Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Family and Consumer Sciences

1787 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210

Solid Food: Ready or Not?

MOB-005-99

Lisa Pescara
Former Lucas County Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Sciences

Most babies only need breast milk or formula for the first 4 to 6 months. If you feel your baby needs solid food before this, consult with your doctor.

Baby is Ready for Solid Food if

• Birth weight has doubled.
• Can hold own head up.
• Can sit with help.
• Shows interest in foods you are eating.
• Nurses more than 8 times a day or drinks more than 32 ounces of formula.

How to Start

The first time you try to feed your baby, it may not go well, but here are some things to remember to make it easier.

• Pick a time when both you and baby are in a good mood and he/she is not too tired or too hungry.
• Hold your baby on your lap or have the baby sit up in an infant seat.
• Start with rice cereal. This is easiest on the baby's stomach. A tablespoon mixed with 3 or 4 tablespoons of formula or breast milk is all you need at first. Keep the cereal very thin.
• Use a small spoon and put cereal only on the tip.
• If the baby has trouble swallowing, he/she may not be ready for solids yet. Wait a few days and try again.
• Feed the baby the same cereal for one week before changing to another flavor.

Moving On

• After your baby is used to cereal, you can begin adding vegetables, fruits, meat, and bread.
• Try one new food at a time, for several days, to make sure the baby is not allergic to any foods.
• Stick to single foods first, then try mixed foods and dinners.
• When the baby starts getting teeth, add finely chopped or mashed foods. Texture helps sore gums.
• At 6 months, start offering juice in a cup only. NEVER put juice in a bottle. An infant, put to bed or naps with a bottle containing juice, is at risk for developing baby bottle tooth decay.
• If your baby will not eat a particular food, try it again later. The more you offer a food a child, the better chance he/she has of liking it.
• Babies do not need sugar or salt added to their food.
• Do not limit the amount of fat in a baby's diet. Fat is needed for the brain to grow.
• Around 9-12 months, give finger foods. Ripe, peeled fruit, or soft, cooked vegetables are good choices.

Reviewed by: Alma M. Saddam, PhD, RD, Extension Specialist, Nutrition.