I believe the advice is to start on solids any time from four to six months of age.

Did you get the blue book from the hospital to take to the baby clinic when you are released ? it has everything in it and has a full record of all your child details. Sadly I lost my second childs one and never found it /

I waited until my bub was 4 months

6 Months

We always waited until at least 6 mths. We felt that there were some signs we wanted to see before we gave solids including:
– bub has good head and neck control and can sit upright when supported
– bub shows an interest in food – for example, looking at what’s on your plate
reaches out for your food
– bub opens her mouth when you offer her food on a spoon
– bub can use her tongue appropriately, has a chewing motion and can swallow the food.
These signs happen at different times for different babies, but most babies will show signs by around six months.

I think most cereals are for 4+months. But I suppose it is up to you if you think she is ready.

The information out there is so damn confusing. One minute you’re told to wait til 6mths & now the thinking has change back to 4mths to help reduce the incidence of food intolerances & allergies. Your baby’s nutritional needs change at around 6mths. Also bub needs to be able to hold his head up and sit with support,is able to control his tongue, is interested in what others eat (looking, reaching and grabbing for food)
seems hungry even after a full breastfeed or bottle.

there are some good comments here

dpends, maybe wait till shes tried other smooth food first

It really depends on when you baby is ready for it. Some babies are just hungry babies and seem to do well with starting solids earlier. It is now advised that you should not feed them anything other than great milk or formula until 6 months of age but I stared our girl on solids at 3 months and she’s been fine. She’s now 5 and a half months and no allergies

this really comes down to what works with one baby may not work for another. They do recommend to wait to at least four month before introducing solids, but at the end of the day you do what works for you and your baby. If you are finding bubs is not as “full” as he used to be then that is a good sign that its time to introduce some solids such as rice cereal.

We started solids with our now 3yo son when he was 4 months old, on the advice of our paediatrician. I wanted to start him at around 6 months, but our doctor encouraged us to start at 4 months, mainly because our son had good muscle tone, was able to hold his head up quite well, and sit very well for a 4 month old. And he took to the cereal without any problems.

I would consult with a professional first, if you have any doubts. 3 months might still be a bit young, but if the professionals (GP, paediatrician, early childhood nurse, etc) say it’s OK, then go for it.

Good luck!

there are some excellent answers here, read the farex box it will suggest at what age to commence. If your bub is not ready, try again in a few weeks, every baby is different.

my son tried farex when he was 4 months old but he hated it, I then tried pureed apple and he loved it maybe ask your maternal health child nurse though

this is a very individual question as each and every baby has different needs as well as cultural upbringing.
I would say check with your health professional, but if your child is on maximum level of formula or not enough breast milk then it would be an indication the child is ready to start.
I had one child the dr’s had to give clearance because of the system and the push for no food before 6 months – it was a dreadful time back then, but my child was 4 months and screaming hungry. My recommendation is a fed baby is a happy baby, a happy baby, makes a happy mummy, and a happy mummy makes a happy home.

Whilst rice cereals have no nutritional benefit what it does do is helps to prepare the digestive track for food. So whilst many knock this, it does have advantages for the system, then it is even more exciting for the child when you introduce pureed foods to start.
Again strongly suggest check with your health practitioner and follow your mum’s instinct it’s always right

I would say normally about 4 months but maybe a little farex or mashed pumpkin or pear would be ok,

What is ‘best’ is what works for you and your child. If they are ‘needing’ to be fed more frequently and not settling after a feed, then maybe it is time to try some very ‘watery’ solids. Just take it slowly and see how it goes.

your baby will let you know when he/she is ready – generally when their bottles are not enough to keep them satisfied between feeds or when they start to show an interest in what you are eating…try to make your own pureed veges/steamed fruits as you are able to control the ingredients….my first child i started on saolids at 6 weeks of age as he was a reflux baby and could not tolerate any kind of formulas – started him on milk arrowroot biscuits with hot water and a milk substitute, then moved on to pureed veges as he became older ( he is now 22 years old – no allergies etc), second bub was 4 months old, started on pureed veges and fruits – now 15 now allergies, when my third and fourth babies were born the whole thing had changed to not starting them on solids until they were 6 months old but both began at about 3-4 months…..just be careful and only introduce one vegetable at a time – i usually started with pumpkin or zucchini as they are very watery – then added new veges every week or so to eliminate any intolerances.

At 6 months my bub still didn’t show interest in solids. I would give her some breastmilk using a spoon so she gets familiarized with. At about the end of her 6 months she started eating solids all of a sudden and lots of them too…

Start when you feel your bub is ready. Both of my babies started by 4 months and this was suggested by a tresillian nurse