Baby's First Foods

Breastfeeding has been shown to improve infant, child, and maternal health outcomes and help control healthcare costs, but how long should breastfeeding last, and when should parents introduce solid foods?
Multiple health-focused organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the World Health Organization, recommend exclusive breastfeeding, meaning the infant receives only breast milk during the first six months of life for optimal nutrition and health benefits.

How do you know the baby is ready for solids?

•    The baby is still hungry after breastfeeding or formula feed.
•    The baby must be able to sit stable with or without support.
•    The baby's head and neck are stable.

What foods should be introduced to the child first?

When the baby is six months old, she is just learning to chew. Her first foods need to be soft, so they are straightforward to swallow, such as porridge or healthy-mashed fruits and vegetables. To make porridge more nutritious, cook it until it is thick enough not to run off the spoon.
    Feeding baby:6-8 months
From 6–8 months old, feed the baby half a cup of soft food two to three times a day. The baby can eat anything except honey, which she should not eat until she is a year old. You can start to add a healthy snack, like mashed fruit, between meals. As the baby gets increasing amounts of solid foods, she should continue to get the same amount of breastmilk.
    Feeding baby:9-11 months:
From 9–11 months old, the baby can take half a cup of food three to four times a day, plus a healthy snack. Now you can start to chop up soft food into small pieces instead of mashing it. The baby may even start to eat food herself with her fingers. Continue to breastfeed whenever the baby is hungry. Foods need to be rich in energy and nutrients. In addition to grains and potatoes, be sure the baby has vegetables and fruits, legumes and seeds, a little energy-rich oil or fat, and especially animal foods every day.

Food Safety

Food safety concerns for infants and toddlers include food allergies, choking, and risks for foodborne illness. Keep the following safety tips in mind:
•    Introducing one new food at a time every several days allows time to monitor for allergic reactions.
•    Do not feed the baby solid foods from a bottle. It can be a choking hazard.
•    To supervise the child while eating. Infants should be able to sit upright and face forward when you first introduce solid foods.
•    Do not feed directly from the jar of food but instead spoon some food into a separate dish.

Not recommended for those under four years of age due to the risk of choking:

•      Nuts and seeds
•      Large chunks of meat, poultry, and cheese
•      Hard, raw fruits or vegetables such as apples, celery, and carrots
•      Whole grapes and cherry tomatoes, unless cut into quarters
•      Hot dogs, unless cut into strips
•      Sticky foods, such as peanut butter, which can get stuck in the back of the mouth – peanut butter is okay if spread thinly on bread