Between 17 and 26 weeks (4 to 6 months), your baby may begin to show some signs they are ready to start eating solid food.

Your baby should show more than 1 of these signs before you think about introducing solid foods. Especially if they are 17 weeks.

Signs your baby is ready for solid food:

• They are able to sit up with support and can control their head movements.
• Co-ordination - they can look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth by themselves.
• They can swallow food instead of spitting it back out.

These signs show that your baby is ready for you to introduce foods other than milk.

Offer a variety of foods, be patient, and let your baby explore and play with their food. Make mealtimes a positive and enjoyable experience by sitting together as a family and offering praise and encouragement.

Babies develop at different stages. Begin introducing solids when your baby is ready.

This should be when you're baby is about 6 months old.

Do not start solid food before 17 weeks (4 months).

You might want to start with single vegetables and fruits.

Try mashed or soft cooked sticks of:

• parsnip
• broccoli
• potato
• yam
• sweet potato
• carrot
• apple
• pear