Ask Our Experts: Eating Solids

At what age should I start feeding my baby solid food?

Quoted from World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations: “Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary food, should be continued for two years of age or beyond.”

You can start feeding your baby solid food at the age of 7 month when he/she starts to show an interest in the food you eat. Starting on complementary food at this age will help in better food acceptance later and also enhance the muscle development around the mouth area. Suggested foods to try out are grains (eg. rice porridge, cereals or potato) in blended/ puree form, followed by vegetables and fruit.

Can I include all kinds of meat and vegetables into my child’s diet or only certain kinds?

When introducing new food to a child, it is suggested to start with one type at a time so that the acceptance level is higher when you introduce the food as a whole to them later. Mixture of meat and vegetables into the child’s meal can be done later after they have tried the food.

Should my baby still feed on milk while eating solid food?

There is no problem to continue feeding the child with milk while the child is already eating solid food. Recommendation of breastfeeding is up till 24 months or even longer. The volume of milk can be adjusted (reduced) if your child’s food intake has increased.

Besides puree, would it be okay to give my baby fruits like apples and pears to eat? Or would that hurt their gums and teeth?

Food texture to offer for the child very much depends on their age because the ability to chew and swallow is very different by age. Please refer to the graphic below for clearer info.

Is flavoured milk equally as good as normal milk?

Sugar content in flavoured milk is higher than non-flavoured milk. To reduce the risk of tooth decay and to cultivate healthier food choices, I would recommend to offer non-flavoured milk to young children.