When?

Before your baby begins eating solid food, he or she must show signs of developmental readiness. Your baby must be able to sit up unsupported and have good control of his or her head and neck. Your baby also should show an interest in eating by opening his or her mouth when a spoon is introduced and being able to keep some food in the mouth.

• Most babies are ready to start solids such as iron-fortified infant cereal when they're 6 months old.
• Pureed fruits and vegetables may be offered at 6 to 8 months of age.
• Pureed meats may be introduced at 8 months.

Keep in mind that formula or breastfeeding should remain the main source of nutrition for the first year, when solid food won't provide many nutrients or calories.

How?

Give your baby one new food at a time and wait three to five days before introducing the next new food. Begin with single-ingredient foods, such as iron-fortified infant rice, barley or oatmeal cereals, or pureed or mashed vegetables and fruits. Choose a vegetable first, such as squash, peas or carrots. After your baby is enjoying several different vegetables, you can try fruit.

Watch for possible signs of a food allergy or intolerance like skin rashes, wheezing, diarrhea or vomiting. The foods that most often cause an allergic reaction are cow's milk, citrus fruits and citrus juices, nuts, egg whites, and wheat products. If you have a strong family history of food allergy, you may want to delay introducing your baby to any solid food until 6 months of age. Introduce major food allergens well after your baby's first birthday. For foods likely to cause "life long" sensitization (peanuts, treenuts, fish, shellfish), wait even longer.

Remember that cereal, applesauce and bananas can cause constipation. If your baby becomes constipated, you may want to give him or her an ounce or two of diluted prune juice, or try other fruits, like plums. Also, bananas can cause little black threads to appear in your baby's stool — this is nothing to worry about. The black threads are just the center part of the banana.

Foods with different consistency and texture should be offered as your baby gets older. Offer small portions of a wide variety of foods with different tastes, smells and textures. If your child dislikes the new food, try giving it again later.

Making Baby Food

When your baby is ready for solids, you can prepare your own baby food. It's a good idea to introduce a variety of flavors and foods within the first two years to encourage a more varied diet later in life. Boil and puree apples without the skin, frozen peas or green beans. Mash a banana using a fork. Bake fresh sweet potatoes, yams or potatoes and mash them. Always remove the skin before mashing.

You can put any extra baby food in ice cube trays, enclose them in zip lock bags, and store in the freezer. You can heat as needed at meals.

Safety Notes

• Do not use honey as a sweetener. It can cause infant botulism, a type of food poisoning that can lead to death.
• Avoid foods that may cause choking, such as corn, nuts, raisins, candy, grapes and hot dogs cut in circles.
• Introduce new foods one at a time and watch for signs of a food allergy or intolerance, as described above.
• Avoid foods that may irritate your baby's digestive system, such as spicy and greasy foods as well as pastries.

For more information or to request an appointment with a registered dietitian, please contact the UCSF Nutrition Counseling Center at (415) 353-2291.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated January 20, 2010

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care provider. We encourage you to discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.