Introduction of solid foods

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Focus on texture progression, not food types. Any food will do.

  • Preterm infants will progress through food textures at different rates.
  • All food types can have their texture adjusted to fit into any age or developmental category.
  • Attempt to prepare homemade foods to allow for easier thickening.
  • In order to monitor for signs of allergy, introduce a new food every 3 days.
  • Texture of food is more important than type of food.
  • Start with iron rich foods.

Do not mix textures.
Avoid honey until at least 1 year of age.

A circular diagram depicting the progression of food textures in baby’s first year. Around 4-6 months: thickened-puree: Introduce early if baby ready or showing sensitivity to oral feeds. Most be smooth and lump free. Around 7-9 months: minced/chopped/finger foods. Lumpy/finely chopped food progressing to thicker/coarser food. Small pieces of cut up soft/cooked food. Around 9-12 months: self-feeding. Encourage to feed themselves. Do not need teeth, can be chewed with their gums.

 

Introduction of solid foods during critical points in development is crucial in preventing future feeding issues. It is important to follow your baby’s cues for signs of feeding readiness and fullness.

Signs of feeding readiness: reaching, opening mouth and leaning forward
Signs of fullness: closing mouth, crying turning away or leaning back

A circular diagram depicting developmental milestones in baby’s first year. Around 4-6 months: thickened-puree Around 7-9 months: minced/chopped/finger foods. Around 9-12 months: self-feeding. Early milestones around 4-6 months include: socializes during feeding, shows signs of fullness, shows signs of feeding readiness, may need supports to sit upright, pureed food able to stay in their mouth and swallowed while being fed, increasing demands for food without seeming satisfied, put hands/toys in mouth. Later milestones, between 6-12 months: learns to reach and grab objects, enjoys holding food in their hand, starts to show likes and dislikes for food, babbles, points and reaches to communicate wants, begins side to side lateral tongue movements, copies sounds and gestures of others, starts to show likes and dislikes for foods, can pick up small objects with thumb and first finger, can manipulate food in their mouth with some circular chewing, can transition from sitting with support to sitting independently, start to develop pincer grasp, can transfer objects from one hand to the other.

*For preterm infants, age refers to their corrected age.

View more feeding resources or download a PDF version of this resource.