Complete Baby Feeding Guide: From 6 to 12 Months
Solids are a big milestone in your baby's first year. Not only does it fill little tummies, but it also teaches your child to enjoy food, eat with the family, and develop lifelong healthy habits. As with most parenting changes, introducing solids can be overwhelming.
Start with what foods? How do you know your baby is ready? How does a good feeding routine look? This guide covers everything from your baby's first solid food to creating a sustainable schedule and using a practical chart.
When And How to Start Solids
Usually, babies are ready for solids at six months. Look for cues like sitting with support, watching you eat, and taking food from a spoon without pushing it out with their tongue.
Start with seasonal fruits, veggies and iron-rich options. Since babies' iron stores start to drop, pureed meats, green veggies, and lentils are good choices. Don’t forget to add oils, seasonings and ground seeds.
Getting started:
● Prepare 4-6 tablespoons of puree with 2-3 pieces finger food and let your baby lead in terms of how many bites.
● Stick to single-ingredient foods at first
● Can offer a new food everyday
● Keep breastfeeding or formula feeding as usual
You can gradually increase meal variety and texture as your baby gets used to eating. By seven months, many babies can eat two solid meals a day plus milk.
This is a good time to start with your grains, make food thicker and start testing allergens like egg, nuts and dairy.
Actions during this stage:
● Move from smooth purees to mashed or lumpy textures
● Offer two meals per day
● Use a baby solid food chart to track what you’ve introduced and note reactions or favorites.
Becoming More Independent: 8 to 12 Months
This is when fun begins. By 8 months, babies often want to self-feed and imitate others at the table. You can then move to 3 meals a day and offer all the foods that are pending for baby to try including foods from the family pot.
Make sure everything is chopped, soft, and safe. Avoid hard, round, or sticky foods that can cause choking.
Tips for this stage:
● Offer three meals a day using whole, unprocessed foods
● Offer all foods to your baby and let them really learn to develop a hunger for food and you will naturally see milk starting to drop.
● Keep using your baby's solid food chart to stay on track with variety
Mealtime Safety and Creating Positive Habits
Teaching your baby to enjoy food, try new things, and feel confident at the table is more than just nutrition. You can let them get messy or not eat much on some days. Experience matters.
Keep meals calm and screen-free. Allow your baby to manually explore food and guide the process. Always monitor your baby and ensure they sit up.
Safety and mindset reminders:
● Cut food into safe, manageable sizes
● Avoid choking hazards like nuts, grapes, and popcorn
● Keep mealtimes distraction-free and pleasant
● Let your baby lead —it builds confidence
● Stick to a flexible baby solid food schedule to support routine
Building Long-Term Routines
Your baby's solid food schedule need not be perfect. Just be consistent. Combine that with a well-used baby solid food chart to provide a solid nutritional foundation for growth and exploration.
Helpful habits to carry forward:
● Aim for three meals and one or two snacks daily
● Begin to taper milk feeds as solids take center stage
● Eat together as often as possible—babies learn by watching
● Plan meals to make life easier
● Review your baby's solid food chart weekly to rotate in new foods.
Wrapping Up
Both you and your baby learn through trial and error as you transition from milk to meals. Being flexible, using a baby solid food chart, and following a gentle baby solid food schedule can make the process easier and more enjoyable.
Sanchitadaswani's Solids Made Simple course provides step-by-step support. It offers advice and reassurance for every feeding stage.
Remember—meals are more than food. They promote connection, discovery, and growth.