Starting solids in Australia: a step-by-step guide

Starting solids is one of the most photographed milestones of the first year. It is also one of the messiest, slowest and least linear. A baby who devours pumpkin on Tuesday may smear it in their hair on Wednesday and refuse it entirely on Thursday.

This guide covers the practical Australian advice: when to start, what to offer, how to introduce allergens, what to avoid and when to ask for help. It is general information, not individual medical advice.

When to start solids#

The current advice is to start around six months, and not before four months. Around six months, a baby's iron stores begin to run low and their digestive and oral motor skills are usually ready for more than milk.

But the calendar is only part of the story. Readiness is about skills. Your baby may be ready if they:

• have good head and neck control
• can sit upright when supported
• show an interest in food, watch you eat or reach for your plate
• open their mouth when food is offered
• can move food to the back of their mouth and swallow, rather than pushing it straight out with their tongue

Most babies show these signs by around six months, but some are a little later. If your baby is approaching seven months and is not showing interest or is not managing textures, talk to your child and family health nurse or GP.

Milk still matters most#

For the first year, breastmilk or formula is the main source of nutrition. Solids are a practice run and a supplement, not a replacement. At the start, offer a taste after a milk feed when your baby is calm and not starving. As they approach nine to twelve months, solids gradually become a bigger part of the day.

By 12 months, most babies are eating family foods and drinking cow's milk as a main drink if they are no longer breastfeeding or using formula. Before 12 months, small amounts of cow's milk in cooking are fine, but it should not replace breastmilk or formula as the main drink.

First foods: iron first, texture second#

Iron is the headline nutrient at six months. Offer iron-rich foods early and often:

• iron-fortified infant cereal
• well-cooked and mashed or minced meat, chicken and fish
• cooked egg
• mashed legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans
• tofu
• smooth nut pastes or finely ground nuts

Then add variety: cooked and mashed vegetables, fruit, yoghurt, cheese, pasta, rice and soft finger foods. There is no need to start with bland white rice cereal and work through a colour chart. Offer a range of flavours and textures from the beginning.

Iron needs do not stop at the first spoon. Our iron-rich foods guide for toddlers covers how much iron children need after infancy, why too much cow's milk causes problems, and how to pair plant iron with vitamin C.

Texture matters. Start with smooth or mashed food, then move quickly to lumpy, mashed and soft finger foods. Babies who stay on purees for too long can become more resistant to textures later.

A first-week menu, roughly#

This is a guide, not a prescription. Keep offering foods your baby refuses; it can take many exposures before a food is accepted.

Introducing common allergens#

Australian guidance recommends introducing common allergens before 12 months, rather than delaying them. Common allergens include:

• egg
• peanut
• cow's milk
• wheat
• soy
• fish
• shellfish
• sesame
• other tree nuts

Introduce one new allergen at a time, in an age-appropriate form, when your baby is well. Offer a small amount and watch for a reaction. If your baby tolerates it, keep offering it regularly — usually a couple of times a week — so tolerance is maintained.

For babies with severe eczema, an existing food allergy, or a strong family history of allergy, speak to your GP or paediatrician before introducing allergens. They may refer you to an allergist or give specific advice.

What to avoid#

• Honey before 12 months. Honey can contain bacteria that cause infant botulism. It is not safe in any amount, including in baking or on a dummy.
• Whole nuts and hard foods. Whole nuts, raw carrot, apple chunks, popcorn, hard lollies and chunks of sausage are choking hazards. Cut grapes lengthways into quarters, cook carrot until soft, and use smooth nut butter or finely ground nuts.
• Cow's milk as a main drink before 12 months. Small amounts in cooking are fine.
• Juice, cordial and soft drink. Water and milk are the drinks to offer.
• Added salt and sugar. Babies' kidneys are not ready for much salt, and sweet drinks and foods can crowd out more nutritious options.
• Rice drinks. Rice drinks are not suitable for young children because of arsenic levels.
• Unpasteurised foods and raw or undercooked eggs. Cook eggs thoroughly unless your health professional advises otherwise.

Drinks and cups#

From around six months, offer a little water in an open cup with meals. Open cups are better for oral development than sippy cups, but a free-flow cup is a reasonable stepping stone. Breastmilk or formula remains the main drink until 12 months.

In Australia, tap water is generally safe. If you are preparing formula, follow the instructions on the tin. If you have a private water supply or are travelling overseas, check the local advice.

What your baby drinks matters for their teeth as well as their growth. Our guide to brushing baby teeth covers cups, bottles, fluoride and the first dental visit.

Responsive feeding: let the baby lead#

You decide what is offered, when and where. Your baby decides whether to eat and how much. That division of responsibility is the foundation of a calm feeding relationship.

• Offer food when your baby is calm and alert, not starving.
• Sit together. Eat some of the same food if you can.
• Let your baby explore, make a mess and feed themselves.
• Do not force, bribe or distract with screens.
• End the meal when your baby turns away, closes their mouth or loses interest.
• Keep offering new foods without pressure.

A messy high chair is a sign of learning, not failure. A baby who plays with food is doing their job.

Choking and gagging#

Gagging is normal. It is noisy, involves coughing and spluttering, and is how a baby moves food forward. Choking is different: it is often silent, and the baby may be unable to breathe, cough or cry. Their face may turn red or blue.

Always sit your baby upright, supervise every meal, and know infant first aid. If your baby is choking and cannot breathe, call 000 and start CPR or choking first aid if you are trained. Do not put your fingers in their mouth unless you can see the object.

A stable high chair and a five-point harness matter more than they look. Our high chair safety checklist covers setup, harness fit and the fall risks to avoid.

When to ask for help#

Contact your child and family health nurse, GP or paediatrician if:

• your baby is not showing interest in solids by around seven months
• your baby is losing weight, not growing, or refusing all textures
• your baby has severe eczema or a suspected food allergy
• your baby has repeated choking or swallowing difficulties
• your baby is constipated, straining in pain or passing hard, pellet-like poo - our guide to baby constipation explains what helps at each age
• mealtimes are distressing for you or your baby
• you are unsure about allergens or your baby's growth

If your baby has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or becomes floppy after eating, call 000.

For the self-feeding version, see baby-led weaning. If you are introducing allergens or worried about a reaction, our baby food allergy guide explains the signs and what to do.

The bottom line#

Start around six months, when your baby shows the skills. Lead with iron, introduce textures and allergens, avoid honey and choking hazards, and let your baby set the pace. The goal is not a clean high chair. It is a baby who learns that food is safe, interesting and worth coming back to.