Starting your baby on solids or ‘complementary’ foods is an exciting milestone. However it can also be daunting if it is your first time f
eeding a baby. Guidance can often be found at individual appointments or group sessions offered by Well Child Tamariki Ora providers such as Plunket, and member organisations such as Parents’ Centre.
All babies should continue milk feeds throughout the first year of life, whether it is breastmilk, formula, or a combination of both. The World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding continues to age two and beyond. See link below for further information. For most formula-fed babies, full-fat cow’s milk can replace formula from one year of age.
Many babies are ready to start solids at around six months of age, but all babies are different. Some may show signs of readiness to start solids earlier, and some later. For several reasons, the New Zealand Ministry of Health advises against starting solids any earlier than four months of age. Signs of readiness to start solids include:
- Being able to hold their head up and sit upright with support
- Being interested in food their caregivers are eating, and perhaps reaching for it
- Opening their mouth when food is offered
- Being able to retain food in their mouth without pushing it out (this is the disappearance of the extrusion reflex)
At around six months of age, the iron that was transferred to your baby during trimester three of pregnancy is running low. In order to meet their needs, your baby requires iron-rich foods in addition to the iron contained in breastmilk or formula.
Starting solids using traditional spoon feeding or baby-led weaning
There are two main options for starting solids – spoon feeding and baby-led weaning.
Spoon feeding
The traditional approach is feeding puree foods from a spoon, referred to as ‘spoon-feeding’. Traditional first foods may be puree vegetables, puree fruits, iron-fortified baby rice cereal, and puree meats or alternatives. The starting texture is runny and smooth. This texture can be achieved using a blender or pushing cooked food through a sieve. Gradually increase texture over time, so that food becomes thicker and lumpier. At 7-8 months of age, also offer soft ‘finger-foods’ such as softly cooked whole sticks of fruits and vegetables or baby rusks and crackers or toast. This develops self-feeding skills and continues the progression of biting and chewing. Using this approach, by 12-18 months, babies are typically consuming the majority of appropriate family meals. This includes softly cooked and chopped meats or alternatives.
Baby-led weaning
Baby-led weaning refers to offering softly cooked whole foods on your baby’s plate or tray, for them to explore and self-feed as they wish. Babies are not developmentally ready for this approach before six months of age. Traditional spoon feeding with puree foods is recommended if signs of readiness occur earlier. When your baby is ready for the baby-led approach, typical foods to offer include softly cooked pieces of fruits, vegetables, meats, toast fingers, and legumes. Any baby feeding method and occasion carries an inherent risk of choking, therefore caregiver supervision of all eating is essential. A mesh feeder can be used to introduce your baby to foods with complex textures, but are not recommended for long-term use.
Often vegetables and fruits feature heavily in the baby-led approach. These do not contain significant iron, and there is a risk of inadequate dietary iron and energy intake. Ensure your baby is also offered soft meat, fish, chicken or legumes each day.
You may opt for one or other of the weaning approaches, or instead choose a combined approach using both spoon-feeding and baby-led weaning. This can safeguard your baby’s intake of iron and other important nutrients. Providing your baby with some spoon-fed food before soft whole foods can give reassurance that some food is being consumed, instead of possibly only being mouthed or dropped on the floor.
Further reading
This is the first of my articles on weaning, you may wish to carry on to the second: https://littlepeopleeat.co.nz/?p=711
For further information on WHO recommendations for breastfeeding, open this link: https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_2
This article was written by NZ Registered Paediatric Dietitian, Fiona Hall. It is intended to complement but not replace information from a medical professional who knows your child. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s health, please consult their medical professional.