When to get started
As your baby develops, so do their nutritional needs, and there comes a stage when milk feeding just isn't enough to satisfy their growing appetite! You may begin to notice signs such as:
- Your baby waking hungry in the night
- Your baby starts to get irritable between milk feeds
- They can hold their head up with confidence
- They may start to do a chewing motion in their mouth or have a few teeth
Complementary feeding is a big change for your baby and they've got a lot to learn! It's important to wait until you've noticed the signs that they're ready for introducing solids.
There has been a lot of debate around the optimal age to introduce solids. Current recommendations in New Zealand suggest that complementary foods should be introduced at around six months old. While all children are different, keep in mind that introducing complementary foods earlier then four months old is not recommended because your baby's digestive system is still developing and is not yet able to properly cope with solids. If in doubt you can talk to your health care professional about your baby and when they are ready.
If you are concerned they seem to have a bigger appetite than usual, try our suggestions for what to do when your baby is still hungry after a milk feed. They may just be going through a growth spurt! But always remember to speak to your health care professional if you are unsure.
Nutrition
No single solid foods can give your baby all the nutrients they need. Once they've started you can gradually begin to give them more variety to make sure they get a good balance of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals that will help them grow up healthy and happy!
How to get started
Offer complementary foods after breast milk or infant formula.
To begin with, try your baby with a teaspoonful or two to ease them in gently. Then build this up gradually to around half a cup before moving to two or three solid meals a day. It's a good idea not to try and introduce food to your baby when they are too hungry - as it could be a frustrating experience.
Iron fortified infant cereal such as baby rice is a great first food because you can make it with their usual milk (breast milk or Infant formula) so it has a familiar taste. This makes the transition easier and your baby will be more accepting of the unfamiliar feeling of having food other than breast milk in their mouth.
From here, continue with starting them on single ingredients such as vegetables and fruit. It's important to introduce one ingredient at a time. This way if your baby has a strong reaction you can tell what foods your baby may not be able to tolerate.
Try a new food every 3-4 days, remember it can take up to 10 tastes before your baby may like a new food - so don't give up!
After six months it's good to start to introduce well cooked puréed meat and chicken. Meat is an excellent source of iron that plays an important part in your child's development.
Taste
You can introduce your baby to new tastes, such as pumpkin, carrot and other vegetables before moving onto meals. Remember just cook them as you normally would but without any added sugar or salt.
Texture
Purée foods should be a very smooth, with a thin consistency. They are ideal for your baby to learn how to swallow solid foods.
Appropriate Foods
When your baby starts to move onto solids, start with iron-enriched infant cereals, followed by vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry and fish, added gradually. There are no formal guidelines about the order in which these foods should be introduced but the texture needs to be appropriate for your baby's age.
- Fortified infant rice cereal
- Ripe and puréed:
- Apple
- Pear
- Apricot
- Peach
- Banana
- Tropical Fruit e.g. mango, papaya
- Avocado
- Puréed bland
- Kumara or sweet potato
- Potato
- Carrot
- Pumpkin or squash
- Marrow
You can use a small teaspoon to feed your baby, but it's best to choose a soft bite or silicone type of spoon rather than a metal spoon, which can hurt their gums if they bite down on it. No additional salt or sugar needs to be added.
Once your baby has mastered the first foods, it is time to aim at more textured foods and to expand the variety even more! You baby is now ready to proceed to second foods.