SiGns ThaT YouR BaBy Is ReaDy fOR SoLiDs

curiosity about what you’re eating

• begin eyeing your plate of food
• reach for a spoonful of food as it travels from the plate to your mouth
• point to your food and ask for it while drooling away
• bottle-fed baby may stop midway and point to your food instead

growing appetite

• seems more hungry than before
• wake more frequently for feeding at night
• begin to eat non-stop (cluster feed) as he/she once did as a newborn

tongue reflex

• losing the extrusion reflex which is “designed” to prevent your baby from swallowing any foreign matter which he/she may be choked upon and in this case, solid food which his/her body is not ready to accept
• to keep solid food in his/her mouth and then swallow it, your baby needs to stop using his/her tongue to push food out of his mouth

physically

• able to sit upright when supported
• also able to keep his/her head in a steady position to swallow well

WheN To StaRT IntRoDucing SoLiDs

breast milk or formula serves as babies’ main source of nourishment for the first 6 months of their lives. after the initial 6 months, parents may start to introduce solids to complement feedings.

however, this 6 months’ mark serves only as a general guideline as different babies may vary in their readiness for solid food. look for signs in your baby for indication... yes, babies are more complicated than you think! but how can you tell?  fret not, your baby will tell you.