to 6 months and are ready for soft, easy-to-eat family food by age 8 to 10 months.
Others aren’t ready to start solids until months later and only start eating family food when they are 12 to 18 months old.
Move at your baby’s rate. Don’t get stuck on any one step. Remember that faster isn’t better, slower isn’t worse.
WHEN YOUR CHILD...
- Cuddles
- Roots for the nipple
- Sucks
SHE IS READY FOR...
- Nipple-feeding from the breast or bottle
WHEN YOUR CHILD...
- Sits up—alone or with support
- Opens her mouth for the spoon
- Closes her lips over the spoon
- Keeps most of the food in her mouth
- Swallows
SHE IS READY FOR...
- Nipple-feeding from the breast or bottle
- Step 1 food: Mushy food that you feed from the spoon
WHEN YOUR CHILD...
- Picks up food but can’t let go
- Keeps food in her mouth instead of swallowing right away
- Moves the food to her jaws
- Munches the food
SHE IS READY FOR...
- Breastmilk or formula from the nipple or cup
- Step 2 food: Thicker, lumpier food that you feed from the spoon
WHEN YOUR CHILD...
- Closes her lips around the rim of the cup
- Picks up food, puts it in her mouth
- Bites off food
- Chews
- Gags some but doesn’t choke (if she’s gagging, she can breathe)
SHE IS READY FOR...
- Breastmilk, formula, or juice that you give her from the cup
- Step 3 food: Small pieces of soft finger food and foods she bites or gums off
WHEN YOUR CHILD...
- Uses her fingers to pick up food
- Can chew and swallow
- Takes an interest in the family meal
SHE IS READY FOR...
- Whole pasteurized milk from the cup
- Step 4 food: Easy-to-chew and easy-to-swallow table food
