Introducing Solid Foods While Continuing to Breast & Bottle Feed
Baby has been getting ALL their nutrients from breast milk and/or formula since day one, but soon it'll be time to introduce them to eating solid foods. This can be a fun adventure for you both! You get to discover their favorite foods and watch the adorable (and hilarious) reactions to new tastes. But, a lot of questions can come with starting solid foods: when can they start trying solids? What kinds of foods should I give them? How often should they eat solid food versus breast milk or formula? How do I balance breastfeeding with solid eating? We're here to help answer some of your solid feeding questions.
When Can I Start Giving Baby Solid Foods?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months of baby's life and continuing to breastfeed for at least a year, if possible.1 Some people will introduce baby to solids as early as 4 months – it is not recommended to feed babies anything other than breast milk or formula prior to 4 months.
You can also look for cues from your baby that they're ready to try solid foods, including:1
- Sitting up alone or with minimal support
- Opening their mouth when food is offered
- Showing interest in your food
- Swallowing food rather than pushing it back out onto the chin (loss of tongue-thrust reflex)
- Bringing objects to the mouth
- Trying to grasp small objects, such as toys or food
Since baby is continuing to get the majority of their nutrition from breast milk and/or formula up until about 12 months, starting them on solid foods is more about the experience. Exposing them to new tastes, textures, and smells opens them up to a new sensory experience and sets them up for a healthy, nutritious diet as they grow. Studies suggest that offering babies lots of different kinds of foods early on will mean they are less picky eaters as they get older.2
What Kinds of Food Should I Feed Baby?
When you start offering solids, aim for nutrient-dense, easy-to-digest foods that provide key nutrients like iron, zinc, and different vitamins. Some good foods to start with are infant cereals, dairy products like yogurt and cheese (it's not recommended babies drink cow or soy milk until they are at least 1 year old), and pureed fruits, vegetables, and meats.3
At the beginning, it's easier for baby to eat soft and pureed foods, but it's also important to introduce more textured foods in order for them to practice oral-motor skills like chewing and swallowing, and motor skills like picking up food and using utensils.
The CDC also suggests introducing potentially allergenic foods and monitoring baby's reaction. This could be things like dairy products, peanuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, and sesame.3
Should I Change Our Breast or Bottle Feeding Schedule?
Short answer: no! Again, solid foods are introduced around 6 months to help baby learn new eating skills, but the majority of their nutrition continues to come from breast milk and/or formula.
They likely won't eat much solid food when first introduced. Continue to offer baby the same amount of milk and let them take the lead on how many ounces they drink and how much solid food they eat. If you have concerns about your baby's growth and nutrition, contact your medical provider.
Sample Feeding Schedule for a 6-Month-Old
Start with adding one solid food meal a day. It's up to you what time of day is most convenient for you to add this meal. By 7-8 months of age, you can start giving baby 2 solid meals a day. By 9-12 months it's recommended baby is eating 3 solid meals a day along with breast and/or bottle feeding.4
Here is a sample routine for a 6-month-old if you want to introduce solids at dinnertime (this is often most convenient for working parents and families with baby in daycare), according to Occupational Therapist Jessica Irwin:4
- 6:30-7:30 am: Wake up and breast or bottle feed
- 8 am: Play
- 9-10:15 am: Nap
- 10:30 am: Breast or bottle feed
- 11 am: Play
- 12:45-1:45 pm: Nap
- 1:45 pm: Breast or bottle feed
- 2 pm: Play
- 3:15 pm: Optional breast or bottle feed, if baby is showing hunger cues
- 3:45-4:45 pm: Nap
- 5 pm: Breast or bottle feed
- 6 pm: Solids dinner
- 6:30 pm: Bath
- 7:15 pm: Breast or bottle feed
- 7:30 pm: Bedtime
It's best to offer solid foods about 60-90 minutes after breast or bottle feeding and not too long after a nap so that they are hungry, but not so hungry and tired that they are irritable and unwilling to try something new. It's also a great idea to eat your meal with baby, they learn so much just by watching!4
Introducing solid foods can be fun, but baby might not always cooperate. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't come easily, and contact your doctor if you have any concerns about baby's eating. Bon appetit!
DISCLAIMER: THIS CONTENT DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information contained is for informational purposes only and is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely solely on this information. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider.
Sources
- Sulaski-Wykoff, Alyson. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Nutritional Needs of Infants, Toddlers Part of New Dietary Guidelines." 29 December 2020. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/12374/Nutritional-needs-of-infants-toddlers-part-of-new
- Borowitz, Stephen M. Frontiers in Pediatrics. "First Bites – Why, Where, and What Solid Foods to Feed Infants." 26 March 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8032951/
- CDC. "When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods." Last Reviewed 27 June 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/when-to-introduce-solid-foods.html
- Irwin, Jessica. Dr. Brown's The Happy Baby Blog. "How to Balance Bottle Feeding with Introduction of Solids." October 2024. https://drbrownsbaby.com/blogs/articles/balance-bottle-feeding-with-introduction-solids