Introducing Solid Foods: When and How to Start

The NHS says introducing a baby to solid foods - sometimes called complementary feeding or weaning - should start when the baby is around 6 months old. ¹ The CDC agrees a child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months of age, ² and adds an important line either way: it says introducing solid foods before 4 months of age is not recommended. ² Below is what recognised health bodies say about the timing, the readiness signs, and how to begin, quoted and linked.

Key takeaways

• The NHS and CDC both put the starting point at around 6 months of age. ^{1 2}
• The CDC says introducing solid foods before 4 months of age is not recommended. ²
• The American Academy of Pediatrics says a baby should have good head control and be able to sit in a seat before starting solids. ³
• The AAP says first foods should include iron and zinc, such as baby food made with meat or iron-fortified cereals. ³

**A quick, honest note:** we're not medical professionals - everything here was researched by us from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page, and it isn't professional advice. Read our full note ↓

When should I start introducing solid foods?

The NHS says introducing a baby to solid foods should start when the baby is around 6 months old, ¹ and the CDC says a child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months of age. ² The NHS adds that for a baby born prematurely, parents should ask their health visitor or GP for advice on when to start. ¹ The American Academy of Pediatrics frames the run-up to it, recommending providing a baby only breast milk for approximately the first 6 months after birth. ³ The AAP adds that after that, it supports continued breastfeeding along with the introduction of foods. ³

The CDC says introducing solid foods before 4 months of age is not recommended. ²

What are the signs a baby is ready?

The American Academy of Pediatrics ties readiness to physical control: it says a baby should be able to sit in a high chair, a feeding seat, or an infant seat with good head control before starting solids. ³

How do I start?

The CDC describes the texture to begin with: at first it is easier for a baby to eat mashed, pureed or strained foods that are very smooth. ² The CDC ties texture to choking prevention, saying to prepare foods that easily dissolve with saliva and do not require chewing, to feed small portions, to encourage the baby to eat slowly, and to always watch the child while they are eating. ² It also describes a careful way to introduce them - offering one single-ingredient food at a time at first, to help you see if the baby has any problems such as food allergies, and waiting 3 to 5 days between each new food. ²

On which foods, the American Academy of Pediatrics says first solid foods should include foods that provide iron and zinc, such as baby food made with meat or iron-fortified cereals. ³ And the NHS keeps early expectations realistic: it says that at the beginning of weaning, how much the baby eats matters less than getting them used to eating, and that they still get most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or first infant formula. ¹

Frequently asked questions

When can a baby start solids?

The NHS and CDC put it at around 6 months of age. ^{1 2}

Can I start before 6 months?

The CDC says introducing solid foods before 4 months of age is not recommended. ²

What texture should first foods be?

The CDC says mashed, pureed or strained foods that are very smooth. ²

What first foods are recommended?

The AAP says foods that provide iron and zinc, such as meat-based baby food or iron-fortified cereals. ³

A note from us

We're the team behind Yael & Michal. We are not doctors, nurses, lactation consultants, or psychologists, and nothing here is professional advice.

Everything above was researched by us from public, reputable sources - we name and link every one of them below - and summarized as carefully as we could, as a free resource for other mothers. We do this because we wished something like it had existed for us.

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Sources

1. NHS (National Health Service, UK). https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ (retrieved 2026-07-10).
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://www.cdc.gov/infant-toddler-nutrition/foods-and-drinks/when-what-and-how-to-introduce-solid-foods.html (retrieved 2026-07-10).
3. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/starting-solid-foods.aspx (retrieved 2026-07-10).