Starting Solids

4 months--Start with just once daily. Pureed foods only. Introduce a new food every 3 days.

6 months- Goal is to feed 2x daily. This is also a great time to start Baby Led Weaning

9 months-Goal is to feed 3x daily

Baby Led Weaning

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is an approach to introducing solid foods that lets your baby take the lead in

exploring and eating a variety of foods. Instead of spoon-feeding purees, you offer your baby soft,

appropriately-sized pieces of whole foods that they can pick up and eat on their own.

Here’s a breakdown of how BLW works for a 6-month-old:

1. Readiness: Ensure your baby is ready for solids. Signs include being able to sit up well with

minimal support, showing interest in your food, and having good head and neck control.

2. Safe Foods: Start with soft, easy-to-grasp foods. Good examples include:

Vegetables: Steamed carrot sticks, sweet potato wedges, or broccoli florets.

Fruits: Ripe pear slices, banana chunks, or avocado slices.

Proteins: Soft-cooked chicken pieces, scrambled eggs, or tofu.

3. Preparation: Cut foods into sizes and shapes that are easy for your baby to hold.

4. Supervision: Always supervise your baby while eating to ensure safety. Make sure the pieces are

soft enough to mash with their gums to avoid choking hazards.

5. Mealtime Routine: Let your baby explore the food at their own pace. They might play with it,

squish it, or eventually eat it. This self-feeding approach helps develop their motor skills.extures

and flavors to expose your baby to a wide range of nutrients and tastes.

6. Milk Intake: Continue breastfeeding or formula-feeding as usual. Solid foods are meant to

complement, not replace, their primary milk intake at this stage.

Can you mix baby led weaning and purees?

Absolutely! This is a great idea to mix the two methods simply because it gives you many more options

for foods and allows the baby to experience more textures. You can also offer preloaded spoons so

they can self feed themselves this way as well.

*In addition, babies who are at least 6 months old can safely drink 4–8 ounces of plain water daily,

according to the AAP

Allergenic Foods

AAP now recommends introducing allergenic foods early, between 4 and 11 months, to prevent food

allergies. And that’s a good thing, since many of these foods, nuts especially, are packed with healthy protein,

folate and other essential nutrients. I suggest introducing them one at a time at home where you can

watch closely for a reaction. Also avoid whole nuts, since they can be a choking hazard before the age of 4. Instead, start off with smooth nut spreads and butters, spread very thin. Monitor your baby for potential food allergy symptoms such as

Signs to watch our for:

• wheezing

• nausea

• hives

• vomiting

• diarrhea

Foods to Avoid or Limit

• Honey

• Cows Milk (foods made with cows milk is allowed, like cheeses and yogurt)

• Foods with added sugars, low-calorie sweeteners, or no-calorie sweeteners

• Foods high in salt (sodium), such as some canned foods, processed meats (e.g., lunch meats,

• sausages, hot dogs, ham), and frozen dinners

• Fish high in mercury

• Unpasteurized drinks or foods (such as juices, milks, yogurt, or cheeses)