Starting solid foods is an exciting milestone in your baby’s journey. But with so much advice out there, it can feel overwhelming to know when and how to begin. Here’s what the latest guidance says — and some practical tips to make the transition smoother.

WHO and UNICEF recommend the introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.

In 2018, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) produced a report titled, Feeding in the First Year of Life. SACN recommends:

• Babies are exclusively breastfed for around the first 6 months and to continue breastfeeding for at least the first year of life once solid foods have been introduced.
• A wide variety of solid foods, including iron-containing foods, should be introduced in an age‑appropriate form from around 6 months of age.
• The types of food, flavours and textures offered should become increasingly diverse throughout the complementary feeding period.
• New foods may need to be presented to infants on many occasions before they are accepted, particularly as infants get older.
• Advice on complementary feeding should state that foods containing peanut and hen’s egg can be introduced from around 6 months of age and need not be differentiated from other solid foods.
• The deliberate exclusion of peanut or hen’s egg beyond 6 to 12 months of age may increase the risk of allergy to the same foods.

Infant Feeding Survey 2023

The Infant Feeding Survey took place every 5 years between 1975 and 2010. Full results from the last Infant Feeding Survey (2010) are available to view and download.

There is a new 2023 survey and the purpose of this survey is to understand more about how mothers in England feed their babies in the first year after birth. It will help public services provide the right support to mothers around feeding their babies. The results of the Infant Feeding Survey 2023 will be published soon.

Practical Advice for Parents

Why do we need to introduce solids?

Solid foods are needed to meet babies’ nutritional needs and enable other important milestones.

• Babies are born with nutrient stores. By 6 months, their iron stores begin to run out and food is required to meet their needs. This is why it is important to introduce iron‑rich foods right from the start.
• Introducing a variety of tastes and textures during this time is crucial to establish healthy eating.
• Biting and chewing help to develop the muscles needed for speech.
• Drinking from a beaker is another important skill to learn. It will also help with their speech development and chewing skills.
• Eating together as a family encourages social interaction to help children enjoy food and spending time with others.

Why should parents wait until 6 months?

Waiting until babies are around 6 months old can make introducing solids easier – bowls and spoons don’t need to be sterilised either!

Babies should not be given anything other than breast or formula milk before they are 4 months old (17 weeks). This is because a younger baby’s digestive system, kidneys and immune function are not developed enough to cope with solid food.

Each baby is different and there are three main signs to look out for:

• They can hold their head up and sit well when supported.
• They look at an object, pick it up and bring it up to their mouth by themselves.
• They can swallow food without pushing the food back out with their tongue.

Thank you for reading – this is a topic that I’m very passionate about. If you would like to discuss more about complementary feeding, please get in touch!