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Introduction to Solids
Age (months) |
Readiness Signals |
Recommended Foods |
Suggested Portion Size |
Motherly Advice |
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0-4 months |
1Extrusion reflex 2Rooting reflex Sucking reflex Swallowing reflex |
3Human Milk (breast milk) Iron fortified infant formula |
Infant should feed on demand 48-12 feedings per day to supply 18-32 ounces (oz.) daily Newborns usually drink 2-3 ounces per pound of body weight Timing for breastfeeding varies with each infant. Newborns often need to nurse on each breast. Before transitioning to single breastfeeding speak with a lactation consultant. A general guideline is 10-15 minutes on each breast. |
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4-6 months |
- Birth weight has doubled - Can sit with support - Good head control - Ready for highchair - Swallows better - Drools less - Increased hunger - Can close mouth around age appropriate soft spoon - Disappearance of extrusion reflex - Able to grasp objects voluntarily - Learning to reach mouth with hands Can move food from front to back of mouth |
Human milk or formula Formula Fed Infants: 5Iron fortified infant rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula. Breast Fed Infants: Introduce pureed meats first as this will provide the additional amounts of zinc and iron that your baby needs. |
44-6 oz. breastmilk or formula per feeding to provide 27-45 oz. per day 1-4 tablespoons (tbsp.) dry cereal mixed with breast milk or formula twice per day. |
Texture should be runny. Feed with a soft baby spoon. Do not mix baby cereal with fruit juice. No honey for the entire first year. |
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6-8 months |
- Able to clear the spoon with upper lip - Sits independently - Independently picks up and holds objects in hand |
Human milk or formula Iron-fortified infant cereal Strained, pureed, or mashed soft fruit (no skin) Srained, pureed, mashed soft vegetables (no skin) Strained, pureed meat |
24-32 oz. per day 62-3 servings per day (1-2 tablespoons (tbsp.) counts as one serving) 2 tbsp. of vegetables and/or fruit twice daily 1-3 tbsp. meat or other protein source (ex. Tofu, egg) once daily |
Allow no less than 3 days in between introducing a new food. Begin with single grain cereals and advance to mixed grain as tolerated and accepted. Avoid meat & vegetable combination meals. Breast Fed Infants: Formula Fed Infants: Introduce infant cereals first (rice, oatmeal). Pureed fruits & vegetables second, followed by pureed meats, egg. Introduce pureed meats and egg first. Infant cereals (rice, oatmeal) second, followed by pureed fruits & vegetables. |
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8-10 months |
- Demonstrates the 7pincer grasp - Holds bottle without help - Holds spoon with or without help - May drink from a sippy cup with help - Beginning to use jaw to mash food - Begins to finger feed |
Human milk or formula Infant cereal Meat Soft, cooked skin-free vegetables Soft, skin free fruits |
24-32 oz. per day ¼ - ½ cup per day ¼ cup meat per day ¼ - ½ cup vegetables per day ¼ - ½ cup fruit per day |
Foods to offer your child: -24 Well-cooked pasta -25 Soft cheese -26 Pea sized pieces of bread or pancake -27 Cheerios -28 Whole milk based yogurt -29 Cottage cheese |
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10-12 months |
- Picks up food and feeds self - Drinks from sippy cup - Begins to use spoon and fork |
- Human milk or infant formula; Whole milk at 12 months - Yogurt, cheese - Whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, brown rice - Meat, fish, eggs, tofu, re-fried beans - Soft, skin free fruits & vegetables |
18-24 oz. per day Offer whole grains 2-3 times per day. ½ oz.–1 oz. protein source twice daily ¼ c – ½ c fruits & vegetables twice daily |
Serve no more than 24 ounces of milk per day at 12 months of age. This will promote an increase in the amount of food your baby eats. Too much milk and too little food can lead to iron deficiency anemia. |
1The extrusion reflex is also referred to as the "tongue thrust". The infant’s tongue automatically pushes forward and outside of the mouth when her lips are touched. This reflex helps the infant feed from the breast or the bottle, but inhibits spoon feeding.
2The rooting reflex is also referred to as the "search reflex". This reflex occurs when the infant’s cheek is stroked, causing the infant to turn to the side touched, open her mouth, and seek nourishment via sucking.
3The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for a minimum of 4 months but preferably the first 6 months of life.
4Suggested feedings per day & total volume (ounces/day) are estimated intake amounts. Please listen & follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues.
5The DRI for iron for full term infants between the ages of 0 and 6 months is 0.27 mg per day or approximately 1 mg/kg/day. Exclusively breast fed infants are at risk for developing iron deficiency anemia by 6 months of age. An average of 2 servings (1/2 oz. or 15 grams of dry infant cereal per serving) is needed to meet this daily iron requirement.
6One serving size is equivalent to 1-2 tablespoons.
7Pincer Grasp: Uses thumb and index finger to pick up objects.
Jennifer Autodore, RD, LDN is a Registered Dietitian who specializes in Pediatric Nutrition at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Mary Barbour, MS, MA, RD is a Registered Dietitian and co-wrote this as an internship project.
