Starting Solids for Babies (Weaning): When to Begin and What to Feed First

Around the middle of the first year, many parents watch their baby grab for the roti on the table, and wonder if it is time to start solid food. It is an exciting stage, and also a worrying one. When do you begin? What do you give first? What about allergies and choking? And is the packet cereal on the shelf really the best option?

This guide explains when to start solids (weaning), the signs your baby is ready, good first foods in Pakistan, what to avoid, how to prepare food safely and when to ask your paediatrician for help.

When should you start?

Most health organisations, including the World Health Organization, recommend breast milk or formula only for the first six months, and then adding solid foods while milk feeding continues. Starting before four months is not advised, because the gut and kidneys are not ready, and it raises the risk of infections and allergies.

Signs that your baby is ready

• Can sit up with support and hold the head steady.
• Shows interest in your food, reaching and watching you eat.
• Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex, which pushes food out of the mouth.
• Opens the mouth when a spoon approaches.
• Still seems hungry after full milk feeds.

Waking at night or chewing fists alone are not reliable signs of readiness.

The first few weeks

• Start with a small amount, one or two teaspoons, once a day, when your baby is calm and not too hungry.
• Offer milk first at the beginning, and increase the amount of solids gradually as your baby gets used to it.
• Introduce one new food at a time, and wait two to three days before the next. This helps you spot allergies.
• Texture: start smooth, then mashed, then soft lumps and finger foods by around eight to nine months.

Good first foods

• Iron-rich foods are important, because babies’ iron stores fall after six months: well-cooked and mashed daal, lentils, egg yolk (then whole egg), minced chicken or meat, and fortified cereals.
• Vegetables: carrots, pumpkin (kaddu), potato, sweet potato, bottle gourd (lauki) and spinach, steamed and mashed.
• Fruits: banana, apple or pear cooked and mashed, ripe papaya, mango and avocado.
• Home-style foods: khichdi, suji or dalia porridge, rice with daal, and plain yoghurt.
• Healthy fats: a little ghee or oil in the food.

Baby cereals and packaged baby food

Fortified infant cereals can be a handy way to give extra iron and other nutrients, and are easy to prepare. Products at Khasmart include Nestle Cerelac Wheat, Kidsline Cerelac Wheat and Cerelac Nature’s Selection Date. Tips:

• Check the age on the pack, and the ingredient list. Some flavours contain added sugar.
• Mix with breast milk, formula or boiled water, as the pack directs, and not with cow’s milk before 12 months.
• Cereal is a supplement, not a replacement for varied home foods.
• Use a clean spoon and a bowl. Do not add cereal to the bottle unless your doctor advises.
• Throw away any leftover food that your baby has eaten from. Do not reheat it.

See the full baby food range.

Foods to avoid in the first year

• Honey, because of the risk of infant botulism, until 12 months.
• Added salt and sugar. Do not give salty snacks, chips, biscuits with lots of sugar, sweets or sugary drinks.
• Cow’s milk as the main drink, before 12 months. Small amounts in cooking are fine.
• Whole nuts, whole grapes, hard raw vegetables or fruit, popcorn and sticky sweets. These are choking hazards. Nut butters or ground nuts thinly spread are OK, unless your doctor advises otherwise.
• Tea and coffee, which interfere with iron absorption.
• Undercooked eggs or meat.
• Fruit juice and fizzy drinks. Offer water in a cup from six months.

Allergies

Common allergy foods include egg, peanut, milk, wheat, fish and sesame. Current advice for most babies is not to delay introducing them, because early, careful introduction may lower the risk of allergy. Give a small amount for the first time, at home in the morning, so that you can watch for a reaction. If your baby has severe eczema or an existing food allergy, ask your paediatrician before starting. Signs of an allergic reaction include a rash or hives, swelling of the lips or face, vomiting, wheezing or difficulty breathing. The last two are emergencies.

Safety and hygiene

• Wash your hands, the food and the equipment. Feed your baby sitting upright, and never leave them alone with food.
• Cook thoroughly, cool and serve warm, not hot. Test it on your wrist.
• Use boiled and cooled water for mixing. See our guide to waterborne diseases.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly, and use them within a day.
• Use clean bottles and feeding tools. Read our baby feeding bottle guide.

Common worries

• Gagging is normal, as your baby learns. Choking is silent and serious. Learn baby first aid.
• Refusing food: it can take ten or more tries before a baby accepts a new taste. Stay calm and do not force.
• Constipation: may appear when solids start. Offer water and fibre-rich foods. See our guide to constipation in children.
• Changes in stool colour and smell are normal.
• Rash around the mouth or bottom from new foods. See our guide to nappy rash.

When to see a paediatrician

• Your baby is not gaining weight or has poor appetite for several days.
• Repeated vomiting, diarrhoea or blood in the stool after a new food.
• Signs of allergy.
• Your baby gags often, coughs or chokes with every feed.
• You are unsure how to start, or your baby was born early.

Frequently asked questions

Should I start solids at four months if my baby seems hungry?

Talk to your paediatrician first. Hunger may be due to a growth spurt rather than readiness for solids.

Do I need to buy baby food?

No. Home-cooked food is fine and often cheaper. Packaged cereals are an option for convenience.

How much should my baby eat?

Start with a few teaspoons. Follow your baby’s cues. Milk remains the main food until about 12 months.

Is baby-led weaning safe?

It can be, with soft finger foods, close supervision and knowledge of choking first aid. Discuss it with your paediatrician.

Find baby food, feeders and care items in our Baby Shop, with delivery across Pakistan.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your paediatrician or dietitian. It does not include dosage or exact amounts; always follow the directions on the pack or from your doctor.