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When should my baby start solid foods and what do I give?
Around 6 months, babies can start solid foods alongside breast milk or formula. Here is how to begin.
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What it is
Introducing solid foods is sometimes called complementary feeding or weaning [3]. It means giving your baby foods in addition to milk, at the stage when milk alone no longer meets all their needs [1]. It should start when your baby is around 6 months old [3]. At the beginning, how much your baby eats matters less than getting them used to the idea of eating [3]. They will still get most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or first infant formula [3]. Breast milk or infant formula should stay their main drink during the first year [7]. Do not give whole cows’, goats’ or sheep’s milk as a main drink until they are 1 year old [7]. If your baby was born prematurely, ask your doctor for advice on when to start [3].
What you can do at home
- Look for the 3 clear signs together, from around 6 months: your baby can stay sitting and hold their head steady; can look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth; and can swallow food instead of spitting it out [6].
- Chewing fists, waking more at night, or wanting extra milk feeds are normal behaviours, not signs of readiness [6]. Starting solids will not make your baby sleep through the night [6].
- Sit your baby safely upright in a high chair with a fitted harness, and never leave them unattended on a raised surface [4].
- Start with small amounts, just a few pieces or teaspoons, before a usual milk feed, when your baby is not too tired or too hungry [7].
- Offer finger foods at each meal: pieces about the size of your own finger, long enough to grip with a bit sticking out [10]. Good options include soft cooked vegetables, soft fruit, avocado, cooked starchy foods like potato or pasta, pulses, boneless fish, boiled eggs, boneless meat, and sticks of pasteurised full-fat hard cheese [10].
- Move from puréed food to mashed, lumpy and finger foods as soon as your baby can manage them, to help them learn to chew and swallow [5].
- Keep offering foods your baby rejects. It can take 10 tries or more before a new food or texture is accepted [7][9].
- Do not add sugar or salt, including stock cubes and gravy, to your baby’s food or cooking water [9].
- Introduce a cup from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals. An open cup or free-flow cup without a valve is better for their teeth [4][7].
- Let your baby feed themselves with their fingers as soon as they show interest, and keep distractions like screens away at mealtimes [9].
- Food safety: wash your hands and keep surfaces clean; cool hot food and test it; wash and peel fruit and raw vegetables; remove pips, stones and bones; cut small round foods like grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters [8].
- Avoid hard foods such as whole nuts, or raw carrot or apple, to reduce the risk of choking [8][10].
- Always stay with your baby while they eat [8].
Baby-led weaning means giving only finger foods and letting your baby feed themselves from the start, instead of spoon-feeding purées [2]. Some parents prefer it, others combine both, and there is no right or wrong way [2]. There is no more risk of choking when a baby feeds themselves than when they are fed with a spoon [2].
Gagging is different from choking. Your baby may gag as they learn to manage solid foods [8]. Signs of gagging include watery eyes, pushing the tongue forward, or retching or vomiting to bring food forward [8].
When to see a doctor or go to the emergency department
- If your baby was born prematurely, ask your doctor when to start solid foods [3].
- Always stay with your baby while they eat, in case they start to choke [8].
- Learn what choking looks like and what to do, and how it differs from gagging [8].
- If you are worried about how your baby is eating, or about a food allergy, speak to your doctor.
Common questions
Do I need 3 meals a day at first? No. Babies have tiny tummies, so start with small amounts and build up gradually [7].
What if my baby refuses a food? Keep offering it. It may take 10 tries or more, and it is normal for some days to be better than others [7][9].
Should I stop breastfeeding? No. You can continue breastfeeding for as long as you both want [7].
What equipment helps? A high chair with a harness, soft weaning spoons, a small bowl, a first cup, bibs, and a mat or newspaper under the chair [4].
Can I give my baby whole nuts or raw carrot? No. Avoid hard foods like whole nuts and raw carrot or apple [8][10].
Sources
[1] WHO — “WHO guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age” (2023), section “Glossary”, p. 10, 11 [2] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Baby-led weaning”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [3] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Your baby’s first solid foods When to start introducing solid foods”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [4] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Equipment checklist”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [5] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Texture progression”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [6] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Signs your baby is ready for solid foods”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [7] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Feeding your baby: from around 6 months”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [8] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Safety and hygiene”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [9] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “How to start solid foods”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/ [10] NHS — “Your baby’s first solid foods” (2026), section “Finger foods”, p. 1 — https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/
This guide summarises published paediatric guidelines. It is not medical advice and does not replace your paediatrician. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
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