When to Start Solids in Australia: Signs Your Baby Is Ready

 

Starting solids is one of the biggest milestones in your baby's first year, and it comes with a lot of questions. When is the right time? How do you know your baby is ready? What do you feed them first? This guide walks through the current Australian guidance in plain language, so you can start with confidence (and a plan for the mess).

Quick note: every baby is different, and this is general information, not medical advice.

Your child health nurse or GP is the best person to talk to about your baby specifically.

When should you start solids?

In Australia, the guidance from the NHMRC is to introduce solid foods at around six months of age, while continuing breast milk or formula. Solids should not be started before four months. Around six months is when most babies are developmentally ready and, importantly, when they begin to need the extra nutrients (especially iron) that milk alone can no longer provide.

"Around six months" matters more than a precise date. Some babies are ready a little before, some a little after. Readiness signs matter more than the number on the calendar.

The signs your baby is ready

Look for these signs, which usually appear together around the six-month mark:

• Good head and neck control, and able to sit upright with little or no support.
• Showing interest in food, watching you eat, leaning in or reaching for what is on your plate.
• Opening their mouth when food comes near, rather than pushing it straight back out with their tongue.
• Bringing objects to their mouth and starting to make chewing movements.

A baby chewing their hands, waking more at night, or seeming hungry is not on its own a reliable sign of readiness. Those things are normal at many ages. Wait for the developmental signs above.

What to offer first

The first foods should be iron-rich, because iron is the main nutrient babies start to run short on around six months. Good first options include:

• Iron-fortified infant cereal
• Pureed or finely minced meat, chicken or fish
• Cooked tofu, legumes and lentils
• Well-cooked, mashed vegetables paired with an iron-rich food

You can offer smooth purees, or soft finger foods if you are leaning toward baby-led weaning. Many families do a mix of both. There is no need to introduce foods one at a time for days unless you are specifically watching for an allergic reaction.

Introducing common allergens

Current Australian advice (ASCIA) is to introduce common allergy-causing foods in the first year, around the time you start solids, rather than delaying them. That includes well-cooked egg, smooth peanut butter or paste, dairy (as yoghurt or cheese, not as a main drink), wheat and fish. Introducing these early may actually help reduce the risk of food allergy. Offer one new allergen at a time so you can spot any reaction.

Foods to avoid in the first year

• Honey, until 12 months, due to the risk of infant botulism.
• Whole nuts, hard raw vegetables and other choking hazards. Use smooth nut butters and soft textures instead.
• Cow's milk as a main drink before 12 months (small amounts in cooking or on cereal are fine).
• Added salt and sugar.

Keep milk going

Solids are in addition to breast milk or formula, not a replacement. Milk remains your baby's main source of nutrition through the first year, with solid foods gradually increasing alongside it.

Be ready for the mess

Here is the part no one quite prepares you for: starting solids is gloriously, relentlessly messy. Food goes on the hands, the face, the hair, the high chair, the floor and, of course, the clothes. That is completely normal and part of how babies learn to eat. Letting them explore food (squish it, smear it, taste it) is genuinely good for them.

The one thing that makes it manageable is good coverage. This is exactly why we started Abibi. Our smock bibs cover the front, the arms and the lap, with an inner collar flap that stops mess running down the neck and a high-set catcher that actually catches dropped food. Less soaking stained clothes, fewer outfit changes, more time enjoying the milestone. Full sleeve is our pick for these early messy months and for baby-led weaning.

Shop Abibi bibs  |  Read our guide to the best bibs for starting solids

Frequently asked questions

Can I start solids at four or five months?
The advice is to wait until around six months, and never before four months. If you think your baby is ready early, talk to your child health nurse first.

Purees or baby-led weaning, which is better?
Both are fine, and many families combine them. What matters most is offering iron-rich foods, safe textures, and letting your baby explore.

How much should my baby eat at first?
Tiny amounts. Early solids are about learning, not filling up. A few spoonfuls or a couple of pieces of finger food is plenty to start.

What if my baby refuses food?
That is normal. Keep offering without pressure. It can take many tries before a baby accepts a new food.

Do I still need to give milk?
Yes. Breast milk or formula stays the main source of nutrition through the first year, alongside solids.