Key Messages For When Your Baby Is Starting Solids

Starting solids: Key messages

Breast milk (or infant formula) gives your baby the nutrients they need up to around the age of 6 months.

Around 6 months, your baby starts to need the extra vitamins and minerals (especially iron and zinc) that are in solid foods.

Babies have usually grown and developed enough to start eating solid food by around 6 months.

Breast milk (or infant formula) is still very important for your baby. Offer breast milk (or formula) before solids until your baby is 8 to 9 months old. After that, you can start to offer solids before breast milk or formula.

Talk with your Well Child nurse about starting solids.

Call PlunketLine [2] on 0800 933 922 for parenting advice, including advice about feeding your baby.

More detail (see the online version for links to more detailed content)

External links and downloads (see the online version for more information at other websites)

Infant feeding (Healthykids, Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency) [5]

On this website you can find out about the signs your baby is ready to try solid foods; best foods to start with and how to prepare them; tips on making this special time easier; how to make baby food at home; the signs your baby is full and had enough to eat; recipe ideas for the next steps. The information has been checked by experts and follows Ministry of Health recommendations about infant feeding.

Eating for healthy babies and toddlers/Ngā kai tōtika mō te hunga kōhungahunga (HealthEd) [6]

Food information for babies and toddlers from birth to 2 years old.

Solids (Plunket Whānau Āwhina) [7]

Check Plunket's website for information about which foods to introduce when, and what consistency they should be; the difference between gagging and choking, and what to do if your tamariki chokes; common food allergies, and how to tell if your pēpi is allergic to something.

Feeding your baby (Ministry of Health) [8]

More information about starting solids.

Feeding your child (1 year and over) (Ministry of Health) [9]

From 12 months, the recommendation from the Ministry of Health is that your child eat 3 meals a day plus snacks in between, from a variety of foods. See more information about feeding your child from 12 months.

Well Child Tamariki Ora 'My health book' (HealthEd) [10]

Parent information and health record for babies and children, 0 to 5 years.

Growth charts (Ministry of Health) [11]

You can check boys' and girls' growth charts for each age group (0 to 5 years).

Healthy eating guidelines for NZ babies and toddlers (0–2 years old) (Ministry of Health) [12]

The content in the infant nutrition section of the KidsHealth website [13] is based on 'Healthy eating guidelines for NZ babies and toddlers (0–2 years old)'. These guidelines (September 2021) provide updated population-health recommendations for feeding children who are under 2 years of age, to promote healthy growth and development and help establish healthy eating behaviours.

This page last reviewed 12 October 2021.
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