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The lumpy road to solids

The road to solids can be a lumpy one. This resource is designed to help smooth out some of those lumps along the way.
Birth to 2 months

Developmental stage

Your baby has a natural reflex to suckle on the breast or bottle.

Feeding needs

Breast or formula feeding only

Developmental stage

Your baby is starting to learn when it is time to feed from two months of age.

Feeding needs

Breast or formula feeding only

2 - 6 months
Around 6 months

Developmental stage

You can introduce solids when your baby can hold their head unsupported with good control and are showing signs they are interested in food, for example:

  • Reaching for food

  • Showing excitement about food

  • Watching you eat

  • Opening mouth to accept a spoon

  • Less tongue thrusting

Feeding needs

Smooth, runny puree

For example: Start with 1-2 teaspoons once per day. Let your child lead the way with how much and how often you give solids. Introduce solids when your baby is the most alert, this will be different for each baby but is often after a sleep. Offer breast or formula feeds first, solids can be offered after or in between feeds.

Developmental stage

Your baby will be learning how to…

  • sit for short periods with support

  • do chewing movements

  • move foods from the side of their mouth to the middle with their tongue

  • hold and grip with their hands e.g., holding bottle or finger foods

Feeding needs

Lumpy puree, soft mash or finger foods

The number of meals you give your baby can be slowly increased to 3 meals per day. Let your baby guide you. This will help your baby recognise when they are hungry and when it is time for a meal. Expose your baby to new foods and textures. Offer breast or formula feeds first, solids can be offered after or in between feeds. Include your baby at mealtimes, even if they are not eating, this teaches them about the social aspects of mealtimes.

6 - 7 months
7 - 8 months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • starting to move foods from the middle to the side of the mouth and back again with the tongue

  • more coordinated with their jaw and tongue movements which allows more complex food textures

Feeding needs

Move away from only puree and mashed foods and start to introduce a wider range of finger foods

Offer solids at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and at morning and afternoon tea. Be attentive and let your baby tell you when they have had enough. Offer breast or formula feeds first, solids can be offered after or in between feeds.

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • getting better with feeding themselves with their hands

  • able to move food with their tongue

  • getting better at drinking from an open cup (if they have been exposed to this)

  • getting better at chewing

  • able to pick up smaller pieces of food with their fingers

Feeding needs

Introduce more chewy and harder foods, and smaller finger foods.

When introducing new foods try and make sure your baby is alert and not too tired. This can be different for each child, but is often after sleeping. Offer solid foods before breast or formula milk from this age onwards.

8 - 10 months
10 - 12 months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • able to start to use cutlery

  • licking foods from lips and spilling less foods from the sides of their mouth

  • getting even better at biting and chewing

Feeding needs

Your baby’s feeding skills will continue to develop over many years. Continue to offer a variety of textures and types of foods to make sure your baby is getting the nutrition they need

Encourage your baby to start to use child-sized spoons and forks to feed themselves.

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • getting better with using cutlery

  • getting better with feeding themselves with their hands

  • able to hold foods with one hand

  • getting better at chewing tougher foods

  • eating more easily and faster

  • getting better at closing their mouth when chewing, spilling less food from their mouth

Feeding needs

You can continue to breastfeed for as long as you and your baby would like to, along with providing solid foods.

From 12 months your baby can have cow’s milk, maximum of 1 cup per day. Formula fed baby’s do not need to continue having formula unless it is advised by a health professional. Your baby should transition to using cups and stop using bottles by 12 months.

12+ months
Birth to 2 months

Developmental stage

Your baby has a natural reflex to suckle on the breast or bottle.

Feeding needs

Breast or formula feeding only

2 - 6 months

Developmental stage

Your baby is starting to learn when it is time to feed from two months of age.

Feeding needs

Breast or formula feeding only

Around 6 months

Developmental stage

You can introduce solids when your baby can hold their head unsupported with good control and are showing signs they are interested in food, for example:

  • Reaching for food

  • Showing excitement about food

  • Watching you eat

  • Opening mouth to accept a spoon

  • Less tongue thrusting

Feeding needs

Smooth, runny puree

For example: Start with 1-2 teaspoons once per day. Let your child lead the way with how much and how often you give solids. Introduce solids when your baby is the most alert, this will be different for each baby but is often after a sleep. Offer breast or formula feeds first, solids can be offered after or in between feeds.

6 - 7 months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be learning how to…

  • sit for short periods with support

  • do chewing movements

  • move foods from the side of their mouth to the middle with their tongue

  • hold and grip with their hands e.g., holding bottle or finger foods

Feeding needs

Lumpy puree, soft mash or finger foods

The number of meals you give your baby can be slowly increased to 3 meals per day. Let your baby guide you. This will help your baby recognise when they are hungry and when it is time for a meal. Expose your baby to new foods and textures. Offer breast or formula feeds first, solids can be offered after or in between feeds. Include your baby at mealtimes, even if they are not eating, this teaches them about the social aspects of mealtimes.

7 - 8 months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • starting to move foods from the middle to the side of the mouth and back again with the tongue

  • more coordinated with their jaw and tongue movements which allows more complex food textures

Feeding needs

Move away from only puree and mashed foods and start to introduce a wider range of finger foods

Offer solids at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and at morning and afternoon tea. Be attentive and let your baby tell you when they have had enough. Offer breast or formula feeds first, solids can be offered after or in between feeds.

8 - 10 months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • getting better with feeding themselves with their hands

  • able to move food with their tongue

  • getting better at drinking from an open cup (if they have been exposed to this)

  • getting better at chewing

  • able to pick up smaller pieces of food with their fingers

Feeding needs

Introduce more chewy and harder foods, and smaller finger foods.

When introducing new foods try and make sure your baby is alert and not too tired. This can be different for each child, but is often after sleeping. Offer solid foods before breast or formula milk from this age onwards.

10 - 12 months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • able to start to use cutlery

  • licking foods from lips and spilling less foods from the sides of their mouth

  • getting even better at biting and chewing

Feeding needs

Your baby’s feeding skills will continue to develop over many years. Continue to offer a variety of textures and types of foods to make sure your baby is getting the nutrition they need

Encourage your baby to start to use child-sized spoons and forks to feed themselves.

12+ months

Developmental stage

Your baby will be…

  • getting better with using cutlery

  • getting better with feeding themselves with their hands

  • able to hold foods with one hand

  • getting better at chewing tougher foods

  • eating more easily and faster

  • getting better at closing their mouth when chewing, spilling less food from their mouth

Feeding needs

You can continue to breastfeed for as long as you and your baby would like to, along with providing solid foods.

From 12 months your baby can have cow’s milk, maximum of 1 cup per day. Formula fed baby’s do not need to continue having formula unless it is advised by a health professional. Your baby should transition to using cups and stop using bottles by 12 months.