Starting Solids: A Real Life Guide for Aussie Parents

Six months in and suddenly everyone has an opinion. Purees or finger food. Which spoon. Which bowl. When. How much.

Take a breath. Starting solids is a big milestone, but it doesn't need a 40 item shopping list or a spreadsheet. It needs a hungry baby, a bit of patience and a high chair you don't mind wiping down. A lot.

Here's what you actually need to know.

When should my baby start solids?

In Australia, the advice is to start solids at around 6 months. Not before 4 months.

Around 6 months, the iron your baby was born with starts running low. Food starts doing a real job alongside breastmilk or formula.

Age is only half the story though. Your baby will show you when they're ready.

Signs your baby is ready for solids

• Good head and neck control (no more wobbly heads)
• Sitting upright with some support
• Watching you eat like it's the best show on telly
• Reaching for food, or opening their mouth when a spoon comes close
• No longer pushing everything straight back out with their tongue

Seeing most of these? You're good to go. If they spit everything out and look personally offended, try again in a few days. That's normal too.

What to feed first

Iron first. Your baby needs iron from around 6 months, so put it on the menu from the very first meals.

Good first foods include:

• Iron fortified baby cereal
• Well cooked meat, chicken or fish, minced or slow cooked until soft
• Cooked egg
• Lentils, beans and tofu
• Soft cooked veggies and soft fruit

Start smooth if you're spoon feeding, or offer soft finger shaped pieces if you're doing baby led weaning. Then move to mashed and lumpy textures within the first few months. Staying on smooth purees too long can make lumps harder to accept later.

Want an expert's take? We sat down with paediatric dietitian Dr Kyla for her top tips on starting solids. Read the Q&A.

Allergy foods: don't wait

Current Australian advice is to introduce the common allergy foods in your baby's first year, once they've started solids. That means:

• Peanut (smooth peanut butter or paste, never whole nuts)
• Cooked egg
• Dairy, such as yoghurt or cheese
• Wheat, soy and sesame
• Fish and shellfish

Once a food is in, keep it in. Offer it a couple of times a week so your baby's body stays used to it. If your baby has severe eczema or an existing allergy, chat to your GP before you start.

What to skip for now

• Honey until 12 months
• Cow's milk as a drink until 12 months (it's fine in cooking)
• Added salt and sugar
• Whole nuts
• Small round foods like grapes and cherry tomatoes, unless they're cut lengthways into quarters
• Hard raw foods like raw carrot or apple pieces, unless grated or cooked soft
• Juice. Water and milk are all they need

Gagging vs choking

This is the part that makes every parent's heart race.

Gagging is loud. Coughing, spluttering, watery eyes, tongue poking out. It's your baby's built in safety reflex pushing food forward. It happens a lot in the early weeks, and it's normal.

Choking is usually quiet. If your baby can't cough, cry or breathe, that's an emergency. Call 000.

Always sit with your baby while they eat, upright in a high chair. Never in a pram or car seat. A baby first aid course is worth every cent for peace of mind.

What you actually need

Keep it simple. You need far less than the internet suggests.

A bowl that stays put. Babies love testing gravity. The Silicone Suction Bowl Set suctions to the high chair tray, so dinner stays in front of them instead of on the floor. The spoon clips into the bowl too, so it doesn't go missing.

Soft spoons. Small, shallow and gentle on gums, like our Silicone Baby Spoons.

A bib with a pocket. The Wild Silicone Bib catches what misses. Wipe it and go.

A cup. Offer small sips of water with meals from around 6 months. Here's our guide to choosing baby's first cup.

Want it all sorted in one go? The Starting Solids Bundle has the suction bowl with clip in spoon, two starter spoons, a scoop bib and a "Today I Started Solids" keepsake card. One order, done.

When they're ready for a plate, the Fancy Silicone Dinner Plate has a wide, weighted base and raised edges to keep food where it belongs.

How much should my baby eat?

Less than you think. In the first weeks, a teaspoon or two is a win.

Breastmilk or formula is still their main food until around 12 months. Solids are practice.

Follow their lead. Leaning in with an open mouth means more please. Turning away, clamping shut or throwing the spoon means they're done. Trust that.

Baby led weaning or purees?

Both work. Lots of families do a bit of each. If you're weighing it up, our guide to baby led weaning vs spoon feeding breaks down the pros and cons.

Make it easier on yourself

• Pick a time when your baby is awake and happy, a little hungry but not starving
• Sit with them and eat something too. They learn by watching you
• Expect mess. Put a mat or old towel under the high chair
• One new food at a time is fine, but you don't need to wait days between each one
• Take the photos. The first face pulled at broccoli is a keeper

FAQs

When should I start my baby on solids?

At around 6 months, when your baby shows signs they're ready. Australian guidelines recommend not starting before 4 months.

What are the best first foods for babies?

Iron rich foods are the priority. Iron fortified cereal, well cooked meat, fish, egg, lentils and tofu are all great starters, alongside soft veggies and fruit.

Can babies drink water when they start solids?

Yes. Offer small sips of water from a cup with meals from around 6 months. Breastmilk or formula is still their main drink.

How do I stop my baby throwing their bowl?

Use a suction bowl. It sticks to a clean, smooth high chair tray so your baby can focus on the food instead of launching the bowl.

How can I tell if my baby is gagging or choking?

Gagging is noisy, with coughing and spluttering, and it's a normal reflex. Choking is usually silent and your baby can't cough, cry or breathe. Call 000 if you think your baby is choking.

Starting solids is messy. That's sort of the point. Grab the basics, keep a cloth handy and enjoy the faces.

Shop the Starting Solids Bundle. Free Aussie shipping on orders over $99, and a free gift when you spend $150.