The perfect time to start introducing your baby to solids is when they’re around six months old. Their digestive system has matured enough by then and milk no longer gives them all the nutrients they need to thrive.
Top 10 Tips
1. Iron and Zinc are some of the most important vitamins and minerals your baby needs from six months of age. Babies are born with a store of iron, which by six months starts to run low. Offering iron rich food is especially important as it helps to keep blood and brain cells healthy.
2. Until eight to nine months of age, milk remains your baby’s main source of nutrients so offer solids after their milk feed.
3. Your baby may be ready for solids if they seem hungry after their milk feed and start looking around for something more.
4. Another sign they’re ready is if they start making chewing movements.
5. The best time to introduce your baby to solids is when they’re relaxed and happy. Lunchtime can work well. Aim for once a day at first, around 20 minutes after they’ve had their milk feed
6. Invest in a couple of baby spoons – one for you and one for your baby to play with.
7. Babies will only eat a couple of spoonfuls at a time at first.
8. Good first foods include iron-fortified infant cereal, pureed fruit or pureed vegetables.
9. It’s a good idea to cook a bigger amount and freeze it in ice cube trays.
10. Over the following weeks and months, gradually increase the consistency and texture of the food and the amount you offer your baby.
Preventing food allergies
Research shows that by introducing the top most common food allergens before the age of one, can greatly reduce the risk of a food allergy developing. Children who have a whanau history of allergies, or who have eczema are more likely to develop food allergies, however babies with no history can still develop a food allergy.
When first introducing a food allergy, it’s best to do so in the morning or middle of the day so that you can monitor your baby for any symptoms. Once you have introduced the food, research suggests including these foods in your baby’s diet as often as once a week if possible to help avoid an allergy developing.
Make sure to record any signs of symptoms and when a food is introduced as it will be helpful when diagnosing a food allergy with a healthcare professional.
The most common food allergies are to:
Plunket has a great resource with advice on signs of an allergy, how allergies are diagnosed and how to treat an allergy.
Honey
Babies under 12 months of age should not be given honey due to the risk of developing a serious but rare condition called Infant Botulism.
Spores of Botulism can be found in honey, and for reasons researchers are still trying to work out, little ones under one are most at risk of those spores getting into their digestive system, and growing and developing into toxins. Babies over the age of 12 months are less at risk as they have already developed natural defenses to fend off the toxins.
Avoiding honey before one and ensuring you wash all fruit and veggies + being careful of fermented food means this is easily prevented. Most cases recover if diagnosis is made and treatment is commenced early on.
Always speak to a healthcare professional if you’re ever unsure of your child’s wellbeing. Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or call 111. For more information visit Kids health
Baby led weaning
Baby-led weaning (or baby-led feeding) has increased in popularity for parents to choose as a way to begin their solid food journey. This method of feeding, offers finger foods first allowing your baby to pick up food with their own fingers instead of spoon fed purees.
However, New Zealand’s Ministry of Health’s current advice involves starting with spoon-fed purée foods when baby is developmentally ready (around six months), then moving onto mashed and chopped foods over the next few months. Finger foods are offered from 7–8 months when baby is able to pick them up, bring to his/her mouth and chew them.
Baby-led weaning – Ministry position statement
Helpful external links
Kids Health
Advice on when and how to start solids with links to other NZ sites including those with growth charts and food guidelines for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. click here
Plunket
A great resource on when to introduce different foods, what consistency it should be and the difference between choking and gagging. click here
Ministry of Health
Balancing safety concerns about the risk of choking with your child’s need to develop their ability to chew and move food around in their mouths is all part of the process when your child starts solids. This resource has advice on the next steps from the first solids. click here
Health Ed
A guide from breast/formula through to food for preschoolers. click here
Solid starts
How to introduce different foods to your baby (eg 15 iron rich foods) and great tips on how to introduce solids.