How to Feed a Baby Solids

Keeping up with your baby's milestones can be a challenge. Babies are generally ready to begin eating solid foods around 6 months of age. Your baby will progress from mashed and pureed foods to cut-up table foods and finger foods within a short time. With practice, he may be ready to play a role in his own feeding after only a few months.

Things You'll Need

  • Infant feeding utensils
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Steamer or microwave

Instructions

    • 1

      Assess your baby's developmental and feeding skill. Signs he is ready include the ability to hold his head steady, ability to sit up with help, puts everything in his mouth, closes lips around his spoon and swallows spoon content rather than pushing it back out with his tongue.

    • 2

      Discuss any concerns, allergies or developmental needs with your pediatrician before introducing solid foods to your baby. Your pediatrician can also help you determine whether she is ready for solids.

    • 3

      Prepare foods appropriately for your baby's skill level -- he will quickly make progress, and your food preparation changes accordingly. Begin with mashed foods and progress to finger foods. The first food should be a high-iron food such as iron-fortified cereal. At 6 months old, your baby might also be ready for strained or home-pureed foods such as vegetables, fruits and meats. Commercial baby foods exist with varying consistencies; start with the beginner foods and progress through the labeled stages.

    • 4

      Graduate to mashed foods such as mashed softened vegetables, mashed soft fruits, mashed noodles or rice and mashed beans at 7 or 8 months old. Soften foods in a steamer or the microwave. When baby handles mashed foods well, you can feed her chopped soft veggies and fruits, tofu and egg yolks. For example, baby can eat chopped cooked noodles and diced tofu with chopped cooked broccoli for dinner. As your baby nears 1 year of age, she can eat almost anything as long as it is bite-sized and easy to chew.

    • 5

      Seat your baby in a highchair or on your lap, put some food on a spoon and hold it to his mouth. Allow him to finish each bite before feeding him more. Supervise every feeding. When your baby is learning, sit directly in front of him and allow him to tell you with body language or sounds when he is ready for more food in his mouth.

    • 6

      Feed your baby until she shows signs she is full. Watch for reactions to all new foods you introduce. If your baby refuses to eat a new food, try the food again another time. She may like something later she previously didn't want to eat, or she could develop a taste for it if you continue to give her small samples.

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