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Dr Helen Crawley, Public Health Nutritionist
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Dr Helen Crawley is a Director who manages and co-ordinates First Steps Nutrition. She is a dietitian and public health nutritionist with over 30 years experience in public health nutrition across the lifespan.
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Introducing solids

Introducing solid food

Your baby will get most of their calories from their milk when you first offer your baby solid food at about 6 months of age. You can offer your baby their first tastes of food at a meal time, some babies may reject food at first but others may eat well from the start.
Video Tutorial
In Short
You can offer your baby their first tastes of food at a meal time, some babies may reject food at first but others may eat well from the start.

Offer a milk feed after they have eaten, or if they seem distressed, be responsive to your baby.

Our video is presented by Melissa Little, Paediatric Dietitian

Your baby may not want to eat much at first as they get used to the idea of handling food in the mouth and swallowing it, so after the solid food offer milk feeds too. As the number of meals increases, your baby will decrease the amount of milk they drink.

  • Milk is still an important part of your baby’s diet in the first year of life, but from 10 months onwards most babies will start getting more energy and nutrients from food than milk and will three meals a day. From 1 year of age, we recommend that toddlers also have nutritious snacks between meals to provide additional energy and nutrients as they enter a period of rapid growth and greater movement,

From 6 months babies can be offered drinks of expressed breastmilk, infant formula or water in an open cup or beaker. Small amounts of water in a baby size open cup can help a baby learn how to hold a cup and sip fluids.

As your baby gets better at eating solids offer these more regularly.

At seven to nine months your baby will probably manage three savoury meals a day with finger foods. By 10 to 12 months a baby will have more of their energy and nutrients from food than milk, and if your baby is still responsively fed, will adjust their milk intake over time. Remember, that breastfeeds are not just for food but offer comfort and nurture as well, so babies may not feed less frequently.

It is recommended that you continue breastfeeding for the first year and for as long after that as you and your baby wish. If you are giving your baby infant formula, you can switch to giving them full fat cow’s milk after 12 months.

Breakfast

Babies can have a range of nutritious foods at meals and you don’t have to stick to foods that are traditional ‘breakfast foods’. Low salt and sugar cereals, porridge, plain yogurt, and egg-based meals can be offered with fruit and vegetable finger foods.

DISCLAIMER
This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Essential Parent has used all reasonable care in compiling the information from leading experts and institutions but makes no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details click here.