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What is a good age to start introducing initial tastes of solids foods to baby? How many months old do you think would be too early?

Which food solids did you start your baby off with? Any tips about introducing them?


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  • I started mine at 4 months too, mashed up pureed fruits and vegies and rice cereal.


  • The age has changed between all three of my children, very confusing. I started them at 6 months with home made pumpkin
    , sweet potato, apples and pears. All steamed.


  • i started rice cereal at 4 months… hes doing good


  • I started with veggies as they don’t seem to take to fruit easily.

    Biggest tip is not to stress about it. Some days they want to give it a try and other days not interested. Sometimes they hate a good at first and then they love it. Just go with the flow.


  • i started mine on solids from about 4 months old. not a lot, just a few mashed up veges or fruit


  • We have 4 kids. I waited until my babies were 5 1/2 – 6 months old, showing increased interest when we eat, and lose the tongue-thrust reflex. I started them on Farex cereal, then on puree veges. I introduced one new food per week to watch for allergies. If they didn’t like one type, I offered it again down the track. Your child health nurse should have some good advice too about how much, how often. I avoided honey and egg for the first 12 months, made custard from breast milk (no sugar), and enjoyed watching my little ones join our family meals. My favourite recipe book was actually a free one put out by Heinz Baby (have since passed it on to a friend).


  • I think it’s important to introduce solids to your baby when they are ready & start to show interest. My boy started at 3 1/2 months as milk was just not satisfying him & he started to wake due to hunger. I started with farex & mixed through some puréed pear so it didn’t block him up. I then moved to puréed veggies- potato, pumpkin & carrot. Giving one at a time for two days in a row to see if he reacted to them. I also started with a couple of teaspoons only, but he quickly moved into larger amounts as he is a hungry boy!! Hope that helps. Happy cooking :)


  • I introduced solids to my daughter at 5 months, she was 2 months prem so was quite far behind developmentally then. As a result I started out with a very thin unsweetened custard. If you are breastfeeding you can express some of your own milk (I always kept expressed milk in the freezer) you can make a custard by whisking egg yolk over a double boiler while adding the milk in a thin stream then take it off the heat and continue to whisk as it cools and thickens slightly.

    If you can’t or chose not to breast feed, you can also make it with formula, just add a little more water when you make it up initially. When you feed baby for the first time watch baby in case they have an egg allergy. If you are concerned or want to play it safe you can make the custard with arrowroot powder but you will have to bring it to the boil then allow it to cool. Continue to whisk as it cools to avoid lumps forming that my make baby choke and gag.

    I am not a fan of feeding babies sweetened foods and letting them get a taste for sugar but my opinions are my own so if you want to sweeten the custard, you can use a few drops of honey or rice malt syrup. If you taste it just remember that baby’s taste buds are far more sensitive than yours so don’t add anymore if it’s not sweet enough for your taste.


  • Every baby is different. They are ready when they show interest in your food, they have the tongue thrust & are wanting milk more often. Many years ago they said definitely start at 4 months, then they changed it to try to wait until 6 months because their stomachs are more developed. However, if your baby is extra hungry you need to start before 6 months. My boys all started around 4 months where\’s my girls started closer to 6 months because they weren\’t wanting any extra. Start with baby rice cereal & soft veggies, then fruit later.


  • I would only do it when it looks like they are ready. There is no point pushing them into it, wait till they watch your food. I started off with mashed veges


  • You need to look for readiness signs – interested in food you’re eating, able to hold head up and steady, lost the tongue-thrust etc. The recommendation is not to start before 4 months and I think most babies wouldn’t be ready before this time. I held my second off until 5 months but she was very interested in food before then (I think watching her older sibling eat she just wanted to do the same). I started with avocado and moved on to greek yoghurt, and other veggies. I tried leaving fruit for a while so she didn’t get too used to the sweet taste only. It’s a fun time, good luck!


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