A baby who has been ill or has experienced difficulty eating may need to wait much longer. It all depends on the child. Babies give us cues that let us know when they are ready. This helps their parents identify the best time to introduce this new step in feeding. Babies who are ready learn quickly and are happier eaters than babies who need to wait a bit.
Babies are their own experts in eating.
They know when to move on to the next step. When your baby gives you the weight, physical, and sensory cues listed here, you can offer the first supplemental foods. Use ideas from this guideline to make learning to eat from a spoon as easy as possible for you and your baby. Observe your baby's mealtime communication, mouth, and learning cues during the first week to decide whether you'll continue to offer supplemental foods or whether you will wait for another week or two. The baby who is growing rapidly and always seems hungry may need extra calories from supplemental foods to support growth and satisfy hunger.