The new draft National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines recommend introducing solids at around 6 months (22–26 weeks).
Developmental Recommendations
I encourage parents to wait until their baby is six-months of age before starting first foods as it helps establish a stronger and safer swallow for solids.
Some babies may be ready for solids sooner than 6 months, but don't start until your baby is at least 4 months old. How do you know it's the right time to start solid foods? Here are some signs that babies are ready: They have good head and neck control and sit up in a high chair.
Introducing foods or fluids other than breastmilk to your baby before they reach 6 months old can increase the risk of illnesses, such as diarrhoea, which can make your child thin and weak, and even be life-threatening.
Waiting until after 6 months of age to introduce solids and water is important for optimal long-term health. After 6 months, watch your baby for signs of readiness. Baby should be able to support his/her head very well and sit up on his/her own. Baby may even start to show interest, by reaching for your food.
Some studies suggest that introducing solid foods too early may lead to increased risk of chronic disease such as islet autoimmunity (the pre-clinical condition leading to type 1 diabetes), obesity, adult-onset celiac disease, and eczema; and introduction too late may increase feeding difficulties [5–8].
Introducing solids before 4 months of age can increase the risk of choking and cause your infant to drink less than the needed amount of breast milk. But introducing solids too late can increase the risk of your child developing allergies.
From four to six months onwards, your baby can start tasting regular food. Half a spoonful of purée can be quite enough for a first taste.
By delaying the introduction of solids, a biological window for learning to eat is missed and it is much harder for the child to learn to chew and swallow later.” Lastly, there are a few behavioral benefits to introducing solids between 6-12 months.
The early introduction of solid foods before 4 months of age has been associated with an increased risk of diarrhoea in infancy and a greater risk of wheeze and increased percentage body fat and weight in childhood.
Introducing solid food before your baby reaches four months of age raises the risk of increased weight gain and obesity, both in infancy and later in early childhood. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advocates waiting until your baby is at least four months old to introduce solid food.
Banana puree can be introduced as solid food anywhere between the age of 4-6 months.
The current recommendation is to introduce solids at around 6 months but not before 4 months. Each baby is an individual and will show signs of readiness for solid foods at different times. However, all babies benefit from having solid foods by 7 months of age.
4 to 8 months: Pureed veggies, fruits, and meats
You may have heard that eating fruits before vegetables can cause a lifelong preference for sweet foods, but there's no research to back that up. So it's up to you to determine whether you begin with bananas or carrots—or pureed chicken for that matter.
AAP. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving your baby “one new food at a time, and wait at least 2 to 3 days before starting another. After each new food, watch for any allergic reactions such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting” (3).
From 6 to 9 months continue to give your baby breastmilk or formula first, then try solids after the milk. From 9 months you can try to give solids first, then breastmilk or formula. This allows for your baby to naturally transition to solids by around 12 months.
Great first veggies to try: Pureed carrots. Pureed squash. Pureed broccoli.
Studies have shown that the period around 6 months is particularly opportune for the acceptance of new flavors, while starting solids after 6 months may lead to less pickiness later.
Many babies, if they eat solids first, will take in less milk afterwards even if they nurse just as long.
Starting solids can be a bit of a shock to your baby's tummy. "Some babies will get a little constipated," Dr. Alt says. "If this happens, avoid rice cereal (try oatmeal instead) and bananas, as these can be constipating. Pureed fruits, especially pureed prunes, can help keep things moving."
Stop feeding when baby shows you he's full (closes mouth or turns head away). Start offering baby solid foods 1 time each day and increase to 3 times each day.
The best times of day to introduce solids
When you're first introducing solids, it's good to offer solids when you and your baby are both happy and relaxed. This is often after a feed of breastmilk or formula. Babies will still have room in their tummies for a taste of new foods after a feed of breastmilk or formula.