Is my baby ready?

Introducing your baby to solid foods starts when your baby is around 6 months old. Your baby should be introduced to a varied diet, alongside their usual breast milk or first infant formula. Waiting until around 6 months gives your baby time to develop so they can cope fully with solid foods.

Signs your baby is ready for solid foods

There are 3 clear signs, which, when they appear together from around 6 months of age, show your baby is ready for their first solid foods.

The following behaviours can be mistaken as signs that your baby is ready for solid foods:

• chewing their fists
• waking up in the night (more than usual)
• wanting extra milk feeds

These are all normal behaviours for babies and not necessarily a sign that they're hungry or ready to start solid food. If you start your baby on solid foods too early, they may not take as much breast or formula milk, which is needed for growth and development.

Starting solids for premature babies

Every baby is an individual and will be ready at different stages, especially if they were born early. The video below explains some important signs to look out for. If your baby was born prematurely, ask your health visitor or GP for further advice on when to start weaning.

Further information

For more information about whether your baby is ready to start solid food, visit Start4Life