Solid food. It’s an exciting milestone in your baby’s first year. It's a delightful time, from witnessing their joy as they try fruit for the first time to the hilarity (and mess) of watching them explore yogurt and other squishy foods.

But you might also feel like introducing solids is uncharted territory, especially if you’ve just gotten the hang of breastfeeding. There’s a wide array of guidance, from evidence-based pediatric nutritionists to handed-down wisdom, about how to approach introducing solids.
Nest Collaborative can help you make feeding time fun for your baby and stress-free for you.

Remember to check with your child’s pediatrician first to ensure that your child is ready for solid foods.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies consume only breast milk for the first six months of their life and then breast milk along with solid foods for as long as you and your child desire.

Breastmilk (or infant formula, if you’re not breastfeeding) should be your baby’s main source of nutrition through the first year of your baby’s life. It’s important to wait to introduce solids until your baby is fully ready.

Your baby may be ready for solid foods when:

Baby sits up without assistance
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (meaning they don’t instinctively push solids out of their mouth anymore)
Baby uses their fingers in a “pincer” grasp, picking up food between thumb and forefinger
Baby is able to pick up objects while seated and easily bring them to their mouth
Some textures may take your baby a bit of time to get used to and to master.

Which food you choose to introduce first is up to you—good first food options are things that you and your family typically eat and are nutritionally dense. For some families, this may include:

Beans
Yogurt
Lentils
Steamed apples or pears
Chicken liver
Green beans
Butternut squash

Remember to introduce one common food allergen at a time and watch for reactions. Research shows that small, frequent, and long-term exposure to allergens can reduce the likelihood of developing an allergy to that food in the future.

If you are feeding your baby premade baby food, check the ingredient labels of packaged baby foods and include those with zinc and iron. If you’re making your own baby food, be sure to include foods with iron and zinc. Premade baby cereal is often fortified with iron, which you can mix with breast milk, water, or formula.

Although the name might be confusing, baby-led weaning (BLW) isn’t about literal weaning from breastfeeding but rather helping your baby learn how to eat solids.

BLW introduces solids by allowing babies to self-feed, explore flavors and textures, and control what and how much they eat. It also helps them develop skills like chewing, moving food around their mouths, and swallowing, which a solely puree-based approach does not offer. But, much like breastfeeding, you’ll find that BLW does not have to be black and white and that there are BLW ways to use purees while your baby is getting used to solids (hello, cute baby spoons!).

BLW can be a great way for babies to eat the same table food as the rest of the family, but even if you’re sharing the same basic components, it’s important that your baby’s food has no added salt or sugar and that baby isn’t exposed to any honey until after 1yr.

Learn more about baby-led weaning on this Nest Collaborative blog.

Remember that solid foods are completely new for your child. They are used to bottles or a breast, so putting the spoon in their mouth may cause confusion or rejection. Some families find that allowing baby to play with and mouth a baby spoon (without food), in preparation for starting solids, can make the process go a bit more smoothly.

Your approach is key to helping your baby understand that “this is a good thing.” Smile, have an enthusiastic expression on your face, and keep things low pressure. I bet it wouldn’t feel great to have someone staring at you watching and judging what you ate and how you ate it!
Follow your baby’s cues for eating solid foods. If they cry or turn their faces away, put the food away. You both will have a better experience letting the baby guide the process.

{{CALL OUT}} A caveat from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Never put baby cereal in the baby’s bottle. It’s too thick and could cause your baby to choke.

Make sure that all finger foods are soft and easy to swallow. Though it’s counterintuitive, larger pieces that babies can grip in their hands are actually generally safer than smaller pieces when starting solids. If you’re using fresh food, make sure that it can be mashed with a fork before feeding your baby. Foods that are naturally soft in the raw form, such as bananas and avocados, are okay, but fruits and vegetables should be cooked until they’re soft, as the food could be too fibrous for your child.

Foods to avoid at this stage:

Hot dogs or other meat sticks, including baby food "hot dogs"
Seeds and nuts
Chunks of cheese or meat
Whole grapes, blueberries, or fruit chunks
Popcorn
Raw vegetables

It doesn’t take new parents long to notice that changes in their baby often show up in their diaper!
When your baby starts solid foods, their stools become thicker and less frequent. You may also notice that the odor of their stool is stronger. (This is due to the new sugars and fats in their diet). Even the color of the foods you feed your baby affects their stools, such as green from spinach or reddish from eating beets.

You may also note undigested pieces of food in your baby’s stools, such as vegetable skins or the hulls of corn or peas. All of this is normal, as your child’s digestive system is still developing and cannot fully process some foods.

This is a common question for parents starting solids with their baby. But rest assured, introducing solid foods to a breastfed baby should not negatively impact breastfeeding.

In fact, breastmilk should still be the main source of nutrition for the first year. Solids should only supplement breastmilk, not replace it.

While many babies take some time to adjust to solids, others may be more enthusiastic eaters. If this is the case, breastfeed on demand before offering solids. This ensures your baby gets their primary nutritional needs met through breastmilk, as well as protects your milk supply.
If your baby is less enthusiastic about solids, allow your baby to have frequent exposures to solids to explore and become familiar with, without forcing them to eat.

If you have questions about balancing your breastfeeding goals and introducing solids, it can be helpful to work closely with an international board-certified lactation consultant. They can work with you to figure out your goals and what strategies might be most supportive of you and your family.

We’re here to answer your questions and help you find solutions. 

Book a convenient online video appointment with a Nest Collaborative IBCLC today.