How to Start Solids at 6 Months: A Step-by-Step Guide

When to start

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (or formula) for the first 6 months. After this, complementary foods should be introduced alongside continued breastfeeding.

Signs your baby is ready (typically around 6 months):

• Can sit with minimal support and hold their head steady
• Shows interest in food (reaches toward it, opens mouth when they see you eat)
• Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (stops pushing food out with tongue)

Do not start before 4 months: the gut and kidneys are not mature enough.

What to offer first

Start with single-ingredient, soft foods:

• Purées: sweet potato, carrot, pear, apple, pea
• Soft mashed: banana, avocado, cooked lentils
• Baby-led weaning (BLW): soft finger foods sized like an adult finger (cooked broccoli florets, banana chunks, soft pasta)

Either approach is evidence-based. Many families use a combination.

Foods to avoid under 12 months

• Honey: risk of infant botulism
• Cow's milk as a main drink: (small amounts in cooking are fine)
• Salt and added sugar: immature kidneys cannot process excess salt
• Whole nuts and large hard pieces: choking hazard
• Shark, swordfish, marlin: high mercury

Introducing allergens

Current guidelines recommend early introduction of common allergens (peanut, egg, wheat, fish) once your baby has tolerated a few initial foods. Early introduction reduces the risk of allergy developing. Always introduce one new allergen at a time and wait 2–3 days before the next.

If your baby has severe eczema or an existing food allergy, consult your allergist before introducing peanut.

How much to offer

At 6 months, food is about exploration and taste, not calories: milk still provides most nutrition. Start with 1–2 teaspoons once a day. By 8–9 months, aim for 2–3 meals with some snacks. By 12 months, 3 meals plus 2 snacks.

Gagging vs choking

Gagging is normal and protective: it's the baby moving food forward that went too far back. Gagging looks dramatic: coughing, retching, watery eyes. Choking is silent: no sound, blue lips, unable to breathe. Never put your finger in a gagging baby's mouth.

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The Childhood Journal provides general evidence-based information. Always consult your paediatrician for concerns specific to your child.