Introducing Foods to a Baby
Introducing Solid Foods
What it is
Introducing foods involves gradually adding foods to a baby’s diet while continuing to offer breast milk or infant formula. This is often called introducing solid foods or complementary feeding. It usually begins at around 6 months of age, when the baby shows signs of being ready to eat.
What you can do at home
What to do
- Begin at around 6 months of age, when the baby is ready to eat.
- Before 6 months of age, offer only breast milk or infant formula.
- Continue offering breast milk or infant formula until 1 year of age.
- Breastfeed on demand or offer at least 750 mL of infant formula a day.
Choosing foods and textures
- Introduce one new food at a time and in a small amount.
- Wait 2 days before introducing another new food.
- Offer a texture suited to the baby’s abilities.
- Begin with iron-rich foods and offer them twice a day.
- Examples include iron-fortified baby cereal, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes, and tofu.
- Offer foods that are easy to swallow.
- Offer foods without added sugar, salt, or spices.
- Respect the baby’s appetite.
Preventing choking
- Sit the baby upright for meals.
- Stay with the baby during meals.
- Remove bones from meat, bones from fish, and seeds and pits from fruit.
- Avoid hard or round foods, such as grapes and raw carrots.
- Do not feed the baby in a vehicle.
Avoid
- Do not offer honey before 1 year of age.
- Do not offer cow’s or goat’s milk before 9 months of age.
- For children under 4 years of age, do not offer the following choking hazards:
- whole grapes or raisins
- peanuts, nuts, or seeds
- popcorn
- round slices of sausage
- hard candy
When to seek medical attention
Inadequate weight gain
The baby appears pale or irritable
After eating a certain food, the baby develops mild skin redness, vomiting, or diarrhea (watery stools): Stop offering that food
Stop offering that food
If needed, see the Food Allergies or Intolerances health advice sheet
Need help?
Call Info-Santé at 811, Option 1, to speak with a nurse at any time.
Go to the pharmacy for advice on medications or treatment.
Make an appointment at your medical clinic or CLSC.
If you do not have a family doctor, go to gap.soinsvirtuels or call 811, Option 3.
When to go to the hospital right away
Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction (redness, itchy skin, swelling of the lips, tongue, or face), along with at least one of the following:
- high-pitched breathing sounds (stridor) or difficulty breathing.
- bluish or purplish lips or fingers.
- feeling weak or dizzy, or loss of consciousness.
- very fast heartbeat.
- stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.