How do i introduce solid foods and at what age?

What the evidence says

Wait until around 6 months to start solids. The CDC and AAP explain that most children can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months, and introducing foods before 4 months is not recommended because babies aren't developmentally ready and it can raise the risk of excess weight gain later. Before 6 months, breast milk or formula alone gives your baby everything they need.

Look for readiness signs rather than just the calendar. According to the CDC, key signs include sitting up alone or with support, controlling their head and neck, opening their mouth for food, swallowing rather than pushing food out, and bringing objects to their mouth.

Start simple and go slow. The CDC recommends letting your baby try one single-ingredient food at a time at first, offering smooth mashed or pureed textures initially and moving to thicker, lumpier textures as your baby's skills develop. Good first foods include iron-rich options like meats or iron-fortified cereals, since a breastfed baby's iron stores start to drop around 6 months. If you use infant cereal, choose fortified varieties like oat or barley rather than only rice cereal, since rice cereal alone can increase arsenic exposure.

There's no need to introduce foods in a strict order, and you don't have to choose only purees or only 'baby-led weaning' (self-feeding whole soft foods) — many families mix approaches. A baby may need to try a new food 10 to 15 times before accepting it, so patience helps. Keep breastfeeding or formula feeding alongside solids, since milk remains the main nutrition source through the first year.