When parents think their children are ready, they should consult with their children's health care provider before beginning. They should be able to hold their heads up well before strained foods are even offered. The tongue thrust reflex should be gone before introducing solids. The tongue thrust reflex causes young infants to push foreign matter out of their mouths. This reflex protects young infants from choking on foreign bodies.
Children reach for and show interest in table foods.
If children try to grab food out of their parents' hands, or if they watch other people eat with great interest, they may be ready to give solid foods a try. Children are able to move their tongues back and forth as well as up and down. Parents can discover this by watching their children. Babies can draw up their lower lips so that they can take food from a spoon. Once parents and their children's health care provider have determined that it is a good time to try solid foods, parents should begin slowly.