Have you heard of the saying, “food before one is just for fun”? While I appreciate the sentiment, there are many reasons why starting solid foods in the first year is very important. We spend the first half of our baby’s first year getting settled with breast and/or bottle-feeding. We may have finally gotten into a routine with breast and/or bottle feeding. Then, we need to switch gears and start giving meals of solid foods on a regular basis. Introducing solids at 6 months can take some time to get used to, and it can feel overwhelming. Let’s review some reasons why you should start introducing solid foods to your baby as soon as they are showing signs of readiness.

Starting Solids at 6 Months Helps to Prevent Iron-Deficiency

Around the world, anemia affects up to half of the children between the ages of 0-5. There are higher rates in developing countries where access to nutrient-dense foods is limited. However, the risk of developing anemia in westernized countries is still present. In the United States, hemoglobin levels are tested routinely at 12 months to rule out iron deficiency anemia. Ferritin levels, which is a more accurate measurement of iron status, are not routinely checked.

Breast milk has very low amounts of iron. The iron that is present is highly bioavailable. This means that babies are able to easily absorb it into their system. It is believed that young babies have iron stores from birth. These stores help get them through to when they start solid foods. Around the middle of the first year of life, iron stores begin to diminish. Infant iron stores are dependent on many factors including your baby’s gestational age at birth, your iron status during pregnancy, and the timing of umbilical cord clamping.

It is recommended that parents start introducing iron-rich foods at 6 months. The trouble is, that many of us don’t feel comfortable starting off with iron-rich foods. This includes meats, beans, and leafy greens. While fortified infant cereals were once a staple, many parents are opting away from them. It can be hard to get the appropriate amounts of iron-rich foods into our babies if the introduction of solids is delayed past 6 months.

Starting Solid Foods Takes Practice to Become Skilled

Eating solid foods is a developmental milestone that needs to be practiced in order to become skilled. It is our job as parents to offer solid foods at regular intervals so our babies can practice. In turn, it is our baby’s job to choose what they pick up and how much food they put in their mouth.

A lot of parents get discouraged in the early stages because it seems like their babies are not actually eating anything. If you are worried about this, please know that you’re not alone! Just like with learning the crawl, your baby will take time to become efficient at eating. Keep offering, and you may find that you start noticing more and more changes happening in your baby’s diaper.

If your baby is having difficulties with eating solids, early intervention from an infant feeding specialist will help him/her get back on track earlier. If your baby seems to be struggling for his/her age, I would recommend reaching out to an IBCLC, speech & language pathologist, or occupational therapist skilled in infant feeding. Just as with other developmental concerns, the earlier you get supported, the sooner your baby will get back on track to meeting milestones.

Reducing Food Aversions By Introducing Solids at 6 Months

The World Health Organization recommends that lumpy foods should be introduced between 6-9 months of age. Babies who are not introduced to new textures during this time are less likely to accept new foods later in childhood. Since it is recommended to start solids after 6 months of age, many babies prefer to skip purees and go straight to a lumpier texture. If you think your baby isn’t a fan of purees, you can try offering a thicker cereal, mashed vegetable, minced meat, or large-cut sections of food as seen in baby-led weaning.

It is also common at this age for babies to not accept being fed by a spoon, as they would prefer to feed themselves. If this is happening to you, you can try reloading a spoon and having two in rotation. This allows your baby the freedom to bring the spoon to their mouth while maximizing how much food makes it in. Of course, introducing solid foods at 6 months is a messy business, so make sure to plan for the mess.

It can take up to 20 times of trying a food before babies decide if they like them. Introducing a variety of foods early can help reduce the likelihood of food aversions. If you think your baby doesn’t like any foods, make sure to continue offering them on a consistent basis. If your baby has a strong reaction to a certain food, you can definitely pause and try again while offering other foods when your baby is older.

Starting Allergenic Foods Early is Recommended

There has been a lot of back and forth with recommendations for introducing allergenic foods. The most recent consensus is that the early introduction of allergenic foods can reduce the likelihood of developing food allergies. Parents are encouraged to offer non-choking forms of allergenic foods around the 6-month mark. The top 8 allergenic foods include cow’s milk, egg, soy, peanuts, other tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and wheat.

When introducing these foods to your baby, it may be best to give them by themselves so you can pinpoint the cause if your baby has a reaction. It is much easier to identify any food allergies or sensitivities before toddlerhood when counter-will is in full force. Once your baby becomes a toddler, it can be hard to limit favourite food options to see if there is a decrease in symptoms.

I hope you found this information helpful as begin introducing solids at 6 months.

Not sure where to start? Book in for an online feeding session for some one-on-one support with your baby starting solids. I offer breastfeeding support from birth to toddlerhood.

My attachment-led sleep support also always includes a thorough feeding assessment. If your baby is over 6 months of age, is struggling with solid foods, and isn’t sleeping well, check out my sleep support services to see how I can help your family.