When Can I Give My Baby Solids? The 3 Readiness Signs Every South African Parent Should Know
- Samantha Pieterse
- 5 days ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
If you've ever caught your baby eyeing your fork like it's the Holy Grail of mealtimes, you've probably wondered, is it time for solids?
It's such a deceptively simple question, yet one that sparks endless debates. Some swear their babies were ready at four months, others insist on waiting until six. Meanwhile, you're stuck in the middle, spoon in one hand, Google in the other, trying to figure out if that drooly grin means "feed me" or "I'm just obsessed with your mashed potatoes."
Starting solids is one of those parenting milestones that's equal parts thrilling, nerve-wracking, and gloriously messy (prepare for butternut on the ceiling). But it's not just about age. Readiness depends on your baby's development, digestion, and coordination, not the date on the calendar.
So instead of scrolling through conflicting advice, let's unpack what the science says, what cues guide you, and how to make those first spoonfuls safe and fun for both of you.
When Can I Give My Baby Solids?
Most babies are ready to start solids at around 6 months old, according to the South African Department of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).
But it's not just about age. It's about readiness.
Babies develop at different speeds, so while six months is a good general guide, your baby should also show clear physical signs before you start (like good head control and interest in food).
Why Can't I Give My Baby Solids Before 4 Months?
Your baby's digestive system and kidneys are still "in training" for the first few months of life. They're brilliant at processing breastmilk or formula, but not yet ready for solids. Here's why:
🍼 Babies Have an Immature Digestive System
The lining of a young baby's gut is still developing its protective barrier. Introducing solids too early can allow large food proteins to pass through before the gut is able to handle them properly. This can confuse the immune system and, in some cases, increase the risk of developing food allergies or sensitivities later on.
🍼 Their Kidneys Still Maturing
Before 4 months, your baby's kidneys can't process the extra salts and proteins found in most foods. Early solids can put strain on these tiny organs, leading to dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, especially in the hot South African weather.
🍼 Babies Are at Higher Risk for Infection
Solid foods naturally have more bacteria than sterile milk. A baby's stomach acid and gut bacteria aren't where they need to be yet, so starting solids too soon can make them more prone to tummy bugs and diarrhoea.
In short, their body simply isn't equipped for "real food" until roughly six months, which is when digestion, kidney function, and immune protection have caught up enough to handle new textures, tastes, and microbes safely.
WHO Infant Feeding Guidelines (2023 update), SA Department of Health Infant and Young Child Feeding Policy.
Why Waiting Later Than 8 Months to Start Solids Can Cause Problems
Delaying solids beyond 8 months can sound harmless, especially if your baby seems content with just milk, but it can cause some challenges down the line, namely:
🍽️ Risk of Iron Deficiency
By about six months, your baby's iron stores from pregnancy start to run low. Breastmilk (although very, very little) and formula contain iron, but not enough to meet growing needs on their own.
Without iron-rich foods like meat, lentils, or fortified cereal, babies can develop iron deficiency, which affects energy, brain development, and even sleep patterns.
🍽️ Texture and Sensory Delays
Babies go through a short "window of acceptance" between roughly 6 and 9 months. This is when they're most curious and open to new textures, smells, and tastes.
If solids are delayed too long, some babies may become hesitant eaters or gag easily when they finally try more textured foods. Early exposure to texture helps develop chewing and tongue coordination. These skills later support speech and jaw strength, too.
🍽️ Learning to Eat Is a Skill
Eating is a motor milestone. Starting solids at the right time lets babies practice hand-eye coordination, tongue movement, and swallowing safely. Waiting too long means missing valuable practice time.
So while milk remains the main source of nutrition until 12 months, introducing solids around six months gives your baby the best head start in growth, iron levels, and lifelong eating habits.
Evidence-backed by WHO Infant Feeding Guidelines and South African Paediatric Association recommendations.
How to Know Your Baby Is Ready for Solids: The 3 Readiness Signs
These are the same milestones we teach every week at Mums & Bums Clinic, and you'll find them echoed in guidelines from the WHO, CDC, and the South African Paediatric Association.
When your baby ticks all three, they're not just "old enough," they're developmentally ready to eat.
So what are these milestones?
1. Supported Sitter
Your baby can sit upright with minimal support and hold their head steady, without wobbling or leaning like a sleepy meerkat.
This posture is more important than you'd think. Sitting upright opens the airway, keeps the tongue and jaw in the correct position, and allows babies to swallow safely without food slipping backward.
If your little one still slumps or topples over, it's best to wait a few more weeks while their core and neck muscles strengthen a bit more.
💡 Try this: Sit baby in a highchair or on your lap and offer a (clean) spoon to play with. If they can stay upright and reach for it, you're probably close to ready.
2. Full Head and Neck Control
This one is simple but important. Your baby should be able to turn their head from side to side, hold it up steadily, and look around without assistance.
Strong neck and jaw muscles are what make chewing, swallowing, and even speech development possible.
✨ Fun fact: Babies with good head control also tend to have better tongue coordination, which helps move food from the front to the back of the mouth, the same muscle teamwork needed for saying "mama" and "dada" later on.
3. Loss of Tongue-Thrust Reflex
Have you ever noticed how your baby pushes (or pushes) everything out of their mouth with their tongue? That's called the tongue-thrust (or extrusion) reflex, and it's there to protect them from choking in the early months.
When this reflex fades, usually between 4½ and 6 months, you'll notice your baby can now keep food in their mouth, close their lips around a spoon, and swallow. That's your cue that the mouth muscles are ready for solids.
If you're unsure, try offering a tiny spoonful of purée. If it gets pushed straight back out, wait another week or two and try again. There's no rush.
💡 Mums & Bums Centurion Tip: All three signs usually appear together, but if one is missing, your baby's body is telling you it's not quite time yet. And that's okay, readiness isn't a competition. Trust your baby's pace. It's the best predictor of feeding success later on.
💡 Bonus Tip: Curiosity counts too! If your baby watches you eat or tries to grab your spoon, it's a great sign they're ready to explore.
Here's a Short Checklist Before You Start Solids:
✔️ Between 16 weeks and 6 months old
✔️ Can sit up with support
✔️ Has full neck control
✔️ Lost the tongue-thrust reflex
✔️ Showing interest in food
Best First Foods for Babies (and What to Avoid)
Once your baby shows all the readiness signs, it's time to explore real food.
The goal in these first few weeks isn't to fill them up, but to help them learn how to eat. Every spoonful is a sensory lesson in taste, texture, and coordination.
Best First Foods for Babies in South Africa
Start simple. Your baby doesn't need fancy blends. South African kitchen staples work perfectly when they're prepared safely.
Iron-rich foods (a must at 6 months):
Puréed or finely mashed beef, chicken, or fish
Iron-fortified baby cereal
Cooked lentils or beans
Mild fruits and vegetables:
Butternut, pumpkin, or sweet potato
Mashed pear, apple, or banana
Avocado or cooked carrots
Healthy fats for brain growth:
A drizzle of olive oil in purées
Mashed avocado or soft egg yolk
Did You Know? Babies Often Need Multiple Exposures to Food Before Deciding if They Like It
We often hear babies need to try food five times before deciding if they like it or not, but it's a myth that "five times" is the magic number, although the idea behind it is absolutely correct. Research shows that babies (and toddlers, too) may need between 8 and 15 separate exposures to a new food before they truly accept or enjoy it. That doesn't mean forcing them to eat it each time, but instead calmly offering it again in different forms, like puréed, mashed, mixed with familiar foods, or even just having it on their plate. The key is gentle persistence. Babies are naturally cautious about new textures and tastes.
💡 Practical tip: If your baby spits out pumpkin today, don't give up. Try again next week. Sometimes it's texture, not flavour. You can mix a tiny bit into a favourite food or offer it alongside something familiar. 🧠 Evidence snapshot: A 2017 review in Appetite found that repeated exposure (10–12 times) was the single most effective strategy to increase acceptance of new foods in infants.
So yes, "try five times" is a nice starting rule of thumb, but the real takeaway is: Don't label a food as "disliked" too soon. Keep offering it without pressure, and variety wins in the long run. |
Foods to Avoid (Under 1 Year)
Salt and added sugar (strain on kidneys and teeth)
Honey (risk of botulism)
Whole nuts, popcorn, raw carrots, or chunks of apple (choking hazards)
💡 Fun fact: Research shows babies who regularly eat iron-rich foods early are less likely to develop anaemia, and they often sleep better, too.
Baby Feeding Journey (6–12 Months)
Age | Milk Feeds/Day | Solid Meals | Texture | Example Foods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Months | 4–5 | 1–2 small meals | Smooth purées | Iron-fortified cereal, butternut, apple |
7–8 Months | 4 | 2–3 | Thicker purées | Chicken + veg, mashed banana |
9–10 Months | 3–4 | 3 + snack | Mashed | Mince, pap with lentils |
11–12 Months | 2–3 | 3 family meals | Finger foods | Family meals (less salt), avocado toast |
Remember:
🍼 Milk (breast or formula) remains the primary source of nutrition until 12 months, but solids teach new skills and fill in nutritional gaps like iron and zinc.
Many babies start solids around the same time as their 6-month vaccines. If you're curious about South African baby vaccine side effects by age, read here about what you can expect.
What Is Baby-Led Weaning? And How Does It Fit Into Starting Solids
Once your baby shows all the readiness signs, you'll start seeing two common approaches to solids:
The traditional spoon-fed purées
Baby-led weaning (BLW)
Baby-led weaning simply means letting your baby feed themselves soft, age-appropriate finger foods instead of spoon-feeding purées. The idea is to let them explore textures, tastes, and hand coordination at their own pace.
Research suggests that BLW can encourage self-regulation of appetite and may reduce picky eating later, as long as it's done safely, with the same readiness milestones (especially good head control) firmly in place.
💡 Quick note: Whether you start with purées or finger foods, your baby's nutritional needs are the same: iron-rich foods, safe textures, and supervised mealtimes. Most families use a combination of both methods, but whatever you choose is perfectly okay.
When Can I Give My Baby Water?
In addition to introducing solids, many parents worry about keeping babies hydrated, especially during South Africa's long, hot summers. However, when it comes to water, timing is really important.
Before 6 Months: No Extra Water Needed
Babies under six months old get all the hydration they need from breast milk or formula. Even on 35°C days, your baby doesn't need sips of water. Breastmilk naturally adjusts to become thinner and more hydrating during hot weather.
Giving water too early can actually do more harm than good. Tiny kidneys aren't yet ready to handle extra fluids, and excessive water intake can dilute sodium levels in the blood, leading to a condition called water intoxication, a rare but serious condition.
From 6 Months Onwards: Small Sips Only
Once your baby starts solids (around six months), you can begin offering small amounts of cooled, boiled water, about 25–100 ml per day in a sippy cup or a normal cup.
Think of it as practice rather than hydration. These little sips:
Help rinse food residue from the mouth
Teach cup-drinking skills
Prevent constipation when solid meals increase
Most babies will only take a few sips at first, and that's how it should be. Milk should still be their main source of fluid until the first birthday.
Hot Weather Tips
If your baby is under 6 months, offer an extra milk feed if they seem thirstier than usual.
Keep solid foods moist, and add a splash of water or breastmilk when reheating purées.
Avoid fruit juice, rooibos tea, or flavoured water before 12 months. They add sugar without nutrition and can replace valuable milk feeds.
Wondering when the right time is to give your baby water? Read our post: Can a Baby Drink Water Under 6 Months? Risks Explained by a Nurse
Safety Tips When Starting Solids
Always supervise meals. Choking happens quietly and quickly.
Avoid whole grapes, raw carrots, popcorn, or nuts.
Offer one new food at a time (wait 2–3 days between).
Introduce allergens (such as egg, peanut butter, and fish) around 6 months, unless there's a family history of allergy.
Sit baby upright. Do not prop their bottle or feed them in a reclined position.
🧠 Evidence bite: A 2023 review in Pediatrics found early allergen exposure (at 6 months) significantly lowers allergy risk later.
South African Foods That Are Great First Baby Meals
Soft pap with breastmilk or formula (avoid adding salt or sugar).
Mashed pumpkin with a drizzle of oil.
Samp & lentils mashed smooth.
Avocado & banana mash for healthy fats and natural sweetness.
Gem Squash, which is packed with fibre, vitamin C, and natural sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Starting Solids
When can I start giving my baby solid foods?
Most babies are ready around 6 months, when they can sit upright, hold their head steady, and have lost the tongue-thrust reflex.
Can I give my baby solids at 4 months?
Only if your paediatrician or nurse recommends it, for most babies, starting before 4 months isn't safe because their digestive systems and swallowing muscles aren't mature enough yet.
What are the best first foods to start my baby on?
Iron-fortified cereal, puréed meat, lentils, or vegetables like butternut and sweet potato are ideal first foods.
Should I feed my baby solids before or after milk?
Start after milk feeds, breastmilk or formula should still make up most of their calories at this age.
When can my baby start eating pap and family foods?
From around 9–10 months, when they can chew soft textures and feed themselves small finger foods.
Final Thoughts: When and How to Start Baby Solids Safely
Introducing solids is more than just feeding. It's connection and skill-building, one spoonful at a time.
Whether your baby's first bite is butternut, pap, or pear, remember:
Follow their cues
Keep it safe
Enjoy the mess (you'll miss it one day, promise)
If you're unsure whether your baby is ready or need guidance on meal plans, you can book your next baby check-up or feeding consult at Mums & Bums Clinic, Centurion.
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