Breast milk provides all of the nutrients your baby needs for the first six months of life, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Workgroup on Breastfeeding recommends waiting until your baby is 6 months old to introduce solid foods. Solids can be introduced as early as 4 months according to the AAP Committee on Nutrition, but regardless of age, babies need a digestive system that is mature enough to handle solid foods and the ability to move solids to the back of their mouth and swallow. The best advice for parents is to watch your baby, not the calendar—looking for signs that your baby is ready to begin this transition. You will know your baby is ready for solid foods if she can sit up with little support, hold her head up, put food in her mouth, and swallow without choking.

You can expect your baby’s transition to solid foods to be a slow one. Prepare only a tablespoon-sized portion of whatever food you choose to begin with, knowing that your baby will likely eat only half of that at first. At 6 months of age, babies typically eat about two ounces of solids a day. Always breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby first, and then offer her the solid food. Watch for signs of food allergy such as vomiting, diarrhea, or skin rashes as you begin introducing your baby to solid foods. Introduce only one new food every 3–5 days, and always in the morning, so that you have ample time to detect any allergic reactions or intolerance before moving on to the next food.

Experts disagree about the best first foods for babies, but all agree that they should be rich in iron. Some advocate for iron-fortified cereals, while others suggest starting with protein-rich poultry, beef, or tofu. Still other experts recommend beginning with fruit since it is naturally sweet, while others advise starting with vegetables so babies don’t develop a preference for sweet foods only. There is no right or wrong choice, and your baby will ultimately decide which solid foods she prefers. Click here to learn more about first foods, finger foods, and foods to avoid as you begin introducing your baby to solids.

Editor’s Note—February 27, 2012
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement reaffirming its prior recommendation that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. The prior policy statement issued in February 2005 acknowledged a “difference of opinion among AAP experts on this matter,” with the Committee on Nutrition supporting the introduction of complementary foods between 4 and 6 months and the Section on Breastfeeding recommending 6 months. The current policy statement, however, contains no such variance, a reflection of the evidence showing a greater incidence of lower respiratory tract illness, otitis media, and diarrheal disease in babies exclusively breastfed for 6 months compared to those exclusively breastfed for 4–6 months. The AAP also recommends that breastfeeding continue for at least the first year and beyond as mutually desired by mother and baby. View the revised policy here.