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How to transition infants from milk to solid foods
Every new phase of a baby’s life comes with a real mix of emotions. It’s exciting! It’s stressful! It’s joyful! It’s messy! The weaning stage is all of that and more. Before you feel too overwhelmed, take it from us: there’s no such thing as perfect weaning and every kid is one of a kind. Our No. 1 tip for parents and caregivers is to give yourself and your kiddo some grace with the process. Practice, learn, fail, laugh, repeat.
When to start weaning
At or after 6 months is a good time to introduce solid foods along with breastmilk or formula, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. For the child’s safety, they need to be able to sit up in a chair with good head and neck control. A highchair with good footrest positioning helps the child maintain good posture for safe eating.
Start with 1 meal a day. Start by feeding your kid 1 solid food during at least 1 meal per day. If you want them to sit with the family for additional meals, they can play with food without needing to eat it.
Introduce 1 new food every 1-2 days*. Start with 1 food, sweet potatoes for example. The next day, you can give them sweet potatoes and green beans. Do not introduce more than 1 new food per day.
*With high allergen foods like peanuts, eggs, wheat, dairy, soy, fish, sesame, tree nuts and shellfish, give it 3-4 days in between foods to notice any allergic reactions. Call your child’s doctor if there is any reaction.
Introduce combination foods over time. After a month or so, you can start serving more mixed foods. For example, if you have fed your child tomatoes and fed them pasta on separate occasions, you can try giving them pasta with tomato sauce. Keep in mind it is easier to do with homemade foods than restaurant food, since you know what is in it. Wait to eat out with your baby until you’ve tested high allergen foods.
Notice how they react to milk feedings over time. Many babies will start to lose interest in some bottle or breast feedings as they are getting more nutrition through solid foods. If they are still interested, keep feeding them milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends supplemental bottle or breast feeding up to 2 years of age.
By age 1, you should aim to feed them 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day.
What is baby-led weaning vs. traditional weaning
Baby-led weaning is offering your baby various foods in the same form the rest of the family is eating , cut to a size that baby can either grasp and gnaw or chew and swallow safely. Foods are introduced in no particular order. Baby is also encouraged to feed themselves using their hands and utensils as desired. Baby-led weaning has been shown to improve oral motor skills, coordination and self-regulation.
Traditional weaning is starting your baby on liquified foods, sometimes mixed with breast milk or formula. Then, foods are gradually introduced with thicker textures and chunks. Baby eats with or is fed with a spoon. Fortified cereals are introduced to give your baby iron. Traditional weaning helps introduce smoother textures and fortified cereals get iron into their diet more easily.
You can choose one method or a combination. Every child is unique so do what works and don’t worry about the rest.
What foods to feed your baby
The majority of your baby’s nutrition still comes from breast milk or formula, so don’t worry too much about nutrition. Variety ensures balance in your baby’s diet.
Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, meats and more are good foods to introduce to your baby. Processed foods get a bad rap, but they do not need to be off the table entirely. A good guideline is to introduce as many whole foods as possible in the beginning to give your child exposure to texture and variation. Then, it is OK to introduce processed foods like cereals or snacks that are fortified with vitamins and minerals. Limit added sugars when possible. You don’t need to be scared of processed foods – balance is key.
Be allergen safe. With high allergen foods like peanuts, eggs, wheat, dairy, soy, fish, sesame, tree nuts and shellfish, introduce them 1 at a time and wait 3-4 days to notice any allergic reactions. Call your child’s doctor if there is any reaction.
Iron-fortified foods such as cereals or crackers can be added as needed. Your child can also eat or gnaw on naturally iron-rich foods.
Safe sizes. Use resources like Solid Starts for guidelines on how to serve foods for safe swallowing based on your baby’s age. Foods like peanuts and tree nuts should wait as they have a higher choking hazard.
Safe temperature. As long as foods are a safe temperature for any child, your baby can eat them. Cold foods help with teething discomfort.
Seasoning is fine, but your baby should first taste foods in their original, unseasoned, unsweetened state.
Introduce foods multiple times in multiple forms. Your child may not enjoy a new food until it becomes more familiar over time. It can take 6-7 exposures to a food before a child is open to eating it. Stay patient and determined.
Give them practice drinking from a cup. Along with eating, mealtime is a great chance to give your baby practice drinking water from an open cup.
Embrace the mess
The feeding process is full of learning and learning is messy! The best thing to do is accept the mess and know it is benefiting your baby in the long run.
Playing with food (including throwing things) is normal. It helps your child get used to the textures and smells of food, makes them more comfortable trying new foods and improves their motor skills.
Drool happens. Invest in some good bibs and be ready to do extra laundry. Often, the weaning stage is also the teething stage and that comes with drool.
Stool changes. As solid foods are introduced, you may notice different colors, textures and sizes of stool in your baby’s diapers. These changes are perfectly normal but if you have concerns, reach out to your baby’s doctor.
Helpful resources
Talk with your child’s doctor and access more expert help online, starting with these handouts and websites: