Complementary feeding is an exciting but sometimes intimidating experience, especially for first-time parents. Milk or formula has been your child's sole diet to this point, and introducing solids is a big change. You may receive conflicting advice or be uncertain about how to begin or which foods to introduce first. In this article, we cover how to begin weaning smoothly in a safe and healthy way. It’s worth remembering throughout that modelling a calm demeanour will make this a less anxious experience for everyone.

When should complementary feeding begin?

We’ve described the signs of readiness your baby will show when he or she is ready to begin consuming solids earlier in this Journey, but it is also important to note that official guidelines suggest that it is best to start when a child is around six months of age. Weaning before four months is not recommended.

As a reminder, the signs of readiness are:

Your baby can maintain a sitting position and hold his or her head steady.
Eye, hand, and mouth coordination is developed enough to allow them to look at the food, pick it up, and put it in their mouth by themselves.
Your baby swallows food rather than spits it all back out.

Behavioural signs like your baby showing an interest in your own eating habits are also worth noting.

Well begun is half done.

Once you are sure that your baby is ready for solid foods, you can start offering them. Remember that the circumstances in which the food is introduced matter. A warm, familiar environment and regular mealtimes are ideal.

Here are some other tips to help you get started:

Start with single-ingredient foods: When you introduce solid foods, start with single vegetables for a week or two before trying sweeter foods such as fruits. Remember that your baby’s palette is far fresher than yours, and bland fare like unsalted chicken will taste adventurous to them.

Offer small amounts: Your baby's stomach is still small, so start with small amounts of solid foods, usually 1-2 teaspoons at a time.

Be patient. Introducing solid foods is a new experience for your baby, and they should be allowed to explore the new textures and flavours at their own pace.

Let them explore: Let your baby enjoy touching and holding the food. Allow them to feed themselves, using their fingers, as soon as they show interest. If you're using a spoon, your baby may like to hold it or another spoon to try feeding themselves.

Use a spoon: Use a soft-tipped spoon to feed your baby. Never put food in a bottle, as this can be a choking hazard.

Offer water: Offer water in a sippy cup with meals to help your baby stay hydrated. A sippy cup can also be introduced after six months.

Don't force it. If your baby is not interested in the food, don't force them to eat it. Teaching your baby to associate negative feelings with new foods or eating in general is counterproductive. Wait a few days and try again.

Introduce potential allergens gradually: introduce foods that your baby may be allergic to one at a time, and wait three to five days before introducing another new food. This will help you identify any potential reactions. Potential allergens include cow’s milk (in cooking or mixed with other foods), eggs, foods that contain gluten, nuts (including peanuts), seeds, soy, fish, and shellfish.

Once introduced and if tolerated, keep offering those foods as part of your baby's usual diet to minimise the risk of allergy. Evidence has shown that delaying introducing peanuts and hens' eggs after six to 12 months may increase the risk of developing an allergy to them later. Avoid any food if you're unsure about the ingredients. If your baby has already been found to be allergic to something, your doctor can offer guidance on introducing other new foods.

Be creative: Introducing solid foods is an opportunity to be creative with your baby's meals. Experiment with different colours, textures, and flavours to keep mealtime interesting.

Texture progression: Once you've started introducing solid foods at around 6 months of age, try to move your baby on from puréed or blended foods to mashed, lumpy, or finger foods as soon as they can manage them. This helps them learn how to chew, move solid food around their mouth, and swallow.

Foods to avoid

We’ve suggested creativity with your baby’s new diet, but there are some substances you should avoid. These include:

Salt and sugar: Babies have underdeveloped kidneys that cannot process salt. They also do not need added sugar, unless it is in the form of fruit.
Honey: Honey can contain botulism spores that can be harmful to babies under one year old.
Cow's milk: Cow's milk should not be given as a main drink until your baby is one year old. Small amounts can be used in cooking or mixed with other foods, but remember to be mindful of adverse reactions.
Potential choking hazards: Avoid foods that are small, hard, round, or sticky, such as nuts, popcorn, or boiled sweets. Never give a baby chewing gum. Cut foods into small, soft pieces to prevent choking.

What are some techniques for introducing solid foods?

What are some techniques for introducing solids? Unii shares ideas from our Baby Nutrition Journey.