First Foods: When your baby shows signs they are ready for solids.
Consistency: Warm puree
Amount: 1–2 teaspoons working up to about 1/4 cup
Breast feeds: About 5 per day
Timing: After breastfeeds
Frequency: Starting once a day when baby is happy and settled.
Types of food: Iron-enriched infant cereals, pureed meat, fish, and poultry. Fruits, vegetables, and dairy can then also be introduced. Other than introducing iron-rich foods first, the order in which you introduce solids, and the time frame between offering new foods doesn’t really matter. Introducing single foods at first and monitoring for any intolerance or adverse reactions may help.
You can alternate between the five food groups and ensure you’re offering foods with high nutrient density.
Note – All babies develop differently, ask your health care professional for tailored advice on when the right time to introduce solid foods is to your baby. Always seek individualised advice when you have a family history of allergy, intolerance, coeliac disease, or your baby is suspected to have feeding delays (such as tongue tie or physical or mental disabilities).
