Between the ages of four and six months.
According to most physicians, babies are physically and developmentally ready for solid foods between the ages of 4 and 6 months. If you start solids too early or too late, you may run into problems. Prior to 4 months, allergies can emerge, particularly if there is a family history of food allergies, because younger babies absorb food allergens more easily than older babies. After 6 months of age, if a baby still has not started solids, his growth may start to slow, he may become deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, and he may have trouble adapting to eating “real food”.
There are signs that your baby is ready for solid foods:
- She seems hungrier, wanting more after breast or bottle.
- He has good head control and can sit with some assistance.
- She can get objects into her mouth.
- He can manage to get food off of a spoon without most of it ending up on his bib.
- She knows to turn her head away when she has had enough.
Start with rice cereal, the least allergenic of baby cereals. Try each new cereal for several days to ensure there are no allergic reactions.