Many babies will begin to show an interest in solid foods around 6 months of age. Some babies take to solid foods right away, while others may find the new flavors and textures unappealing at first. (To learn more about spotting clues that your baby is ready for solids, read A guide to starting solids.)
To help make your baby's first attempts at eating solids easier, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you can give your baby a little breast milk first, followed by very small half-spoonfuls of food, and ending with more breast milk. If your baby is very hungry, she may get frustrated more easily with trying a new food so having a little first course of breast milk in her tummy may help the process go more smoothly.
You can use the same method when introducing solids to formula-fed infants, giving formula first, then solids, and ending with more formula.
Enlist help
Your baby may be more accepting of solid foods if another caregiver (e.g., the baby’s father, a grandparent, an older sibling) is willing to spoon-feed the baby or if the solids can be offered as finger foods that the baby can pick up by herself. Begin by breastfeeding your baby for several minutes. Next, hand her off to your partner for some solids. Then wrap up the feeding with another breastfeeding session.
A contrasting view calls for giving your baby solids first “or else she won’t eat anything," but remember, the first solid food feedings for most babies are about the experience rather than the nutrition. During their first year, babies typically get the bulk of their nutrition from breast milk (or formula). Compared to breast milk, solid foods are typically low-calorie and low-nutrition. Plus, even those babies who are eager to start solid foods take in only small amounts—a tablespoon or two several times a day.
Be patient
Don’t worry if it takes a while for your baby to accept solids. For most babies, this is a slow process. However, if acceptance is going slower than you expected, you may want to reassess your baby’s readiness.
Keep the experience positive. Give your baby one or two small pieces of soft table foods (click here for a list of age-appropriate finger foods) as soon as she seems interested and able to handle them. Expect that she might spend more time feeling the foods and exploring the textures and less time putting the foods in her mouth.
As baby grows...
Once your baby is consistently eating three meals a day plus snacks, you might consider breastfeeding apart from mealtimes and snack times. Many mothers continue to breastfeed their growing babies "on demand" (following baby's cues for when to feed), but as your child takes in more solid foods, she is likely to breastfeed less often.
A natural step is to eliminate breastfeeding at mealtime. As your child’s appetite for solid food grows, you may find that breastfeeding your child first thing in the morning, before naptime, and before bedtime, will satisfy your child’s breast milk needs. (Starting solids is just one step in the process of weaning.) If you and/or your child would rather continue breastfeeding at mealtimes, simply continue to breastfeed "on demand" and keep offering a wide variety of solid foods. Remember, weaning is a process not a moment."
Remember that every child is different. Your child’s needs will change over time—perhaps even from day-to-day. Some children consume a steady diet of solid foods and breast milk, but revert back to exclusive breastfeeding when sick. (Many mothers have been relieved, in such instances, to know their babies are staying hydrated and getting the nutrients they need.) The goal here—as in so many aspects of parenting—is to recognize your child’s changing needs and strive to meet those needs in a way that keeps your child happy and healthy.
Click here for additional guidance on starting solids.
